down his holy Spirit upon his Apostles and the rest of his chosen children to instruct them in his will to encourage them in their duties to confirm them in their Faith to assist them in their preaching to strengthen them in their persecutions O Iesu send also your holy Spirit to cure cleanse and comfort my sick sinfull and sad soul adorn each corner of my interiour with your divin love and grace that you sacred Spirit may find there a sweet and gratefull habitation rule reign and remain in my heart O Iesu King of Glory for evermore Our Father O Sacred Virgin-Mother whose soul was dilated with such unspeakable joy and sweetness in the glorious Resurrection and admirable Ascention of your divin Son JESUS appease him I beseech you in my behalf by your powerfull Prayers and Intercession Hail Mary Conclude this holy Crown with that Apostles Creed saying I believe in God c. Thirty-three Elevations and Petitions to Jesus our blessed Redeemer in honour of the Thirty-three year 's of his holy Life 1. O Good Jesu the word of the Father convert me 2. O Good Jesu the lamb of God! puryfie me 3. O Good Jesu my Master teach me 4. O Good Jesu the Prince of Peace govern me 5. O Good Jesu the sure hope of penitent Sinners behold me 6. O Good Jesu my Refuge defend me 7. O Good Jesu my Instructor direct me 8. O Good Jesu my Patience comfort me 9. O good Jesu the chief Comforter of sad Souls refresh me 10. O good Jesu my Redeemer save me 11. O good Jesu my Lord and my God! possess me 12. O good Jesu the life the way and the truth enliven me 13. O good Jesu my firm Foundation strengthen me 14. O good Jesu the light of the world illuminate me 15. O good Jesu my Justice justifie me 16. O good Jesu my Mediator sanctifie me 17. O good Jesu the Physitian of my soul heal me 18. O good Jesu my Judg absolve me 19. O good Jesu the Son of Justice shine upon me 20. O good Jesu my King deliver me 21. O good Jesu Son of David pitty me 22. O good Jesu my sanctification cleanse me 23. O good Jesu the living bread descending from Heaven satiate me 24. O good Jesu the wine bringing forth Virgins inebriate me 25. O good Jesu my Father bless me 26. O good Iesu the only joy of my heart visit me 27. O good Iesu my Helper assist me 28. O good Iesu my Protector protect me 29. O good Iesu my Love transform me 30. O good Iesu my Propitiation hide me in your wounds 31. O good Iesu the faithfull Shepheard feed me 32. O good Iesu the eternal Life receive me into the number of your Elect. 33. O good Iesu my Glory gloryfie me An Advertisement to them of the sacred Confraternity of the holy name of IESUS AFter the recitall of the Rosary of Jesus or Crown of our Lord and these Thirty-three Petitions in honour of the Thirty-three years of his holy life you may make use of some of the following Elevations to Jesus Christ our Lord and to the holy Trinity according as your opportunity and devotion shall dictate unto you and not as any part belonging to the said Rosary of Iesus which contains nothing more than what is before prescribed and expressed for though they may be practis'd with very great spiritual profit by all faithful Christians as containing a most eminent sublime and heroick manner of offring up our selv's to the divin Majesty yet the frequent use thereof is especially proper to the members of this sacred Confraternity who above all others ought to adore Gods greatness admire his goodness extoll his mercies and dedicate themselv's to his perpetuall service by the continuall remembrance of the mysteries of his Life and Incarnation which is the end of their devout Confraternity and the drift of these divin Elevations ELEVATIONS TO JESVS CHRIST our Lord In honour of his severall Estates and of the singular Mysterries of his Life TO ADORE The supream greatness of JESUS And to offer our selv's to him in way of humble servitude and absolute dependency which is due to him in consequence of the ineffable Union of the Divinitie with our Humanity 1. The Eternall Greatness of the word Incarnate O IESU my Lord King of Angels Redeemer of Men Soveraign of the Universe only Son of God only Son of the Virgin Born from all Eternity in the Eternall Fathers bosom and in times fullness born of the Virgin Mary true God true Man I adore you in your eternall and your temporall Greatness in your divin and human Fullness in your created and uncreated Highness You are the second Person of the sacred Trinity but equall to the First and origin of the Third you are the Splendor and Glory of the eternall Father you are his power and his wisdom you are his lively Image and perfect resemblance you are his only Son and his eternall word you are God of God Light of Light 2. The Equality and Consubstantiality of the Divin Persons in a perfect distinction is a wonder in God himself YOU are in these Greatnesses by Birth Such a Birth which Equalls the Power and Paternity of him who is your Father and which is one and the same thing with the Divinity A wonder not in the world but in Eternity not in the created but uncreated Being and the Prime wonder of Eternity For you are the first Production of the Eternall Father and source of the last And by this wonderfull Birth you are Infinit as he is All-powerfull is he is God as he is Beginning and Originall of a Divin Person as he is Nor is there any other difference but that in one self-same Divinity in one equall Eternity in one semblable Majesty He is Father and you are Son you are Son but without inequality without posteriority you are Son yet of even antiquity of equall authority with him and Eternall God as he is You are Son but without diversity of Essence or of Power or of Wisdom having the unity of Essence with the diversity of Subsistency in which you are one only God with him you are adored as he is and you are the Creator Conserver and Commander of the whol world as he is 3. God low's himself to us and makes himself one of us THese Greatnesses dazle our souls we cannot look upon them from out our Earths obscurity They are to be adored not beheld and we must vail our faces in the presence of this divin object as did the Angells by Isay's relation in the sight of your Throne But you are willing to exercise you mercy's upon us you will cast a cover upon your self and render your self visible to our weak spirits and to our mortall aspects you will stoop down to us and become accessible and by a Councill which even ravishes us with wonder you will come neer us and make your self as one of us For O
S. Mary Magdalens 25. S. James the Apostle 26. At S. Anne 30. At S. Mark AUGUST 1. AT S. Peters Chains 3. S. Stephen at S. Laurence without the walls 4. S. Dominick at the Minerva and at S. Maria Major 5. Our Blessed Lady of Snow at S. Maria Major 6. At S. John Lateran 10. At S. Laurence and all the days within the Octave 12. S. Clare Virgin 15. The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin and all the days within the Octave at S. Maria Major at S. Maria de Populo at Aracoeli at Rotunda and S. Maria de Angelis 24. At S. Bartholomew 28. At S. Augustins 29. Decollation of S. John at S. John Lateran SEPTEMBER 3. THE Nativity of the Blessed Virgin at S. Maria Major at the Rotunda at Aracoeli at the Inviolata at S. Maria de Pace de Populo and de Angelis 14. At the holy Cross in Jerusalem 21. At S. Matthew 29. At S. Michael 30. S. Hierom at S. Maria Major OCTOBER 4. AT S. Francis trans Tyberim 18. At S. Lukes 28. SS Simon and Jude at S. Peters NOVEMBER 1. ALL Saints day and all the days within the Octave at S. Maria Rotunda 2. All Souls day and upon all the days within the Octave at S. Gregory 9. Dedication of our Saviours Church at S. John Lateran 11. S. Martin at S. Peters and at S. Martins 18. Dedication of the Church of SS Peter and Paul 21. Presentation of our Blessed Lady in the Temple at S. Maria Major 22. At S. Cecilia 23. At S. Clement 30. S. Andrew at S. Peters DECEMBER 6. SAint Nicholas 7. S. Ambrose 8. The Conception of the Blessed Virgin at S. Maria Major 21. S. Thomas Apostle at S. Peters 24. Christmas Eve at S. Maria Major 25. Christmas night at the first Mass at the Chappell of the Crib At the second Mass at S. Anastasia At the third Mass at S. Maria Major 26. At S. Stephens in coelio Monte. 27 S. John the Evangelist at S. Maria Major 28. Innocents day at S. Pauls Finally at the Church of S. John Lateran which is the first of the seven Churches of Rome in the Chappell of S. Laurence and in the Chapell of S. John Baptist there may be gain'd every day a Plenary Indulgence Also in S. Laurence Church vvithout the walls every Wensday a Soul out of Purgatory And in the Church of S. Paul every Sunday throughout the year a Soul out of Purgatory In this Church also may be gain'd all those Indulgences which are granted to them who visite the holy Sepulcher where there is every day a Plenary and a Soul out of Purgatory Note also that upon all the Feasts of the twelve Apostles there is a Plenary at S. Philip and James likewise at S. Peters The Practicall manner of performing the aforesaid Roman Stations and gaining these Indulgences with ease and efficacy may be briefly thus 1. Begin with the sign of the Cross as formerly in all your other devotions and Spirituall exercises 2. Then with an humble and penitent heart make this following Act of Contrition Thereby to settle your Soul in the state of Grace which is a necessary condition for the gaining of all Indulgences O my good Lord Jesu who art the Lord of my life and shouldst be the love of my Soul did I not like an ungracious and ungratefull wretch give my heart and sell my affection to fond frail filthy and fading Creatures and comforts which are so far from affording me either quiet of mind peace of Conscience purity of Soul or perfection of spirit which my obligation and vocation require of me that they leave me nothing but trouble confusion and remorse with a world of dismall and desperate thoughts violent passions and vicious inclinations Amidst all which disorders I find no other Refuge nor Remedy than to return to you my true Center