Children of this blessed Mother as being the adopted Brethren of her divin Son but moreover as being the Children of her Child by whom we are regenerated to a spirituall life Thus thus She is also our Mother since she is Mother to him by whose death we are all re-born to the Life of Grace Thus we are truly holy Mary's Children since we are the fruits of the Blessed fruit of her womb JESUS She indeed brought forth but One only Son but by that One She begot All them who are by him regenerated and whosoever derive from Jesus their spirituall life are surely debtors to Mary who gave Him his Nativity Finally if the dear Blood of CHRIST JESUS is the divin seed of our Baptismall regeneration which pretious Blood issued first out of this Mothers veins who sees not that our best birth and being is in some manner borrowed from Blessed Mary and hath from her Blood its beginning and Origin Where by the way this is a circumstance well worth all pious Christians consideration That our Redeemer then gave us Mary for our Mother in Saint Johns person when he powred forth his Blood the blessed seed of our regeneration on the Cross for us To the end that at the same time in which he gave us this seed of our new life we should acknowledg Her for our Mother from whom this life-giving seed was derived unto us and that the name and title of Mary's being our Mother was impos'd upon Her at the very instant when the Blood from Her deriv'd constituted us her Children Now if the sacred Virgin as hath been plainly deduced and proved is the common Parent of all Christians both in quality of their being her Sons Brethren adopted and chosen by his Father and also in quality of their being her Sons children regenerated and resuscitated by his Death How much more singularly is she their Mother who make it their profession to render unto her a particular honour and homage and to receive her for their speciall Protectrice and Patroness If she is in the Churches Dialect the Mother of love and Charity and consequently cannot but bear a generall affection towards all mankind How much more tenderly doth she affect such faithfull and dutifull children as totally addict and dedicate themselves to her love and service Amongst which the pious Rosarists whereof your self Honorable Patron and most worthy Prefect is a prime Scion may without presumption arrogate to themselves this glorious prerogative of being the Josephs and Benjamins of her maternall affections not in quality of yongest Children since their origin is very ancient as will be hereafter declared But as most particularly cherished by this compassionate mother or at least most highly enriched with her Royall favours and benefitts as will also hereafter be exemplifi'd All Flowers Spring and flourish by the Suns influence yet the Sun is singularly styled the Parent of the Heliotrope as borrowing from his glorious beams the gold-lustre of its leaves from his course the motion of its body and from his name its denomination of Sun-flower So the Sacred Virgin hath undoubtedly by the influence of her blessings and prayers given birth to all Religious orders Societies and Confraternities which Saint Hierom calls the Church-flowers but surely amongst all these fair Flowers which with their variety beautify and enrich her garden the Confraternity of the sacred Rosary may fitly be said to be the Heliotrope of this Sun the Paragon of this Garden the Darling and Minion of this Mother since from Her it derives its Denomination draws its vertu receives its Beauty and ornament Happy Rosarists who by the speciall grace and favour of Christ Jesus your Saviour can say to God you are my Father and to the Son of God you are my Brother and to the Daughter of the Eternall Father to the Mother of the Son of God to the Spouse of the Holy Ghost to the Queen of Men and Angells to the Empress of Heaven and Earth you are my Mother by my own peculiar choyce and election Happy you if acknowledging the honours and advantages which accrue to you from such a Filiation you correspond to the height of so divin an alliance by your holy life and conversation Happy you if seriously considering of what a worthy Mother you are Children you effectually endeavour to be such as she deserves such as she demands such as she desires Which that you all and your Noble self in particular may truly be shall be the daily prayer at the head-Altar of your holy Mother of power of RIGHT HONORABLE Your most affectionate Bedes-men and servants A. C. and T. V. A MARIAN KALENDAR OR A Catalogue of some few amongst the multitude of glorious Saints of S. Bennets Order who have been singularly devoted to the sacred Virgin Mary Together with the severall Festivities of our Blessed Lady according to the monthly days upon which they are celebrated S. Augustin lib. 10. de Civitate Dei c. 4. We dedicate and consecrate the memory of Gods benefits to certain days feasts and solemnities least by length of time ungratefull forgetfulnes should creep in S. John Chrysostom Tom. 5. Serm. 1o. de Martyr No Christian is so ignorant as not to know that the glories of the Saints are celebrated by Gods people both to the end they may be duly honoured and we instructed by the examples of their vertues JANUARY 1. St. ODILO Abbot of Cluny a most faithfull servant of the sacred Virgin-Mother even from his tender years till his last gasp In his youth he was seized on by a languishing disease which depriv'd him of the use of his limbs yet making a hard shift to creep along into the holy Church dedicated to the sacred Virgins honour he was there presently and prodigiously cured in the sight of many admiring spectators Whereupon he made an Oblation of himself unto her in these tearmes O most sacred Virgin and Mother of the worlds Saviour from this day forward I resolve to serve you hoping to have you for my compassionate Mediatrix upon all occasions for after God I prefer nothing before you and therefore I freely deliver up myself unto you as your peculiar servant and Bondslave He dyed in the 87th year of his age and of Christ 1048. 11. S. Egwinus Bishop of Worcester in England who being of the Royall blood chang'd his purple for a poor Cowle in Worcester Cloyster which he never left off in his Episcopall dignity to which he was forcedly call'd for his excellent learning and Sanctity He was evermore most zealous in the sacred Virgins service by whose express command he built and founded that famous Abbey of Evesham and dedicated it to her honour which service of his she frequently acknowledged to be to her most gratefull and acceptable He dyed in the year of our Redeemer 712. 15. S. Maurus Abbot of S. Maur's in France the Disciple of our Glorious Patriark S. Bennet the most diligent Promotor of the sacred
