him as his Father and never Son lov'd a Father as Jesus did Joseph nay joyn all the tender Affections that all the Children that have ever yet been have ever had for their Fathers yet the Affection of Jesus to Joseph transcended 'em all he had in proportion the same tenderness of Affection for Saint Joseph which he had for his Virgin Mother and prefer'd none upon Earth before Saint Joseph excepting her self perfectly fulfilling the Commandment of honoring his Father and Mother with greater exactness and tenderness of Affection than ever any Child in the World did and lov'd him also as it became such a Child to love such a Father so Amiable so Tender so Careful of him so Singularly Obliging to him as he was upon so many accounts Jesus lov'd him also as a Saviour for saving him from the Cruel Hands of Herod by flying with him into Aegypt Whereby he became even the Saviour of his Saviour Moreover he lov'd him as his Nursing Father as Foster'd by his Sweat and Labours he lov'd him moreover under the title of his Angel Guardian Other Persons have invisible Angel Guardians given 'em by God Jesus alone had no Angel Guardian given him his Divinity being so strictly united to his Humanity was to him a sufficient guard wherefore God gave him Saint Joseph as a visible Guardian which honour he confer'd upon Saint Joseph for the space of thirty Years he bearing all that while the title and office of Conductour Tutor and Governour of the word Incarnate Moreover the very Name and Right of a God-father appointed by God himself was another motive of Jesus's extraordinary affection towards Saint Joseph Infine such was his Love that as the Eastern Church recounts out of some Revelations he lov'd him as the Apple of his Eye The Saviour of the World as Isidorus recounts out of very Grave Authors entertaining his Disciples upon the Life of Saint Joseph spoke thus of him †Morals in Mat. Isid Dominic I Confer'd and Convers'd with Saint Joseph as if I had been his Son he be call'd me Son and I call'd him Father he Commanded me and I Obey'd him and lov'd him as my Father and even as the Apple of my Eye If you still desire to see the effects of this his extraordinary Love know that generally he favour'd him with all the particular Marks of his Love whereby he has ever favour'd any Saint 'T was esteem'd a signal favour to Saint * Ex P. Johan de S.M. in His O.S. Dō Mary Magdalen of the Vrsins to have a sight of the Infant Jesus as he lay upon Straw in the Manger at Bethlem Blessed Teresa de Cerda as a reward of her Zeal in watching the Corporals upon which his Body was wont to lye upon the Altar whilst they were drying least any Flies might light upon or stain 'em saw our Saviour himself lying upon them and wrapping them about his Sacred Body The honour Saint Mary Magdalen receiv'd in Kissing our Saviours Feet in the Huose of Simon was also very great but all these were nothing in comparison of what Saint Joseph receiv'd He not only once but all the time of Jesus his Infancy saw him in the Crib how often did he behold him in his Swadling-clouts and how many thousand times did he kiss hi◠Sacred Feet 'T was a signal Favour Saint John receiv'd by laying his Head upon his Masters Sacred Breast and what knowledge of Secrets and Misteries did he draw from thence But how many times has Jesus rested his Sacred Head upon Saint Joseph's Breast Whilst he carried him in his Sacred Armes tenderly Embracing and Cherishing him both at home and abroad in his journeys to Aegypt and elsewhere and how many Secrets did he then Communicate to him 'T was esteem'd a particular Favour to Blessed Vrsula of Valence when our Saviour appear'd to her cloath'd in Episcopal Robes and giving her his Blessing And at another time when be Enter'd by Night into her Chamber whilst she was at her prayers more Bright and Glorious than the Sun transporting and filling her Heart with Divine Comforts Great was the happiness our Saviour afforded his Apostles by three Years continual Conversation with them seeing his admirable Example and hearing his Divine Wisdom But Saint Joseph surpass'd all these Conversing with him not only three but thirty Years together seeing and hearing this Divine Word Beholding him not in an Episcopal but Mitaculous Habit that grew as his Body did and this not as he was passing from one place to another but constantly in his own House not receiving one but innumerable Benedictions from his Divine Hand We Read also of an extraordinary favour that our Saviour did Blessed Jane of France when he sat down at table with her at no other Banquet than that of three Hearts serv'd up upon a Plate of Gold Which were his own his Mothers and Hers. The Apostles also enjoy'd the honour of Eating with him at Lazarus's Simion's Zachaeus's Saint Mathew's and several other Tables But was it not a far greater favour that Saint Joseph enjoy'd of being his and his Mothers constant Guest sitting at Table with them having his Soul fed and set on fire with the Inflam'd Words that proceeded from the Heart and Mouth of the Son of God and from that large Heart of his Blessed Mother where she had laid and hoarded up all those Mysteries she had both heard and seen We admire the Visions he bestow'd upon his Apostles and other Saints at his Transfiguration upon Mount Thabor and by several Apparitions after his Resurrection or Assension into Heaven as to Saint Paul Saint Catharine of Sienna Saint Teresa Saint Francis and Saint Dominick Blessed Stanis-laus Kosta Saint Ignatius and to many other Saints replenish'd with such a resplendent Beauty accompanied with such a Melodious attendance of Angels as all the Annals of Saints do recount And was not Saint Joseph also surrounded by all the Quires of Angels singing Gloria in Eccelsis Deo Saint Briget in her Revelations relates that Saint Joseph saw our Saviour inviron'd by a Divine Light which according to his Mothers Testimony far exceeded the Lustre and Brightness of the Sun saying to Saint Briget * Lib. 9. Revel 58. Saint Joseph often beheld an admirable Glory in the midest of which my Son appear'd in great Splendour and at the same time Heavenly Musick delighted our Hearts the Angels declaring and singing the Glories of my Son Lastly we with reason look upon it as the highest Point of the Love of JESUS CHRIST when he visibly appears to his Favorits at the hower of their Death Visiting Comforting and Assisting them in that last passage out of the Miseries of this World into everlasting Happiness in the next For in this Saint Joseph had a most particular mark of his favour above all others whose Heart was fill'd with most delicious Dying Thoughts for as the Eastern Church I before cited assures us our Saviour assisted
Contaning the seventh Dolour and Joy of Saint Joseph O Merciful Joseph who is able to conceive the sensible Sorrow and extream grief you felt when you had lost the Child Jesus Methinks I hear you say O unfortunate Man that I am what is become of my Beloved Where is the Soul of my Heart And where shall I seek him I will never Sleep or give my self any Repose till I find him but presently without any loss of time run over all parts of the Earth to find him whom Heaven has pleas'd to commit to my Charge and Custody and without whom I cannot live but in extream Grief and Affliction And on the other fide who is able to express the Joy and extream Satisfaction wherewith your Heart was replenish'd when you found him in the midst of Doctours We humbly beseech you by this unconceivable Sadness and Joy that we may never loose our most amiable Jesus or if ever we be so unhappy as to loose him make us feel such a true and lively sorrow as you did that we may so carefully seek him as that we may soon find him with so great and sensible a Comfort that our sole care afterwards may be always to conserve him without ever loosing him any more Amen Our Father Hail Mary EIGHT MEDITATIONS FOR The Octave of Saint JOSEPH I. Meditation Of the Sanctification Birth and Name of Saint Joseph Preparatory Prayer TO beg Light of God to understand his particular Providence towards Saint Joseph and those special Prerogatives he bestow'd upon him before and at his Birth as also at his Circumcision I. Prelude Imagin your self at Nazareth where Saint Joseph was born and there behold the difference wherewith Men and Angels regarded this Royal Infant Harken to the sweet Name of Joseph given him at his Circumcision consider the esteem the Angels had both of this Holy Infant and of the sweet Name of Joseph that was given him at his Circumcision II. Prelude BEG Grace to be Inflam'd with Love and Devotion to this sweet Infant and the Holy Name of Joseph I. Point Consider that Saint Joseph as Gerson solidly proves was Sanctifi'd before his Birth for if the Prophet Jeremy Saint John Baptist and other Saints receiv'd this favour upon account of those Functions they were afterwards to Exercise The Office design'd for Saint Joseph of being Spouse to the Mother and Foster-Father and Governour to the Son of God far exceeded theirs and therefore no less requir'd the same priviledges they had Admire the Purity of this holy Infant give thanks to God for this favour of his early Sanctification congratulate with him for it and for those high Dignities for which God design'd him that mov'd him to give it And beg by the Intercession of Saint Joseph such a true Sanctification as may render you pleasing to his Divine Majesty and his Celestial Court whose love is as much to be valued as the esteem of the World is to be contemn'd II. Point Consider this holy Infant thus dear to God linally Descended from David heir to so many Kings and Royal Prophets is Born in a Poor house of Poor but Noble Parents without any of those marks of honor and greaâ—ness which are common to the Birth of Princes See the difference between God's and the World's esteem of Riches and Honor consider how be treats his true Favorits behold how the Angels admire what the World takes no notice of Praise their Wisdom and conâ—emn it's Folly The Glory of this Royal Infant is from within hid from the Eyes of the World but seen by God and his Angels O the Beauty and Riches of Poverty Which Worldlings perceive not O Royal and Holy Infant obtain for me such an inflam'd Love of Poverty such a generous Humility as you had that I may esteem no honour greater than to be contemn'd by the World for God's Sake or than the being lov'd and esteem'd by him and his Celestial Court III. Point Consider the signification of the Name that was given him at his Circumcision either by Divine Inspiration or which is more probable by the Revelation of aâ— Angel as Saint John Baptist's was Joseph signifies Encrease anâ— what an Encrease in all kinds did he receive with it All sonâ— of such Heavenly Graces aâ—sorts of Priviledges and Prerogatives as the Dignity of hiâ— Person and Employments justly requir'd The Name of the great Patriarch Joseph who was a Figure of this was given him upon account of his Angelical Chastity and the care he was to take in Feeding Protecting and Preserving the Elect Children of God in Aegypt But our Joseph of whom the other was a Type was to be the Virgin-Spouse of the Virgin-Mother of God Protectour and Preserver both of her and her Son nay even of the Son of God himself in Aegypt O Name above all Names â—ext to JESUS and MARY â—â—t it be a constant Comfort to â—ny Heart and from the abundance of Heart let my Mouth frequently repeat the sweet â—ame of Joseph joyning it to â—â—ose Delicious Names of JESUS â—nd MARY The Colloquie O most Holy and Royal Infant O most Blessed Joseph be to me a Joseph that is â—otain for me such Encrease of sanctity such a Love of Poverty â—nd Angelical Purity with such 〈◊〉 true Humility as rendred you â—â—uly great and such a Devotion to your dear self that the â—ery pronouncing your Blessed Name may creat such a Joy and Comfort in my Heart as may move you to interceed for and consequently to obtain anâ— Increase of all Vertues in it II. MEDITATION Of the humble Vocation and Sanctity of Saint Joseph Preparatory Prayer TO beg of God to let us set why Saint Joseph follow'd so humble a Profession as that of a Carpenter and after what manner he practic'd it Increasing at the same time in all sorts of Perfection I. Prelude IMagin your self at Nazareth beholding Saint Joseph a most comely Youth of eighteen Years of age learning and exercising the laborious and humble trade of a Carpenter II. Prelude BEG of God to teach you by S. Joseph's Example how Profitably to joyn an Humble Active aÌ„d Passive Life that thereby the less you are esteem'd upon Earth by Creatures the more you may be Esteem'd and Lov'd by your Creator in Heaven I. Point Consider first that Providence ordain'd that Saint Joseph tho' of a Royal extract shou'd learn and exercise so mean a Trade as that of a Carpenter first to avoid Idleness so vety dangerous to the Virginal Purity he had Vow'd to him Secondly that the Humble exercises of this Trade might ballance the Dignities he design'd to bestow upon him of being Spouse to the Mother and Foster Father to the Son of God That no Ostentation or Vanity might take any place in his Humble Heart Thirdly that by the Labour of his Hands and Sweat of his Brows he might gain wherewithall to Exercise the greatest of Charities by nourishing and maintaining the Mother and Son of God
