in following you more carefull in keeping you more sincere constant perseverant in serving and obeying you Be you my guid O most glorious Virgin-Mother in this my inquest after your dear Son Following your footsteps to the sacred Temple I shall find him by your favour whom I have lost by my own fault And having once found him O let me never more loose him by my disloyaltie that living here and dying in his sweet embraces I may live with him hereafter and enjoy him eternally in his blessed Kingdom Amen Then end this first part of the Rosary with the Profession of your Faith and the sign of the Cross saying I Believe in God c. with the Prayer To the sacred and undivided Trinity c. as it is set down in the end of the 5. § The second Part of the Rosary containing the Five Dolorous Mysteries Begin this Part of the Rosary with the Prayer sign of the Cross and Creed as in the first Part. The First Dolorous Mystery He Prays THe Agony of Christ whilst he was at his Prayers in the Garden Matth. 26. Christ in the Garden pray's his anguish'd Brest Is in his face through sweats of blood exprest As in the Precedent Joyfull Mysteries we have shew'd that those five principall and common heads comprehended under their signall notions severall particular Joys of the sacred Virgin-Mother so each one of these five generall Dolorous Mysteries like a long chain made up of many links includes a multitude of particularly aggravating circumstances in our dear Redeemers Passion and his holy Mothers compassion which Concatenation of sorrows we shall endeavour as before in the Cohesion of Joys to reduce briefly to Ten Heads or points of Contemplation correspondent to the respective Decades of this second part of the Rosary Our Father c. Our Blessed Saviour was exceedingly sad and sorrowfull 1. At the apprehension of the loss of his corporall life FOr if Death is of all things most horrible to human nature it was surely according to the said human nature much more horrible to him than to any other because his life was of greater dignity than that of all others by reason of its conjunction to the Divinity Hail Mary 2. At the foresight of his sufferings FOr his understanding clearly comprehending the quality and quantity of his approaching pains and torments And his souls eyes efficaciously seeing all the causes of fear and sadness and furthermore he permitting say's S. John Damascen each one of his senses and Powers to act according to its own naturall propertie it must needs follow that as his knowledge was most perfect his sufferings were most excessive Hail Mary 3. At the consideration of Sins heynousness FOr he came to suffer for all the offences of Mankind in generall and for each ones sin past present and to come in particular O the anguish of his soul at the sight of their multitude and malice Hail Mary 4. At the Iewes Ingratitude FOr besides his particular Benefits showr'd down from time to time upon that perverse people he had now borrow'd his humanity from their Blood conversed many years amongst them preached his Gospell unto them wrought infinit Miracles before them And that they after all this should so inhumanly unnaturally ungratefully condemn kill and crucify him was surely a corrosive more bitter to his afflicted heart than death it self Hail Mary 5. At the little profit which Christians would reap from his Passion FOr though the least drop of his precious Blood was abundantly sufficient to redeem not only all men but many worlds yet he well knew how few would make themselves partakers of the fruits thereof And this foreseen sloth negligence and wilfull ingratitude of Christians if we will credit S. Bernard Bonaventure and Hugo more afflicted our dear Redeemer than all the corporall calamities he endur'd on the Cross for them Hail Mary 6. At the Treason of Judas FOr that a Servant should betray his Master a Disciple his Lord an Apostle his Saviour And this by a fraudulent Kiss the sign of peace friendship and affection are circumstances says S. Ambrose much aggravating our Redeemers sorrow Hail Mary 7. At the Scandall scattering and flight of his dearest Disciples friends and followers O the Affliction of his tender heart To see Them whom he lov'd so sincerely Them whom he had serv'd so diligently Them whom he had so lately comforted and confirmed by his long Sermon and so earnestly commended to his Fathers care and custody Them whom he had from time to time fed so efficaciously with his sacred Doctrin and feasted so deliciously with this Blessed Body and Blood in the very