to convert my self to you my Soveraign Creator To cast my self at your sacred feet my sweet Lord Jesu And there with an humble and contrite Spirit to sue for Mercy Remission Reconciliation O Heavenly Father I confess and acknowledge my ingratitude treachery rebellion and I am sorry from the bottom of my heart and soul that ever I offended you who deserve from me all possible love honour and obedience beseeching you as a guilty Criminall to take compassion upon your poor and penitent creature and to forgive me the great and grievous transgressions and offences which I have committed against your divin bounty as I do for the love of you my Lord and Maker most freely forgive all those that have any way offended distasted contristated or scandaliz'd me sincerely knowing that I deserve no comfort from any creature but all contempt and confusion and not only to be troubled and trampled on by all on earth temporally but even to be tormented by the Devills in Hell eternally Ha Crucifi'd Jesu take pity on my soul for which you powred forth your sacred blood and gave up your dearest life on the Cross Alas How ungratefull a child have I been to offend so frequently so heynously so disloyally so loving and liberall a Father so meek and mercifull a Redeemer and so sweet and soveraign a Majesty who hath always shew'd himself to me so benign and bountifull sparing me in my sins and expecting me to Repentance wooing me to his love and calling me to his service by a thousand means all which I have either rejected or neglected and still nevertheless continuing unto me my life time and means to do penance Oh my poor soul How hast thou been blinded and bewitched to leave the Bread of Angells and to feed on the husks of Swin to abandon God and all solid goodness upon whom depends all thy hope and happiness all thy quiet content and comfort in time and eternity for trifling vanities empty shadows meer nothings O strange folly and sâ—ensy would I had never sinned and oh that I might never sin more O my God! what have I done and not don would I had suffered on the Cross with you my sweet Saviour and for your love pains of body pangs of Soul and even death it self when I thus grievously sinned And what can I say or do more I abhor and detest whatsoever I have don said thought or desired contrary to your divin will and liking I rencunce all company and occasions which may induce me to offend you I cast my self at your sacred feet to be your faithfull Bondslave for ever I firmly resolve to take up my Cross and carry it after you dear Jesu till death and to do penance and satisfaction for my past pride pleasure and impiety desiring no more in this world but to linger out my pilgrimage at the foot of the Cross like the Penitent Magdalen in perpetuall solitude silence and submission Good Jesu for your infinit Mercy 's and Merits sake suffer not your poor creature to be separated from you eternally O amiable Eternity O Eternall amity of God! Shall
when sunk down to the bottom so it is with sin the cure is desperate when the disease is deeply rooted 3. The frequent use of the Holy EVCHARIST is no less necessary to all faithfull and devout Christians where they are visited by God himself honoured with his Reall Presence fed with his sacred flesh made the Temple of the Holy Ghost the Cabinet of the Word Incarnat the Tabernacle of the Immense Trinity the Throne the Heaven the Palace the Paradise of the whol divinity O what priviledges what profits what prerogatives to have their sins pardoned temptations quelled passions conquered enemies repulsed new strength granted all sorts of graces communicated To have the spirit cleared the memory awaked the will inflamed the understanding illuminated the heart confirmed the appetite regulated the reason instructed the sensuality repressed the whol man divinized To receive the antipasts of Paradise the pledges of eternall bliss and beatitude who would not endeavour to be frequently partaker of such heights such honours such happinesses 4. Another important practice of devout Christians is to hear Mass as often as they may for it is a Sacrifice whereby the merits of our Redeemers Passion are applyed to us A Sacrifice in which and by which thanks are rendred to the Divin Majesty for all the benefits received from his bounty A Sacrifice of infinit worth and efficacie inflowing multitudes of graces favours and blessings upon the devout assistants which this time and place permit me not to particularize 5. Furthermore to hear Gods Word preached and announced if that happiness may be obtained is also a point of great piety profit and merit nor is there indeed any more express sign of a Christians belonging to Christs flock and fold than the frequent and affectionate hearing of his divin Word according to his own saying He that is of God hears his Word and my sheep hear my voyce Surely they who lend a willing ear to their prime Pastours voyce preached to them by his Missioners and Officers testifie thereby that they are his loving and obedient Sheep the imitators of his Blessed Mother who kept all his words carefully in her heart and children designed for his heavenly inheritance 6. The last piece of devotion which I shall now mention belonging to pious Christians and especially to the religious children of Jesus and Mary is to addict themselves to the reading of the spirituall Conflict and Conquest and other good holy and spirituall books for these are the dumb masters which teach us the lessons of true wisdom and heavenly Philosophy These are the fire-steels of Gods love and fear the matches of devotion the interpreters of sacred mysteries the pilots of our pilgrimage the Registers of Gods wondrous works the Court-Rolls where we may turn to the authentique effects of his severe justice and of his sweet mercy Behold these are the true badges of perfect brethren sisters these are the undeniable seals of devout Confraternities these are the essentiall properties of our Queen-Mothers children and servants Study them seriously O devout Rosarists and endeavour punctually to observe and keep them First admiring praysing thanking the divin Majesty for providing you so powerfull so worthy so perfect a Mother Patroness and Advocate Secondly striving to make your selves worthy children of so great and glorious a Mother worthy members of so pious and profitable a Confraternity Thirdly Remember the promises made at your first admission and honour her accordingly love her admire her and propagate her prayses to the whol World Fourthly above all aym at the imitation of her Life and Vertues which is the most perfect and to her most pleasing way of homage and service Fifthly frequent the Sacraments of Confession and Communion hear Mass dayly and devoutly be present at holy exhortations and give your self to spirituall lecture Sixtly let no day pass without a speciall recommendation of your self your fellow-brethren and sisters of the ROSARY and the Vniversall Church not forgetting our distressed Nation her ancient Dowry to your Mother of Powers care and protection Finally make your most humble and hearty addresses unto your Mother of Power in all your pressing necessities and doubt not but you shall receive singular benefits and blessings by your being of this sacred Confraternity during the course of your life and singular comfort and confidence at the hour of your death that is you shall live well and dye well which is the happiness we all aim at and which is my hearty and daily prayer for my self and for you all my devout brethren and sisters of this most sacred and most renowned Arch-Confraternity of the ROSARY THE FIRST BOOK OF THE SACRED ROSARY Which is the Doctrinall part thereof Containing briefly these Particulars 1. THat every faithfull Christian ought to have a particular devotion towards Gods holy Mother the sacred Virgin Mary 2. That the Practice of the sacred Rosary is a devotion very pleasing to the Divin Majesty profitable to our selves and gratefull to the blessed Virgin 3. That this sort of devotion is proper for such Catholiques as live in hereticall Countries 4. What the Rosary is 5. The Rosary is twofold the great and little Rosary 6. Why this manner of prayer is call'd the Rosary 7. That the Rosary comprehends the two sorts of prayer vocall and mentall 8. Three advices concerning this manner of praying and meditating 9. A difficultie concerning this conjunction of vocall and mentall prayer proposed and cleared 10. Of the advantage which this Confraternity of the Rosary hath above all others in point of Communication of merits 11. Of Indulgences in generall 12. Three necessary advertisements for the gaining of Indulgences 13. Of the Indulgences conferr'd upon the Confraterâ—ity of the Rosary 14. The generall rules and Statutes of the Confraternity of the Rosary 15. The form of receiving brothers and sisters into this sâ—ered Confraternity with the blessing of their Bedes Roses and Candles And a form of the generall absolution to be imparted to them at the hour of death 16. Of the pious use of Processions 17. An Elevation for the Procession of the Rosary with the Litanies of our Blessed Lady of the Rosary and the Litanies of our Blessed Lady of Loretto for a happy death 18. Severall other prayers to be recited after the Litanies as occasion shall require §. 1. That every faithfull Christian ought to have a particular devotion towards Gods holy Mother the sacred Virgin Mary THIS is a Subject so generally handled a Doctrin so universally received a verity so largely proved by all the learned holy and pious Writers of the Catholique Church that the onely reading of the Title seem a sufficient motive to mind all faithfull Christians of this duty and devotion without seeking for further Arguments to convince an undeniable Tenet which is supported by such almost infinit multitudes of solid arguments that the bare recitall thereof would swell this discourse which aimes at a compendious brevity into many