Rosa Puritatis Palma Virens Virga Florens Gemma Refulgens Oliva speciosa Columba Formosa Mulier Gratiosa Rubus Incombuftus Hortus Conclusus Puteus Signatus Vellus Gedeonis Favus Sampsonis Thronus Salomonis Vitis fructificans Navis abundans Arca Salvans Gloria Saeculi Honor Populi Nutrix Parvuli Regina Angelorum Regina Patriarcharum Regina Prophetarum Regina Apostolorum Regina Martyrum Regina Confessorum Regina Praedicatorum Regina Virginum Regina Sanctorum Omnium Regina Sanctissimi Rosarii Ab omni malo Peccato Libera nos Domina Per salutiferam Nativitatem beatam Praesentationem tuam Te rogamus Domina Per sanctam Purificationem caelestem vitam tuam Te rogamus Domina Per admirabilem Assumptionem gloriosam Coronationem tuam Te rogamus Domina Ut veram paenitentiam perseverantiam nobis impetrare digneris Te rogamus Domina Ut Ecclesiasticos ordines Catholicos Princâ—pes conservare digneris Te rogamus Domina Ut hanc nostram Cunctasque Congregâ—tiones tibi devotas augeâ—e Conservare digneris Te rogamus Domina Ut hanc nostram Cunctasque Congregationes tibi devotas augere conservare digneris Te Rogamus Domina Ut Populo Christiano Pacem salutem abundantiam obtinere digneri Te rogamus Domina Ut Navigantibus portum pro Fide pugnantibus Victoriam Fidelibus vitam defunctis Requiem aeternam Impetrare digneris Te rogamus Domina Vers Ave de coelis Alma Resp Sucurre nobis Domina Vers Ave de coelis Pia Resp Fer opem nobis Domina Vers Ave de coelis Dulcis Resp Intercede pro nobis Domina Vers Sancta Maria Mater Christi Resp Audi rogantes servulos impetratam nobis coelitus tu defer Indulgentiam Vers Orate pro nobis omnes Sancti Dei Resp Ut digni efficiamur promissionibus Christi Vers Salvos fac servos tuos Ancillas tuas Resp Deus meus sperantes in te Oremus SUpplicationem servorum tuorum Deus miserator exaudi ut qui in Societate sanctissimi Rosarii Dei genitricis Virginis Mariae congregamur ejus intercessionibus a te de instantibus perisulis eruamur Deus cujus unigenituâ— per vitam mortem Resurrectionem in nostrae carnis substantia nobis salutis aeternae praemia comparavit Da famulis tuis haec omnia per Sanctum Rosarium recensentibus imitari quod gessit sentire quae pertulit assequi quod promisit Tribue quaesumus Domine omnes Angelos Sanctos tuos jugiter pro nobis orare cos clementer exaudire digneris Ecclesiae tuae Domine preces placatus admitte ut destructis adversitatibus erroribus universis secura tibi serviat libertate Custodi Domine famulum tuum N. Patronum nostrum pro quo Majestati tuae supplicam us ut in fide Catholica constans perseveret ac vita hujus pericula illaesus pertranseat nullisq tentati nibus a te summâ— bono unquam so paretur Remittantur illi quaesumus peccata quibus iram tuam promeruit Augeatur in eo justitia Tibi Majoribus Proximis exhibenda Vocationi suae in qua degit probe satisfaciat aequè in prosperis atque in adversis rebus sese moderatè gerat Atque finem Vitae faelicem te duce conseqatur Corpus illius Animam Vitam mortem tuae divinae gratiae magnoperè commendamus ut Benedictionis tuae Virtute in Viis omnibus dirigatur contra omnes hostium tam visibilium quam invisibilium insidias defendatur Per Christum Dominum nostrum Vers Ave Maria Resp Gratia plena Vers Dominus tecum Resp Benedicta tu in mulieribus Benedictus fructus ventris tui Jesus Jesus Christus Amen Vers Sancta Maria Mater Dei ora pro nobis Peccatoribus nunc in hora mortis nostrae Resp Et fidelibus defunctis requiem sempiternam impetra Amen Benedictio Nos cum Prole pia Benedicat Virgo †Maria. A devout recommendation to the ever blessed Virgin after Procession O Mother of Mercy Mother of Power Mother of Jesus Mother and Advocate of poor and repentant Sinners to whom your care and affection is greater than that of a Mother to her child Into your sacred hands and heart I do most humbly recommend this day and for ever my body and soul all that I am and have my life and my death that in all I may seek your Sons honour and find my own happiness Beg for me O blessed Mother diligence to seek Jesus love to find him obedience to follow him purity to see him charity to embrace him patience to suffer for him devotion to sigh after him indifferencie to adhere to him and perseverance to remain with him for evermore O Empress of Heaven Beauty of Angells and Lady of Love How long shall nature sensuality and selfishness bear sway How long shall I seek and not find sigh and not enjoy live and not truly love Jesus and Mary the good Son and glorious Mother the holy Fruit and happy Tree O my compassionate Mother obtain for me your poor child counsell in all my doubts comfort in all my distresses courage in all my temptations and confidence in all my troubles Help me O holy Mother of my Lord Jesus to be truly humble in my self truly devout and loyall to my God truly obedient to my Superiors and truly meek to all Be you alwaies mindfull of me O my dear Mother both living and dying and then especially have a care of me when I forget my self by falling into Sin and when my Soul must be forc'd out of my Body by death that after death I may see praise and love both you and your Son Jesus for all eternity Amen THE LITANIES OF OUR BLESSED LADY OF LORETTO So called For that they are usually sung in that sacred Church of Loretto upon all the Saturdays in the year and Feasts of the Blessed Virgin Mary THE pious Rosarists may please to take notice that some years since there were certain Religious Persons who agreed together to recite daily these holy Litanies for the happy death of each other to whom many thousands joyn'd themselvs throughout all Italy Spain France Germany and the Indies And why should nor the like sacred Association be established also in our Countrey amongst such devout Christians as are equally zealous of the Blessed Virgins honour and as much desirous of a happy death We therefore the Compilers of this Book do hereby declare unto all you the devout Children and Servants of our Common-Mother the ever Blessed Virgin Mary that we intend henceforth to recite daily these following Litanies for each others happy death And that we do now even by these presents without any further declaration or ceremony admit receive and associate unto our selv's and to a joynt Communication with us in these our prayers All such as being desirous therof shall mutually perform these three following points 1. Recite daily these Litanies
