FOr the spitefull Pharisees hearing the Apostles speaking all sorts of languages sought to undervalue the miracle by vilifying them as Drunkards but St Peter standing up in his own and his brethrens defence solidly refutes their malicious imputation to the great joy admiration and confirmation of all the Auditors and confusion of his enemies Hail Mary 7. At the sodain multiplication of the faithfull FOr St. Peters efficacious Oration was no sooner ended but three thousand Souls were presently converted to the Faith of Christ and forthwith baptizd in his name and five thousand more within few dayes after Hail Mary 8. At the fructification of Christs Passion FOr the blessed Virgin-Mother saw not only the present fruits of her Sons death and sufferings spread abroad in the Apostles and the new converted Christians but she also foresaw the future multitude of martyrs who should couragiously dy for his love besides the vast number of confessors virgins and religious Persons who should cheerfully take up their Crosses and faithfully follow him Hail Mary 9. At the great encrease of the divin honour and worship FOr Pagans Gentills Idolaters and people of all professions renouncing their ancient errors came flocking in amain to be instructed in the Faith of Christ and to follow the Evangelicall doctrin Hail Mary 10. At the accomplishment of the number of the Elect. FOr the blessed Virgin joyfully foresaw that all such souls as should depart this life in the true Faith of of her Son Jesus inform'd with charity were to be added to the number of the Saints and to be admitted to his heavenly Kingdom Hail Mary Glory be to the Father and to the Son c. These Prayers Angelical c. Affections Elevations Petitions O Glorious Creator How great is your Mercy how infinit your liberalitie How excessive your affection to undeserving and ungratefull Mankind After your only Son was so ill treated amongst us would you also send down the Holy Ghost unto us It plainly appears that we have a potent Advocate in Heaven Jesus Christ the just to plead our cause and a Powerfull Mother upon Earth Mary the Mother of Jesus to impetrate for us this extraordinary favour It is therefore the Mothers merit and the Sons Mercy and the Eternal Fathers liberalitie and the Holy Ghosts goodness that this holy Spirit descends from Heaven upon us A Spirit of life and love a Spirit of solace and sweetness a Spirit of grace and happiness a Spirit which comes in form of fiery tongues to clear our understandings with his light to inflame our wills with his heat and to govern our tongues and affections with his gracious direction A light which dazels not a fire which consumes not a tongue which threatens not accuses not condemns not O sacred and divin Spirit you are the Father of the afflicted the Distributer of graces the enlightner of hearts the comforter of Souls and alas how opposite are my actions to your properties perfections inspirations You descend to instill into me the spirit of sweetness meekness patience and I converse with such as are under my charge and with others who are perchance far better before you than my self with a spirit of choller and peevishness with a spirit of rigour and harshness with a spirit of revenge and bitterness Ah uncharitable wretch that I am shall I contristate my neighbour instead of comforting him shall I exact from others instead of conferring benefits upon them shall I under-value my brethrens actions censure their intentions obscure their reputations instead of putting a charitable construction upon all things whatsoever Change this my crooked and crabbed disposition O powerfull Spirit thâ— plentifull bestower of all perfect gifts by the efficacy of your sacred influence upon my soul purge me I beseech you from my present imperfections pardon me for my past impieties and prevent me from future fallings by implanting your spirit of true peace and charity in my interiour which may keep my heart evermore burning in the love of you and my neighbour till I come to be totally absorpt in you together with the coequall Son and Father in your blessed Eternitie Amen The fourth glorious Mysterie she dy's THe assumption of the blessed Virgin up to Heaven Allegorically understood by Maryes chosing the best part Luke 10. The Virgins sacred Corps too rich a prize For Earth is born by Angels 'bove the Skyes Our Father c. The glorious Virgin-Mothers heart was replenish'd with exceeding great joy 1. At the news of the near approaching dissolution of her soul and body FOr as the holy Doctors deliver unto us after the dispersion of the Apostles into the Worlds severall quarters to preach the Gospell the blessed Virgin retir'd her felf into a privat dwelling near adjoyning to Mount Sion that she might pass the remaining day 's of her Pilgrimage upon earth in the devout contemplation of her divin Sons actions and the frequent visitation of the holy places of his Baptism Fasting Passion Buriall Resurrection Ascention when behold at the time appointed by the eternall providence a heavenly Messenger probably the Arch-Angell Gabriel reverently saluting her in her Sons name informs her of her near approaching departure out of this life Hail Mary 2. At the securitie of heâ— Glorious and speedy Resurrection FOr as Albertus and all the Doctors agree she could not possibly doubt of her present and immediate Translation to Eternall happiness Hail Mary 3. At her dying without any dread terrour or trouble FOr how could She fear death who was so fervent in Charity as that she desired nothing more than to be dissolved and to be with Christ How could She be terrifi'd at Deaths approach who was absolutely free from all sin and impiety Or how could She be troubled at the apprehension of Gods severe Judgments who was secure of her salvation 4. At the presence of the Apostles at her departure FOr it is a generally receiv'd Tradition of the Fathers That all the Apostles were by divin instinct sodainly gather'd