shew how great this Love and Devotion ought to be That is to say it ought to be next to our Love and Devotion to Jesus and Mary CHAP. III. Of the great Love and special Devotion we ow Saint Joseph and that it ought to be next to that we have for Jesus and Mary CERTAINLY none can refuse to pay this debt of Love to our Amiable Saint Joseph to this object of the Love of Jesus and Mary and to one so highly belov'd by God himself For can the Eternal Wisdom Error be Deceiv'd Can Mary engage her Affections without Reason Or can we charge God with partiality because he Loves Saint Joseph next to Jesus and Mary Certainly such thoughts as these can never enter into a Pious Heart Wherefore we must conclude that since he was so amiable they cou'd not elsewhere lodge their Affections better or give a present of their Love to any one more deserving than Saint Joseph Let us therefore see how they Lov'd him and endeavour to Love him as they did Believing that God has renderd him lovely above others to move us to Love him above others and move us to follow the track's of his own Divine Affection towards Saint Joseph 'T is hereby we shall know that we are proficients in this Divine School of Love when we come to Love Saint Joseph above all other Saints next to Jesus and Mary in which consists that special Devotion we ought to have to him I say not this to lessen your Love and Devotion to any other Saint but to augment your Love and Devotion to this Saint who in regard of his Merits hold's the first rank in Heaven and Earth not only upon account of that Love that Jesus and Mary bore him but of the Love that God has manifested towards him by those high perogatives he has bestow'd upon him Not but that God has also very highly favour'd many other Saints of his Heavenly Court such as Saint John Baptist whom the Divine Word declar'd the †Inter natos Mulierum non surrexit major Joanne Baptista Matth. 11.11 Greatest amongst the Sons of women and such as the Apostles also were who are Pillars of his Church and like Stars of the first magnitude in the glorious Firmament of Heaven as well as several other Saints like unto these but we must remember what the Learn'd and Devout Gerson says that if the first Ranck and Hierarchy in Heaven is that of the Father Son and Holy Ghost so the second is this of Jesus Mary and Joseph and that all other Saints are of a lower Rank and of a different Hierarchy These other great Saints hold indeed the first place in their Rank and Hierarchy according to the ordinary Law of Love but not in that of the Order of the Hypostatical Union and in the Mistery of the Incarnation wherein those are only compris'd who most nearly relate to Jesus and Mary namely Saint Joseph who compleats this Created Trinity as I before signifi'd and therefore makes a Hierarchy apart of far greater Excellency and Dignity than the rest But still to set forth more at large Saint Joseph's Dignity I will here declare the Source and Order of this Hierarchy which comprehends none but Jesus Mary and Joseph We must therefore take notice that God who is admirable in his Works was not content only to make Man after his own Image and Likeness but wou'd also make a Created Image and Likeness of the Increated Trinity in these three wonderful personages Jesus Mary and Joseph whom he chose for the Mistery of the Incarnation So that as the three Persons of the Increated Trinity have all Cooperated to the Sacred Mystery of the Incarnation so they wou'd also make an Illustrious and Created Emblem of themselves to Cooperate likewise towards the same Mistery For Example first in the subsistance of the two Natures of JESUS CHRIST his Soul Body and Divinity are United in the Person of the Son of God So by the Union of the admirable Love and singular Report that these three Persons Jesus Mary and Joseph have to one another they Contributed to it upon Earth Mary bears the Image of God the Father Jesus is the Son according to his Humanity in a just likeness to what he is in Heaven as he is the Word or Son of God And Saint Joseph Represents the Holy Ghost in the quality of Spouse to the Blessed Virgin or in the Love he had for Jesus and Mary which he manifested by the care he took both of the one and of the other What Affections therefore are due to this Admirable and Venerable Created Trinity as the Learn'd Gerson stiles it either in general or in particular And if the greatest Honour be confer'd upon them by this Title why ought not the greatest Love to accompany it If Love attends Merit what can be next the Uncreated Trinity but the Created And next to the Father Son and Holy Ghost but Jesus Mary and Joseph who ought to take the next place in our Affections And as it wou'd be amiss for any one first to Love God the Father secondly to Love God the Son and then breaking the Order of the Trinity to Love one of the Angels placeing the Holy Ghost in the same Rank with these Holy Spirits so infinitely inferiour to him in all things if therefore this wou'd be very Preposterous since by denying his first Affection to the Holy Ghost he wou'd refuse him the first of all possible Devotions which he deservedly challenges as his Right it being an undoubted Truth that we cannot render a greater Honour than by Love and by offering our Heart in Homage Wherefore as none can divide their Love and Devotion to the three Persons in the Uncreated Trinity to give it elsewhere no more can they do so in order to the Created Trinity But must Love Jesus Mary and Joseph after the Uncreated Trinity before any other object tho' never so Perfect and therefore to Love Jesus and Mary and in the next place to Love any Saint or Angel wou'd be to break the order of Love and become injurious to this Created Trinity robbing it of that Honour God has given it and 't wou'd be to displace Saint Joseph who ought to have the third Rank in the sanctuary of our Affections which wou'd clearly appear no less a Defect of Judgment than of Devotion Wherefore our greatest Devotion after that to Jesus and Mary ought to be to Saint Joseph without any fear or apprehension that any Saint or Angel will thereby be disoblig'd they all giving him the precedency knowing very well what Honour and Devotion is due to the Spouse of Mary the Mother of God and to the reputed Father of Jesus the Son of God and to the third Person of the admirable Created Trinity of Jesus Mary and Joseph CHAP. IV. What was the reason why it was so long before Saint Joseph the best belov'd of God and most amiable of all the
Saints after Jesus and Mary had such a Love and Devotion payd him as was du to the greatness of his Merits THO' I dare not presume to penetrate into God's hidden Councels nor pretend to a knowledge of his Divine Secrets by permitting my curiosity to make inquiry why God has not permitted the wonderful Splendor of Saint Joseph's Glory to break out and shine forth till these latter Years permitting so many Years since the Incarnation to pass without any extraordinary knowledge or acknowledgement of the wonderful Merits of the Holy Spouse of the Mother of God yet I hope it will not appear a rashness in me to assign some motives that appear very reasonable since all that I pretend to herein is only to declare my own Thoughts grounded upon such observations as are taken from the ordinary Conduct which the Divine Providence has us'd in such like accidental occasions And hereby also to promote a Devotion to Saint Joseph which was the chiefest design I had in Writing this Treatise that by enlightning the Understandings of his Clients I may prepare a way for Saint Joseph to gain a higher place in their Affections We know that his Feast has not long been kept with that solemnity as now it is And that in the Primitive Ages no mention is made of any particular Devotion to this Saint nor no such notice taken of his Canonization as is now adays in practise concerning other Saints I cannot therefore but own that this Devotion towards Saint Joseph is only of late standing since the most Ancient marks of Honour shew'd him in several places are but of a very fresh date as we may guess by the Confraternities Chappels and Altars erected in his Honour both in Italy Germany and several other places of which I find the City of Avignion to be the first that was so happy as to express any Devotion to him in this kind for in the chief Church in that City there is a fair Chappel Dedicated to Saint Joseph in which there is a Confraternity of Batchelors and a Sodality of Virgins who assemble themselves upon his Feast to hear Mass and Vespers which are sung in this Chappel with great solemnity to gain thereby the Indulgences granted by the Pope where each of these Virgins has not only a Loaf of Holy Bread presented 'em as in other Confraternities but a Posy of Flowers also which they carry along with 'em in the Procession This Devotion seems to have had it's rise or beginning from Gregory the XI in the fourteenth Age for in a certain Chappel in the Church Dedicated to Saint Agricula there is an Altar-piece of Saint Joseph accompanying and conducting the Blessed Virgin and her Infant Jesus in their flight into Aegypt which Church both shews the Liberality of this Pope as well as his Devotion to Saint Joseph whose Coat of Armes is plac'd round about the Chappel Dedicated to this Saint in great Scutchions of Stone so that 't is more than probable 't was he that began the Honours given to this Saint in this Ancient Church of Avignion where he held his Chaire or Holy Sea at that time Who moreover at the same time increas'd the revenues of the Canons of the Church of Agricola This is the first place in which I find any publick Honors and Devotions done to Saint Joseph So that 't is not much above three hundred Years since we find any Foostteps of any extraordinary Devotion to this Saint and if before this time there were any they were but very small and far remote from the Primitive Ages God by his Divine Providence thus ordering the Conduct of Devotion to great Saint Joseph But why did God so long conceale the wonderful Merits of this Saint without encouraging Christians by a knowledge of them to exhibit that Love and Devotion to him which is now every where practis'd The chief reason that occurs to me is because this Devotion wou'd have given too great an advantage and encouragement to the Ebionites who began betimes to rob CHRIST of his Divinity and maintain'd that Joseph was his Natural Father This Heresie not only Sacrilegiously denying the Divinity of JESUS CHRIST but the Virginity also of his Blessed Mother Now Men as we know being easily carried to Extreams and to an excess in honoring those they esteem and love reflecting upon the incomparable excellency of the Spouse of the Virgin Mary they might easily have believ'd and taken him for the Father of Jesus Son to the Blessed Virgin especially meeting with some who were of that opinion but now we are out of the danger of any such erroneous credulity and all that Sect of Hereticks who were Enemies of CHIST's Divinity and the Virginity of our Blessed Lady are silenc'd and shut up in an everlasting Prison there is no danger of extolling his Merits which caus'd him to possess such eminent Glory in Heaven and to deserve such a Love and Devotion upon earth as was next to that of Jesus and Mary Moreover tho' there had not been this danger of giving countenance to so great an Heresie yet this extraordinary Devotion suits better with these latter Ages in which the world draws towards an End which still decaying in Piety and Fervour stands in need of some Spiritual Cordial as I may say to warm it's Chilliness and Tepedity and to inkindle Fervour in the Hearts of the Faithful for which end nothing cou'd be more efficacious than a Love and Devotion to this great Patriarch and Favorit of God There are now one thousand six hundred ninty and eight Years past since the Law of Grace took it's beginning by the happy conduct of Saint Joseph who had the charge of the Word Incarnate committed to him And can it end more happily and with greater Glory than under his conduct also procur'd by the affectionat acknowledgements applause and devotions of all Nations to this their thrice obliging Benefactour and Parent of Christianity And by their cordial and grateful acknowledgement to the Father of our King and to the Spouse of the Queen of Heaven and Earth Hereby also God wou'd manifest to the World that in the Beginning and in the End of the Law of Love which are the two Gates of God's Church and of the Law of Grace he wou'd have Joseph the most Chast and Holy-Spouse of Mary appear glorious and noble in this his enterprise and faithful in his conduct that thereby he might deserve the Triumph of a Possession of our Hearts by our Love and Devotion to him wherefore to him may be well apply'd these words of the Proverbs †Nobilis in portis Vir Ejus Prov. 31.23 Her Husband is Noble in the Gates Or as the Caldaick Translation has it Her Husband is known in the Gates at the Entrance and going out of the Law of Grace that is he is honor'd with the publick mark of a Senator which was to be plac'd at the Gates where such Men only were wont to