with the adjoyned Antheme and Prayer to the sacred Virgin and to Saint Joseph 2. Recite them for all such as arâ— thus associated as they all recite the same for him 3. Recite them for his own and their happy death and for the obtaining of Grace necessary for that purpose ANTHEM WE fly to your Patronage O sacred Mother of God! despise not our Prayers in our necessities but deliver us from all dangers O ever glorious and Blessed Virgin Our Lady our Mediatrix our Advocate Reconcile us to your Son recommend us to your Son represent us to your Son now and at the hour of our death Lord have mercy upon us Christ have mercy upon us Lord have mercy upon us Christ hear us O Christ graciously hear us God the Father of Heaven Have mercy upon us God the Son Redeemer of the world Have mercy on us God the Holy Ghost Have mercy on us O holy Trinity one God Have mercy on us Pray for us Holy Mary Holy Mother of God Holy Virgin of Virgins Mother of Christ Mother of Divin Grace mother most pure Mother most chast Mother undefiled Mother untouched Mother most aminable Mother most admirable Mother of our Creator Mother of our Redeemer Virgin most Prudent Virgin most Venerable Virgin most Renowned Virgin most Powerfull Virgin most Mercifull Virgin most Faithfull Mirrour of Justice Seat of Wisdom Cause of our Joy Spiritual Vessel Honourable Vessel Vessel of singular Devotion Mystical Rose Tower of David Pray for us Tower of Ivory House of Gold Ark of the Covenant Gate of Heaven Morning Star Health of the Weak Refuge of Sinners Comfort of the Afflicted Help of Christians Queen of Angels Queen of Patriarchs Queen of Prophets Queen of Apostles Queen of Martyrs Queen of Confessors Queen of Virgins Queen of all Saints Queen of the most sacred Rosary Lamb of God who takest away the sins of the World Spare us O Lord. Lamb of God who takest away the sins of the World Hear us O Lord. Lamb of God who takest away the sins of the World Have mercy on us ANTHEM WE fly to your Patronage O sacred Mother of God! Despise not our prayers in our necessities but deliver us from all dangers O ever glorious and Blessed Virgin our Lady our Mediatrix our Advocate Reconcile us to your Son Recommend us to your Son Represent us to your Son now and at the hour of our death Vers Pray for us O holy Mother of God Resp That we may become worthy of Christs promises Let us pray REmember O most compassionate Virgin Mary Mother of Power Mercy and Consolation That it was never yet heard or known that any one was by you rejected who in his grievous pressures and afflictions had recoâ—rse to your powerfull Prayers Patronage and Protection Imboldned with this confidence we your distressed Children of the holy Rosary with eyes full of tears and hearts full of sorrow make now to you O sacred Virgin Mother our most humble addresses in these our present and pressing necessities Despise not our words we beseech you O Blessed Mother of the Word Eternal and Incarnate Reject not the Petitions of your poor servants O you pious Comforter of all afflicted Souls but graciously vouchsafe to hear us to help us to protect us and to obtain for us the accomplishment of all our just and humble desires That we may have fresh occasion to admire your transcendent Mercy Charity and Compassion and to magnify and praise with eternal gratitude and thanksgiving the infinit goodness of your Divin Son our sweet Saviour Christ Jesus The Verse and Prayer of Saint Joseph Vers The just man shall flourish as a Palm-tree Resp He shall be multiplyed as the Cedar of Libanus Let us pray ASsist us O Lord we beseech thee by the merits of Saint Joseph thy sacred Mothers Bridegroom that what we are unworthy to obtain may be granted us by his intercession who livest and reignest world without end Amen §. 18. Several other Prayers Wherof one or more may be sometimes added after the Litanies of our Blessed Lady according to each ones Devotion Occasion or Necessity I. A Filial Recommendation of our selv's to the sacred Virgin-Mothers protection O Sacred and Sovereign Lady-Mother next after God the onely hope of my soul Into that singular faith commendation and custody wherby your tenderly loving Son Christ Jesus my Saviour recommended you from the Cross to his dearly beloved Disciple Saint John I do this day and all the days of my life commend and commit my body my soul my senses my honour all my hope and comfort all my anguishes miseries and afflictions all my thoughts words and actions my whol life and the final end thereof Most humbly beseeching you that I may by your powerfull intercession be preserved from all sin from all scandal from whatsoever may any way displease yours or your Son 's pure eyes provoke your anger or hazard the loss of your favour and from a sudden and unprovided death Obtain for me I beseech you O my glorious Lady-Mother that I may be truly penitent for all my past offences that I may manfully resist all present occasions of sin that I may walk more warily and innocently for the future Let me feel your prompt and powerfull assistance during the whol course of this my lives pilgrimage and in the dreadfull day of my judgement be you pleas'd O sacred Mother to become my pious Advocatrix at the Tribunal of your Son Christ Jesus To whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be all honour and glory for evermore Amen II. A Prayer for a happy death O My dear Lord Jesu I most humbly beseech you by those most bitter pains and pangs which you suffer'd for me in your cruel passion and particularly in the hour wherein your Divin Soul pass'd forth of your Blessed Body take pity upon my poor and sinfull soul in its last agony and in its passage to Eternity And you O compassionate Virgin-Mother Mary remember how you sadly stood by your dear Son dying on the Cross and by that your excessive grief and your Sons sacred death assist my soul in its last conflict with death and conduct it to a happy Eternity And you O glorious Saints John Joseph Nicodemus Lazarus Mary Magdalen Mary of James Mary of Salome and Martha who stood by my dear Redeemer Christ Jesus expiring on the Cross assist me also in the hour of my souls departure and accompany it to a happy Eternity Amen III. A General Prayer for our selvs our Friends and the whol Church DIssolve we beseech you O Lord by your bounty the bonds of our sins and by the intercession of the sacred Virgin and all your blessed Saints preserve us our Friends our Brethren and our Benefactors in your grace and sanctity Purge O Lord from all impiety and enrich with solid virtues and perfections all such as have any relation to us by consanguinity affinity or familiarity grant us health of