together from the worlds severall climats to honour her with their personall presence at this time of her earthly dissolution Hail Mary 5. At the sweet separation of her Soul aâ—… Body FOr say's S. Hierom as She was free from the corruption of the flesh so she was exempt from the calamities of Death And S. John Damascen The pain 's which she suffer'd not in childing and dying She payd at the time of Christs Passion Hail Mary 6. At the Ioyfull Re-union of her Soul and Body in her Resuscitation and Assumption into Heaven FOr according to S. Augustin There was no reason corruption should seize on her after death whose integrity was preserv'd in her life c. but 't was fit she should be always living who was the Parent of all life and that she should be always with him who for nine months space was with her in her womb c. Hail Mary 7. At Christ's meeting her accompanyed with the Heavenly
large volumes We shall therefore both in this and the following points content our selves to declare the Truth not dispute it to presuppose it not prove it to set down Maxims not Problems and our endeavours shall be to excite the faithfull Rosarists to this sort of Piety by applying some of the holy Fathers pithy sentences and expressions not to amuse their fancies by producing curiosities and falling upon the subtilties of controversies Wherefore abstracting here from the sacred Virgin-Mothers own Worth Dignity Prerogatives Perfections Excellencies which are briefly touched in the precedent Oration and which are abundantly capable to ravish the whol World with her love and admiration and move them to her honour and service we shall insist only upon some of the most signall benefits which redound to our selves by our devotion towards her reducing them to these five generall heads The first is That she loves her devoted children and servants Though the sacred Virgin is call'd in the Churches Dialect Mater pulchrae dilectionis The mother of love and charity and consequently cannot but have a generall â—ffâ—ction for all mankind yet surely she hath a particular kindness and tendernesâ— for such as addict themselves to her speciall honour and dedicate themselves to her service according to that other passage which holy Church also applyes to her Ego diligentes me diligo I love them who love me Hence our devout St. Bernard upon those words of the Gospell Ecce Mater tua Behold thy Mother which were delivered from the Cross by our dying Saviour and directed to his dear Minion Saint John and to all mankind in his person hath these pithy expressions If Mary is thy Mother O Christian then Jesus is thy Brother then Chrâ—sts Father is thy Father then his Heaven is thy Inheritance then Mary's grace is thy treasure for Mothers usually lay up treasures for their Children then she is sensible of all thy sufferings sollicitous to supply thy wants carefull to provide for thy necessities for a Mother is tender over her Children Therefore O Christian make choyce of Mary for thy Mother For it is impossible says elsewhere the same devout Doctor that she should abandon them who place their confidence in her Patronage and Protection since she is the Mother of Mercy and compassion Who would not then become a loving Child and obedient servant of so pious and tender a Mother who would not strive to gain the favour and affection of so faithfull a friend and so powerfull a Patroness The second is That she is liberall and bountifull in bestowing benefits and favours upon her children and servants Worldly affection if it be true and perfect hath such power over the heart of Man as to cause him to confer freely upon his beloved object whatsoever he most dearly prizes and esteems And can it be conceiv'd that the Saints charity and particularly Hers which far excels that of all Men Saints and Angells together being more perfect should be less liberall The glorious Virgin say our Doctors is the Treasuress of the celestiall Riches the Dispensatrix of Gods gifts she carryes the keys of the divin Coffers All power is given to you great Empress of both Worlds says her mellifluous Doctor so that you have leave to do what you please in Heaven and Earth And she is surely no niggard in dispensing them as being equally bountifull and powerfull equally good and great equally courteous and charitable Why dread you O ye devout children and servants of MARY says the same Doctor to approach your Mother and Mistris There is nothing in her of rigidness and austerity She 's full of meekness charity courtesie towards all them that sue unto her I well know sayes the antient Father Theophilactus that you O most glorious Queen-Mother are the great Protectrice of mankind And who is he O mercifull Princess that having plac'd his confidence in you hath remain'd confounded Who is that he or she amongst the children of Adam who having besought your succour and assistance hath been rejected and abandon'd Let 's therefore make to her our humble addresses in all our necessities since she is so Powerfull to assist us so Mercifull to admit us so Ready to relieve us The third is that she comforts her children and servants in all their afflictions persecutions desolations This follows from the former For if as a most tender Mother she loves cherishes her children servants and show'rs down so many goods graces and favours upon them she surely compassionat's them in ther pressing necessities For it is then chiefly that true friendship shews it self true charity expands it self true liberality diffuses it self Certainly says a pious Author were all the devout servants and children of Mary summon'd out of their graves to give in their severall answers to this Interrogation How oft have you heartily invok'd your holy Mistris and Mother in your necessities and been deny'd her speedy succour and assistance They would unanimously exclaim with her holy St. Bernard Taceat ille c. Let that impious tongue be silent O most compassionat Virgin Mother which