Measures wherewith he inspires both Art and Nature to Operate Especially in framing his chief Master-piece his Holy Church For to what End did he ordain so many Ceremonies in the Old Jewish Law Why was he so careful of all the Ornaments of Salomons Temple as even to Ordain that the very Snuffers and other Instruments of less Moment shou'd be of Gold It was because the beholding all these Ordinations and Ceremonies serv'd to his Elect People as an Aprentiship to understand and learn both the Excellency and Sublime Practices of the New Law that JESUS CHRIST was to Establish these serv'd as Foundations whereupon that was to be built and to dispose us to that Perfection as was requir'd and obtain'd by those Sacraments instituted in the Law of Love which the Divine Wisdom was to Establish in his Church 'T was therefore for this End that he brought up his Elect People in the Exercise of such a Multitude of Ceremonies in the Old Law that he might hereby dispose and bring them by little and little to that solid Devotion and Attention requir'd in the New We also see that the Written Law God gave to Moyses Perfected the Law of Nature and the Law of Grace Perfects both the Law of Nature and the Written Law and God made use of all these to bring us to that Perfection which the Vertue and Prerogatives of his Grace prepar'd us to obtain the better to entertain him with such Fervour and Devotion as he requir'd when he shou'd favor us with his Divine Presence Thus we see that God both by himself and his Creatures prepares disposes brings about and perfects all his designs by degrees And we see the reason why God for the space of near seventeen hundred Years has dispos'd and order'd that particular Honours and Devotions shou'd be perform'd by his Servants to particular Saints for particular benefits receiv'd by their Intercession for he bestow's upon each Saint some particular Grace or Priviledge to move the Faithful to a particular Devotion to that particular Saint giveing to one Saint the power of cureing one Disease to another the power of curing a different Distemper to one Saint power to help us in one Necessity to another Saint power to help us in a different Exigency to one Saint he gives the priviledge to obtain one Vertue for us to another to obtain some other different Vertue and why did God do all this but to move his Servants to a particular Devotion to the Saints in general And to move and dispose us also to a Devotion to each Saint in particular when we wanted their help in such a necessity as God had given that Saint a particular power to help us in And why has God reserv'd to this last Age the declaration of the Merits and Power of Saint Joseph but that the Devotion wherewith he had Inspir'd us to give to each Saint in in Particular might serve us like so many dispositions and steps to raise us to such a Devotion to Saint Joseph as he merits above all other Saints next to Jesus and Mary he having all that Power united in himself which God had distributed amongst all other Saints whereby he was able to cure all Corporal and Spiritual Diseases both of Soul and Body and to help his Clients in all their Necessities whatsoever his Dignity and Merits challenging this extraordinary priviledge above all other Saints except Jesus and Mary to the end therefore that all the particular Devotions exhibited for so many Ages to many different Saints might be united and offer'd to him and that all might have Recourse to him in all their Necessities God has discover'd to us that all the power he had before Communicated and Distributed to several Saints is united and given to Saint Joseph he having all Power given him next to Jesus and Mary I shou'd not thus freely have declar'd my Thoughts upon so sublime a Subject had I not before-hand made my Apology since after all none but God and his Saints do certainly know the true reason why Saint Joseph receiv'd not more Early Honours in the Catholick Church Now therefore I shall go on to perform that which I also Promis'd and will be a far easier task which is to make known to you who were those particular Clients of Saint Joseph that in these latter Years God has Inspir'd to endeavour after a most particular manner the promoting his Honour CHAP. V. Of the ten particular Clients of Saint Joseph who by their Pious Examples have invited and mov'd us to a particular Devotion to him next to Jesus and Mary THE Clients of Saint Joseph daily increase and are already become so numerous that there are few or none that desire not to be inrol'd amongst ' em All the Clients of Jesus and Mary have also Consecrated their Affections to him in acknowledgement of his Amability and of the Love which his reputed Son Jesus and his Virgin Spouse Mary have for him their Mouths and Pens express the desires and wishes of their Hearts saying Long Live Jesus Mary and Joseph these are now become their Aspirations adding Joseph to the common Aspiration of Devout Souls Long Live Jesus and Mary and their frequent prohouncing of these words is a signal mark of the Victory he has gain'd over their Chast Affections It has been heretofore a singular Devotion of some Persons who were particularly Devoted to the Vertue of Purity to add Alexius to those two Venerable Names of Jesus and Mary but since this Lovely Sun Saint Joseph has peirc'd the Cloud under which he so many Years lay hid all change their notes and cry out Jesus Mary and Joseph instead of Jesus Mary Alexius giving Saint Joseph his own yet without lessoning their Devotion to Alexius whom after Saint Joseph they honor also with frequent Aspirations Live Alexius O let Alexius Live But they knowing the Merits of Saint Joseph to be of a different and higher rank upon account of the alliance he had with the Vertues of his Holy Spouse and with the Mistery of the Incarnation which render'd him as I have sayd one of the Created Trinity where he takes his place gives him a preference above all other Saints tho after him every one may take Alexius or what other Saint they are particularly Devoted unto for the Object of their particular Affection The first and chief of those who were tenderly affected to Saint Joseph was Jesus the Son of God For tho' our Blessed Lady was first by the date of time that Lov'd her Spouse since her Love began before JESUS CHRIST her Son was Born yet 't is not to be doubted but that the Saviour of the World incomparably more Lov'd and Cherish'd him than our Lady did And therefore tho' her Love was precedent as I sayd in regard of time Yet the Love which Jesus as Son of God had for him before time was above our imagination and beyond the power of Angels to express he lov'd
nothing neerer their Hearts than Jesus Mary Joseph The Children also of Sainâ— Francis Sales who are the Religious of the Visitation in this make knowâ— both their own and their Foundeâ—â— inclinations And the Nuns of the Word Incarnate or the Annunciates from their first beginning put themselves under his happy Protection The manner of celebrating hiâ— Feast is the same with that we Celebrate the Feast of other Saints some Fast upon the Eve in his honour others perform some otheâ— Pennance and Mortification for the same end others Communicate upon his Feast others abstain from aservil Works as upon Sundays others give more time to Prayer thaâ— upon other Days others Read hâ— Life others spend the Day in more Religious Exercises performing all this in testimony of their Love to Saint Joseph The second Devotion is to take him for your special Patron and Directour for the following Year or shou'd you already have chosen him for such then to make choice of him for the effecting some particular affair you have in hand of great Importance Resolve to perform some Devotions to him for this Intention for the space of some Months as the necessity or length of your affairs shall require †Ex Libro de gloria S. Joseph Mother Jane of the Angels of whom I have already spoken beg'd of Saint Joseph upon New Years Day that he wou'd take her for that Year 1636. into his Protection and by his powerful Intercession obtain of our Saviour the Blessing of being deliver'd from all Interiour or Exteriour Impediments in God's Service and to dispossess her of those Devils that Tormented her and free her from whatsoever else that kept or retarded her Soul from the Union of his Divine Love The Night following as she fell asleep she seem'd to feel a more particular Devotion than ordinary accompany'd with a most incredible sweet smell quite different from all other scents that are found in the Perfumes of this World And at the same time she heard a Voice that sayd to her Behold him to whom thou hast Recommended thy self Hereupon the Holy Patriarch Saint Joseph came into her mind and her Heart was fill'd with an extraordinary veneration for and love of him She seem'd in her Sleep to see such a dazeling Light as far exceeded the Brightness and Splendor of the Sun Within which she beheld a Countenance full of wonderful Majesty so Beautiful that she neither found Words to express it nor any Comparisons whereby to discover her Thoughts After all the Person spoke to her as follows Conserve Patience and Constancy in these Sensible difficulties you suffer support 'em with Resignation and endeavour to forget your self for God has Favours in store to bestow upon you Tell your Exorcist that if Men labour not for your Recovery God will make it his own Work By all means let him continue his Endeavours and God by his Ministery will Expel the Devil that most of all hinders your Devotions This being sayd all Vanish'd except the Perfume which lasted so strong for some time after that when she awak'd she verily thought her Chamber had been Perfum'd Her Thoughts were taken up all the Day following with a Confidence in our Saviour and with the Assurance of Saint Joseph's Assistance in this extream necessity she was then in Nor was she deceiv'd for five Days after upon the Feast of the Epiphany she found the effect of her Protectour's Intercession by being dispossess'd of that Devil that did so maliciously interrupt her Devotions The Father Exorcist Commanding him in the Presence of all that were Spectatours that for a Mark of his going out he shou'd write the Name of Mary upon her Hand as he did tho' not without great difficulty and repugnance fixing this Name in very legible Characters immediately above Saint Joseph's which had been writ there before upon the going out of another Devil which Names during her whole Life appear'd as clear and distinct as they did the first Day which I my self was an Eye-witness of as the sayd Religious past by Lyons to go to Anessy to visit the Tomb of Saint Francis of Sales in the Year 1638. I say nothing of the Names of JESUS and Saint Frantis of Sales that were to be seen on the back of the same Hand Writ at the Command of the Exorcist as a Mark of these Devils quitting their Possession which by God's Permission they had taken of her Body that being not so much to my purpose which is only to declare how much it conduc'd to her Happiness to have recourse to Saint Joseph for his Protection either upon his own or upon any other Feast The third Devotion that may be perform'd to Saint Joseph is to take him for our chief Patron and Advocate during our whole Life and Yearly to renew this Resolution upon his Feast I know a Religious Person of our Society who constantly practises this Devotion every Year Offering himself unto him by the Recital of such a Prayer as in our Sodalities of our Blessed Lady erected in our Colledges is publickly recited at their Reception into it I pretend not to perswade you to perform this Exercise every Day lest to some it might seem too great a burthen but only once a Year at least upon his chief Feast which his true Clients can not think too much to perform And the first time one makes use of this Prayer 't is fit to choose him for our particular Patron and Protector The Prayer is short and therefore I shall insert it heer as I shall insert a longer at the end of this Book Page 25. amongst other particular Devotions to be recited at Leisure O Holy Joseph Spouse of the most Blessed Virgin Mary I N. N. choose you this Day for my special Advocate and Patron and do firmly purpose never to forsake you nor to say do nor suffer any under my charge to say or do any thing against your Honour I earnestly therefore beseech you that you will please to take me for your perpetual and constant Servant and to aid and assist me in all my Actions especially in the hour of my Death Amen Make a firm Resolution to keep this Purpose and renew it often either at Holy Communion or when you visit the Blessed Sacrament whereby you will render this Devotion more Pleasing to God more Honorable to the Saint and more profitable to your self The fourth Devotion may either be to offer Mass your self or get a Priest to offer one in Honour of Saint Joseph and that piece of the Eastern Church History that was found and offer'd to Pope Adrian the V I. as very authentick assures us that CHRIST assisting Saint Joseph at his Death gave him his Blessing and Promiss'd to give the same to all those that shou'd offer Sacrifice to God in Honour of Saint Joseph upon the Day of his Glorious Death the ninteenth of March But we have no Sacrifice except the Sacrifice of Holy Mass And
O wonderful Providence O mark of an extraordinary Love I bless and return a Million of thanks to thy Divine Majesty for this thy Love to Saint Joseph And I Congratulate with thee my belov'd Saint Joseph for being so great a Favorit of Heaven Vouchsafe to obtain for me by thy Intercession such a Detestation of Idleness such a Love of Labour and Chastity it's Companion such a Love of JESUS and MARY as may move me to shew it to every one even the least that wants my assistance as you did and I wou'd wish to have done to theÌ„selves since they take the same as kindly as if done to them He having assur'd us †Quiquid uni ex minimis meis fesistis mihi feustis What we do to the least of his he takes it as done to himself O admirable Exercise of Charity O wonderful occasion of expressing such a Love to JESUS and MARY as Saint Joseph practis'd II. Point Consider what mov'd Saint Joseph to Exercise this calling nothing else but his Humility and desire of expressing his Love by these Occasions of labours and Sufferings that accompany so painful a Trade O most Humble and Mortifi'd Joseph obtain for me such a Love of Humility and Mortification as may procure that Vertue of Chastity you so excell'd in that I may truly Love and faithfully practice this Vertue of Chastity as you did III. Point Consider his laborious and painful Life was accompany'd with so great Piety and Purity of Intention doing all purely to please God as render'd him so great a Saint that he deserv'd to be Canoniz'd by the Holy Ghost himself who stiles him Just that is Replenish'd with all Vertues and free from all Imperfections verifiing hereby his Name of Joseph or Increase by such a daily Increase in all kind of Perfection as mov'd God to bestow upon him even the highest of Dignities of being Spouse to the Mother and Foster-Father to the Son of God O wonderful intention that raises such ordinary Actions to so high a Perfection O admirable Perfection that render'd Saint Joseph worthy in God's opinion of such great Imploments Blessed be thy Divine Majesty for bestowing 'em and thus Rewarding so great a Sanctity whereby thou did'st render hiâ— in Dignity next to JESUS and MARY I Congratulate with you O great Saint Joseph for youâ— faithful compliance with the Divine assistance obtain for mâ— a Love of all Humble Actions and teach me your Art of Joyning their exteriour practice with such an interiour and purt Intention as may render me pleasing to God and a worthy Client of