last nights Banquet to fly now fearfully from him to be scandaliz'd at him and to seem to doubt of his Divinity And above all to see Peters Ingratitude Infidelity Pusillanimity did surely pierce his Soul with inexplicable sorrow Hail Mary 8. At his taking binding and bringing out of the Garden of Mount Olivet IMagin O my Soul What injuries thy Innocent Saviour here suffer'd by a band of barbarous Souldiers set on by the spitefull Jews ledd on by the Sacrilegious Judas egg'd on by their own malice and fury See how violently they rush upon him binding his armes baring his head beating his body pulling his beard tearing his hair and every way abusing him insulting over him deriding him blaspheming him Hail Mary 9. At his presentation to Annas and Caiphas and the suborning of false witnesses against him O What an affliction To be tryed by such unjust and partiall Judges and to be made guilty by such envious and sinister proceedings Hail Mary 10. At his Blows Buffets and other opprobrious usage all night long FOr when the wearied Ring-leaders and wicked Priests had deliver'd him over to be baited by the rabble of the enraged people O how inhumanly did they handle the meek humble and patient JESUS His face says S. Bonaventure which fills Heaven with Joy is here defiled with loathsom spittle smiten with sacrilegious hands cover'd with mock-hoods c. and nothing was omitted which malice could invent to torment him Hail Mary Glory be to the Father and to the Son c. These prayers Angelicall with bended knee c. Affections Elevations Petitions O holy Jesu the absolute Pattern of heroick Resignation grant that in all the accidents which by the dispensation of your divin providence shall befall me during this my earthly Pilgrimage I may cheerfully cordially affectionately say with you and to you Not my will O my heavenly Father but yours be done O let me have no wishes but that your will may be accomplish'd no desires but that your commands may be obey'd no designes but that you may be faithfully serv'd lov'd prays'd by all creatures Give me O Jesu the gift and spirit of Prayer which is the chief exercise of Religion that in Imitation of your example I may henceforth more seriously addict my self unto it especially in the time of my
Citizens WHo can conceive say's S. Hierom how gloriously the world's Queen this day appeared with what affection the celestiall legions met her with what melodious Canticles she was conducted to her throne of glory with what an amiable and pleasing countenance her dear Son receiv'd her into his divin embraces and plac'd her above all other creatures c. Hail Mary 8. At her being exalted above all the Angelicall Orders and Hierarchies ACcording as the Church sings in her prayses You O sacred mother of God! are exalted above all the Quireâ— of Angells c. Hail Mary 9. At her being placed on her Sons right hand FOr as S. Hierom says we may piously believe that our Saviour seated her next to himself in the throne of his glorious Humanity How els had he accomplish'd what himself commanded Honour thy Father and Mother Hail Mary 10. At her being appointed the powerfull Advocatrix of mankind WE have Her to plead for us says S. Bernard who can suffer no repulse because she found grace with God Let us therefore seek Grace from the Fountain of Grace by the Finder of Grace and whatsoever we offer to the divin Majesty Let us commend it to Mary that so all may return to the Author of Grace by the same channell whereby it ran unto us Hail Mary Glory be to the Father and to the Son c. These prayers Angelicall c. Affections Elevations Petitions O Sacred Virgin-Mother your Deifi'd Soul is not forc'd out of your dying Body by the violence of pains but sweetly leaves it in an extasie of love O how welcom how amiable how desirable is death to a Soul that is well setled in the fear of God and fully confirm'd in the divin love and favour And how easily is that thing quitted without any affliction which is possess'd without overmuch affection Thrice happy he who so prudently regulates the use of life as to be always prepar'd to yeild it up to Death Happy he who patiently cheerfully resignedly endures the inconveniences of this soon-passing Pilgrimage in hope of a never-ending felicity in the heavenly Paradise Happy he who willingly deprives himself of this worlds most pleasing contentments upon confidence of laying up therby more solid pleasures in the Magazin of Eternity O glorious Virgin who have left me so perfect a Pattern of living vertuously and of dying happily