dares falsly avouch that you have fail'd to help and comfort him whensoever he faithfully call'd upon you in his distressed condition Therefore St. German the Patriark of Constantinople thus addresses his discourse unto her no one is sav'd O most sacred Virgin but by your assistance no one if free from miserie O must pure Virgin but by your means no one receives Gods gifts and graces O most mercifull Virgin but by your mediation No one obtains the pardon of his offences O Virgin worthy of all praise and honour but by your prayers and intercession Who says he after your Divin Son takes so much care of poor Mankind as your self Who so zealously defends and strengthens weak man in his troubles and temptations Who so readily succours him in his afflictions and persecutions Who so charitably excuses his crimes pleads his cause procures his pardon and delivers him from the severe punishment which his sins have justly deserved Let therefore each afflicted Soul proceeds this holy Patriark make to you O Compassionat Mother his humble addresses let him who perceives his frail vessell to be in danger of drowning amidst the impetuous winds and waves of this wicked and tempestuous World cast his eyes up to you bright Star of the Sea and let him rest confident that you will speedily and securely conduct him to his desired haven The fourth is That she is their faithfull Advocate in Heaven The cause is half gaind that is undertaken by a powerfull Advocate And who can possibly be imagin'd more Powerfull than the Queen-Mother pleading at her own Sons Tribunall There she sustains her childrens processes embraces their protection procures their pardon diverts the sentence of their deserved damnation and omits nothing which may conduce to the appeasing of their soveraign Judg and the saving of their Souls O faithfull Patoness of afflicted sinners How fitly doth holy
Church qualify you with this Title Eia ergo Advocata nostra c. O therefore you our Advocate Turn those your eyes of pitty sweet Upon our miserable state Thus prostrate here before your feet For as the learned Cassian confirms all our affairs of highest importance are in your holy hands and the salvation of all mankind consists in the multitude of Queen Mary's graces and favours We may therefore well hope for a happy issue since we have an Advocate says her devout St. Bernard adorn'd with all the conditions which are requisit and likely to carry the cause which are three First to have credit at Court Power wih the Prince and the Judges ear at command Secondly to be knowing in the cause and capable of the undertaken charge Thirdly to be sedulous and faithfull in the prosequution thereof 1. Now to express our Queen-Mothers credit in the Court of Heaven and her power with her Son exceeds all human and Angelicall capacity Let it suffice to say she is his Mother and therefore makes to him her addresses if I may speak it after our learned Saint Peter Damian Non solum rogans sed imperans Domina non Ancilla Not onely intreating but commanding as a Mistris not a handmaid And St. Gregory of Nicomedia styles her all Powerfull in her place of pleading the causes of sinners as being the Mother of the Supreme Judge For which reason holy Church frequently minds her of her Motherhood and supplicates that she will be pleas'd to shew that great authority wherewith this Title of Titles impowers her Monstra te esse Matrem Sumat per te preces Qui pro nobis Natus Tulit esse tuus Do like a mother bear Our prayers up to his ear Who for us born put on The Title of thy Son 2. Nor is she defective in the second quality requir'd in a good Advocate for surely she is abundantly capable to undertake this charitable charge as well knowing our calamitous condition As Power is not wanting in Mary says St. Bernard because she is the Judges Mother so neither is there any want of sufficiency to plead because she is the Mother of wisdom nor of good will to impetrat and obtain the cause for she is the Mother of mercy 3. Nor is there any cause to question the third condition which is a faithfull performance of this charge For how can it be conceiv'd she should be careless in a matter which is to us of such importance being so full of Clemency Charity Compassion How affectionately and effectually will she perform this pious Office who is also our tender and loving Mother How shall she endure an ill understanding between Us and the Judge our Brother and not rather seek by all possible means to settle a fraternall Peace to make a friendly Attonement to work a perfect Reconciliation between Us O blessed Virgin exclaims the same St. Bernard you are Mother both of the Prince and of the banished Person of the Judge and of the Criminall of God and of Man being therefore Mother to them both you may not endure to see any discord continue between them both The fifth is That she procures for them a happy departure out of this world the salvation of their souls and the enjoyment of eternall Felicity What more can you expect O devout Children and Servants of Mary than to dy well and become eternally happy which is the end of your Creation and the Crown of all your endeavours And surely it is the generally deliver'd opinion of all the Doctors that it is impossible for any one who dy's a faithfull servant of the sacred Virgin to perish eternally And they give the reason because it is not possible they should dy impenitent who have the Faith to call heartily upon her whose powerfull Prayers will obtain for them a disposition to grace and a contrition for their offences This is frequently asserted by Saint Bernard as hath been before alleadged And by St. Anselm in these words You O compassionate Mary embrace the poor sinner with a Motherly affection and you never leave him till your Son appeased by your prayers gives him his pardon and receives him into his favour and friendship And elsewhere O Beatissima says St. Anselm sicut omnis a to aversus a te despectus necesse est