your dear self The Colloquie O Infinite goodness always preventing us with your special Graces and Favours grant me such a perfect Conformity to whatsoever your Providence shall ordain and such a constant compliance with your Grace with such a Purity of Inâ—ention in all my Actions by the powerful Intercession of Saint Joseph as may obtain for me your Sanctifying Grace and Love in this Life and the Eternal Injoyment of your Divine self in the most Happy Company of JESUS MARY and JOSEPH in the next III. MEDITATION Of the Mariage of Saint Joseph Preparatory Prayer TO beg Grace of God to understand those many admirable Lessons of Perfection that are taught us in this Mistery I. Prelude IMagin a great assembly of the chief Batchelours of the Tribe of Juda whom the High-Priest had summon'd together to choose out of 'em a Husband for the Blessed Virgin Mary and behold amongst 'em Saint Joseph a most Beautiful and Comely Man of forty years of Age with a Wan in his Hand from which green Bud's sprouted forth and a Dove over his Head which were the marks that God had given the High-Priest when he Consulted the Propitiatory to know which of 'em was to be the Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Behold the Ptiest also giving this most Beautiful and Modest Virgin to Saint Joseph and he Espousing her by putting a Ring on her Finger and Veiling her Head with his Cloak in token of making her pertaker of all his Goods and of his taking her into his Care and Protection II. Prelude BEG Grace to understand anâ— draw Fruit from those extraordinary Misteries that appear in this wonderful Marriage I. Point Consider the Budding of the Wan in his Hand and the Dove over his Head iâ— a token of Fruitful Purity and a mark of that Love oâ— Chastity that they both haâ— Vow'd to God Consider also how wonderfully God rewatded this Vow by choosing the one to be Mother the other to be her Spouse and Foster-Father of his only Begotten Son See the difference between God's and the World's choice he chooses a Poor Humble Trades-Man to be Husband to his Mother and for his Foster-Father â—nd Governour not any Rich or Great Person as Worldlings â—on'd have done Oh how different are God's and the Worlds â—entiments as God himself deâ—ares * Non enim cogitationes meae coâ—itationes Vestrae Nec Viae Vesâ—rae viae meae dicit Dominus Quia â—cut exaltantur Caeli a Terra sic exaltatae sunt viae meae a vijs vesâ—ris cogitationes meae a cogitationibus vestris Isaiae 55.8.9 My Thoughts are not â—ke yours nor my Ways the same â—ith your Ways For as far as â—e Heavens are exalted above â—e Earth so far are my Thoughts â—nd Ways Exalted above yours The World beheld Saint Joseph as a poor Contemptible Tradesman Heaven besides his Royal Extraction beheld him Rich in Vertue saw his admirable Chastity and Humility which render'd him worthy to be choosen a happy and fit Consort for the Queen of Angels and Mother of God O Thrice happy Marriage O Chast Espousals O most Happy pair I Congratulate with you both and Bless the Divine Goodness for this Angelical Union and that joent happiness you both obtain'd thereby Obtain for me such a Love and Practice of Purity with such an Humility as may win God's Heart and move him as your Purity and Humility did to a Love and Tenderness for me II. Point Consider what mov'd the Divine Providence to effect this extraordimary Marriage First he ordain'd it for the Comfort and Assistance of the Blessed Virgin that Saint Joseph might take care of her and protect both her and her Son Secondly for the defence of both hers and her Sons Honour that she might not be accus'd for an Adultress nor he for being Illegittimate or Unlawfully Born Thirdly that he might be a Faithful and Credible Witness of the Divine Incarnatton of the Son of God which none cou'd Testify like himself Fourthly that this Marriage might augment the esteem of Chastity which before was Contemn'd by the World and that their Example might make others Vow it as a thing more perfect than Marriage and give Example to Married Persons to Practice it and hereby produce as many Children as there shou'd be Lovers and Professours of Chastity in Marriage Wherefore Alexins Eleazar Julian Henry the Emperour and Edward
feelings one to another occasion after these most Joyful Tydings The Colloquie O Infinite Goodness that thus triest and rewardest even thy best Servants let all Saints and Angels praise thee for this thy Bounty to thy dearest Mother and her dearest Spouse and cry out with Saint Paul †Non sunt Condignae Passiones hujus temporis ad futuram gloriam quae revelabitur in nobis Rom. 8.18 That all the Afflictions and Iribulations of this World are nothing in comparison of the Glory they will Cloath us withall in the next Grant us O God that with Patience Courage and Conformity we may suffer those thou shalt vouchafe to send us as they did rather to please thee than for any other Reward that can be hop'd for O Pious Joseph O Amiable Virgin Interceed to obtain this Favour for us by your powerful Intercessions in all perplexing Difficulties V. MEDITATION Of the Vertues Saint Joseph exercis'd at the Birth Circumcision and Presentation of the Son of God Prepratory Prayer BEG Grace of God profitably to consider the Examples Saint Joseph gives us in these three Mysteries I. Prelude IMAGINE Saint Joseph after his tiresome Winter Journy of thirty Miles with our Blessed Lady who had now almost accomplish'd her ninth Month ariv'd at Bethleem whither he came to comply with the Emperours Edict to enrole himself and his Consort Behold him with Solicitude seeking a place for her to retire into but finding none he is forc'd to lead her into a poor ruinous Stable where the Son of God is Born There behold him Adoring him newly Born Then Circumcising and giving him the Name of JESUS And lastly accompany them with their Divine Infant to the Temple where they are met by Simeon and Anne who had long expected this happy hour and attend to what pass'd in this meeting II. Prelude BEG Grace to understand and profit by those Pious Thoughts wherewith Saint Joseph's Heart was replenish'd whilst he Contemplated these wonderful Mysteries I. Point Consider how promptly Saint Joseph Obey'd the Emperours Edict chearfully quitting in the circumstance his Spouse was in those conveniencies they had at Nazareth to expose himself and her to the inconveniencies of a long Winter Journy to go to a strange place where by reason of his Poverty he cou'd expect none wanting wherewithall to purchase ' em O wonderful Love of Poverty and Mortification O blind Obedience O admirable Confidence in the Divine Providence He knew the Emperours Edict was God's Command who cou'd and wou'd take care of 'em and support 'em to comply with it O! What Heavenly Discourse past in the way upon this Subject O! What Acts of Resignation to the Inconveniencies and usage they met withall Being deny'd place in an Inn and forc'd to lodge and and bring forth her Son in a Stable O! What Joy was it to him to become a Victime of Obedience and feel these sensible effects of Poverty O! What Love what Compassion what sorrow fill'd his tender Heart to see what the Divine Infant and his Mother suffer'd at his entrance into the World What Acts of Love what Congratulations and Thanksgiving did he the give him And with what Joy and Comfort did JESUS fill his Heart pierc'd with Sorrow for what he and his Mother Suffer'd by his Heavenly Smiles and Carresses And how did the Angels by their Heavenly Canticles endeavour to Comfort and Rejoyce his sad Heart as they had done the Shep-heards whō they brought to Adore him And what occasion did the sight also of the Offerings and Adorations of the three Kings give him to Bless Admire and Love the Divine Providence Procuring these Honnour 's to the Divine Infant and his Mother O the Charming Beauty of Poverty O the Dignity of Humility O unspeakable Pleasure of Suffering Mortification for God in God and with God! O Divine Lessons taught us and practis'd not only by S. Joseph but by no less than God himself yet how are these admirable Virtues thus esteem'd by God contemn'd by Men O Blessed Joseph obtain for me such a Love Esteē and Practice of 'em as may constantly replenish all my Thoughts and Actions influenc'd by those that were Communicated to your Heart from the Heart of the Divine Infant JESUS II. Point Consider Saint Joseph performing that hard task of Obedience in Circumcising this Divine Infant Imagine how the Pain he caus'd him pierc'd his own Heart consider how the Divine Infant by his Smiles and Interiour Inspirations encourag'd assisted and even provok'd and help'd him to performthis great Pledge of his Divine Love by this early shedding of his Sacred Blood Consider what a strife of Joy and Sorrow were rais'd in Saint Joseph's Heart first by beholding him shedding his Precious Blood and Contemplating this Fountain and Stream of Mercy as a certain Pledge of Mans Redemption and secondly by feeling himself the Pain he occasion'd by the Wound he gave him Consider also the Joy with which Saint Joseph gave and the Divine Infant receiv'd the Holy Name of JESUS Beg Saint Joseph's Intercession to pronounce it with such a tender Affection and Devotion as may render it essential towards the Salvation of your Soul O JESUS be to me a JESUS OH Joseph beg of him to be to me a JESUS for Love he bears to his most Blessed Mother and your dearest self III. Point Consider that forty Days after his Birth Saint Joseph led the Blessed Virgin Mother with her Divine Infant to the Temple carrying a pair of Turtles in his Hand for his Redemption where Saint Simeon and the Holy Prophetess Anne after many Years Expectation of this Happy Day were Inspir'd to receive them at the Gate Joyn your self to this pious Procession behold with what a transport of Joy Saint Simeon takes the Divine Infant out of his Mothers Arms into his own and how willingly the Blessed Virgin parted with what was dearer to her than her Life to make an Oblation of him to his Eternal Father Hearken to Saint Simeons Prophecy in this transport and consider with what Affection he Offers his Life to the God of Life Behold Saint Joseph's Heart pierc'd whilst Saint Simeon foretold the piercing of that of his Spouse Behold also the Joy Saint Joseph felt in hearing that JESUS was to be the Light and Salvation of the Gentil's as well as of the People Israel Behold Saint Joseph Offering the Turtles to Saint Simeon to Redeem his Beloved JESUS O wonderful Riches of Poverty Acceptable to God for the Purchase and Redemption of an inestimable Treasure O what a mutual Joy pass'd between JESUS and Joseph at this Reception into his Arms And between him and his Mother in in being restor'd to her's O Powerful Joseph obtain for me such a disposition as his Mother your self and Saint Simeon had as often as I Receive him and obtain for me such a Disposition of Heart for his Reception as may cause a Joy in him to be Receiv'd by me The Colloquie O Divine Infant
inspire me with those Thoughts of these Mysteries wherewith thou didst Inspire the tender and Loving Heart of Saint Joseph O most Holy Joseph obtain by your Spouses and your own Intercession such a true Disposition of Heart to Receive and lay them up in my Heart that I may profit by them that hereby my Heart may become a grateful Present to you to Offer to JESUS Behold such as it is I here Offer with all the Affection I am able O Increase this Affection that the present may be more acceptable and than Offer it to the Divine JESUS the God of my Heart VI. MEDITATION Of the Virtues Saint Joseph Exercis'd in the Flight of JESUS into Aegypt in his Return from thence and at his loss of him in Jerusalem Preparatory Prayer BEG Grace to see and Imitate those Virtues Saint Joseph practis'd in these Mysteries I. Prelude BEHOLD Saint Joseph as soon as he heard the Angel Pronounce those Words Take the Child and his Mother and fly into Aegypt getting up at Midnight and without any delay beginning a long Winter Journy of above a hundred and sixty Miles with his Spouse the Blessed Virgin and her tender Infant JESUS not yet a Year old Behold him also exercising his Trade for seven Years together at Mattutes six miles from Babylon amidst a company of Idolaters who were incited by the Devil to treat these Holy Persons after a most rude and inhuman manner All which Saint Joseph patiently suffer'd till he was warn'd by an Angel to return home Then imagine them returning back the same tedious Winter Journy to Nazareth were remaining four Years they ascended with JESUS now twelve Years of of Age to Jerusalem where they lost him and returning back to seek him found him in the Temple II. Prelude BEG Grace rightly to Consider the profit Saint Joseph made by all these Mysteries and beg his Intercession to do the like I. Point Consider Saint Joseph's Blind and Prompt Obedience by intirely adandoning himself to God's Provindence Quitting at mid-night his Country his House Friends and all other Conveniencies to begin a long Winter Journey to go to live amongst Idolaters The Love of JESUS and his Precious Life made him set at naught all other things to save this God's Will was his Guide and Law which he Blindly Obey'd without consulting his Reason which might have suggested difficulties and objected for Example why at this time of Night Why in this hard season of Winter Why must we go amongst Idolaters and not rather to the three Kings What must he Fly He who is to Save others Cannot he Save himself How long must we remain in this Banishment But nothing pass'd of all this he knew Reason was not to be Consulted but Contradicted when God Commands He knew God never adandon's those that abandon themselves to his Providence O sublime Obedience O perfect Resignation O admirable Confidence O Holy Joseph obtain for me these Vertues Practis'd by thee after so sublime a manner as rais'd thee to this Dignity of becoming Saviour to him who was to Save the whole World II. Point Consider what a Mortified Life Saint Joseph must needs lead amongst such Barbarous Idolaters Consider what he must Interiourly