Assist me I beseech you both in the one and the other I humbly acknowledg to my own great shame and sorrow that my life hath been hitherto far wide from the Imitation of your holy example But O pious Mother passing by my former indignity and pittying my present necessity take my perishing cause into your maternall consideration strengthen my Resolution of living vertuously for the future and assist me in that dreadfull hour of my deaths agony O let your Prayers patronage and protection then fortifie my Faith in its apprehension of the approaching Eternity Encourage my Hope in its consideration of the severe Judgment then near at hand and inflame my Charity in its last tendency to the long desired object of my Soul I now contemplate you great Empress seated there above in a throne of Majesty and satiated with the fulness of glory and felicity And I also consider you the still compassionate Mother the powerfull Mediatrix the pious Advocatrix of poor Mankind Wherefore I humbly begg for the love of your holy Son JESUS and by all that is dear to you in Heaven and Earth leave me not in that last hour but cast then your Eyes of mercy and favour upon me so shall I not doubt to be translated from a temporall death to an Eternall life and to remain perpetually with you in the perfect enjoyment of that fountain of life and love to which you are happily assumpted The fifth Glorious Mysterie Is Crown'd THE Coronation of the Blessed Virgin in Heaven The blest Promotress of all Chast desires Is Crowned Queen of th'Celestiall Quires Our Father c. THE Blessed Virgin Mothers Soul was fill'd with inexplicable joy 1. At her being seated upon a Royall throne in the celestiall glory WHere says S. Hierom the Immaculat Virgin-Mother was triumphantly plac'd next to her glorious Son Jesus in the celestiall Palace A Throne of Kingly glory says S. Augustin is prepar'd for you O great Queen-Mother in the Court of the heavenly Kingdom Hail Mary 2. At her being cloathed with Royall Garments ACcording to that saying of the Psalmist The Queen stood on thy right hand in a vesture of gold wrought about with divers colours Whereupon Saint Bernard extasiedly exclaims Gods Mother the worlds Lady Heavens Queen is elevated to the Eternall Fathers Throne and seated next to the sacred Trinity Where she stands on the Kings right hand in a golden garment To wit a body most pure and unspotted encompassed with variety that is a Soul enamell'd with all sorts of vertues Hail Mary 3. At her being adorn'd with Royall Iewells Ear-rings and Bracelets TO wit the Plenitud of all Prudence Science and Intelligence in her Soul and of Clarity Subtility Impassibility in her Body Hail Mary 4. At her being honor'd with a Royall Ring TO wit In her Soul which was the singular Spouse of the Eternall King a singular Joy Glory and felicity And in her Body which was singularly Instrumentall in the Eternall Words Incarnation a singular beauty Hail Mary 5. At her being grac'd with a Royall Scepter TO wit in her Soul by a speciall Power which was given her in Heaven and Earth and in her Body by a speciall prerogative of glory Hail Mary 6 At her being deck'd with a royall crown TO wit first with a generall Crown which is the substantiall and essentiall reward of Eternall glory and Beatitude consisting in the clear vision the perpetuall Fruition and the perfect possession of the Divinity This Crown corresponds to the three-fold Theologicall vertues in the Soul To Faith succeeds vision To Charity Fruition To Hope Possession Now as the sacred Virgin excells here all others in these vertues so her Crown out-shines there all others in Glory Hail Mary 7. At her being crown'd with the silver Aureola of Virgins FOr she being the Immaculat Mother of God and the unspotted Queen of all Virgins having none like her in the first nor any to parallell her in the Second is adorn'd with a Crown as far surpassing the Aureola's of other virgins as the Suns brightness excells that of the lesser Starrs Hail Mary 8. At her being crown'd with the golden Aureola of Martyrs FOr as She endured more than all Martyrs when the sword of sorrow pierc'd her heart at the time of her Sons Passion so she deserv'd a Crown above all Martyrs correspondent to her sufferings Hail Mary 9. At her being crown'd with the Starrie Aureola of Doctors FOr they who instruct others to Justice says the Prophet Daniel shall shine as Stars in perpetuall Eternity Now the sacred Virgin was the Teacher and
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