ut intereat It a omnis ad te conversus a te respectus impossibile est ut pereat O most blessed Mary as he must needs perish who turns his back to you and whom you reject from your favour so it is impossible he should perish who is zealous of your honour and whom you vouchsafe to behold and countenance And Theophilus I know says he O soveraign Lady that you have too great care of sinners to quit them in their greatest necessity And Origen I hold says he as an assured verity that the Virgin Mary will never abandon that person who implores her assistance in the time of his necessity for she is full of goodness full of mercy full of grace and therefore cannot refuse her compassion to him that calls upon her We conclude with this sentence of the glorious Martyr St. Ignatius you O blessed Mary are the sacred Mother of the soveraign Deity the true Mother of the worlds Saviour the adopted Mother of the poor Sinner receive me now into the bosome of your Maternall mercy and compassion §. 2. That the practise of the sacred Rosary is a Devotion very pleasing to the Divin Majesty profitable to our selves and gratefull to the Blessed Virgin THis precedent Foundation being solidly setled in our hearts to wit that a singular devotion towards the sacred Virgin is so beneficiall unto us as hath been briefly declared and abundantly proved by the express testimonies of so many of our pious Fathers and Predecessors to which many more might have been added as many be seen at large in Jodocus Coccius in the Volume of the sacred Virgins Triple Crown and in the severall Authors upon this subject It now behoves us to choose out amongst the many wayes of honouring and serving Gods blessed Mother that particular sort of devotion which may probably be most pleasing to God profitable to our selves and gratefull to the most pure and Immaculate Virgin And this without the least thought of undervaluing any ones judgement or derogating from the severall manners of honouring her who can never be sufficiently honoured by any human industry and invention we conceive to be the devout practice of the sacred Rosary For if we seriously consider its Extent its Antiquity its Generality its Facility its large Community of Merits its vast Treasures of Indulgences and the like prerogatives which are compendiously enumerated in the foregoing Oration we shall find it far exceeds all other sorts of devotion of this nature whatsoever And surely that manner of Prayer cannot but be very pleasing to our Soveraign Lord and Maker profitable to our selves and gratefull to the blessed Virgin
which directly tends to the advancement of the divin honour to the promotion of our own salvation and to the encrease of the sacred Virgin Mothers glory Now the exercises of the holy Rosary aym directly at these three heroick ends For first since the Rosary as shall be hereafter declared consists of the two richest pieces of Christian Piety which are the Pater noster and Ave Maria and of the principall mysteries of our Christian Faith What subject imaginable can be more proper what object possible can be more powerfull to rayse our Souls to the love prayse and honour of our Creator and Redeemer than the due and daily consideration of those Divin Mysteries which are as it were the sacred Tables and lively Pictures representing continually to our memories their admirable benefits their excessive love their infinit liberality to Mankind Secondly By what Prayers can we more confidently promise to our selves the obtaining of our just desires and consequently the promoting of our salvation than by the Pater noster dictated by our Redeemers own divin mouth enjoynd by his speciall command to be frequently us'd by all faithfull Christians and by him indu'd with so great efficacy and vertue Thirdly by what ladder of prayse can we more probably reach the glorious Virgin-Mothers perfections than by the Ave Maria which was framed in Heaven by the Holy Trinity it self and thence brought down to the Earth by his Embassador the Angel Gabriel in which all the greatnesses excellencies and prerogatives of Gods blessed Mother are so briefly distinctly divinly couched together For Ave is as much as to say sine vae without woe without sin without malediction Gratia plena declares her full of all grace vertu and goodness Dominus tecum denounces her the happy Mother of the Almighty Since therefore the Ave Maria is a compendious abridgment of all the Virgin-Mothers prayses Surely it must needs be a salutation to her most gratefull pleasing and acceptable §. 3. That this sort of devotion is proper for such Catholiques as live in Hereticall Countries THIS Title is chiefly intended for their satisfaction who fondly conceive that the use of the Rosary the devotion of the Bondage and all high manners of honouring Gods most holy Mother are unfit or at least improper and inconvenient to be practis'd in such places as are overspread with heresie and by such persons as are liable to persecution because the treatises of such subjects falling into their hands who are of so contrary a judgment turn commonly to their great scandall and to the evident detriment of the Catholique cause and Religion But this surely argues a great weakness of their Faith and is a plain errour and mistake of their understanding For it is there principally that this manner of Piety ought to be most zealously practis'd and most diligently propagated where it is most maliciously impugn'd and most unjustly and violently persecuted and as the deceived miscreants of these our dayes and in this our Countrey endeavour by all manner of false subtilties and blasphemous untruths to derogate from the Soveraign Queen Maryes glory so it behoves every faithfull Catholique to procure with all possible care industry and devotion the amplification encrease of her most just due and deserved honour and prayses Moreover though the most sacred Virgin Mary being Gratia plena full of grace and goodness Mater