disputing amongst the Doctors Luke 2. In Seas of joy the Virgins breast was drownd When Jesus lost she in the Temple found Our Father c. The Blessed Virgin-Mother exceedingly rejoyced 1. At the sight of her new-found Son FOr when the child Jesus was twelve years old his Parents went up with him to perform their Devotions in the Temple of Jerusalem where they lost him for three days space sought him up and down with many tears and at last found him amongst the Doctors O the Joy of their hearts at this happy sight For the sweetest comforts spring from precedent sorrows now their sorrows were proportionable to their loss and consequently their Joy was correspondent to the affection they bore their blessed Son first possessed then lost and now retriv'd again Hail Mary 2. At the Hearing of his Learning and Wisdom For they found him not playing idling sleeping but discoursing of the Law disputing with the Doctors proposing questions to the Priests and resolving their difficulties with such readiness and dexterity that all the Auditors were astonish't at so ripe an understanding in such tender years Hail Mary 3. At the fulfilling of that Propheticall saying I Wisedom dwell with Counsell and am present amongst learned cogitations WHich passage S. Vincent explicates literally of this prefence of our Lord JESUS amongst the Priests and Doctors Hail Mary 4. At her first conference with him after She had found him WHen with heart brim-full of Joy She brake forth into these expressions O my dear Son Why have you dealt thus with us not making me your so tenderly affectionat Mother acquainted with your stay which was no rebuke but a certain loving complaint for his long absence Behold your Putative Father and I have sought you out with sorrow fearing you might fall into the hands of Archelaus the Son of Herod and Heir of his cruelty as well as of his Kingdom Hail Mary 5. At his Mysticall Answer unto her FOr He mildly and modestly teply'd And why O Mother did you so carefully seek after me Know you not that I must be about my heavenly Fathers business whereof one part is to instruct the ignorant and instill into their hearts the hidden Intelligence of his Law Hail Mary 6. At the Instruction couched in his reply FOr though at first She understood him not by reason of the excess of Joy in having found him yet reflecting afterwards upon his words She well perceiv'd he was now even in his tender age setting forward that great work of mans conversion Redemption Salvation which he was in his riper age to compleat and perfect Hail Mary 7. At his return with her to Nazareth FOr he immediatly leaving the Doctors company and yeilding to his Mothers summons went down with his Parents to their dwelling-house in Nazareth Hail Mary 8. At his humble Obedience and Subjection FOr the sacred Gospell tells us He was subject unto them Hail Mary 9. At the consideration of her own happiness dignity and excellency TO wit That He should become thus voluntarily subject to her command to whose beck both her self and all creatures were necessarily subject and obedient Hail Mary 10. At the delicious conservation of all his words and actions in her heart FOr so the sacred Pen-man of the holy Ghost informes us His Mother kept all these sayings conferring them in her heart To the end she might by her daily and diligent study reflection and meditation dive into the meaning of what she yet understood not and take joy and comfort in what she understood Hail Mary Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost c. These Prayers Angelicall with bended knee c. Affections Elevations Petitions O Blessed JESU who for reasons best known to your own divin Wisdom and all-disposing providence would be thus lost sought and found by your Parents in Jerusalem amongst the Doctors in the Temple Grant that I may never lose your Grace Favour and Friendship by following my own irregular appetites passions and affections by yeilding to wordly vanities allurements enchantments by consenting to Satans suggestions temptations delusions But if through Ignorance negligence carelesness or any other motive whatsoever I shall unhappily chance to be depriv'd of your sweet presence in my interiour Excite me O mercifull Saviour to seek you out diligently speedily mournfully during the three days space of this my lives Pilgrimage by perfect Contrition pure Confession entire Satisfaction that so I may at last joyfully find and see you in your Celestiall Jerusalem sitting on your Fathers right hand amidst your Angels and Saints in the Temple of your Eternall Glory O Jesu The rare Patern of perfect Obedience Humility and all vertues you are the All-powerfull God and you obey poor man you are the Soveraign Creatour and you submit to your own Creature you are the Supreme Monarch of both worlds and you are subject to your Handmaid Mary And shall any Christian remain any longer rebellious refractory disobedient to his Parents to his Superiors or to any other just authority Be asham'd proud dust and ashes God humbles himself and wilt thou exalt thy self He obeys men and dost thou desire to domineer over them Is not this directly to prefer thy self before thy soveraign Lord and Maker But o sacred Virgin Mother How singular is your Priviledge To have him subject to you whom all human and Ang licall nature reverences and adores O my soul Admire both and make choyce of which thou wilt chiefly admire Either the Sons stupendious condescention or the Mothers excellent dignity Both are mervailous both miraculous That God should obey a Woman is a Humility beyond all Example That a woman should command God is a Height beyond all comparison O good Jesu How doth my Soul languish when I have lost you and how reproachfully doth my conscience cry out unto me Where is thy God And yet Alas I seek you not with due sorrow and diligence because I love you not with true fervour and devotion O loving Mother of Jesus Had I the least spark of that sincere affection you bore your blessed Son How sensible should I be of my sad loss How seriously should I seek to retrive it But ah my misery That is lost without much grief which was possess'd without any great joy and therfore I find not my loss because I feel no love and finally I feel no love because I reflect not faithfully upon my Redeemers reall worth and value And yet what is there considerable or desirable in Heauen or Earth in comparison of sweet Jesus O my Lord my love my lot and my portion for time and Eternity Dart one Efficacious beam of your divin light into my dull dark and desolate Soul that I may see your greatness to the end I may love your goodness and that truly loving you I may willingly leave all to look after you contentedly forfeit all to find you and having found you I may be more faithfull
Petitions O My Soul would'st thou know where thou mayst assuredly find thy sweet Saviour Jesus the desired object of thy dearest affections It is upon Mount Calvary There he feeds upon Gall and Vineger There is his habitation upon the hard Cross There he reposes with extended leggs and stretched forth Arms to have his feet and hands pierced with horrid nayls There and thus he expects thy return from far O prodigall child ready to embrace thee with a Fatherly affection And dost thou see thy sweet Saviour hanging thus on the Cross for thy sake and yet solacest thy self in sinfull delights remainest still wallowing in the mudd and myre of thy wicked customs and not content thy self to commit sin and give scandall to others by thy bad example teachest them lessons of malice to draw them to thy unjust desires and their own utter damnation O sinful wretch Return now at least into thy self turn to thy sweet Saviour and run into the open'd arms and bosom of thy beloved Jesus calling thee alluring thee ready to receive thee He cry's out to thee from his Cross I thirst after thy conversion correction salvation He cry's aloud to awake thee excite thee hasten thee to accept of his proffer'd love before he renders up his life O when will the time come in which they who are buried in the Sepulchers of deadly sin and ly rotting in the graves of their inveterate crimes will hear the voyce of God's Son and hearing it will return to the life of grace if not at this present when he himself dyes to resuscitate them When will earthly souls full of terrestriall affection fear and tremble if they now remain unmoveable when will the Rocks of stony hearts be rent asunder with sorrow if they are now insensible When O my soul will the veil of thy vicious conscience be corn from the top to the bottom by a true confession of thy secret sins if shame and cowardise keeps it now cover'd when Jesus hangs naked on his Cross When will the Sun of thy Pride and vanity be obscured if it now shines when the glorious Sun of Justice shuts his eyes and becomes totally eclypsed O Jesu you call me And it is high time for me to answer to your summons you incline your sacred head towards me to give me a kiss of Peace and to whisper in the ears of my heart and Soul Behold I dy for thee I dy willingly for thee I dy purely for the love of thee And O my heart and Soul What answer do you make O my Jesu my sweet Saviour my dear Redeemer my soverarign Lord and Lover you dy and do I yet live O that I who have hitherto liv'd so little for you and so long for the world That I who have liv'd so long without you in negligence forgetfulness ingratitude That I who have liv'd so long against you in sin Impiety rebellion That I who have employ'd so small a portion of the time and talents you lent me faithfully and sincerely in your love and service O that I might now at least dy for you and with you Or if your providence will have my Pilgrimage yet prolong'd O Let me not live hereafter one moment but only for you and let me rather lose my life than your Love that living and dying I may be entirely yours for all succeeding time and Eternity Amen Then end this second part of the Rosary with the Creed sign of the Cross and Prayer To the sacred and undivided Trinity c. as before in the first part The third Part of the Rosary containing The