suffer for seven Years together by seeing God continually Offended And what Exteriour Sufferings he underwent by a want of all things Living only upon the poor Earnings of his Trade and the effects of Poverty he saw JESUS and his Spouse suffer were more sensible than his own and then behold and admire his Patience Resignation and Joy in Suffering with and for JESUS Consider how by his continual Adorations and Honours done to God he endeavour'd to satisfie for those Idolatries which he with a sad Heart continually beheld O Pious O Patient and Resign'd Joseph teach me how to Love and to Express my Love by Labours and Sufferings as you did and that Love may make Labours and Sufferings both Easie and Delightful assist me to undergo them as in the Presence and purely for the sake of JESUS Then Consider what Joy the Angels tidings of Herod's Death occasion'd in his Heart not for his own sake but for the sake of JESUS whose Life Herod sought and which was dearer to him than his own O teach me this generous and disinteress'd Love that may make me have no regaurd at all to my own Interest but that my chief delight may be only in what relates to God's Honour and Happiness III. Point Consider at Saint Joseph's return from Jerusalem how sensible he was when he miss'd JESUS finding he had lost the only object of his Love and fearing this loss might proceed from his own Fault and Negligence Consider his Resignation to this so sensible Affliction and with what Peace and equality of Mind he bore it and with what Diligence he sought him and then consider what Joy his Heart felt when he found him and heard his Divine Disputations with the Doctours in the Temple Consider also what Joy the Words of our Blessed Lady caus'd in his Soul when she gave him the Title of Father which Joy was accompanied with no less Humility and Confusion reflecting upon his own unworthiness thereof O great Saint Joseph Interceed that I may never loose JESUS through my own Fault and when he withdraws himself that I may suffer it with resignation and so efficaciously seek him that I may find him as soon as you did The Colloquie O Infinite Goodness grant me by the Intercession of Saint Joseph that I may in all things intirely abandon my self to your Divine Will Patiently suffer what you think best where when and as long as you please grant that I may never Wilfully loose you but when you please to withdraw your self may suffer it with that Patience and Resignation and seek you with such Fervour and Constancy as that I may find you VII MEDITATION Of Saint Joseph's eighteen Years Conversation with Jesus and Mary at Nazareth Preparatory Prayer TO beg of God to understand the great profit Saint Joseph made by the advantage of two such admirable Examples encreasing in all sorts of Vertue I. Prelude IMAGINE your self to hear his Royal Progenitor David under a Similitude Prophetically declare in the following words the profit he made by his abode at Nazareth †Justus ut Palina florebit sicut Cedrus Libani multiplicabitur plantati in Domo Domini in atrijs Domus Dei nostri florebunt Psal 91.13 The Just says he planted in the House or Court of God shall florish like a Palm Tree and Increase or be Exalted in Perfection like a Cedar of Libanus See how Saint Joseph verifies this Prediction both by his Title of Just and Name of Joseph which signifies An Increase and reflect how like a Cedar he grew and increas'd even to the highest pitch of Perfection in Nazareth which may truly be call'd the House and Court of God since 't was the Habitation of the Son of God his Virgin Mother and his
higher than any other Flowers do as Saint Joseph also in the height of Justice and Perfection surmounts all other Saints Wherefore when we behold Saint Joseph leading his reputed Son Jesus in one Hand and the Blessed Virgin Mary in the other we cannot but admire to what a height of Dignity God has rais'd him and must own that none ever was rais'd to the like and that such a Dignity as this is not given in the House of God but according to the Sanctity and Graces the Person rais'd to it is partaker of and which the Ministry he is imploy'd in do's require The first and highest degree of all Honors and Dignities upon Earth was due to Jesus the Son of God Incarnate the second to the Blessed Virgin Mary Mother of God and the third to Saint Joseph Spouse to the Blessed Virgin Mary and Foster-Father to the Son of God Wherefore according to the most devout and learned Doctor of the Church Saint Thomas our Lilly Saint Joseph is rais'd also after Jesus and Mary to the highest Dignity upon Earth * Eo fuit excellentior quo ad altiorem ordinem pertinuit S. Th. 3. par â— By so much says he he excel'd others by how much he was rais'd to a higher Dignity than others were The Lilly also is an Emblem of pure Love and springs from a Heart the source of Love which it's Root resembles and in this it resembles also our Saint Joseph Who next to Jesus and Mary exceeds all Creatures both in active and passive Love his Heart was most inflam'd by being replenish'd with the Love of God towards him which mov'd his Divine Majesty to raise him to the highest Dignity on Earth next to Jesus and Mary And Saint Joseph reverberates and casts back these Flames towards God by a faithful correspondence and fidelity in those high functions to which he had chosen him which render'd him most amiable both to Heaven and Earth as I shall hereafter prove more at large So that we see how the Lilly is a lively Emblem of our Saint and that this Lilly he holds in his Hand intimates something that is great and what is beyond our power to express The very number also of the Lillies leaves betokens those six wonderful priviledges which the extraordinary Love of God mov'd him to bestow upon our Lilly Saint Joseph Margaret Queen of Navar took for her Device a crown'd Lilly at which two rich Pendants of Jewels were hung with this Motto * Mirandum naturae opus The wonderful work of Nature Which Device may also be very well apply'd to Saint Joseph The Lilly is his Ensign and is not only the wonder of Nature but of Grace also upon which hung those two rich Jewels Jesus and Mary whom he led in each Hand bearing the Title of Father to the one and of Husband to the other he therefore justly deserves to be Crown'd since in the Love of God he bears away the Prise from all both in the Church Militant and Triumphant So that none must dare to dispute the right of Coronation with him he having those high Prerogatives bestow'd upon him from which all others except Jesus and Mary his beloved Son and Spouse are excluded The part and portion also he has of Divine Love in this Triumph is very remarkable and gives him a place in that title which his great Progenitor David gave to the 44. Psalm * Triumphus per lilia Psal 44. The Triumph by Lillies Making him partner in this Triumph with the two other Lillies Jesus and Mary these being all and always of a Company Wherefore since this Triumph partly belongs to him I may conclude him a Conqueror with the other two and that this his Triumph is as much above that of all other Saints as he exceeds them in those wonderful Graces and Prerogatives which the Love of God bestow'd upon him This will easily be perceiv'd by displaying the six Leaves of our Lilly and discovering thereby the six extraordinary Prerogatives the Love of God has bestow'd upon him above all other Saints excepting upon Jesus and Mary The Head or Blossom of this Flower contains as I sayd six white resplendent Leaves which represent the six particular and extraordinary Prerogatives that shine in Saint Joseph beyond all other Saints Wherefore 't will be sufficient only to open and display these six Leaves to let you see the wonderful novelties they contain and thereby both raise your Imagination of Saint Joseph's Perfections and charm your Affection to such a height with Love and Devotion to him as he truly deserves Novelties as we find by experience contain a certain lustre within themselves that causes admiration and therefore they need not borrow words or discourses to set themselves out A Beauty inrich'd by Nature as you know needs neither Paint nor Patch a Diamond of great price wants no foile to set it off A Cabinet also fill'd with rich and sparkling jewels declares it's own value and therefore needs no other commendation than to set it open containing within it self it 's own light lustre and beauty The Leaves I am about to display of this glorious Lilly are of the same stamp or nature so that by giving you only a sight of them as of so many unheard of Prerogatives they cannot but raise your admiration of his Perfections and even charm and move you to a Devotion to him The first Leaf or Prerogative I lay open cannot but cause a strange admiration for is it not wonderful that a Son should choose his own Father 'T is a wonder never before heard of in the World since it 's first beginning Read the Roman Annals turn over all the Histories of the Universe you 'll find nothing like to this and were this a practice that cou'd be brought into the World what a change wou'd it make in it Poor Deform'd Imperfect and Vicious Men wou'd never be chosen for Fathers None but such as were Rich Prudent Vertuous and every way Accomplish'd wou'd be made choice of from whence we may conclude that a Person who is chosen by one that is very Prudent must needs be very Good Beautiful and most Accomplish'd in all kind of Perfections Now to apply this to our Lilly to our Glorious Saint Joseph You know that the Son of God by right of his Divine Existence had a Being before his Human Birth and therefore had the advantage of Time in which he might choose his Father and supposing his design to choose one amongst Men 't is certain his infinite Wisdom wou'd make choice of one most Perfect and Eminent in Sanctity and of one that were most fit and most capable for so high a Dignity For if a Worm like my self wou'd make choice of the bravest of Men for it's Father had it an occasion offer'd to do so can we imagine that the Son of God the Eternal Wisdom who judges of things as they are knows the value and depth of Hearts
endeavor to shew how Saint Ioseph excell'd in all these To begin then with hâ—s Beauty of Body in this he resembl'd his Spouse and as she surpass'd all other Beauties so in Beauty Saint Ioseph was her Consort In which truth I agree with those learned Men who hold for certain that he was no less excellent in all Perfections of Body than in those of his Mind For we cannot imagin that Iesus wou'd permit so strict an alliance of his Beautiful Mother with a Man who had any Personal Defect For what Father is there that chooses not the most accomplish'd Person to Marry his Daughter unto Gerson affirm's that in his Face or Countenance he resembl'd and was very like to Iesus the most Beautiful amongst the Sons of Men the †Facies Iesu erat similis faciel Ioseph Gerson Face of Iesus says he resembl'd the Face of Ioseph And Saint Bernard testifies also that he was like to that unparallel'd Beauty the Blessed Virgin Mary * Erat Ioseph factus ad similitudinem Virginis Sponsae suae S. Ber. Ioseph says he was made to the likeness of the Blessed Virgin his Spouse So that they are all alike in Beauty in which they exceeded all others Thus much therefore may suffice for the discription of his Beauty in general now let us descend to particulars His Face cast forth such rays of Beauty and Sweetness as charm'd all that beheld him One sight of him was sufficient to win the affection of the beholders and move them to a Devotion to him This Sister Iane of the Angels Prioress of the vrsulins at Lodun testifi'd when the Painters ask'd her after Saint Ioseph's Apparition and Miraculous cure of her Health how they shou'd draw him for having describ'd to them his Fore-head Eyes Nose Chin Beard Hair and all the rest of his Features after the best manner she was able she added make use infine of all the advantages your Art admits of or is able to perform yet after all you can do you will never be able to express the Beauty of his Countenance And when they ask'd her whether he was as handsom as such and such a Person make him as much handsomer than these you speak of as you are able yet after all you will come short of his Beauty it being impossible truly to express it as it is I must therefore forbear to endeavour to express by Pen what they were not able to express by their Pensils and conclude with this short description that in Beauty he was next to Jesus and Mary whose Beauties were above what can be express'd by Words and are even beyond any idea or imagination can be fram'd of ' em Yet to give you some glimps or shadow of his Beauty I am assur'd that when they shew'd this Devout vrsuline his Picture at Paris as she pass'd by which Hurlet the Famous Engraver had made to represent the Miracle of her Recovery she acknowledg'd the Face had many Features like his and that it had some resemblance of that Majesty she beheld in Saint Ioseph when he Appear'd to her and at the same time perfectly cur'd her Which mov'd me to get a Plate Ingrav'd after that tho' far smaller which you may see in the Frontispiece of this Book which the Graver has perform'd with so good success that it contains such a Majesty and Sweetness as strike both a Reverence and Affection into the beholders and gives 'em a glimps or shaddow of his heavenly Beauty Moreover an agreeable exterior a sweet and pleasant conversation are no less charming than Beauty Which Saint Ioseph had in very great Perfection as well from his Natural temper as from the many Years conversation he had enjoy'd with tho Word Incarnate and with the Queen of Angels For in him the least defect in this kind wou'd have been very notorious he being design'd by God to treat and converse with those Kings whom he inspir'd and led by a Star to Adore his Son and not only to treat with Kings but even with Angels themselves sent to him upon several Embassys to inform him of the Mistery of the Incarnation of the Name he shou'd give his Son of Herod's design against his Life to warn him to fly with him