misericordiae the Mother of mercy and compassion and Mater Dei the Mother of the Almighty is both willing and powerfull to afford all sorts of assistances whatsoever for which she is humbly implored Yet it is her singular and peculiar propertie to destroy heresies and so to terrifie all the Satanicall Armyes of her Sons and his Churches adversaries that they are defeated and put to flight at the sole appearance of her formidable presence and power who is styled Terribilis ut castrorum acies ordinata Dreadfull to these Rebells as an Army rang'd in battail array And to whom the Church joyfully fings in gratulation of these her signall victories Gaude Maria Virgo cunctas haereses sola interemisti in universo Mundo Rejoyce O you glorious Conqueress who alone have destroyed all heresies in the whol World Nor is this a lately invented Title as hers and our Enemies vainly urge and inculcate For it is above five hundred years since Saint Bernard avouch'd this to be one of the Mother of Powers speciall Prerogatives concluding his Sermon preach'd in the honour of her glorious Assumption in these words Sola contrivit universam haereticam pravitatem She alone hath dash'd all hereticall impiety And well might Saint Bernard assert this proposition who knew the practice of past ages and had read the writings of his holy Predecessors related in the antient Councells of Ephesus and Chalcedonia against the Manicheans Nestorians Hesuidians and other Heretiques For you shall not find any Father or Doctor of the Church but that before he entred the lists to combat against these cross-grain'd adversaries he first implor'd the sacred Virgin-Mother's assistance as well foreseeing that without the help of her Powerfull prayers all their writings wrestlings skirmishes would little advance their own cause or conquest and as little conduce to their Antagonists confusion or conversion Saint Irenaeus who lived in the year 180. and was one of the first Writers against Heretiques is the first witness of this verity largely extolling Gods sacred Mother and opposing her by many apt Antitheses against our first Parents indiscretion and inconstancy Tertullian who lived in the year 230. doth the like in his learned Treatise of prescriptions against Hereticks St. Athanasius the great Antagonist of the Arrians who lived in the year 304. conceives it better to invoke her alone and implore her powerfull assistance than omitting that to address our selves to all the other Saints and celestiall Inhabitants St. Epiphanius who lived in the year 370. and undertook to write against all Hereticks honours her with all sorts of prayses St. Hierome who is commonly called the Hammer of Hereticks and liv'd in the year 390. is wonderfully profuse in her prayses Ss. Augustin the Churches Champion against the Pelagians who lived in the year 420. says That she alone brought the salving Remedy to heal our otherwise incurable wound And to return to S. Bernard who for his singular devotion to this sacred Queen of Heaven is frequently surnam'd her Favourite her Priest her Chaplain her Champion he assures that she possesses the middle place between the Sun and the Moon that is between her son Christ Jesus and the Church Militant upon earth Between whom she is the perpetuall Mediatrix as Christ is the Mediator between his Eternall Father and us adding elsewhere Nihìl nos habere vult Deus quod per manus Mariae non transiret It is the will of the Almighty say's he that we mortalls should have nothing but what passes through Mary's hands Lastly Saint Dominick the great Patriark and Institutor of this
also imbuing me with his goodness rendred me so full of Grace that whosoever seeks grace and favour by my means may surely find it And by that sentence Our Lord is with thee I am reminded of the ineffable union and operation which the whole Trinity wrought within me when he coupled the substance of my flesh to his own Divin Nature in one Person God becoming Man and man God Surely the sweetness I then felt exceeds all expression By the following words Blessed art thou amongst Women all Mankind admiringly confesses my singular priviledges prerogatives and perfections above all other pure creatures And lastly By Blessed is the fruit of thy Womb he is pray'sd extoll'd and magnifi'd who made me thus blessed by vouchsafing to be born of me Thus much of the first effect of this divin Salutation 2. This Slutation strikes the Devill with terrour and each word thereof exceedingly troubles torments and confounds him For Ave or Hail displeases the Devill because by Eve he had procured mans wo and misery which by this Ave is redressed Mary he cannot abide because she bruised his head Full of Grace affrights him who is full of malice Our Lord is with thee renews his torment because himself was formerly with Eve and the greatest part of her posterity til he became disposess'd by Christs being with Mary Blessed art thou amongst Women exceedingly troubles him because he by Eve had brought a Malediction upon all mankind which by Mary was cancell'd and chang'd into a Benediction Blessed is the fruit of thy Womb Jesus utterly confounds him because by this blessed fruit of Mary he was totally defeated and conquered 3. This Salutation brings great profit to mankind and if we will seriously dive into the hidden sense and meaning of each syllable wherof it is compos'd we shall every where find some evill to be repell'd or some good thing acquir'd Let us therefore frequently make our humble addresses to the most holy Virgin Mary saying Ave Hail O Immaculate Mother you were free from all wo and blemish of sin help me who am therewith defil'd and defend me from the Eternall wo I have thereby deserved Mary O Virgin Illuminated of God Illuminatrix of Blind sinners Bright Star of the Sea and the worlds beautifull Lady Enlighten my eyes that I may not sleep in death and plead my cause at your Sons Tribunall that I may be preserv'd from blindness of heart