LOVE O MERCY O MERVAIL You will unite your Greatness to our Baseness your Eternity to our Mortality your Divinity to our humanity becoming Son of Man Son of Mary for an Eternity as from all Eternity you are the Son of GOD the only Son of the Eternall Father 4. Gods Son gives his Eternall Essence and Subsistence to our nature I Adore you in this highest Councill and divin Will I Adore you in this new estate and deep Mystery I Adore you in the unity of your divin Person and in the diversity of your natures the one Divin and Eternall the other human and temporall I Adore you as receiving your Eternall Essence from the Eternall Father and as giving your Essence you subsistency to human nature united to your self for an Evermore Vnited I say to your self so intimatly and so powerfully so gloriously and so divinely O Adorable Estate O Unspeakable Mystery O happy Moment of the Incarnation which makes man God and God man Which gives to Heaven a King of Glory and to the Earth a Soveraign To Angells a Repayrer and to Men a Saviour 5. Jesus is born lives suffers dyes for us O JESU my Lord and my Saviour I Adore you as Gods Son I Adore you as Mans Son and Man God I Adore you in these two different Estates The one Eternall the other Temporall the one uncreated the other created the one divin the other human joyned together and joyned inseparably But I must yet Adore you as Man-God for man For 't is for us that you would be made Man 't is for us that you live and dy 't is for us that you do suffer 't is for us that you are born in a Stable and bedded on straw 't is for us that you lead an abject laborious suffering life 't is for us that you dy upon Mount Calvary and hang on the Cross 't is for us that you arise and ascend into Glory O Birth O Life O Death O Divin glorious heavenly Life O blessed hour of the Incarnation of the Expiration of the glorification of Gods Son O Estates of Jesus in his Fathers bosom and at his Mothers breasts hanging on the Cross and sitting on the right hand of God! O Abodes O Estates O Mysteries of Jesus in Judea in Egypt in Galilee in Bethleem in Nazareth in Jerusalem in the Crib on the Cross in the Grave on Earth in Hell in Heaven Who can recount your thoughts your griefs your delights in these places But Heaven will one day reveal them unto us and the Contemplation hereof shall be one of the employments of our Eternity till when the Earth must remain ignorant hereof must Reverence them and must be content with the Crums falling from your Saints Tables whom you plentifully nourish with this living and life-giving bread on Earth and in Heaven 6. Jesus Adores his Heights by his Lownesses and rayseth up his Lownesses by his Greatnesses 1. BY their Example and Imitation I Contemplate and Adore you O Jesu my Lord I Adore you in your Greatness and in your Abjectness in your Cross and in your Glory in your life and in your death 2. I Adore you as raysing up your Lowness by your Greatness your human life by your divin Life your disgraces by your glory and your suffring estate by your impassible immutable and eternall condition 3. I Adore you as Adoring your self your Greatness by your Littleness your Divinity by your Humanity your Birth in your Fathers bosom by your Birth of your Mother-Virgin in the Ox-stall your supreme Authority by your humility and your uncreated Essence by your Created Being 4. And after this Contemplation of you in your self I contemplate and Adore you as going forth of your self as extending and spreading your self and as filling Heaven and Earth with your Grace and your Glory with your gifts and your Mysteries and finally with your self O God! O Man O Man-God O Infinitly prodigall of your self 7. Jesus's excessive love in the effusion of his last drop of Blood for us thereby testifying the effusion of his Greatness and Goodness also upon us I Inlarge my self in the variety of these thoughts I am ravisht in these different Exercises which my Soul makes of your self and I lose my self in the Contemplation of these so high and great verities For in honour of that supream Communication which you receive from your Father in the Eternall generation and in honour of that Ineffable Communication of your Divinity with our Humanity in the Incarnation I look upon you I admire you I Adore you O my Lord as annihilating your self and as exhausting your self that you may bestow your self on men You as it were drayn your Divinity powring it out upon your humanity consuming it incessantly in the furnace of your love and at last sacrificing it in the Holocaust of your Cross you shed your Blood in suffering and you dy by the effusion thereof chosing that kind of death to demonstrate the effusion of your self And the Nayls and Executioners being unable to empty it all the ardour of your love which cannot be extinguish'd in death it self preserv's liquid in death's coldness that residue left in your heart and body to be drain'd out even to the last drop Such was your good pleasure to make an aboundant and super-aboundant Effusion both of your blood and also of your self together 8. Jesus is all ours and we are all his yea we are in him we live in him we are parts of him WHat shall I say what shall I do in the Contemplation of these things Let me forget my self for you forget Your self for me Let me leave and loose my self for you annihilate Your self for me Let me be yours for You are mine let me be all yours for you are all mine Let me be all yours for ever for you are all mine for ever Your Divinity as it were Incarnated is my substance and my subsistence your humanity as it were divinized is my health my life your Body is my diet and your Blood is my Bath your Death is my life your weakness is my strength your Cross is my quiet your suffering is my rejoycing Thus I am yours and you are mine And I am yours O my loving Saviour by your self and by a means so noble and so divin so dear and near unto you and by so many sorts of ways which give you unto me which consecrate me to you and which even draw and drain you all out for me But I discover yet a greater secret in your love and in your Mysteries and a greater favour in your way of dealing with me For you are not only mine and I yours but I am in you I perceive that whilst I Contemplate your self and your Father and see that you are in him that you live in him you frame within me a lively Image of your self and of your divin Emanation and by your Incarnation you establish a new manner of gracious