five Glorious Mysteries Begin with the sign of the Cross Prayer and Creed as formerly The first Glorious Mystery Rises THE Resurrection of our Lord JESUS Mark 16. Our Saviour Rises reindu'd with breath Victorious over Hell and horrid Death These five Principall and common heads of the Glorious Mysteries may be also subdivided into many particular points of contemplation which according to our precedent method in the Joyfull and Dolorous we shall reduce to the number of Ten answerable to the Decades of this third part of the Rosary Our Father c. Our Blessed Redeemer and his sacred Mother exceedingly rejoyced 1. At his Bodyes cloathing with Immortalitie FOr by conquering death it was triumphantly rais'd up to a glorious immortall incorruptible life Hail Mary 2. At the joynt Glorification both of Body and Soul NOt that the Soul of our Blessed Saviour which was absolutly glorious from the first instant of his Conception receiv'd now any new encrease of glory but that the Miracle which retain'd his souls Glory from redounding into his Body did now cease upon this day of his Resurrection So that his Body receiv'd now its hitherto hindred Dowries of Claritie Agility Subtility Impassibility Hail Mary 3. At his exaltation above all creatures 1. THat in the Name of Jesus every knee should bow 2. That by no other means than his merits any one should be saved 3. That he should have all power in Heaven and Earth 4. That he was constituted the Judg of the living and dead All which he deserv'd by his exact obedience to his Eternall Father Hail Mary 4. At his entire victory over all his enemyes FIrst The Jews who having upbrayded him of Impotencie in not descending from the Cross were now utterly confounded at this far greater miracle of his Resurrection from Death 2. The Devill and all the Infernall Powers whose Pride he abated whose Kingdom he invaded whose spoyl's he divided c. Hail Mary 5. At his delivering the Holy Fathers out of Limbus TO wit Abraham Isaac Jacob Moyses David and the rest of the Patriarks Prophets and holy Persons whom he triumphantly led out of their long sustain'd captivity Hail Mary 6. At the now perfected Redemption of mankind FOr his and his mothers present joy and glory were commensurate to their former grief and sorrow undergon in his late cruell death and passion Hail Mary 7. At his being the true cause and perfect exemplar of the future Resurrection of all Mankind FOr as Christ is risen we also shall arise to wit to immortality c. Hail Mary 8. At the filling up the places of fall'n Angells THe Resurrection of our Saviour says S. Gregory was the festivity of the Angells for their number was to be compleated by his calling us to his heavenly Kingdom Hail Mary 9. At the corroboration consolation and confirmation of the Apostles ANd at the Reparation of their Faith Hope and Charity which were not only shaken but even lost and they exceedingly contristated and scandaliz'd at his death Hail Mary 10. At his frequent Apparitions for forty days space TO his dearely beloved Mther To the pious Magdalen and the rest of the devout Women To all his Disciples in generall To S. Thomas in particular wherby he manifested to them the reality of his glorious Resurrection and by them to the whol world Hail Mary Glory be to the Father and to
At his conducting the souls of the saints with him into heaven ACcording to that passage of the Psalmist He ascending on high led captivity captive which S. Thomas understands of the Patriarâ—…â—…ee'd from the captivity of Limbus Hail Mary 8. At his opening Heaven gates for our entrance ANd preparing places against our coming as himself said I go to prepare a place for you that where I am you may also be So that Christs Ascension say's S. Leo is our Promotion and whither the glory of the head is gon before the hope of the body is call'd to follow after Hail Mary 9. At his being appointed the Advocate of Mankind WE have say's S. John an Advocate with God the Father Christ Jesus the Just and he is the propitiation for our sins Hail Mary 10. At the great Fruit and Profit redounding to us by his Ascension FOR as S. Thomas proves the withdrawing of his corporall presence increases our Faith elevates our Hope inflames our Charity and therefore He himself said It is expedient for you that I go Hail Mary Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost c. These Prayers Angelicall with bended knee c. Affections Elevations Petitions O My glorious Lord Jesu It is just that you should Ascend to the Highest Heaven who descended to the center of the earth And that you should be exalted above all Angells since you humbled your self under all men O my Soul design'd for an Eternity where wilt thou ground thy feet that thou mayst securely take thy flight towards Heaven thy happy home the finall end of thy Pilgrimage and the only aim of all thy endeavours Look upon Christ thy Captain and learn by his most perfect example to ground thy self in Humility and to content thy self with crosses contempt and poverty which were his three individuall companions during the whol time of his earthly Pilgrimage O Jesu the amiable Object of all my affections And who should be the absolute pattern of all my actions I am resolv'd to leave all for the love of you and to forsake all that I may freely follow you For alas what are all worldly pleasures greatnesses and glories or what sweet Object can the whol Universe shew my eyes which can fully satisfie my heart And ha why then should I any longer miserable and ill advised wretch that I am let my self be surpriz'd with the false lustre of earthly vanities why should I fix my love upon fond toyes and trifles which only fool my senses but fill not my soul No my soul let 's now at last leave the Earth and look up to Heaven Thither Christ is ascended There our Treasure is plac'd and let our affection be there also fixed and O what shall hinder us a moment of brutish pleasure a grain of self-interest a sparkle of soon fading glory O meer Nothings and less than Nothings No my good Jesu I feel my self by the secret impulse of your inacting grace in my spirit so forcibly mov'd to sent you to obey you and to bestow on you the whol remainder of my life and love that if it should hereafter happen and ah my frailtie how can I trust thee which hast so often betray'd my best intentions and broken my strongest resolutions If therefore it shall fall out that my eyes or any respect of this Worlds most pleasing Objects hinder me from seeing your beauty contemplating your bounty and reflecting upon your mercy Tear them out of my head that I may behold you with my spiritual Eyes O Iesu the true light of my soul without disturbance or distraction If my right hand or any thing I possess or which is as near to my heart as my arm is to my hand becomes the occasion of my offending you hinders me from fast holding you diverts me from serving you diligently devoutly and according to my obligation and duty Cut it off O Jesu my soveraign Good my sole Riches and Treasure that I may clip you embrace you and be inseparably united to you with all the affections of my soul If my very heart it self or that which is nearer and dearer to me than this fountain of Life hinders me from bequeathing my self entirely to you from purely seeking you from perfectly loving you pluck it out of my breast O Jesu the only beloved of my Soul that henceforth I may have no thought but of you no will but yours no affection but for you no life but in you So shall I want neither eyes nor hands nor heart living thus spiritually during this my Pilgrimage in the heart of Jesus which is my seat my Sun my center my all till I become happily translated to live with him and be more perfectly united to him in his eternall Paradise The third glorious Mysterie Sends down Our blessed Saviour sends down the Holy Ghost to his Church Acts 2. Our Lord to his Apostles joyn'd in Quite Sends down the Holy Ghost in tongues of fire Our Father c. The glorious Virgin-Mother exceedingly rejoyc'd 1. At the miraculous manner of the Holy Ghosts coming FOr the Disciples returning back from Mount Olivet where our Saviour ascended to Jerusalem went into the same upper Room in which he had celebrated his last supper continuing there unanimously in prayer with Mary the Mother of Iesus and many other devout men and women untill the tenth day when sodainly about the third hour of the morning there came a sound from Heaven as of a rushing mighty wind filling the whol house as it were with fire which dividing it self into severall parts resembling cloven tongues setled upon each ones head and replenish'd their hearts with the Holy Ghost Hail Mary 2. At the fullfilling of Christs promises FOr he had told them if I depart from you the Holy Ghost shall descend unto you he shall teach you all truth and inform you of what is to come hereafter all which was now fully accomplish'd Hail Mary 3. At the multiplication of tongues or speaking of all languages WHereby the blessed Virgin clearly saw that the Apostles were not only design'd to preach the faith of her Son Christ Jesus to the whol World but joyfully perceiv'd they were also indu'd with all such perfections as were necessary in order to the effecting so great a work Hail Mary 4. At the Apostles confirmation in grace and goodness FOr the sacred Virgin who had sadly seen their former frailty and the feebleness of their Faith knew to her great content that they were now so strengthened with Gods holy Spirit as they were out of all danger for the future both of falling into infidelity and also of sinning mortally Hail Mary 5. At the Apostles patience courage and constancy in their persecutions FOr they who were lately so fearfull are now so cheerfull in their sufferings that they esteem it a speciall honour to indure shame for the holy name of Jesus Hail Mary 6. At the confutation of the Iew 's and Infidels