and finall Impenitencie Full of Grace O Mary you found grace with God to become his dearly beloved Spouse Daughter and Mother to be indu'd with all vertues excellencies and perfections to be honour'd and exalted above all creatures and to be crown'd Queen of Heaven Impart to me so much grace out of this your great plenty as may procure my reconciliation to your Sons favour and friendship Our Lord is with thee And O sacred Mother let him by your powerfull means be with me also He was with you In your Soul spiritually in your Body corporally and let him be here with me by Faith charity spiritually and hereafter by vision and fruition eternally Blessed art thou amongst Women O most Blessed Mother bestow a Mothers blessing upon me your child and free me by your merits and intercession from all future curse and malediction And blessed is the fruit of thy Womb Jesus O Eternally Blessed Jesu be unto me a Jesus O Mary be unto me a Mother Thus both Saints and sinners may find sufficient fewell for their devotion in the recitall of this divin Salutation They for the encrease of their sanctity These for the redress of their misery And what pious Christian will not be henceforth stirr'd up the fervent and frequent use of this Salutation which is so short and yet so sweet and so full of celestiall fruits and profits and to which they are invited says the mellifluous S. Bernard by Gabriels example by the Baptists exultation and by the hopes of gaining a resalutation O happiness to be met with reciprocall courtesies by so holy so honourable so powerfull a Mother and to be repay'd with rich and reall gifts benefits for our verbal salutations and services For she will not be backward says Albertus to answer us nor silent to resalute us because she is the Mother of humility civility and courtesie and her resalutation is a collation of all sorts of spirituall favours and benefits Let us therefore O my Brethren says S. Bernard come before her sacred Image or Representative and with bended knees imprint upon it our kisses saluting her and saying Hail Mary full of Grace our Lord is with thee c. The fourth Part of the Rosary is the Meditation upon the Fifteen Mysteries whereof Five are call'd Joyfull Five Dolorous and Five Glorious as shall be hereafter more particularly set down and described Now since the great fruits and Profits which redound to pious souls by the devout reflexion upon these divin Mysteries and the same may be said of all internall Prayer are much more easily experienced than explicated And also since this is largly deliver'd by severall learned Authors upon the subject of Mentall Prayer and Meditation we shall only here give you most devout Rosarists some few rules and cautions whereby you may understand how to manage these your Meditations for your best spirituall profit and advantage Whosoever therefore will fruitfully meditate upon the Joyfull and Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary First must do it with a certain intimate and affectionate congratulation of heart and soul as holy Church invites us in the person of the sacred Virgin Congratulate with me all yee that love our Lord for that I being a little one have pleas'd the most high and have born God and man in my bowellâ—… for by this sincere congratulation we become sweetly transform'd into the holy Virgins affections feeling as it were the same Joys wherewith her heart was replenish'd Secondly It must be done with a due and gratefull thanksgiving for the Benefitts bestow'd upon us and upon the Blessed Virgin Praysing God for his Mercies with her and by her example in her divine Magnificat Thirdly It must be done with a devout attention and recollection without which all prayer and meditation as our Reason dictates and the Angelicall Doctor proves will be altogether fruitless and unprofitable In like manner whosoever will reap true profit by reflecting upon the Dolorous Mysteries must do it First with a mind and intention to imitate the Patience Humility Piety and whatsoever vertue he finds there exemplifi'd 2. To compassionate with our loving Redeemer and his dear Mother in their sufferings 3. To admire our Saviours Mercy and Goodness Considering Who What For whom And from whom he endured 4. To rejoyce at our own Redemption and at the Angells Reparation 5. To transform our selves by sincere affection as it were into our Crucifi'd Saviour 6. To rest sweetly upon that sacred object making it our place of retreat and refuge and hiding
tribulation and temptation with due humility fervour and perseverance You O meek Jesu receiv'd the malicious Judas with the sweetness of a Saviour you permitted him to kiss you with the calmness of a friend you suffered the souldiers to bind you buffet yo u abuse you with a patience exemplary to all ages and you cured the wound of him that came to kill you with the affection of a Parent Embrace me also O blessed Jesu with the entertainments of a Saviour kiss me with the countenance of a friend cure me with the compassion of a Father and bâ—ud me fast unto your self with all the chains of perfect charity that I may henceforth truly serve you please you and live with you for evermore O my Soul what are thy thoughts at the sight of thy sweet Saviour thus suffering for thy sake Behold He is fad for thee even unto death and dost thou rejoyce in sinfull delights He lies with his body prostrate on the ground and snortest thou on thy downy bed wallowing in thy sensuality He is bath'd in tears of blood sighing sweating lamenting for thy wickedness and wilt not thou shed one tear send forth one sigh nor give one groan in token of thy true sorrow for thy own grievous offences O his love and O thy insensibility thou shalt one day sadly sigh sweat weep lament O thou obdurate Core of mine when alas it will prove too late if thou now presumptuously delay'st it Wherefore O my God! look upon me even now at this very instant returning repenting lamenting all my former