and obtain for me a happy death and departure out of this World in the Faith Favour and Affection of Jesus To whom be all honour prayse and glory for Evermore Amen ELEVATIONS TO THE SACRED TRINITY UPON EARTH Iesus Maria Ioseph In honour and homage to the Glorious Trinity in Heaven the Father Son and Holy Ghost O JESU Son of the living God and Saviour of the World O Mary Mother of Jesus and Mediatrix of Mankind O Joseph Bridegroom of Mary and esteemed Father of Jesus O sacred Trinity Jesus Maria Joseph I honour you reverence you admire you in your excellent eminent sublime Greatnesses in which you seem to be an express Image of the Incomprehensible Trinity and I adhere to you in union of the perfect homages which you rendred to the Father Son and holy Ghost by your high Estate and holy operations The deep Mystery of the divin Trinity is Invisible to our eyes Ineffable to our Tongues Incomprehensible to our Spirits And behold the poor Bethleem stable affoards us a human Trinity Jesus Maria Joseph uppon Earth which views adores and Imitates the Trinity of the Empireall Heaven the Father Son and Holy Ghost This is Increated that is both created and Increated in the Person of the God-Man Jesus This is divin and Eternall That is Deifi'd and temporall The one is Adorable the other honorable The one is admirable in its greatness The other amiable in its sweetness In the one is a unity of Essence in a Trinity of Persons In the other is a union of Love of Grace and of Spirit in a Trinity of Essence and of Persons In the Divin Trinity the Father begets his Son in Eternity In the other by a reverted order the Son gives Being in Time both to the Father and to the Mother In the first the Father and the Son and the Father by the Son produces the holy Ghost in unity of origin In the second Jesus and Mary and Jesus by Mary gives the Life and Being of Grace to Joseph in the unitie of spirit So that Mary hath an admirable resemblance to the Eternall Father the Son of Mary hath an express unity with himself and S. Joseph represents the Holy Ghost For the Father in Heaven is the only Parent without a Mother and Mary upon Earth is the only Parent without a Father And as nothing greater can be attributed to God than his being the Father of a God so nothing more sublime can befall a pure creature than to be the Mother of the same God whereof God is Father The Holy Ghost is the sacred knot and Tye of the divin Persons And Joseph hath a union with Mary as his Spouse and with Jesus as his Father The Holy Ghost form'd Jesus in the Virginall Cloyster of Maryes Womb And Joseph fed him educated him and preserv'd for us far more fortunately than the ancient Joseph of Egypt â— this Bread of the Elect this blessed pledg of our future happiness this Eternall Bliss of Men and Angells Wherfore O Jesu We acknowledg honour and adore you in your Eternall heights and greatnesses we prayse bless and love you in your temporall humiliations sweetnesses we contemplate you in Heaven with the Eye of Faith betwen the Father and the holy Ghost We admire you upon Earth between Mary and Joseph And I invite and conjure all Creatures to prayse bless and adore your divin Majesty in both these estates O Mary We also look upon you as upon Gods sacred Mother and in this supream dignity I salute reverence and honour you with the singular homage of Hyperdulia which is due to your Excellencies and Greatnesses O Joseph I likewise honour you as the reputed Father of Jesus and Bridegroom of Mary and in regard of these two Eminent qualities I subject my self to the power which is given you over my soul by consequence of the Jurisdiction you had over Jesus my Saviour I offer my self to you O Great Saint Joseph Father and Husband without Paragon to be by you presented to Mary I give my self to you O glorious Mary Virgin and Mother without Paralell to be by you addressed to Jesus I consecrat my self to you O Great-little-God-man Jesus as your servant and bondslave to become associated in this qualitie with the domestiques of your sacred Family O Jesu my King reign in my Soul and exercise the absolute power you have over my spirit O Mary my Soveraign Queen after my King Jesus possess my heart and my will to consign them over to your Son O Joseph My chief Prorector after Jesus and Mary take my Body and senses into your safe custody to be consecrated to Jesus O Jesu annihilate and absorp my soul in your affection O Mary Inflame my heart with the love of Jesus O Joseph Bless all my labours and endeavours and present them to Jesus and Mary Let the whol world be replenish'd O Jesu with your mercies be assisted O Mary with your favours be secured O Joseph under the shadow of your Protection For You O JESU are the Fountain issuing forth of the Terrestriall Paradise Mary's Virginall Womb is the Origin of all our happiness you O Mary are the Prime Bason of this Fountain and the pure Glebe from whence it proceeded And you O Joseph are the River who disperse abroad these waters of Life by your efficacious intercessions O Jesu you are the fruit of life O Mary you are the Paradise that bore it and the Tree that brought it forth And you O Joseph are the Cherubin appointed by God to guard it O Jesu You are the sacred Propitiatory of the world O Mary You are the Mysticall Ark of our Reconciliation And you O Joseph are the High Priest who alone are permitted to enter into this Holy of Holies to be the faithfull Coadjutor of Gods great Counsell in the world and the Feoffee in trust of his treasures and secrets In honour therefore of these three ineffable Tâ—es and unions between these admirable subjects which are the greatest under Gods command and Jurisdiction I most humbly beg of you O Jesu Mary and Joseph 1. A chast and filiall Fear of God that nothing either in life or death may separate me from his grace and friendship 2. A faithfull fervent and perseverant Love of God and my neighbour with a generous zeal of the divin honour and my own salvation 3. A good and happy end of my life consummated in the act and exercise of these sacred affections O JESU Be an Advocate for me your Bondslave to your Eternall Father O Mary intercede for me your servant to your Son O Joseph pray for me your child to Jesus and Mary O Jesu shew your wounds suffer'd for my sake O Mary discover your Breasts which suckled Gods Son O Joseph represent your hands which nourish'd the Word Incarnate O Jesu replenish my Soul with the abundance of your celestiall blessings by the effusion of efficacious grace upon it which may intimately