and â—is Mother into Aegypt to give him notice of Herod's Death and that he might return home again tho' by a different way from that he took when he fled into Aegypt Whom moreover he design'd to be tâ—e constant Companion of the Queen of Angells and even of the Son and Mother of God And therefore he endow'd him with a great noble and generous Mind and replenish'd his Heart with such a Heavenly joy as even broke forth and discover'd it self in his Countenance and gave a grace and ornament to every action he perform'd whereby â—e gain'd every on 's Affection and Esteem besides his own he being hereby not the least puffed up with any self-self-love or self-esteem nor did he as it ordinarily happens become less affable upon account of these honours done him but receiv'd 'em with so bashful a modesty and such an angelical sweetness as declar'd that he look'd upon himself as undeserving of the esteem and love they shew'd him more admiring and regarding their goodness than his own merits So that this his sweet disposition this his excellent humour together with his beautiful and pleasant Countenance which breath'd such an Humility joyn'd with winning and Angelical Modesty as render'd his conversation both pleasing to Men and Angels nay even to God himself So that the Interpretation of the Patriarch Joseph's Dream was verifi'd in our Saint Joseph for the Sun of Justice and she who was as beautiful as the Moon even the Son and Mother of God both admir'd and even reverenc'd him But all these are only exteriour ornaments and nothing in comparison of the interiour he possess'd I mean those Vertues that adorn'd his Soul for nothing is so lovely as Vertue and nothing renders any object so worthy of Love as Vertue do's And this it was that made Saint Joseph gain so great a conquest over the Hearts of all that knew him For he was Charitable Patient Meek Humble Devout Obedient and infine was all that either the reputed Father of Jesus or the Spouse of Mary ought to have been And tho he had not of himself been so Eminent in these Vertues yet the constant conversation with such eminent Paterns of them as Jesus and Mary were cou'd not but render him also most eminent in the same For as one who lives in a perfumer's shop do's not only take pleasure in the smell of the perfumes round about him but is thereby perfum'd himself so the Vertues of Saint Joseph were increas'd by theirs with whom he constantly Liv'd and Convers'd What I have sayd cannot I am sure but raise in your Hearts such a Love and Devotion to this great Saint as their's was whose Examples I shall hereafter recount and at the same time
him in his last Agony leaning on his Pillow taking him by the Hand and receiving his last Breath from his Lips and at his last Groan clos'd his Eyes shut his Mouth and form'd his Visage with his own most Divine Hand to give him a graceful Aspect at his last farewell Are not all these extraordinary marks of Jesus his particular Love to Saint Joseph The second we find inroul'd amongst the fervorous Lovers of Saint Joseph is Mary the Mother of Jesus she Lov'd him in quality of her Spouse never any Virgin Lady was so Faithfully Loving so Chastly Observant so Religiously engaging in her Conversation with her espous'd Husband as Mary was to her Joseph He was Most passionately lov'd and esteem'd by her as the Protector of her Consecrated Virginity and also the conserver of her Honour Whose Conversation was a security to her unblemish'd Reputation against any reproach that cou'd be made concerning her Virgin Child-Birth For had he forsaken her during the nine Months after her Conception her Purity wou'd unavoidably have been suspected Moreover she bore an affectionate service to him as to her Husband and Head and as to one of the greatest Merit amongst all Man kind next to her Son Jesus This Love of the Virgin Mary to her Spouse caus'd her to descend to the meanest and lowest Services whereby she cou'd any ways express her Love and Esteem of him it caus'd her to attend and wait upon him to prepare his Meat and to perform all other humble Offices he stood in need of she knew very well the place she possest upon Earth and that also which was design'd for her in Heaven As being the Queen Mother of God as being Queen both of Men and Angels and that in this regard Saint Joseph was her Inferior yet the Love she had for him made her lay aside these considerations and render him all sorts of honour and respect imaginable for as Saint Briget says in her Revelations * Lib. 7. Revela S. Brigit cap. 25. lib. 6. cap. 59. she call'd him her Lord never spoke to him but with a wonderful and most submissive respect and there was no tenderness of affection that a loveing Soul can express to one she highly esteems and passionately loves which she did not thousands and thousands of times testifie to Saint Joseph wherefore to convince you how she lov'd him hearken to the affectionate Character she her self gives of him to Saint Briget as 't is set down in her Revelations after the following manner My Spouse was reserv'd in Speech never uttering the least unprofitable murmuring or complaining Word never was he mov'd to Anger or shew'd the least Impatience he was contented in Poverty diligent and vigilant in Labour most obedient and condescending to all my Inclinations Very Meek and Affable even to those that most rudely treated him he couragiously defended the absent that suffer'd Detraction and was a faithful Witness and Divulger of God's wonderful Works he was resign'd to live upon Earth tho his longing and earnest desire was after Heaven expecting and confiding in God's Promises and frequently repeating God grant I may see them Accomplish'd he avoided Publick Assemblies took no content at all in Creatures but all his thoughts and desires were that he might perfectly accomplish God's Divine Will Saint Teresa of Jesus deserves the third place amongst those who after a particular manner have express'd their Love and Esteem to Saint Joseph Who merits the title of Saint Joseph's chiefest Devote and may well therefore be plac'd amongst his lovers She made choice of him for her particular Advocate frequently recommending her self to him as to one she honour'd above all other Saints she stil'd him her Father and Master and had such a confidence in him as was admirable and thereby deserv'd such a reward for it as she her self attests in the sixth chapter of her Life which was that she never ask'd any thing of him either for Body or for Soul that he denied her which caus'd her to say that God by his other Saints help'd and succour'd us in some particular cases of necessity but help'd us in all necessities by Saint Joseph as by his Plenipotentiary To let us understand that as he was subject to him in all things upon Earth as to a father who Commanded him So he was the same in Heaven granting him whatsoever he ask'd This was Saint Teresa's opinion concerning her great Patron to whom she was so particularly Devoted that she endevour'd to invite all to take him for their particular Patron and Protectour But especially those who desire to give themselves to Prayer and to become knowing in that most holy and profitable Exercise and therefore was wont to say let him who cannot find a Master to teach him the Art of Praying take this great Saint for his Master and he shall not fail to prove a great Proficient and a most skilful Scholar Infine she did what she cou'd to instill into all sorts of Persons a particular Devotion to Saint Joseph who as he was Master of her Heart so she had a desire he shou'd be so of the Hearts of all others and therefore endeavour'd to engage their Hearts with her own in an ardent Love of him and Devotion to him which desire of hers together with the experiments she had had of the good obtain'd by the Merits and Prayers of this Saint caus'd her engageingly to promise the same success to all that shou'd recommend themselves to him Attesting that she never knew any Person that had a true Devotion for him or render'd him any particular Service that obtain'd not a great progress and advancement in Vertue You see here the cause of my ranking her in the first place of those of this last Age that set up the Standard of Devotion to Saint Joseph by divulging his Merits and by a due acknowledgement of his Favours whereby in these our times in which we have more need than ever of Heavenly assistance she brought in that profitable Devotion to this great Saint The fourth Person noted for his particular Devotion to Saint Joseph is that holy Minim blessed Gaspar Bond who after Jesus and Mary had none so near his Heart as Saint Joseph All his Life long he had a most singular Devotion to him and at his Death his chief recours was to none so much as to this Holy and Amiable Patriarch and express'd his Devotion by a particular honour shew'd to his Name after the Name Jesus and Maria which made such an impression in him that he cou'd think or speak of nothing else he took a particular gust in the pronouncing of them and thought the doing so gave a good success and prosper'd all his undertakings and this was the short but pithy Incomium that he gave them * Haec tria nomina Bona sunt omnia Et mundi lumina Et coeli limina This Trinity of Names This lower World Inflames Contains the goods of Love
O pens Heaven's Gates Above Wherefore to shew the Love and Esteem he had of them he us'd them as a watch-word as a salutation both at meeting or parting as a sign of admiration as a parenthesis as a transition and even upon all occasions he made use of them when he came home his Salutation to the Porter was Jesus Mary Joseph pray Brother open the Gate and the same Salutation he us'd when he went forth and when any Strangers came in his Salutation was Jesus Maria Joseph Father you are welcome thus on all occasions these Names were in his Mouth and as he liv'd in this Devotion so he desir'd to dye in the same wherefore in time of his last Sickness he earnestly recommended to those that assisted him that when they saw him in his last Agony they wou'd frequently repeat these Names in his Ears which were an extract and abridgement of his Affections and a singular cordial to help and conduct his Soul in it's passage to God And that fell out which he desir'd for he died with these Words in his Mouth †Bone Jesu miserere mei Good Jesus have Mercy upon me and then Invocating these three Names Jesus Maria Joseph he yielded up his happy Soul God grant us all so happy an end as this The fifth Person Devoted after a a particular manner to Saint Joseph was that Prince and Prelate of Geneva Saint Francis of Sales who as we have reason to beleive honour'd him above all the Saints in Heaven according to the Testimony of Father Peter Bernaud of the SOCIETY of JESUS who had the honour to assist him in his last Sickness who was acquainted with two or three very remarkable passages that testified the very great Devotion this Holy Prelate had to Saint Joseph The Night before he dy'd being at Lyons upon the point of his Departure an Apoplexy seiz'd him tho' not perceptable to the Rector of Saint Joseph's Colledge of the SOCIETY of JESUS when he came to salute and bid him adue who offering him his and all the Fathers Services that were in his House to which all the reply or complement the Bishop return'd was to tell him with an Angelical Sweetness O Father know yee not that I am all Saint Joseph's The same Father also related that watching the Night following in the Chamber of this holy Prelate to assist him at his happy Death whilst the Apoplexy grew worse not having his own Breviary to say his Howers one lent him the Breviary of the sick Prelate in which he found but one Picture which was of Saint Joseph Another mark of his tender Devotion to Saint Joseph is related also by the same Father happen'd some time before when he made the first Sermon in our Church upon the Feast of Saint Joseph It seems the Lord Cardinal of Markmont Arch-Bishop of Lyons had engag'd the Bishop to Preach upon Saint Joseph's Day in the Church of the Carmelits which Father Bernaud being ignorant of invited him also to Preach in the Jesuits Church Dedicated to Saint Joseph who notwithstanding refus'd not to do him this favour giving him this Answer Tho' when I bring forth Twins by one Days Labour I shall not come off well yet for the Love of Saint Joseph I will de it However he perform'd it in the afternoon with very good success and for an hour and a half so imploy'd his Eloquence in expressing his feeling Devotion to Saint Joseph explicating the Eminent Merits and setting forth the Prayses af his Belov'd Patron after such a manner that convinc'd the Cardinal and the rest of his Auditory of the great Passion and ardent Affection he had for this Saint This Devout Sermon of his puts me in mind of a rich Treatise 〈◊〉 writ concerning this Divine Spouse of our Blessed Lady which is in his Book of Spiritual Entertainments wherein he evidences how great a◠esteem he had of Saint Joseph and that you may by a part judge of the whole Piece and of the great Affection and Esteem he had for this Saint give me leave out of it to recite one of his Exclamations O what a great Saint says he in the entrance of the Discourse i◠the Glorious Saint Joseph He 's not only a Patriarch but the chief of all the Patriarch's He 's not only a Confessour but more than a Confessour for in his Prerogative of Confessour is included the Dignity of Bishops the Generosity of Martyrs the Purity of Virgins and the Perfections of all other Saints 't is therefore with just reason that he is compar'd to the Palm which is the King of Trees This is sufficient to declare his Zeal of the Honour of this Saint and of the Love he had for him this being his whole drift in that Discourse Moreover if we address our selves to the Religious of the Visitation of our Blessed Lady his Spiritual Children they being of the Order he Instituted and who inherit the Love their Founder had for Saint Joseph They 'll tell you their Patriarch has Dedicated his Book Of the Love of God to Saint Joseph That he has put the first Monastery and Church of their Order under his Protection That he every where bears the title of their Tutelar Saint or Protector that he has order'd that in all their Houses they keep his Feast with Solemnity and in his Institute has Commanded that all these Religious his Children shou'd hear a particular Devotion to him that the Mistris of Novices shou'd cause the Novices and even the Postulants to get a habit of calling upon him when they began their Mental Prayer and that they take him for their Guide and Advocate in that Exercise These are his Daughters who Imitate their Father in their Love and Devotion to Saint Joseph which he has as his Divine Legacy intail'd upon them The sixth who was Eminent for her Devotion to Saint Joseph was Blessed Margaret de Chateau of the Holy Order of Saint Dominick As commonly we think upon what we Love so this Virgin had ordinarily no other subject of Meditation than the Sacred Birth of our Saviour lying in the Manger assisted by the Blessed Virgin and Saint Joseph and this her Meditating upon those small services that Saint Joseph render'd to this little Infant and his Holy Mother caus'd both an incredible Consolation in her Mind and a singular Affection to this Holy Patriarch nor was this without many wonderful effects that accompany'd it which were manifestly wrought by the Finger of God who most wonderfully drew in her Heart these three Personages attending upon Jesus lying in the Crib A favour never before heard of who being often heard to tell her Confidents saying O that yee did but know what I carry and keep in my Heart After she was Dead she was open'd and in her Heart they found three Precious Stones in which were Ingraven the three Objects of her Love In the first was an Image of our Blessed Lady with a Rich