ingratitude disloyaltie impietie and whil'st you behold my misery cast also an eye upon your dear Son Jesus to move you to mercy Look O compassionate Father upon the face of your Christ not now out-vying the Suns Splendor upon Mount Thabor yet still the self-same object of your eternall Complacency See his Garments not now white as Snow yet still representing the Robe of your beloved Joseph There he appear'd in Glory Here sadly prostrate on the ground There he was elevated with honour Here he lyes bleeding sweating languishing with sorrow yet both here and there He is your Son and my Saviour and every where the powerfull motive of your mercy towards poor Mankind And you O sacred Virgin the most accomplish'd of all women and the most compassionate of all Mothers look also upon your beloved Son not now white and ruddy the chosen of thousands and the most beautifull amongst the Sons of men but all pale and wan with weeping all discoloured with blood and sweat and every way the most afflicted of all creatures O what thought can comprehend the resentment of your tender heart condoling with your so dearly beloved and so deeply distressed Son Jesus And thou O my soul what dost thou what say'st thou what resolv'st thou contemplating these sad objects of the here lamenting Mother and the there languishing Son Thou who art the cause of her anguish and of his Agony wilt thou still by thy sinfull obstinacy sleight the Sons blood and the Mothers tears No my dear Mother no my sweet Saviour I here in your presence protest the contrary and for the love respect and honour I ow unto you both I absolutely renounce all sin and impiety and whatsoever is displeasing to your holy wills and likings The Second Dolorous Mystery Is Whipp'd THe most cruell Flagellation or whipping of Christ our Saviour John 19. While to a Pillar Christs dear hands are bound His body is Scourg'd till all become one wound Our Father c. OUr Blessed Saviour was exceedingly afflicted 1. At his Presentation to Pilate FOr after the spitefull Jews had spent the night in punishing him and the morning in plotting his death They led him bound from the house of Caiaphas the Priest to Pontius Pilat the President there anticipating the sentence of his condemnation by their prejudicating clamors to the end that Pilat should not dare to absolve whom they all desired should perish Hail Mary 2. At his standing before a Pagan Iudg in quality of a notorious Criminall O The stupendious Humility of Innocent JESUS He is ordain'd by his Eternall Father the Supreme Judg of all creatures and here he stands as a guilty Malefactor before a Petty-President of Judea Hail Mary 3. At the Iews false Accusation AS if he were a Subverter of the people an Abettor of rebellion against Cesar a Broacher of Blasphemy against God Hail Mary 4. At his being sent to Herod WHereby he was not only forc'd to undergo another tiresom troublesom and afflictive journey But also to hear and endure new false and malicious accusations before this perverse Prince of Galilee who was a wicked incestuous sensuall wretch and the murtherer of the holy Baptist Hail Mary 5. At Herods scorn and contempt WHo sent him back to Pilat as an Idiot in a white garment Hail Mary 6. At the Peoples clamour to have Barrabas pardon'd and Christ put to death O the hard-heartedness of this Inhuman Nation To prefer a Thief before Jesus a Man-slayer before Mans Saviour A Murtherer before the Life giver O the Jews blindness and brutishness Set Barrabas free and Crucifie Christ What means this but let him dy who rayses the dead and let him be dismis'd to destroy yet more of the living Hail Mary 7. At his most cruell and contumelious whipping By the Ministers of Pilat who by their Masters command fall like ravenous Wolves upon this meek Lamb tear off his garments tye him to a pillar and try their strength in tormenting him Hail Mary 8. At his being stripp'd naked before the whol multitude O How did this afflict the virginall heart of Jesus the Lord of purity and lover of Chastity Hail Mary 9. At the stretching and distorting of his tender Body WIth coards and ropes to force and fasten it to the whipping stock Hail Mary 10. At the tearing and wounding of his flesh with the whips WHich was done with such severity that from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head there was no part of it left unmangled Hail Mary Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost c. These Prayers Angelicall with bended knee c. Affections Elevations Petitions O Innocent and Immaculat Lamb of God! who wert mercifully pleas'd to suffer these multitudes of shames and sorrows to be thus hurried from Tribunall to Tribunall thus treacherously betrayd maliciously accus'd unjustly condemn'd and rudely scourg'd even for my sake I most humbly beseech you by all the fountains of blood issuing from your sacred Body to give me a lively apprehension of sins heynousness that so I may perfectly hate the cause of your sufferings and perfectly love you for your sufferings What am I Dear Redeemer that you the Eternall Son of God should endure one stripe for me But O the excess of your affection And shall I by new crimes abuse so signall a favour despise so miraculous a mercy provoke so