Operation which prepares and unites our nature with the Divinity and the Person of the Virgin with the Person of the Word Operation which accomplisheth the Incarnation of the word and the deification of human nature which remaining human in the very estate of this divin union receiv's uncreated and infinite Grace in a being which is created finite and like to ours 5. Contemplations upon the humanity of Jesus ANd you O sacred Humanity which by this Operation of the Holy Ghost are divinly deriv'd from the Virgin and personally united to the eternall Word I contemplate and adore you in that mervailous estate whereunto you enter Estate of Existency in the divin Being Estate of subsistency in the Person of the Word Estate of Filiation not adoptive but proper and naturall and I lose my self in the consideration of the inward and secret communications of the divin perfections which are singularly conferr'd upon a nature rhus resident thus living thus existent in the divinity 6. Contemplations upon the association of the blessed Virgin in the Mysterie of the Incarnation ANd since the most sacred Trinity chooseth you O holy Virgin and associates you to himself in this admirable operation I cannot forget you in this Mysterie nor ought I to seperate what God in this work hath conjoyn'dâ— Work in which he vouchsafes to you so great and honourable a part and so peculiar to you only amongst all Creatures I prayse then and reverence you with a singular Veneration correspondent to the excess of that excellency and dignity communicated unto you For you are Mother of God and you are the only in this order and quality and it is in you and in you only that this work of works is accomplish'd and this divin union between the Humanity and the Divinity is consummated In these thoughts there is enough to ravish a Soul to loose it in the diversity of these Objects and to swallow it up in their deep profundities I am confounded in the contemplation of them I caâ—… my self down I lift my self up I rejoyce I leap out of my self and I will have share in this new grace of this new mysterie of the Incarnation 7. An Oblation of humble Servitude to Jesus and to his deifi'd Humanity ANd expecting untill it shall please God to make me capable of some one of the holy inventions of his Spirit and of the operations of his grace and love by consequence of this mysterie I offer and submit my self I vow and dedicate my self to Jesus Christ our Lord in the state of perpetuall servitude to him and to his deify'd Humanity and to his humaniz'd Divinity and this with a resolution as firm constant and inviolable as by his grace is possible for me to make and as the durance and perpetuity of this stable mysterie permament for all Eternity doth deserve 8. A larger expression of this servitude WHerefore in honour of the unity of the Son with the Father and the Holy Ghost and of the union of the â—ame Son with human nature which he â—aâ—th united and joyn'd to his own Person I do unite and fasten my being to Jesus Christ and to his deify'd Humanity by the bond of perpetuall servitude I knit this knot on my part with all my power and beg of him to give me more power to tie my self to him with a closer and faster colligation in honour of those holy and sacred connexions which he will have with us in Earth and in Heaven in the life of grace and of glory 9. The Life of the Divinity in the Humanity I Reverence and adore the Life and annihilating of the Divinity in the Humanity the life the substance and the deification of this Humanity in the Divinity and all the actions humanly divin and divinly human which have proceeded from this new and mutual life of the Man-God living in two Essences whereof one is Eternall the other Temporall the one is Divin the other Humanâ— Life great high and profound of the Man-God and of the God Man Life rare and admirable but hidden in its own sublimity Life unknown even to Angels and to all created nature under the manifestation of glory Life hidden I say and unknown of the Divinity in this Humanity and of the Humanity in the Divinity In homage of this double Life and Essence I dedicate and consecrate to him my life and my actions of nature and of grace and this I consecrate to him in quality of the life and actions of one of his Bond-slaves for evermore 10. The denudation of Jesus's human subsistencie is the cause that his humanity and all its actions are appropriated to the Person of the Eternall word by which it subsists I Reverence the denudation and nakeding which the Humanity of Iesus hath of its own proper and ordinary subsistencie to be revested with another subsistency which we may call forreign and extraordinary to its own nature whence it is that its life and its estate its motiâ—…s and its actions are not now from it self nor its own to speak properly but they are all that's actions which sustains it thus denuded of its won peculiar subsistence In honour of this Privation of the Humanity of a thing so inward and so conjoyn'd to its own nature and of the new and absolute dependencie which it hath of a divin Person I renounce all power authority and liberty which I have to dispose of my self of my being of all the conditions circumstances and â—ppurtenances thereof and of all my actions to dismiss my self entirely into the hands of Jesus and of his sacred humanity to his honour and glory for the accomplishment of all his purposes and powers upon me 11. An Oblation of all that we are and can to this sacred Humanity I make unto you O Iesu and to your deify'd Humanity an entire absolute and irrevocable Oblation and Donation of all that I am by you in the Being and in the order of nature and grace of all that which depends thereupon of all the naturall and good actions which I shall ever perform referring my self totally that is all that which is in me and all that which I can refer to the homage and honour of your sacred humanity which I from henceforth look upon and lay hold on as the object whereunto after God I refer my soul my interiour and exteriour Life and generally all whatsoever is mine 12. JESUS is doubly in the state of a servant 1. by humbling his divin Person to a created nature 2. by dying on the Cross O Great and admirable Jesu notwithstanding your greatness I behold you in the state and form of a servant and I see that you have taken this form and this estate in two severall manners the one by taking our human nature in the Mysterie of the Incarnation and abjecting in it the infinite and supream being of your Divinity even to the nothing of our nature the other by taking the abject condition of our
I leave and loose thee for filthy pleasures frail creatures fond friendships fading honors No my dear Lord Be pleased rather to take my Soul out of my body than your love out of my Soul Let me rather dy miserably than sin mortally Let me pass on the rest of my pilgrimage in your grace and fear that I may fiâ—ish it in your friendship and favour Grant me this I beseech you O meek and mercifull Saviour by the merits of your bitter Death and Passion by the intercession of your most blessed Mother by the suffrages of all your holy Saints in Heaven and happy Souls upon Earth Upon all which relying as upon the Anchors of my Hope I absolutely commit and resign my self to your sacred disposition and providence for time and eternity fully trusting that you will marcifully pardon all my sins carefully assist me in all my wants and weaknesses and in the end happily bring me to your Eternall bliss and beatitude by such means as your divin Wisdom knows most expedient for me 3. Then offer up your devotions for the generally recommended ends and intentions in all the Concessions of Indulgences which are specified page 94. of the first Book 4. And whilst you Vocally recite the twenty five Paters and Aves you may mentally reflect upon some one of the Fifteen Mysteries as they are set down in the Rosary of the sacred Name of Jesus dividing the same into three days Stations after this manner Upon the First day meditate upon the Five Mysteries of our Blessed Redeemers Life and Incarnation which are briefly and pithily comprehended in these verses 1. Christ's Incarnation THe Throne and Foot-stool meet Heav'n Cling's to Earth The All conspires to this All-saving Birth Dear Partner of our weakness since we see Thy self made us Oh! change us into thee Five Paters and five Aves 2. His Nativity SEE the fair Sun of Glory doth arise In the dark Midnight of our miseries Sad Clouds of Tears Woes â—'advance our Good Dim his bright Birth but ah hee 'll set in Blood Five Paters and five Aves 3. His Circumcision HEre Innocence whose unstain'd Purity White Robes best sute wears Crimson's guilty Dy. Enough dear Lord Mankind is richly won Oh no these drops a deluge but fore-run Five Paters and five Aves 4. His Finding in the Temple RVn joyfull Mother to embraces run Doctors have found their Master Thou thy Son Lord Consecrate my Heart thy House Of Prayer And I shall find thee wisely teaching there Five Paters and five Aves 5. His Baptism DO Baptist with thy puddled Jordan try To Wash this Spring of spotles Purity Command doth with Presumption dispence Pride is not Pride vouch't by Obedience Five Paters and five Aves and one Creed Gloria Patri Filio Spiritui Sancto c. O Jesu Christ the Son of David have mercy upon us Upon the second day take for your Meditation the five Mysteries of our Blessed Redeemers Death and Passion 1. The washing of his Disciples feet THeir God on knee such sordid work in 's hand Heav'n and th'Apostles both amazed stand Ah! my Affections Feet unto my Soul Thus wash't thus wip't how can you still be soul Five Paters and five Aves 2. The Prayer in the Garden HEav'ns Floud-gates are all ope each widen'd pore Is made a purple sluce Griefs painfull dore Sin drown'd the Earth once in a watry Flood And now drowns Heav'n but ah in Gods own Blood Five Paters and five Aves 3. Christs Apprehension in the Garden SMall cords rude hands on all sides bind th'Immense Twin'd flax doth pinion weak Omnipotence Philistins now seccure Samson invade His greatest strength by 's greater love 's betrayd Five Paters and five Aves 4. His carrying of the Cross THus