year of our Redeemer 1571. about the end of Pius quintus's Popedom who was the zealous promotor of this holy war and at the beginning of the Popedom of his no less zealous successor Gregory the thirteenth In which happy conflict twenty of the Enemy's Galley's were consum'd with fire as many more inguif'd by the waves one hundred and fourscore taken the great Bashaw with twenty five thousand Turkish Soldiers slain in the place most of the residue brought away captives twenty thousand Christians freed from their slâ—very and the Catholique Cause asserted from most imminent danger and calamity And this glorious victory was obtain'd as is piously conceiv'd says this holy Pope Gregory in his Bull aforesaid by the Prayers of the devout Rosarists who even at that very time were making their publick Processions in the severall parts of Christendom for this end most earnestly imploring the divin assistance by the Intercession of their powerfull Mother that he would be pleased to protect his Church in her pressing necessity and favour the just designs of those generous souls who were then exposing their lives for the preservation of their Faith Nor did the effect fail but rather exceed their hopes and expectation as hath been briefly declar'd The eleventh Rule THe third Sunday of Aprill is also to be solemniz'd by the devout Rosarists according to the grant of Pope Gregory the 13. in his Bull cum sicut accepimus Jan. 3. 1579. Annotation THe reason of the Institution of this solemnity was the signall Miracle which hapned in the City of Pavia and which was briefly thus When in the year 1578. all Italy and particularly Lumbardy and more particularly the City Pavia was afflicted with a violent Plague The Inhabitants by advice of the then and there Director of the Rosary had recourse to the sacred Virgin-Mother in this their extreme and urgent necessity vowing to erect a Chappell which should be dedicated Virgini liberatrici after their deliverance from this eminent danger The Mother of Mercy heard their prayers obtain'd for them a present redress of their miseries an entire cessation of the raging Pestilence and they gratefully perform'd their promises building a most sumptuous Chappell to her honour Seraphinus Siccus Generall of St. Dominicks Order was an eye-witness of this famous Miracle And Pope Gregory the 13. gave most ample and Plenary Indulgences to all such as should devoutly visit the Chappell aforesaid upon the third Sunday of April which Indulgences were afterwards extended by the same Gregory 13. and Sixtus quintus to all the other Confraternities of the sacred Rosary throughout the world §. 15. The form of receiving Brothers and Sisters into this sacred Confraternity With the blessing of their Bedes Roses and Candles And a form of Generall Absolution at the hour of Death WHen the Dean of the Rosary hath maturely and prudently consider'd the quality and condition of the person who desires an admittance into this sacred Confraternity Which is a caution onely necessary for such Countreys and places where the Catholique Faith and profession is under restraint and where there may be danger of Persecution For where our Religion is permitted to its full and free exercise there needs no scruple be made of admitting any one to the Rosary who humbly petitions for it unless it be such a Person whose life and conversation is notoriously and publickely scandalous without hope of his being reclaim'd from his wickedness He writes down his name and enrolls him in the Register-book of the Rosary Which done he causes the man or woman to kneell down before the Altar of the Rosary if it be there present or some other devout picture or in any place whatsoever as opportunity shall permit with a Rosary-Candle in his or her hand and speaks to them briefly in this or the like manner Think with your selves dear and devout Brethren and Sisters that you are now entring into a spatious and specious Garden full fraught with all sorts of spirituall fruits and flowers A Garden wherein sinners may find food to convert them the Good means to better them the Bad motives to correct them the Just way 's to confirm them the Tepid occasions to excite them the Desolate helps to comfort them the Weak cordialls to strengthen them the Sick Physick to cure them and all Faithfull Christians fit conveniencies to save their soul 's which is the end of our creation the period of our pretensions the Crown of all our laborious endeavours in this our earthly Pilgrimage Now these fruits are not only to be gaz'd upon and admired but to be