and with the Title of Spouse I give you the Name of Joseph This favour he thus receiv'd which the Virgin afterwards seconded by her frequent Visits often putting her Dear Infant into his Arms as she was wont to do into Saint Joseph's often calling him by the indearing Name of Joseph sometimes in his Cell other times as he walk'd about the House which increas'd in his Heart the most tender Love he before had for the Blessed Virgin The seventh is Joseph the Earl who was so wonderfully Obstinate in the Jewish Religion as even to resist God himself who wrought several Miracles by means of the Holy Cross in his Presence And our Saviour also by several Visions invited him to the true Faith yet without any effect But these working nothing upon him God visited him with very sharp Maladies which also for a long time did him no good but their continuance by degrees soften'd his Heart and caus'd him to become a Christian and so good a one too that Constantin to encourage and settle him in the True Faith Created him an Earl But these Earthly Honours hinder'd him not from exercising true Humility and becoming a true Servant of God whereby he attain'd to so high a Pitch of Sanctity as to be Canoniz'd and to receive the best and most lasting Title of Honour of being a Saint in Heaven whose Feast is kept the two and twentith of July The eighth is Joseph Hildegond who Dyed the twentith of April the first Woman that ever bore the Name of Joseph which happen'd upon the following account Her Father after her Mothers Death and the setling her Sister Religious in a Monastery resolv'd to visit the Holy places of Jerusalem and fearing lest in his absence any misfortune might happen to his Daughter shou'd he leave her behind him he having no other Child left to take care of but her causes her to take the Name of Joseph and to take the Habit of a Man the better and more easily to accompany him in his Pilgramage She submitted to her Father's Pleasure and they both of 'em parted from Cullen their Native Town to begin their Pilgramage to Jerusalem but her Father Dying by the way leaves poor Joseph behind him in very great perplexity what she shou'd do who still continues her Journy tho' she met with very troublesome adventures but her Constancy in God's Service inabled her happily to overcome 'em all but the last adventure prov'd most happy to her for passing for a Man she enter'd into a Convent of Monks wherein she Liv'd Devoutly and with great Edification none ever discovering her Pious deceit till after her Death when they went to wash and lay out her Corp's for Buryal The ninth was * Ex P. Zach. Boverio Annal Caput Joseph Mathew the sixth Person of the Holy Order of Capucines famous for Sanctity and Miracles For twice as he Travel'd the Day being far spent he having got no Alms to support himself and his Companion or wherewith to Relieve or Strengthen 'em to hold out their Joutney a most â—eautiful Young Man came to him and the first time gave him a white Loaf and the second time two with these comfortable Words Take Joseph these Alms which our Saviour sends you and give him thanks for this Benefit The tenth is Father Joseph Anchieth of the SOCIETY of JESUS stil'd the Apostle of Brasil as Saint Xaverius is stil'd Apostle of the Indies Who upon account of the many Miracles he wrought may also be stil'd Moyses of the sayd SOCIETY working 'em in all kinds and upon all occasions For as he travel'd in rain none fell upon him passing throu ' the Schorching Sun he commanded the Birds to fly in great numbers over his Head to serve him for an Vmbrella or Canopy to defend him from the heat thereof Nay he commanded Birds Beasts and even all the Elements after such a manner as if he had had a full Empire and Dominion over all Creatures as you may Read in his Life which you will find full of wonders Behold here ten Joseph's worthy to be honour'd no less for their Vertue than out of Love to Saint Joseph whose Name they bear and who deserves that in consideration of his worth we shou'd set a high esteem upon any one that has any Relation to him either by bearing his Name or by Imitating his Vertues and therefore I shall end this Piece of Devotion I recommended to you by recounting what I receiv'd few Months ago from the Mouth of a very Faithful Servant of God a Religious Woman of Lyons and a great Devote of Saint Joseph's Who told me she was wont to Pray often and to Recmmend her self to the Glorious Joseph in Heaven and she assur'd me that she found very great Help and Comfort from this Deyotion for they by their Intercession obtain'd for her what she desir'd 'em to help her in The third particular Devotion we may shew to Saint Joseph is to take all occasions to honour his Name First by giving the Name of Joseph in Baptisme Confirmation or Entrance into Religion to any one who shall have any Dependance upon us or by taking it our selves in the two last occasions We have an Example of this Devotion in out Blessed Ladies giving it to Blessed Berman which I just now related and God be prais'd 't is in this Age a very frequent Devotion for both seculars as well as Religious covet to bear this Name and that with a great deal of reason since Magicians are forc'd to own that their Sorceries have not that power upon any Infants that are Nam'd Joseph as upon others For the proof of which a Person of Honour who had lost all his Children by Witchcraft a few Days after their Birth being Councel'd by one who had once studied that wicked Art more than he ought to have done to give his next Child the Name of Joseph assuring him to his own knowledge it was sufficient to prevent all Witchcraft he follow'd his Priends Advice and found his Remedy very Powerful for his next Child Liv'd to inherit both his Honour and Estate Secondly to Consecrate Churcheâ— and Chappels to the Honour of Saint Joseph and give his Name to Provinces and Religious Houses In the Order of Saint Teresa this Devotion is commonly practis'd and our Saviour himself gave the Name of Joseph to the Monastery of Avila Father Francis Canilec one of our SOCIETY no less renoun'd for his Vertue than his Noble Birth Founded the House in Bell-Court at Lyons and gave it the Name of Joseph to testifie his Affection to the Spouse of the Virgin Mother of God And his Example gave occasion several Years after to Father Cotton to give the same Name to the Church he there built so that whatsoever we possest in that place might be under the Protection of Saint Joseph Thirdly By frequent pronouncing or repeating the Name of Joseph as Gaspar Bond that good Minim was wont to
do of whom I have made mention Page 63. This Devotion is very easie if we do but take the the pleasure he took in pronouncing these three Holy Names of Jesus Maria Joseph Fourthly To wear Rings in which the Name of Joseph is ingraven either by it self or with the other two Names Jesus and Mary and to encourage you to this Devotion when the great Plague caus'd a very great Destruction at Lyons I knew many that wore such ingrav'd Rings for this Intention that Saint Joseph would protect them from the Infection and with so great a success that not so much as one of the Family of those that wore them or of the House where they lodg'd Were Infected God giving so great a Blessing to this small Devotion Fifthly To begin our chief Actions under the auspicious favour of his Name as the Governour of Kebeck did at the Dedication of the Church of Kebeck in new France 1637. before which he planted a Standard with a triple Crown and Wreaths with Scutcheons in which were written in Capitals these three Names JESUS MARIA JOSEPH which Standard was no sooner erected but it was saluted by the Souldiers with a Volly of Musket shot The fourth particular Devotion to Saint Joseph is to imitate Saint Teresa's Love to her Good Father as she still'd him by taking occasion to invite others to become his Clients and omitting nothing that may contribute to his Honour and Glory which is so grateful a Devotion to the Blessed Virgin also that she gave thanks to Saint Teresa for having contributed and incited Persons to this Devotion towards her Spouse all over the Church especially throu-out all Europe whoÌ„ John Gerson Chancelour of the University of Paris also imitated for what did he not do in this Point He Compos'd an Office and Mass for his Feast He writ to several Bishops to induce them to order his Feast to be Celebrated in their Bishopricks with Devotion and Solemnity as a Feast of Obligation and by their own Examples to move the People to observe it His ordinary Conversations and Entertainments of those that Visited him were upon this Subject Moreover those who list themselves in the Confraternity of Saint Joseph and by their Piety and Examples move others to the like Devotion do hereby also Imitate Saint Teresa and the Pious Ghancelour's Devotion towards him The fifth is frequently to take occasion to thank Saint Joseph for the Labour and Pains he took for Jesus and Mary and the Services he did for them for how is it possible says Saint Teresa to think upon what the Queen of Heaven and her little Infant suffer'd upon Earth without giving thanks to Saint Joseph for his Charitable Assistance in their Sufferings The thinking therefore of those Passages of Charity he Exercis'd as even the bearing JESUS in his Arms his helping his Spouse to dress him his laying him in his Cradle and such like ordinary Actions as these tho they seem but small and inconsiderable yet 't is not to be imagin'd what tender Affections the consideration of them breeds in our Hearts and how they move us to Exercise greater Services to JESUS and also a Love to Saint Joseph who hereby express'd his Affection to him The sixth Particular Devotion we may Exercise towards Saint Joseph is to take occasion when any Affairs of Importance happen to address our seles to Saint Joseph and wholly commit them to his Care and Conduct 'T is also a good Devotion frequently to aske him Blessing and to repose a Confidence in him as in a Father beseeching him to â—â—â—tain of his Son and Spouse such an Assistance as we shall in all occasions stand in need of Thus the Devour Vrsulin Jean of the Angels whom I have frequently mention'd was wont to do before and after her Exorcismes in which the suffer'd great agitation of Body from the Devil Wherefore to prepare her self the better to suffer she presented her before his Image and beg'd his Blessing and Assistance whereby she found her self extreamly fortified To these I may ad some other Devotions I know some Persons are wont to Exercise Some in their necessities say a little Pair of Beads in his honour see the manner of saying them Page 28. amongst the Devotions to this Saint Others never deny any thing ask'd them in the Name and for the sake of Saint Joseph but I shou'd be too tedious shou'd I set down all the Dovotions that the Affections of his Clients suggest to them what I have already sayd is sufficient for whatever may be done to other Saints either by Prayers Vows or any other Respects that and much more may be done to him But the more to incite you to this in the following Chapters I will set down what Help and Assistance he renders upon all occasions to his Clients both for Soul and Body who endeavour to express their Love and Devotion towards him by such Practices as I have here set down CHAP. X. Of the Help and Assistance that Saint Joseph gives to his Devout Clients towards their attaining Interiour Perfection and in what this Perfection do's Consist TO give you a satisfactory account of the care Saint Joseph takes to render his Clients Interiour and Spiritual Persons I must first declare to you what is meant by Interiour Perfection and in what this Spiritual and Interiour Life do's consist There being very few Persons who Solidly attend thereunto and therefore there is great need of so solid and Powerful an Assistance for the obtaining it as Saint Joseph gives his Devout Clients An Interiour and Spiritual Life therefore is that which minds nothing else but Perfection and which rests in the Vertuous Actions of the Soul practising the inward Acts of all Vertues namely of Faith Hope Charity Religion Adoration Thanksgiving Humiliation with a good perfect and sincere Intention without any mixture of Carnal ends And in the performance of all Exteriour and Corporal Actions with an Interiour Spirit and Presence of Mind Beholding God Present and being carried with a tender Affection towards him whilst we perform the outward Action we are about This is what is call'd a Spiritual and Interiour Life and is so call'd because it consists not in the Exteriour or Corporal Action but because it Acts Interiourly in the bottom of the Soul and within the Spirit or Mind only and 't is this we must begin withall and what is thus begun in Spirit must afterwards pass to our Exteriour Actions which are but of very small Value if not accompanied with this Interiour Life and Vertue there being no comparison between the inward and outward Actions and if we work not by this Interiour Spirit and Purity of Intention all the pains we take are lost we labour much and gain little or nothing how great things soever in appearance we may perform But working after this manner we gain and heap up Everlasting Treasures with so much profit and advantage that even the least Action