burthen'd and thus faint See how he droops Under our load of sin Heav'ns Bearer stoops Riddle of Grief which pain afflicted more When th'Cross bore thee or thou bor'st it before Five Pater and five Aves 5. His Descent into Hell REstore thy Prey proud Hell Thy Conquerors sight Breaks sins stiff chains puts thy dark shades to flight Gives the joy-ravisht soul new wings of Love With their triumphant Lord to mount above Five Paters and five Aves and one Creed Gloria Patri Filio Spiritui Sancto c. O JESU of Nazareth King of the Jews have mercy upon us Upon the third day take for your Meditation the five Glorious Mysteries of our Blessed Redeemer 1. His Resurrection FAir earnest of our second life this day Glory reviv'd with a new-burnisht ray Cheer up my drooping Soul thou shalt not dy Thy Lord hath earn'd thee Immortality Five Pater and five Aves 2. His Ascension TAke wing my earth-clogg'd-mind and fly along With thy great king ' mongst this heaven'n-soaring-throng And ere thy self return'st to sojourn here Leave with thy Lord thy best affections there Five Paters and five Aves 3. His sending of the Holy Ghost BLest Fire Fount Breath enkindle wash inspire Our Wills Hearts Thoughts with Love Grace pure desire Souls Life Gods Finger Gift revive work win Our flesh sense love to Spirit to Grace from sin Five Paters and five Aves 4. The Crowning of the Virgin Mary and the Saints WInter's ore-blown calm Blisse's endless Spring Charms the glad Birds of Paradise to sing Your Eyes shall know no tears your Face no frown Partakers of my Cross partake my Crown Five Paters and five Aves 5. The Coming to the last Iudgment GReat Day th' Accomplisher of Bliss of Woe Exprest by a joyfull COME and dreadfull GOE Rise guilty Dust and hear though thou bee'st loath At once thy Summons and thy Sentence both Five Paters and five Aves and one Creed Gloria Patri Filio Spiritui Sancto Sicut erat in principio c. O Jesu Christ the Son of the liuing God Have mercy upon us FINIS The generall Table briefly containing the substance of the whol work THE Epistle Dedicatory to the sacred Virgin Mary A Marian Kalender or Catalogue of Saints of the holy Order of S. Bennet devoted to the Blessed Virgin together with her severall Festivities usually celebrated by her faithfull Rosarists The Prefects Oration which shews 1o. Mans naturall inclination to Society Page 3 Christ our Saviour establish'd and commanded it 4 The Primitive Church practised it 5 All succeeding Ages imitated it 6 The Prayses of pious Societies and Confraternities 7 And particularly of this of the sacred Rosary 10 A Digression of our B. Lady's Title of Power 17 S Dominick the beginner of the Rosary 21 Blessed Alanus the Restorer of its decayd use The Greatness of our glorious Mother Mary 22 The dignity to be of her family 24 The profits thereof express'd in five Particulars 26 The duty of the Rosarists in six particulars 35 The first Book of the Rosary which is the Doctrinall part thereof page 44 § 1. That every faithfull Christian ought to have a particular devotion towards Gods holy Mother 47 1. Because she
the verses of the Davidicall Psalter comprehending thrice fifty Psalms so employing the greatest part of their time in the divin praises The devout Laity though much inferiour to them in point of learning and knowledg yet desirous to equall them in Gods love and service emulating this laudable custom but some of them being unable to read others uncapable to understand these sacred Psalms invented and dayly recited a certain Psalter according to the mysticall number of the Davidical Psalms of the Lords Prayer and Angelicall salutation an hundred and fifty times repeated piously conceiving as well they might that all the sacred mysteries of those many Psalm's were compendiously contain'd in this singular Prayer and Salutation since they declar'd him to be now come and present whom those Psalms had foretold and promis'd Which devotion of the Primitive Christians will not seem any wonder to such as duely consider their great fervour and piety in other spirituall exercises as may be instanced in that the whol generality of the lay-people receiv'd then dayly the sacred Eucharist Surely a most convenient way to lay that first foundation of a new Church upon solid devotion and sanctity which was to sustain afterwards so weightie a superstructure But when in the following ages the number of Christians encreasing and the fervour of piety decaying this kind of Psalter became burthensome to the multitude of Christians who were now more attentive to their domestick and temporall negotiations than zealous of the divin service it was abridg'd into an hundred and fifty Angelical salutations keeping still the same mystical number but changing its denomination into that of the blessed Virgins Psalter and interlacing each Decade with the recitall of our Lords Prayer in imitation of the Clergie so performing their Church Psalmodie This was that Psalter so much prays'd and practis'd by the Egyptian Hermits and Anchorits to which they had recourse as to their present solace in all their pressing sadnesses and afflictions their powerfull Remedie against all thier troubles and temptations their secure Sanctuary in all their spirituall conflicts and combats This manner of Prayer was also frequented and practis'd not onely as to its substance which are the Lords Prayer and Angelical salutation but also as to its forenam'd Quantity and Qual'ty by the holy Fathers and Doctors of the Church Witness St. Hierom of whom it is related in the Ecclesiastical histories That he plac'd an undoubted hope in the suffrages of this Psalter against all temptations troubles and afflictions whatsoever and especially against the Adversaries of the Christian Faith nor would he ever settle himself say's Fossaeus lib. 1. de Psalterio to any serious reading writing or dictating till he had first implor'd the divin assistance by the recitall of this Psalter Neither must we omit say's Alanus de Rupe to make mention of that most worthy Patriark of Monks St. Bennet who chose this Psalter for his familiar and perpetuall companion and so deserv'd to become the famous founder of Monastical Institution Which propagation of the Marian Psalter say's Bucelinus in his Menologium March 21. is none of the least of St. Bennets prayses the Queen of Heaven her self highly approving and commending the same endowing her Bennet for so she was heard to name him with many signall favours benefits and blessings and chosing the Monasteries of his sacred Order as it were for her earthly seat and mansion even to this day And in the Benedictin Annals anno 538. we find registred that though St. Bennet from his very infancy and in the beginning of his conversion when he laid the first plat-form of monastical Perfection was singularly devoted to the Empress of Heaven and a great Promotor of her Honour Name and Kingdom Yet chiefly about this time to wit the 59th year of his age he promulgated in the head City and to the whol World that sweet easy and efficacious exercise of the blessed Virgins Psalter which himself with his Disciples had so piously and profitably practis'd within the private Cloysters of Sublake and Mount Cassin and which St. Dâ—minick the glorious Institutor of a new Marian Family and Reformer of the old when by length of time this sort of devotion became neglected after 700. years space revived and re-established This Psalter I say this very Psalter did our great Patriarch St. Bennet deliver to the World and recommend with immortall fruit and merit to his Disciples who were to be sent into the earths severall Climats to establish monastical discipline which they undoubtedly perform'd with so much the more happy success by how much they preach'd and promoted the sacred Virgins honour together with the sincere faith of her Son Christ Jesus Hence it is that the whol Quire of his succeeding Monks imitating the example of so glorious a Father became ever since most zealous practitioners and promoters of the same piety and devotion and to the end it might be perpetuated to all their posterity they prudently set apart one day of the year in which they make a particular Commemoration of the sacred Psalter thus instituted by their Patriarch St. Bennet to wit the 18. of June where their Martyrologe say's thus Upon the same day the Feast or Commemoration of the blessed Virgin-Mothers Psalter instituted to the honour of the glorious Empress of Heaven aad Earth by our admirable Father and Patriarch St. Bennet to be practis'd in his whol Order and propagated throughout the whol World by his most holy Children and Disciples And how zealously his said children perform'd this their Fathers precept of promulgating in all places the sacred Virgins Psalter might be largely demonstrated and exemplified in all the succeeding ages For of St. Maurus whom our holy Father yet living sent into France and who dyed in the year 583. it is thus expresly written He promoted the honour of the admirable Virgin-Mother with all possible diligence and with incomparable fruit and merit and propagated far and near the use of her sacred Psalter according to the institute of his most blessed Father St. Bennet And of St. Eligius the glorious Builder Founder and Abbot of Solemmacum the Bishop of Nâ—yon the Apostle of many Provinces a man famous not only for his prodigious sanctity but also for his skill in Smithery who dyed in the year 665. he was a singular Honourer of the Sacred Virgin-Mother whose Psalter he carryed for his Pontificall Ensign and made for himself an Episcopall Chair adorn'd with an hundred and fifty golden-nails or bosses distinguish'd with other fifteen of a greater size and bulk upon which he dayly perform'd his devotions of the Psalter And in the ensuing Age the same sort of Piety was spread abroad not only over our English Nation but into the far and near adjoyning Kingdom 's by the preaching of our venerable Bede who dyed in the year 738. of whom it is written that he brought his Countrey men into so great a veneration of the Marian Psalter