gathered swallow'd disgested Nor is it sufficient to have your names enrolled in the Rosary Catalogue and to be externally associated to this sacred Confraternity but you must seriously resolve upon an honest honorable holylife and conversation a detestation of sin vice and vanity and in brief a totall reformation of your whol outward and inward man For since you desire to dedicate your selves this day particularly to Gods service and to make a speciall profession of honouring his sacred Mother for the future by becoming a member of her family you must also endeavour to surpass such others as pretend not to this height holiness and happiness in all sorts of Christian piety vertu and perfection That so really corresponding to what you outwardly promise you may deserve to obtain her desired Patronage and Protection Say therefore with heart and mouth as follows The Form of offering ones self to the Blessed Virgin THrice sacred Virgin Mary Mother of God! I. N.N. though most unworthy to be registred amongst your servants yet moov'd by that Goodness which the Angells admire in you to an ardent desire of honouring loving and serving you do here this day withall possible humility sincerity and devotion in the presence of my Angell Guardian and the whole Court of Heaven make choyce of you for my singular Lady Advocate and Mother firmely purposing to honour love and serve you with all filiall duty diligence and fidelity and to procure as much as it shall lye in my power that all others may do the same I therfore most heartily beseech you O mercifull and compassionate Mother by the pretious Blood which your dearly beloved son my Blessed Saviour shed for me in his bitter passion That you will be graciously pleased to receive and admit me into the number of your devout Clients as one dedicated to your perpetuall service Be you favourable to me O Blessed Lady and obtain for me of your All-powerfull Son that I may so behave my self in all my Thoughts Words and Actions as never more to think speak or act any thing displeasing to his sacred Majestie Grant furthermore O my good and gracious Mother that I may never forget you nor forfeit this my now made promise of honouring loving and serving you all the days of my life that so I may never be forgotten forsaken nor abandoned by you but be always protected aided and
great a goodness incense so immense a clemency and inflict fresh wounds upon Gods Son by my continued wickedness Tell me O my soul dost thou truly believe that thy sweet Saviour suffer'd all this for thy sake That he was stripp'd naked to cover thy crimes fastned to a pillar to loose the fetters of thy bondage Whipp'd with cruell rodds to secure thee from the scourges of his Fathers severe Justice all over beaten bruis'd and worried to cure the wounds of thy soul Believest thou all this and hast thou no sense of compassion no feeling of compunction no resolution of correcting thy life cancelling thy sin converting thy self to his love and service who for these very ends and intentions underwent all these wofull torments O meek Jesu seeing you thus patiently bearing all sorts of abuses shall I storm at the least offer'd injury O Son of God! seeing you stripp'd naked in the sight of your Enemies shall I be asham'd to discover my faults before a Priest O sweet Saviour seeing your whol Body torn with whips and your flesh turn'd into as many open mouths as it had wounds to proclaim the love you bear me shall not I open my mouth to manifest your Mercy to admire your goodness to adore your bounty to acknowledg my obligation to testify my compassion to renounce my impiety And since you O my dear Redeemer Spilt all your blood for me shall not I shed one tear for my self and you You O charitable Samaritan permitted your tender skin to be torn from off your back and shoulders with cruell scourges to serve as swathes wherewith to bind up my ulcers You were content O pious Pelican to have the blood drain'd out of your veines to make therewith a precious balsum of oyl and wine for the efficacious cure of my wounds and shall I yet ly dead and buried in the sepulcher of sin and Impenitencie You weep tears of blood over my dead corps and cry out aloud unto my soul with as many Tongues as you endured Torments N. Come forth of thy grave And I cry out to you Dear Jesu the Abysmus of misery calls upon the Abysmus of mercy O when shall I be led out of this loathsom sepulcher when shall this head-kercher of evill customs sinfull habitudes vicious inclinations be unty'd and taken off from my