sublime height of his own most holy handy work And now O worthy Mother of God! since we have hitherto presented you with the fervent Affections which your faithfull servants have put into our hearts and mouths as well knowing that our own faint inventions could furnish us with none more pithy or to more pleasing permit us also to presume upon your pious Doctor S. Ildefonse de Virginitate Mariae cap. 1. for this our concluding Protestation That the height of all our ambitious desires is To prayse you as much as you deserve to be praysed To love you as much as 't is possible to love you and to render you as much service as your self can desire from such caitif creatures as we are Yes O Sacred Queen Mother had we hearts larger than the Empyreall heaven we would most willingly employ their whol extent in loving you Had we the Crowns Kingdoms Riches of all earthly Monarchs and Princes and as many lives as the Seas have sands we would most cheerfully leave all lose all forfeit all for the defence of your honour for the procuring of your affection for the promoting of your service Finally had either of us as much collected Capacity as all creatures have dispersedly it would come far short of our unlimited desires and affections which are to Love Honour and Serve you perfectly entirely eternally Receive our Hearts O Soveraign Queen of all Hearts replenish'd with these our pious intentions and protestations together with this small Mite which we here again most humbly offer up to your sacred Majesty as a votive Table of the now promised Homage we will ever hereafter be performing to the end that all such as shall make use of these ensuing Devotions may assuredly know that in the solemn tender of this small pledge we jointly intend to include an absolute Dedication of the whol remainder of our lives and labours to your Love and service and that we are content every Line Syllable Letter and Title of this Treatise shall rise as so many accusing witnesses to call for just revenge upon us and remain as so many marks to brand us with eternall infamy if we at any time hereafter maliciously ungratefully disloyally forfeit these our maturely made Resolutions of being your faithfull servants And finally that we hereby avouch in the face of Heaven and Earth to esteem nothing in this world after the inestimable benefits reap'd by the precious Death of your divin Son our dear Redeemer CHRIST JESVS comparable to the honour we have in being Most worthy Mother of GOD The meanest of your Chaplains at the Head-Altar of your Holy Rosary A. C. and T. V. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE OUR Noble Patron and most worthy Prefect of this Sacred Confraternity of the ROSARY RIght Honorable Though this little Book which carries in its Front the lovely Names of JESUS MARIA JOSEPH can want no forreign recommendation whereby to invite all faithfull Christians and especially the devout Rosarists to receive and embrace it and that the excellencie sublimitie and utilitie of the subject is to it self a sufficient safeguard and protection Yet surely could this Book have been conveniently dedicated to any other than the Queen of Heaven whose honour is its chief aym and intention it must necessarily have had recourse unto your self under whose wings it received its birth growth and accomplishment In acknowledgment whereof and the many signall favours you have charitably conferr'd upon us and upon this holy Confraternity of the sacred Rosary we conceiv'd our selv's bound to give this publick testimony of our sincere gratitude and withall to declare our earnest desire of contributing something towards your own spirituall advancement and perfection For notwithstanding that your Piety to God and devotion to the sacred Virgin-Mother and her glorious Bridegroom Saint Joseph are so deeply setled in your heart as it may seem superfluous to lend you any assistance in order to their further encrease or confirmation yet the perusall of this present Treatise which so far excells all others of this nature in the solidity of the deliver'd doctrin in the explication of the most important points and in the clear facil and familiar insinuation of this sort of Piety that we need not blush to yeild to their Judgment who esteem it the chief of them which have yet seen light in our mother language must needs prove both pleasing and profitable unto you as being a perfect Mirrour of what you either are already or zealously wish to be where you will find both Fewell to foment your fervour and Fire to add to it where you will read the Precepts of Perfection reduc'd into Practises and the Doctrin of Devotion drawn into forms of Duty Briefly where you may learn a compendious way to extract the fruits of your Predestination to glory to tast the sweetness of heavenly affections during this your earthly Pilgrimage and to procure your Souls repose here and its salvation hereafter which is the desired end and Crown of yours and all pious Christians endeavours And all these happinesses with more if more can be imagined are obtain'd by means of the sacred Rosary whereby these influences of celestiall blessings slide efficaciously into faithfull hearts from her holy hands who is appointed by her all-powerfull Son to be the charitable Dispensatrix of his divin treasures and the Common Mother of all the pious Christians which are regenerated in Baptism by his most pretious Blood and Passion For as all they who are predestinated to glory are properly Gods Children since they have the self same heavenly Father by Grace Adoption which the Son of God hath by Birth and Nature according to that expression of S. John Behold how great the Fathers goodnes is towards us for that we are call'd are the Sons of God And as the Eternall Father in begetting his Co-eternall Son gives part of the honour of this Divin Filiation to such as he foresees conformable to his Sons Image so that they may truly call him their Father who is the Father of Gods Son as himsef expresly declares by teaching us to say Our Father which art in heaven So the Son in his human generation given him by a Mother upon earth is pleas'd to make his friends partakers with himself in the title of his Temporall Filiation by giving them the same Mother whom he chose for himself whereby they become Brethren to Gods Son both on the Fathers side who adopts them and on the Mothers side who by her own Sons will and command acknowledges them for her Children Behold your Mother said our Saviour to all his friends and Brethren represented in Saint Johns person Behold your Children said he to the sacred Virgin shewing her Saint John who represented all the faithfull Words appointing her our Mother and adopting us her Sons Words recommending to Her a Maternall care and affection towards us and to us a filiall duty and reverence towards Her Nor are we only