between each Decade and the rest of the meditations comprehending the whol life of our Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus c. Let 's now cast a view upon the Excellency Dignity and Utilitie of this our sacred Rosary which can be no better declared than by shewing the Excellencie of each severall part whereof it is compos'd to wit the Creed the Lords Prayer the Angelical Salutation and the Meditations upon the fifteen Mysteries In the Creed we profess our Faith and by Faith we please God in the Lords Prayer we speak to God as it were in his own dialect and we may be confident the Eternall Father will hearâ—… to the divin words which his own dear Son dictated In the Angelical Salutation we gratefully commemorate the chief mysterie of our Salvation which is our Redeemers Incarnation And in Meditating upon the fifteen mysteries we sweetly melt away in the admiration of the divin love mercy and goodness The Creed wherewith we begin and conclude our Rosary and which may therefore be fitly called the first and last accidentall part thereof contains as many Excellencies fruits and profits as Faith it self whereof it is a formall Act and Profession Now the fruits of Faith are so many that meerely to relate them would make up a large volum and therefore be pleas'd to content your selves for the present most devout Rosarists to take only a compendious touch of such as are expresly registred in holy Writ 1. Faith purges our sins Thy Faith O Woman say's our Saviour to the Penitent Magdalen hath saved thee 2. Faith purifies our hearts sayes S. Peter 3. Faith joynes espouses and unites our souls to God say's the Prophet Oseas 4. Faith is the very life of our souls The just man says the Prophet Abacuc and after him the Apostle S. Paul lives by faith And Christ our Saviour He that believes in me though he be dead in flesh he shall live in his soul 5. Faith enobles exalts and dignifies our nature rendring us Gods adopted children He gave power say's S. John to them who believe in his name to become his children 6. Faith is here the beginning of the hereafter ensuing eternall life This is eternall life says our Saviour to know the only true God 7. Faith gives all the fruit worth and merit to our works Whatsoever is not of Faith says Saint Paul is a sin 8. Faith is our Armour against all sorts of Temptations of the World Flesh and Devill Above all says S. Paul take the shield of Faith wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked And S. Peter Your Adversary the Devill goes about like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devour whom resist stedfast in Faith And S. John This is the victory that overcomes the world even your Faith 9. Faith causes our Prayers to be heard and our Petitions granted What things soever you desire says our Saviour When you pray believe that you receive them and you shall have them And S. James Let him ask in Faith nothing doubting and it shall be given him 10. Faith works Miracles He that believes in me says our Saviour shall do the works that I do and greater than these And S. Paul proves this by many instances throughout his whol 11th Chapter to the Hebrews Finally there are no greater riches no higher honours no better substance in this world says S. Augustin than the Catholique Faith which saves sinners cures the sick justifies the righteous repairs the penitent perfects the just and crowns all the Elect. These are a part of the innumerable fruits and profits which spring from Faith as from the foundation ground work and root of all goodness and which may be aboundantly gather'd by you O Faithfull servants of God and devout children of Mary by renewing exciting and professing it in the recitall of your Creed at the beginning and end of your Rosary The second Part of the Rosary is our Lords Prayer so called from its divin Author Christ Jesus and for its own excellencie as being says S. Thomas an Abridgment of all that needs to be desired or ought to be demanded This sacred Prayer contain seven Petitions and that not without speciall Mysterie For as this inferior world is govern'd by seven Orbes or Heavens which are under the starrie Firmament and is cherish'd and conserv'd by the Influences of seven Planets And as Man consists of the three powers of his soul and the four Elements whether virtually or formally it matters not which compose his Body And as our spirituall Perfection depends upon seven vertues The three Theologicall and the four Cardinall And as the gifts of the Holy Ghost wherewith our souls are adorned are seven And as the Beatificall Dowries make up the same number three of them belonging to the soul vision love fruition and four to the Body Impassibility Agility Subtility Clarity So Christ our Lord the Eternall Fathers Coeternall wisdom concluded all things for which he would have us pray in these seven short and sweet Petitions To relate all the fruits and effects which are reap'd by the devout recitall of this divin Prayer were to run over the large fields of prayer in generall whereof this our Pater noster is a perfect summarie as hath been already prov'd by the authoritie of S. Thomas and may be further confirm'd by this saying of S. Augustin If thou searchest after all the sacred Prayers that ever were compos'd thou canst in my opinion meet with nothing which is not herein contained and included And by that of S. Cyprian O what mysteries are in our Lords prayer How many and how great Sacraments are in this short speech contracted in words but copious in spirituall sense and vertu In so much as there is nothing at all to be pray'd for which is not comprehended in this compendium of heavenly doctrin To which Encomiums of these great Saints omitting almost infinit others of Tertullian S. John Chrysostom S. Gregory and all the Fathers we shall only add this excellent expression of a modern Author Amongst all divin Prayers and prayses nothing is comparable to the Pater noster It far excells all the supplications of the Saints It fully contains all the conceptions of the Prophets all the expressions of the Psalms all the sweetnesses of the Canticles It asks all that is necessary It prayses God highly It joyns the soul to God entirely c. See Thomas a Kempis Enchirid. Monastic cap. 5. But to make you most devout Rosarists yet more enamour'd with your Pater noster We shall succinctly deliver unto you its manifold fruits and effects in the very sense of S. Dominick himself the Author of this our Confraternity who by divin Inspiration preach'd to his numerous Auditory of Tolosa upon a solemn feast of the sacred Virgin to this effect First says Saint Dominick if little weak children were to walk through some wild and uncouth wilderness had they not need of a
cause of the Cross and thou shalt easily quench the fires of all thy passions 6. It gives us hopes of our salvation For what may not he hope who beholds Christ dying on the Cross for his Redemption and who looks upon Christ more faithfully than he who frequently imprints his Cross upon his heart and forehead to which the Apostle alluding exhorts all Christians to remember at how dear a rate they are bought and to glorifie and carry God in their Bodyes 7. It inflames our souls in the divin love and charity For who can consider Christ expiring on the Cross for his sake and continue cold and tepid God commends his love towards us say's the Apostle In that while we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us 8. It a verts from us Gods indignation and revenge In which sense that saying of the Psalmist is understood by S. Gregory of Nice and by S. Hierom. Thou O Lord hast given a sign to them that fear thee that they may fly from before the Bow 9. It defends us from all our enemyes so the same Fathers explicate that other passage of the Psalmist shew some sign upon me for good that they who hate me may see it and be asham'd because thou O Lord hast holpen me and comforted me 10. It drives away the Devills Sign thy self says S. Cyril with the Cross in the forehead that the Devill perceiving the Kings character may be affrighted and fly from thee And again This sign says he is a comfort to Christians and a terrour to the Devills And the Martyr Ignatius The sign of the Cross is a Trophe against the power of the Prince of this world which hearing and beholding he fears and trembles Finally The sign of the Cross says S. Cyrill is the Seminary of all vertues and in it alone says S. Ambrose consists the prosperity of all Christians And if any shall question you O Christians says Tertullian whence this Ceremonie had its first rise and origin Answer them boldly Tradition hath taught it custom hath confirm'd it Faith hath practis'd it Since therefore this sign is of so great power and efficacie against the Devills so assured an Antidote against all sorts of dangers so undrayn a â—lea fountain of all desirable good and happiness as in these few words supported by the authority of such ancient and learned Fathers seems sufficiently declared Let us O devout Fellow-members of the sacred Rosary be carefull to arm our selves therewith upon all occasions at all times in all places and especially at the beginning and end of our Psalter remembring that we are spirituall Souldiers listed by Christ our Captain to fight under the banner of his blessed Cross against the World the Flesh and the Devill undoubtedly hoping by vertue thereof to overcom and vanquish them §. 