King of England with their Spouses may be stil'd Children of Joseph and Mary O Divine Motives Oh what care has God of his Servants Oh Angelical Chastity How little art thou esteem'd by Men and how art thou lov'd and admir'd by God and Angels Oh Chast and Fruitful Marriage that has brought forth so many Virgins O Virgin Mother of JESUS O Virginal Spouse of the Virgin Mary inspire us with these Chast desires inable us to make and practice such Nuptial and Virginal Contracts as these that may render us capable of accompanying and following the Chast lamb your Son JESUS for all Eternity III. Point Consider also God's infinite Wisdom by uniting in Marriage two Persons so alike in all things excepting their Age he being forty she only fourteen Years old which disparity was very fit upon account of those Reasons mention'd in the foregoing Point For first they were both of the Royal Line of David Secondly they were both Sanctified before their Birth Thirdly they were both signal Lovers of Chastity they being the first that knew it's Merit and Vow'd it Fourthly they both so excell'd in Sanctity and Humility that she who stil'd her self a humble Handmaid or Slave was declar'd by an Angel full of Grace and he who endeavour'd to cover his Sanctity by his humble Trade and Profession is Canoniz'd by the Holy Ghost who pronounc'd him Just The Colloquie O Matchless and most happy pair to whose Care and Protection can I better commit my self than to yours to whom God committed the Care and Protection of his only Son and of his Virgin Mother O Virgin Mother of God accept me therefore for your Child since your Son has recommended me to you as such O Virgin Father to whom God committed the Care of his only Son and of his Virgin Mother accept own and protect me as your and her Child and teach me to shew my Love to you both by a Love of Chastity of which you have given me so admirable an Example in these your Angelical Espousals and a Love of Humility and all other Vertues by your Constant Practice of 'em upon all occasions IV. MEDITATION Of Saint Joseph's Journey with the Blessed Virgin to Visit St. Elisabeth Prepratory Prayer TO beg Grace to understand the Vertues Exercis'd by the Blessed Virgin and Saint Joseph in this Journey and to profit by their admirable Examples I. Prelude IMagin your self bearing our Blessed Lady and Saint Joseph company in their troublesome Winter Journey of forty miles over steep Mountains to Visit Saint Elizabeth Hearken to their Pious Discourses in their Journey and behold also what past at their meeting Saint Elizabeth and in their three Months abode in her House Behold also Saint Joseph's perplexity when he perceiv'd our Blessed Lady with Child II. Prelude BEG Grace to understand their Charity their Patient Sufferings their Humility And Saint Joseph's Resignation together with his most Prudent and Meek Carriage in the greatest of Tryals I. Point Consider that about four Months after Saint Joseph's Espousal with the Blessed Virgin and a few Days after the Angel Gabriel had declar'd to her unknown to Saint Joseph the Mistery of the Incarnation and that her Cosen Elizabeth was six Months gon with Child The Blessed Virgin desir'd leave of Saint Joseph that she might visit her but he out of the tender affection he had for his Spouse wou'd not permit her to go alone but wou'd accompany her himself O Charitable Visit O Tender Affection that renders the hardest things Delightful O Amiable Virgin thus dear to your Spouse what a Journey did your Charity to your Cosen move you to undertake O great Saint Joseph what pains did the care and tenderness you had for your Spouse move you Joyfully to suffer O Holy Joseph obtain for me by your powerful Intercession this ardent Charity that even renders the hardest and most troublesom things easie and even delightful II Point Consider what Joy and what Congratulations past at the meeting of these Relations what sincere expressions of Kindness past between Saint Joseph and Saint Zachary And what extraordinary expressions thereof past also between our Blessed Lady and Saint Elizabeth Who Prophetically confirm'd to her what the Angel had reveal'd by calling her * Mater Domini Mother of our Lord. Consider also with what Affection and Humility our Blessed Lady and Saint Joseph assisted Saint Elizabeth and Saint Zachary in all kinds of services both before and at the Birth of Saint John Baptist consider also what Pious conversations past between these Pious Persons during the three Months they staid there O Angelical and Heavenly conversation O Wonderful practicers of Charity and Humility obtain for me by your Intercession those two Vertues you so excell'd in III. Point Consider the great tryal Almighty God gave Saint Joseph when in his return home he found our Blessed Lady with Child O what a Combat of different Passions did this knowledge endeavour to raise in his Peaceful Heart The experience he had of her Vertue wou'd not permit him to Judge hardly of her nor the tender Affection he had for her suffer him to act with Severity against her but â—n the other side the Zeal he had â—or God's Law the chief object â—f his Love requir'd he shou'd â—â—ut her away as an Adultress â—et on the other side her conâ—ant Obedience to the Law and â—ractice thereof wou'd not perâ—it him rashly to accuse her â—ereof and to quit the greatest Comfort of his Life by forsakâ—ng her yet to satisfie God's Command without divulging â—er crime in appearance at his return home he purpos'd a priâ—ate Divorse being unwilling to â—ublish what perhaps was no â—rime in her for as Saint Jerom â—ously surmizes the thought â—f the Promis'd Messias who was to be Born of a Virgin occur'd to him and her Vertue made him think she might 〈◊〉 design'd for his Mother 〈◊〉 this thought made him also thâ—â— himself unworthy of her Conversation and therefore to thiâ—â— of retiring himself from 〈◊〉 Sanctuary judging himself 〈◊〉 deserving of that Relation he 〈◊〉 contracted with her O raâ—ing Perplexity O interiour Maâ—tyrdom O cruel Combat between the Love of God and 〈◊〉 of his Spouse O how do's Goâ— try his best Servants And wiâ—â— what Silence and Humility do the Blessed Virgin as well as 〈◊〉 bear this Cross But how Mâ—raculously do's God Comfort those that thus bear Afflictions He sends Divine when Humaâ— helps cannot afford any Foâ— behold God sends the Angel Gâ—â—briel to bid him take his Wiâ—â— who had Conceiv'd of the Holy Ghost and shou'd bring forth a Son to whom he shou'd give the Name of JESUS who shou'd save his People O Joyful tyding Whereby Joseph is not only freed from all Perplexity and Discomfort but a new dignity is given him by being Declar'd God-Father to the Son of God O stupendious Dignity O just Reward of such Pious Sufferings Consider also what mutual Joy did the reciting their past
and sees the worth of all Creatures wou'd not choose the most Perfect of all Men for his Father To think otherwise wou'd be to rank his Wisdom beneath our own Wherefore since he has chosen Saint Joseph before all others since his Knowledge and Love mov'd him to this Election must not this choice he made of him be an evident proof that he was eminent in all Perfections Especially since the Divine Wisdom it self chose him for his Father Let us now pass on and take a view of the second Leaf or second Prerogative of our glorious Lilly He was not only chosen by the Divine Wisdom to be his Father but even to be Father to him who was the Son of God So that by this Election which the Eternal Wisdom made Joseph had God for his Son Who cou'd have thought it possible that a Man cou'd be Father to the Son of God Or cou'd ever have imagin'd that Man might with truth say to the Son of God you are my Son Or that Man shou'd arrive to so high a pitch of Dignity as to bear the relation of Paternity to the Word Incarnate Which in some measure resembl'd the Paternity of the Eternal Father to his Eternal and Uncreated Son O wonderful Dignity Joseph Father of Jesus Father of the Son of God Incarnate Having the honor to be Father to him upon Earth to whom God is Father in Heaven But to evidence and make this Truth more clear We must know that Jesus was not his Son by Nature but by the Lawful Right that accru'd to Saint Joseph by Jesus his being Son to his Spouse the Blessed Virgin Mary For by his being her Son he was Produc'd in and Born of that Flesh which by right of Marriage was Saint Joseph's and was under his power and jurisdiction So that according to the common axiom of the Civil Law that says †Quid in alieno solo nascitur vel aedificatur sub illius dominium cadit cujus est solum Institut de rer divis Whatsoever grow's in or is built upon anothers Soil belongs to the owner thereof This title was strong enough to give him the right and title of a Father and caus'd our Blessed Lady to stile him his Father even to her Son himself when she sayd †Pater tuus Ego dolentes quaerebamus te Luc. 2.48 Behold with how much Grief your Father and I have sought after you he also by his Answer seem'd to own him for his Father upon Earth when he sayd * Nesciebatis quia in his quae patris mei sunt oportet me esse Ibid v. 49. Knew yee not that 't was chiefly my duty to take care of my Fathers business Meaning his Heavenly Father as if he wou'd have sayd you have reason for what you say but you know that my first and chief obligation is to comply with the Will of my Heavenly Father But this is not all Saint Joseph was not only the Father of Jesus because he was call'd so or because he had that relation to the Blessed Virgin I before spoke of but because he wanted nothing that is found in a true Paternity or Fatherly Right He had all that care affection and authority that any Father ever had or ever will have in relation to a Son For as Saint John Damascen says †Omne jus quo constituitur Paternitas sortitus est Joseph solo jurâ— generation is excepto S. â—o Damas Orat. de na B. V. Saint Joseph had all that cou'd intitle him to the right of Paternity except that of Generation * Et hoc supple vit Deus Pater infundendo viro Mariae paternum pro filio Jesu amorem Rupertus in 1. Matth. Which according to Rupertus the Abbot God the Father supply'd by infusing into the Husband of Mary a Paternal Love of her Son Jesus By which infusion Saint Joseph participated of all Graces that can either be nam'd or imagin'd for if God had a design to Love a Man after the best manner imaginable or to give him the highest place of Glory in Heaven what more cou'd he do for him than to constitute him to bear the Office of a Father over his own and only Son than which nothing can be more excellent nothing more rare or more admirable for by giving him this Office he gives him all the qualities necessary for it and gives him power to call even the Son of God his Son causing the effect to correspond to the Name The third Miraculous Leaf or Prerogative of this Lilly is that being Man he shou'd become Husband to the Mother of God O wonder of wonders When we wou'd comprehend in few words all the wonderful Perfections and Prerogatives of the Blessed Virgin Mary we make use of Saint Mathews words †Maria de qua natus est Jesus Matth. 1.16 Mary of whom Jesus was born For as by styling her Mother of Jesus we comprehend all that can be sayd of her so Saint Joseph by being styl'd Husband to the Mother of God comprehends under this title all other Dignities and Perfections whatsoever So that a greater than this cannot be given him as Saint John Damascen well observes when he says * Dicis illum virum Mariae hoc est prorsus ineffabile nihil praeterea dici potest Cant. 3. in Nat. B. V. You call him the Husband of Mary this is such a title as cannot be explicated and more than this cannot be sayd of him Mary Spouse to Joseph do's in plenitude of Grace surpass both Men and Angels and has not her Husband think you the like endowments Since God judg'd him a fit match for her and for this end gave him so great an abundance of Grace Vertue and Sanctity that neither Men nor Angels ever had the like hereby to fit him to be Spouse and Guide to the Virgin-Mother God judging it fit that in her right he shou'd partake of all her Honors Favors and Dignities If therefore she be a Princess he is a Prince and he also is King where-ever she is Queen For God who design'd to raise Mary to the quality and honor of the Mother of God At the same time design'd her a Husband like to her self whom he lov'd above all Men upon Earth and therefore endow'd him with all Graces suitable to such a Dignity O thrice happy Joseph Thus chosen by God and thus fitted and advanc'd to be the Husband of the Mother of God as his best beloved next to Jesus and Mary The fourth Miraculous Leaf or Prerogative of this Lilly is that he is at once both a Father and a Virgin Which is so singular a Prerogative that 't is allow'd to none but him There have been many Virgin-husbands but of Virgin fathers there has never been any one but S. Joseph who is Spouse also of a Virgin-mother Which singular Prerogative was reserv'd by God only for his best beloved JOSEPH and MARY God lodging his special