compassionate Father that which we desire though we deserve it not who hast given us a being when we were not Amen XI A Prayer to withdraw our minds from the superfluous cares and solicitudes of this World O Lord our true Lover our faithfull Teacher our bountifull Nourisher Take from us all vain superfluous and noxious cares and solicitudes and since you have been gratiously pleas'd to promise us that your self will make a sufficient provision for us grant that we may confidently rely in all things upon your sacred providence Let us therefore six our hearts and affections upon heavenly objects let us seek onely your Kingdom and be only solicitous for the advancement of your honour and glory let us run on chearfully couragiously perseverantly in the way of your precepts during our earthly pilgrimage that so we may be finally translated to your heavenly Paradise Amen XII Prayers to be said in time of the Plague The ANTHEM REmember your Covenant O mercifull Creator and say to the smiting Angel Now hold thy hand that the Earth may not become desolate and every living soul destroyed Verse Lord let your anger cease from your People Answer And from your City Let us pray HEar we beseech you O compassionate Lord God! the prayers of your People and as we confess our selvs to be justly afflicted for our offences so be you pleased in mercy to free us for the glory of your own sacred name O God! who well knows that our human frailty cannot subsist amidst so many and great dangers without the support of your divin favour and assistance Give us we beseech you health of minde and body and grant that we may overcome by your help and mercy what we deservedly suffer for our own sins and impieties Lord lend a gratious ear to the petitions of your poor servants grant them the desired effect of their faithfull supplications and avert from us the fury of the raging Pestilence whereby the hearts of all mortal men may humbly and gratefully acknowledge that such scourges proceed from your just anger and indignation and cease through your boundless mercy and goodness A Prayer to the sacred Virgin-Mother called the Miraculous Prayer against the Plague THe Star of Heaven whose snowy breast Did suckle our sweet Lord supprest The Plague of Death whose origen Was from the very first of men May that clear Star at present daign Those Constellations to restrain Whose wars deprive men of their breath By the destructive wound of Death Repeat thrice these ensuing Verses Bright Star o' th' Sea ' gainst Plague your help afford Nought is deny'd you by your Son our Lord Who honours you Blest Maid us Jesu save Which for us at your hands she daigns to crave Let us pray O God of mercy God of compassion God of Pardon who taking pity upon your afflicted people gave command to the striking Angel that he should with-hold his hand from further punishing them we most humbly beseech you for the love of that glorious Star whose sacred Breasts you most sweetly suck'd to expiate our sins that you will vouchsafe us your gratious help whereby we may be preserv'd from all Plague deliver'd from an unprovided death and secured from all destructive accidents and incursions through you O Jesu Christ King of Glory who live and reign with the Father and Holy Ghost world without end Amen Paul the fifth granted a Plenary Indulgence to all such as being in the state of grace shall devoutly recite this Salutation and Prayer Hail Glorious Virgin Star more bright Than is the Sun in its full light Mother of him who all shall doom More sweet than Honey from the comb Each just man celebrates your praise Each Saint to you due honour pays And Christ your Son above the Sky Crowns you for all Eternity Let us pray GIve me O gracious Lord God! what best pleaseth your Divin Majestie for I put my will and all that concerns me into your sacred hands dispose of me as you please and direct me in all to accomplish your divin will Amen THE SECOND BOOK OF THE Sacred Rosary Which is the Practical part thereof An Oration Of the Antiquitie Excellencie and Utilitie Of the Bedes Psalter and Confraternitie of the Rosary By way of a Preface to this second Book ALthough this Argument may seem sufficiently handled in the Oration which is prefix'd to the beginning of this work yet since Nunquam materia deficit laudis ubi nunquam sufficit copia Laudatoris There can never want subject of prayse say's St. Leo in a subject which can never be sufficiently praysed we will here somewhat more largely prove what was there only pointed at and deduce this most excellent manner of Prayer and most eminent Fraternity of the Rosary from their first Originall Fountains for the encrease of your comfort and devotion O Zealous children of Mary to whom we dedicate these our pious labours and endeavours This way of honouring the divin Majesty and the sacred Virgin-Mother by a certain number of our Lords Prayers and Angelical Salutations hath been variously practised by the ancient Fathers and described under severall names and notions whereof some call'd it the blessed Virgins Epithalamium her Canticle her Crown her Rosie Garland her sacred Quinquagena Others relating to the number of the salutations therein contained call'd it the Virgins Psalter in imitation of the Psalter of David consisting of the same number of Psalms or alluding to that Musical Instrument which the Hebrews nam'd Nahalum the Greeks Organum and we a Psalterium compos'd of an hundred and fifty Pipes the just number of these our salutations whereupon the Psalms of David were usually sung to the divin prayse and honour Others finaly call'd it by the now commonly receiv'd