sensuality constancy to resist all temptations and strength to conquer all my enemies Our Father 5. HE painfully went from place to place preaching the Gospell to the people O Jesu let my soul incessantly thirst after your honour and the salvation of my neighbour Our Father 6. HE honoured marriage with his presence and with his first miracle and afterwards for three years space he plentifully powr'd forth his miraculous benefits upon all sorts of Persons O Jesu overflow my heart with a generall affection and compassion towards all Christians and permit me not to grow weary in performing works of piety Our Father 7. HE often times spent whol nights in Prayer and suffered hunger thirst cold heat poverty and persecution for my sake O Jesu how much have you done and endur'd for me and how little have I done and endur'd for you and my self Our Father 8. HIs chief lesson was humility Learn of me for I am meek and humble of heart O Jesu This is one of the vertues I chiefly stand in need off Ah! that my heart were truly simple supple innocent and humble how happy a Scholler should I be O my Redeemer in your holy School could I as cheerfully practise as I can easily resolve Our Father 9. HIs principall precept was Charity I give you a new commandment that you love one another O Iesu this is the other vertu I principally want and wish for Ah! that my whol interiour and exteriour my heart soul body and senses were nothing but pure Charity that so it might be impossible for me to speak think act or breath any thing but the perfect love of you and my neighbour Our Father 10 HE made his triumphant entrance into Jerusalem in order to his Passion sitting upon an asse and he shed tears amidst the peoples applauses and acclamations O Iesu give me a true sight of my self and of the World that perfectly knowing my own vility and its vanity I may incessantly bewail my selfwretchedness weep for the Worlds wickedness and render to you only all honour and glory Our Father O Sacred Virgin-Mother who so faithfully diligently and devoutly accompany'd follow'd and serv'd your divin Son in his manly age appease him I beseech you in my behalf by your powerfull prayers and intercession Hail Mary The third part Of Christs bitter Death and Passion 1. OUr dear Redeemer after his last supper wash'd the feet of his Disciples and instituted the Sacrament of the Eucharist O Iesu which shall I most admire your stupendious humility or your unheard-off charity Our Father 2. HE entred the Garden with his Disciples where after he had most fervently pray'd he fell into a vehement Agony in which bloud mix'd with sweat trickled down from his whol body O Iesu how great are my sins which are the cause of your so great sorrow place your Passion I bessech you between them and your judgment O let your sufferings cancel their heynousness and let your precious bloud wash away their erronious filthiness Our Father 3. HE was seiz'd on by a crew of armed Souldiers manacled with cords dragg'd away to Annas and Caiphas O Iesu dissolve the bands of my unruly passions perverse inclinations and impure affections and take me tie me shackle me and draw me unto you with the sweet cords of your sacred love and charity Our Father 4. IN the whol night of his passion he suffer'd all sorts of injuries vexations and torments O Jesu and shall I repine at small pains and persecutions shall I faint under the light burthen which your loving hand lay's upon my shoulders O meek lamb of God! pardon my past impatience and give me a perseverant Resignation to your will and pleasure Our Father 5. HE was contemptibly hurried away to Pilate and Herod and by them scorn'd as a silly Ideot O Jesu you are every way humbled depressed annihilated and I seek nothing but honour applause estimation Is this to imitate you my Lord and Master O change me correct me convert me by your power in your mercy by your example Our Father 6. HIs tender body was ty'd naked to a pillar and torn with whips and scourges O Iesu uncloath me of the old man with all his wicked works and revest me with the new created in justice and sanctity according to your own heart Our Father 7. HE was beaten with a cane buffeted with their fists spurned with their feet defil'd with their spittle crown'd with Thorns every way abused O Jesu the beauty of Men and Angels how are you worried for my wickedness O wound my soul with a deep sense of your sufferings that I may henceforth absolutely detest all sin trample upon all sensuality cancel all vanity serve you more innocently and adhere to you more fervently Our Father 8. HE was forc'd to carry his heavy Cross upon his weak and wounded shoulders from Jerusalem to Mount Calvarie O Jesu let me cheerfully take up the Cross of self-contempt self-abnegation self-denyall and follow you till death constantly couragiously perseverantly Our Father 9. HE was stripp'd naked and stretch'd on the Cross having his hands and feet barbarously nayl'd unto it and his side pierc'd with a Launce O Iesu strip me of all that displeases the eyes of your divin Majesty dilate my heart with celestiall affections and fasten my â—oul to your self with the sweet nayls of your sacred Love Our Father 10. HAving hung three hours on the Cross inclining his head he gave up the Ghost O Iesu you dy'd for me that I might live eternally O let me dy to all things that I may henceforth live to you only who are to me All in All. Our Father O Sacred Virgin-Mother who so patiently constantly perseverantly stood by your divin Son dying on the Cross for me appease him I beseech you in my behalf by your powerfull Prayers and Intercession Hail Mary The fourth Part. Of Christs glorious Triumph after Death 1. OUr dear Redeemer rising victoriously upon the third day from his Sepulchre replenish'd the hearts of his holy Mother Disciples and Friends with unspeakable joy and gladness O Iesu give me grace strength and courage to shake of the death of my inveterate vices and bad customs and to rise to newness of life and conversation O let me henceforth savour the things which are above and not these vain vile terrene and transitory trifles which can never satiate my soul created for you only Our Father 2. HE triumphantly ascended to Heaven on the forti'th day after his Resurrection amidst the jubily of Angells in the company of the Patriarks in the sight of his sacred Mother Disciples and Friends where he sits at his Fathers right hand blessed for evermore O Iesu that my soul might follow you the only object of her affections O that I could incessantly aspire to you long after you languish for you my only center and security the only comfort of my life and Crown of all my desires Our Father 3. HE sent