2. Of the Apostles Creed which is The first part of the Rosary THe Apostolicall Symbol or Creed is so called for that it was made compil'd saith S. Clement by the twelve Apostles being yet together each one of them adding what was conceiv'd necessary to the end that when they were separated they might preach this Rule of Faith to all Nations which as S. Augustin largely declares is a Plain Short Compleat comprehension of our Faith that so its Plainness might correspond to the Hearers capacitie its Shortness to their memorie its Compleatness to the contained doctrin For that which in Greek is named Symbolum is called Collation in Latin because the Catholique doctrine is compendiously knit and collected together in this divin Symbol which signifies also Indicium a mark note or token whereby Orthodox Believers might be known and distinguished from all others Now some of the Reasons why this sacred Creed ought to be recited at the entrance upon our Rosary may be briefly these 1. Because order and Reason seem to require that after the solemn confession and Invocation of the Holy Trinity which is don as aforesaid by making the sign of the Cross We should in the next place make a profession of what we believe of the Trinity 2. Because Faith being the Foundation of Prayer as the Apostle expresly tells us He that comes to God must believe We do hereby most fitly at the begìnning of our Prayer renew excite and reduce our Faith from its habit to an act 3. Because the Church begins and ends the Canonicall Office with a Creed and the Rosary as hath been declared is an Imitation of the Davidicall Psalter and Church Psalmodie 4. Because the Fathers do most seriously recommend the frequent recitall of the Creed to all faithfull Christians Amongst whom S. Augustin some of whose many pithy expressions upon this point we shall only here produce to avoid unnecessary prolixity says thus Having learned your Creed recite it daily when you rise out of your bed when you compose your selv's to rest c. Let iâ— not seem irksome to repeat it Repetition is convenient to avoid oblivion Do not pretend that you said it yesterday that you said it this day that you have it fresh in your memory but express it again repeat it contemplate it let your Creed be your glass there consider your selv's and see whether you believe what you profess and rejoyce daily in your Faith Let your Faith be your richess and let your Creed be as it were the continuall cloathing of your interiour Do you not cloath your body when you rise out of your Bed So by reciting your Symboll you cloath your soul least forgetfulness should leave it naked c. An Exercise upon the Apostles Creed I Believe I Believe acknowledge and confess with heart and mouth all such Articles of Faith as the holy Church proposes to be believed because God who is the Truth it self hath revealed them In particular I believe all that is contain'd in the Apostles Creed whereof I here make my profession in the presence of God my Creator and all the Court of Heaven protesting and promising to live and dy in this Faith O Lord encrease my Faith I believe Lord help my unbelief I believe in God the Father Allmightie Creator of Heaven and Earth I Believe in the first Person of the sacred Trinitie the Eternall Father whom I acknowledg to be full of all possible and imaginable might and power and that he produc'd the Heaven the Earth and all Creatures both visible and invisible of nothing by his sole word and command and out of his own free-will and goodness O my Allmightie and Allmercifull Father you can as easily bring me back into the dark Abysmus of my first Nothing as you from thence powerfully drew me and gave me this present Being Behold I most humbly acknowledg the absolute and perpetuall dependancie which I have upon your divin Majesty I confess that of my self I am nothing have nothing can do nothing and that my whol Being breathing and motion proceeds from your bounty goodness and power And in Jesus Christ his only
most high Profoundest Councill therfore worthy the Fathers Majesty the Sons Wisdom and the Holy Ghosts love and affection 6. The Person of the Virgin next the divin Persons is the most worthy and greater than all human and Angelicall Persons together IN contemplation of this Councill and this work Permit me Lord to address unto you my devout Vows and Elevations concerning this quality which you establish in Heaven and on Earth by the sacred Mystery of your Incarnation Quality of Mother to the most high And give me leave to trace your divin and admirable ways in the managing of this work with my humble thoughts and devotions You herein O Great Creatour do associate the sacred Virgin unto your own self you Elevate her up to work with your self and even to work the work of your works And as you associate a Human nature to one of your Divin Persons you will also associate a Human Person to one of your Divin works Contemplating therfore this work O sacred Trinity and there finding this Virgin in Society with your self I look on her love her and reverence her as a Person the most high the most holy and the most worthy of your love and greatness that ever shall have a Being yea I contemplate and respect her as the only She who surpasses in Height in Holiness in Dignity even all Human and Angelicall Spirits together and unitedly considered 7. The Virgin constitutes an Order Empire and Vniverse apart MOreover you O sacred Trinity made her singly for your self you have made her as a World and a Paradise apart World of Greatnesses and Paradise of delights for the New-Man who was to come into the world you have made her as a new Heaven and a new Earth Earth which only bears the Man-God And Heaven which contains none but himself alone which turnes not but about him alone which moves not but for him alone You have made her in the Universe as another Universe And in your Empire as another Empire For the sacred Virgin is her self a Universe which hath its different center and motions The sacred Virgin is her self an Empire which hath its distinct Laws and Estate The sacred Virgin amongst all the subjects of Gods Divin Majesty is so great so particular so eminent a subject that it alone maks a new Order amongst the orders of his power and wisdom Order surpassang all the Orders of Grace and of Glory Order altogether singular making and carrying a new Empire over Gods works Order which is conjoyn'd to the order and state of Hypostaticall union Order which hath a direct Reference to the divin Persons For as the Angells are dispos'd into Hierarchies properly relating to the Divin Essence according to its distinct perfections and attributes of love of Power of light c. So also the sacred Virgin in her Order and in her Hierarchie which she solely fills with her Greatness beholds and honours the state and the proprieties of the Divin Persons Thus the God of Heaven who hath unity of Essence and plurality of Persons hath divided the Celestiall Court into two different Quires In one of which all the Angells which in number are almost Infinit and which are ranged in their severall Orders and Hierarchies behold according to their Estate the distinct Perfections of the Divin Essence In the other the Virgin alone in her Order by an Excellency peculiar to her self alone beholds according to her new Estate the divin Persons as depending on their Personall Proprieties And this sole Quire of the sacred Virgin renders more homage both to the divin Essence and to the divin Persons than the Nine Quires of all the Angells together 8. The Virgin is a singular work of Gods Power the holiest that ever shall be created The divin Paternity is the Samplar of this divin Maternity The Eternal Father and the Son are tyed by the Person of the Holy Ghost and the Eternall Father and the Virgin are tyed by the Person of the Son O God O All-powerfull Father who can express how this Virgin is to you pretious and acceptable You frame her and sanctify her to be the Mother of your only Son whom you will Incarnate in the world and you form her in the orders of Nature of Grace and of Glory as a singular work of your Power and Bountie and the head-work of your hands You fashion her as the greatest the worthiest the eminentest subject of your Domination and soveraignty in the whol round and Circumference of all your Creatures For in the Order and Existency of all created Entities God commands not nor ever will command any thing greater than this greatest Virgin God hath not yet made nor will hereafter make any thing more Holy than this Holyest Virgin O how highly is she then to be Reverenc'd in this Eminency and singularity of Grace of Sanctity of Power Yet O Eternall Father I again Reverence her in the Origin of this Grace which is the design you have to make her a Mother to him to whom your self is a Father For after you had conducted her to the accomplish'd point of a singular Grace you being at your chosen time to enter a neer Alliance with her separate her from all things created you seat her close to your Divinity and you unite your self to her as to a Person whom you will have the most intimately and neerly conjoyn'd to your own peculiar Person of all that ever shall have a Being And she is thus joyn'd to you to co-operate with you in this Great work to render you the fruit of so close an alliance to give you a son born of her substance and having your Essence and to produce by you and with you Him who being your only Son is also her Son by a new Nativity O Ineffable Greatness O Admirable sublimity The Eternall Father who contemplating his own Essence produceth his Son contemplating his own Paternity Source of all Paternity yea source even of the Divinity honours it Imitates it and expresseth it in the holy Virgin and forms and produces in her this admirable Estate of Divin Maternity which Adores the Father in his Personall Propriety and which gives him to the Father and to the world who is the life of the Father and the health of the world 'T is in this happy great and gloria our Estate O sacred Virgin that the Eternall Father appropriates you to himself and himself to you Renders himself all yours and renders you all his own unites himself to you and you to himself And communicating to you his Spirit and his love makes you fruitfull with a divin fertility and being resolv'd to have of you One self-same Son with you makes you by this his Alliance to be Productrice to the world and to himself of Him who by this Birth according to the Angells saying is his Son and your Son together Your Son as issued from your own proper substance His Son as emanated from his own