eyes and face which hinder my desired sight and enjoyment of you my dear Saviour Behold I appear upon your summons but yet bound hand and foot and in quality of a guilty Criminall before you my God and my Judg I come creeping as a poor prodigall child and ready to perish to you my pious Father I cast my self at your sacred feet with tears in my eyes contrition in my heart and Confession in my mouth as a Penitent Magdalen O compassionate Saviour unbind and absolve your guilty Criminall Receive and embrace your fearfull Prodigall Comfort and pardon your Penitent Magdalen Apply to me one small drop of your sacred blood and I shall be cured Speak only the word sweet Jesu and my soul shall be saved The third Dolorous Mystery Is Crown'd THe Crowning of Christ our Saviour with Thorns Matth. 27. His sacred Head is pierc'd with pungent thorns And made the subject of ten thousand scorns Our Father c. Our blessed Saviour was evceedingly tormented 1. At the pressing of the sharp-pointed thorns into his sacred Head FOr Pilat having call'd him in derision The King of the Jews the Soldiers at their instigation twisted thorny brakes into the shape of a Crown boysterously placing it upon his bare head and violently pressing it into his skull to encrease his misery and make him a more ridiculous object of all mens mockery Hail Mary 2. At the pulling it off and on WHich was done both upon a pretence of fitting it to his head and also to augment his torments Hail Mary 3. At his cloathing with Purple FOr they sportingly invented all manner of tricks to please their fancies glut their malice and aggravate his miseries Not content therefore to have Crown'd him they would also cloath him as a counterfeit King and so rashing off his garments which were now glu'd to his body with the former goares of blood they scornfully cast a despicable Purple-cloak over his naked shoulders which was a colour us'd by the ancient Kings Hail Mary 4. At the holding a Reed in his right hand THis was intended as a mock Scepter being after the Crown and purple the third Royall Ensign Hail Mary 5. At the scoffing Salutations Genuflexions Adorations ANd the like feigned Actions of Religion and worship whereby the Soldiers and Jews maliciously derided him as blasphemously usurping the title of the divinity Hail Mary 6. At the spitting in his face WHich amongst the Jews was held the greatest contempt injury and disgrace could be put upon any person For as spittle is a superfluous matter whereof the Mouth endeavors to be discharg'd so they reputed our Blessed Redeemer no better than a base despicable wretch and a thing worthy to be cast out from amongst the people Hail Mary 7. At the smiting His head with the Reed WHereby the prickles of the thorny Crown were driven deeper and deeper into his wounded skull and the Blood forc'd out of the new open'd surrows trickled down a fresh upon his neck and forehead which embodying with the beastly spittle wherewith they were before besmeared chang'd our Redeemers sweet countenance which the Angells admiringly contemplate into an object of horror and into the likeness of a Leper most loathsom to be look'd upon Hail Mary 8. At the iterated and multipli'd blow's boxes and buffetings O Barbarous cruelty Was 't not enough to cane his head but you must cuff his cheeks His face and flesh is already one continued tumour by your former stripes the colour of his skin is already metamorphoz'd into blackness and blueness by your former beatings And have you the hearts hard-hearted wretches to add yet more blows to blows more torments to torments O meek Lamb of God! How great is my malice which is the cause of all these your miseries Hail Mary 9. At his being shew'd to the people in such a posture IEsus came forth says the Gospell carrying a Crown of Thorns and a purple garment and Pilate spake to them Behold the Man O prodigious spectacle O Jesu King of Glory what a Crown what a Garment what a Scepter do you here shew for your royall Ensignes Hail Mary 10. At the Iew 's horrid clamors and repeated vociferations OF away with him away with him crucify him crucify him nothing but his death can satisfie their implacable malice O harsh words yet you sustain'd them sweet Saviour to free me from the harsh sentence of eternall death and damnation Hail Mary Glory be to the Father c. These prayers Angelical c. Affections Elevations Petitions O Jesu the beauty of Men and Angels the glory of Heaven and Earth when I behold your venerable head
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