denomination of the Rosary that most properly For as a Rosary signifies literally a place beset with Odoriferous Roses So this our Rosary betokens mysticaly the sweet fragrancie which replenishes their hearts and souls who thus devoutly prayse the divin Majesty and honour the Virgin Mary Having explicated its Name let 's pass on to its Antiquity which undoubtedly as to its substance is of equall standing with the sacred Gospell Since the Lords Prayer and the Angelicall Salutation the materiall parts of our Rosary are the very Evangelicall words and sentences And as to its use is also of equall antiquitie with our primitive Christianity since according to the generall Maxim of our School-Divines When in Ecclesiasticall matters by the Church Universally embrac'd no certainty can be found of their first beginning they must be believed to have proceeded from the Apostles Which mov'd the learned Aquensis to write thus to Maximilian the Emperour This pious custom of saluting the sacred Virgin cannot be said to be any Novell invention but may be convinc'd to be as ancient as the Church it self For when at the beginning the Priests and Ecclesiasticall persons being full of Zeal and Fervour recited dayly all
inculated the fruits of this divin Prayer into the hearts of his devout Auditors and which we surely may hope also to receive if we dayly fervently and perseverantly pour it forth in the divin presence by the due performance of our Psalter and Rosary The third part of the Rosary is the Angelical Salutation dictated by the divin wisdom to the Archangell Gabriel to St. Elizabeth and to the Church A Salutation which the Apostles Primitive Fathers so highly reverenc'd that they prescribed it to be recited in their Lyturgies A Salutation which says St. Peter Damian briefly contains Christs Incarnation Mans Redemption the Worlds Renovation And surely by this admirable connexion of our Lords Prayer and the Angelical Salutation in the Rosary we are admonish'd that as in the fall of human nature both Sexes were guilty and our common miserie proceeded from Adams and Eves joynt prevarication so in the reparation and redemption of Mankind there is the concurrencie of a Man Chrâ—st our Lord and also though in an inferiour degree of a Woman the Virgin-Mother and therefore joyning together both these Prayers we render most humble thanks for this inestimable benefit Thanks to our blessed Redeemer for having vouchsaf'd to become man for us And thanks to his holy Mother for having furnish'd him with this humanity in which he redeem'd us But if you desire most devout Rosarists to have a more particular sight of the signall Fruits and Effects of this Angelical Salutation listen attentively to this compendious Narrration First of the joyes wherewith it replenishes the blessed Virgin mary Secondly of the terrours wherewith it strikes the Devill Thirdly of the profits it brings to mankind First this Salutation I say replenishes the sacred Virgin with a new accidentall Joy sweetness and complacencie as often as it is devoutly and reverently recited For by saying Hail or Ave that is sine vae without woe we offer her the Joy of her great Purity immunitie and exemption from all the woe and miserie whereunto all women except her self the singularly preserv'd Virgin-Mother were subject by the fall of our first Parents For as Ave is a literall conversion of Eva so our Mother Mary receiv's in this Salutation a triple Benediction 1. of becoming fruitfull without corruption 2. big with child without burdensomness 3. and a Mother without feeling the pains of child-bearing opposite to our Mother Eves triple Malediction of corruption in conceiving cumbersomness after conception and pains in childing By saying Mary we renew in her the Joy of her great Dâ—gnitie design'd by this glorious Name and Title First as it signifies the Star of the Sea to which says St. Bernard she is most fitly compar'd because as a Star sends forth its beam without any self-blemish so Mary brings forth a child without any self-violation The Beam doth nothing diminish the Stars claritie nor Mary's child her integrity c. Secondly as Mary signifies illuminated for she receiv'd from God as a full Moon from the Sun a plenitude of the light of Grace here below and enjoyes a plenitude of the light of Glory there above Thirdly as Mary signifies an Illuminatrix to which St. Bernard alluding Maryes presence says he illuminates the whol World and even Heaven it self shines now more clearly being irradiated with the beams of her virginall lamp Fourthly as Mary in the Syriack language signifies a fair Lady and what Creature says St. Bernard was comparable to her in the beauty of mind and body who bore and brought forth the beauty of Men and Angells when therefore we say Haâ—l Mary we say rejoyce Sacred Worthy Noble Virgin bright Star illuminated of God enlightner of Men fair Lady of the whol Universe By saying Full of Grace we renew a double joy in her First we affirm that Grace which man lost by Sin to be restored by her Sanctâ—ty and Secondly we pronounce that Grace which other Saints possess partially to be in her unitedly fully universally You O Mary says the admiring St. Hierom are indeed full of Grace for the Grace which was given to others by parcell was powred into you in a full plenitude By saying our Lord is with thee we renew in her the joy of her divin Conception than which nothing imaginable can be to her more gratefull pleasing and acceptable for hereby we not only pronounce God the Son to be with you O Mary says St. Bernard whom you cloath with your flesh but God the Holy Ghost by whom you conceive and God the Father who eternally begets whom you temporally bear Yes O Mary The Father is with you who powerfully makes his Son yours the Son is with you who is admirably born of you the Holy Ghost is with you who graciously with the Father and Son sanctifies you c. By saying Blessed art thou amongst Women We renew in her the Joy of her supernall Benediction As if we should say Rejoyce O Mother Mary who deserved'st to have our mother Eves curse chang'd into a blessing for thy self and all others and to become the glory honour and crown of all Women consecrating the Virginall estate before thy Marriage the Conjugall estate in thy wedlock and the estate of Widowhood after thy husbands death and thy Sons Passion By saying Blessed is the fruit of thy Womb We renew in her the Joy of the divin prayse As if we should say with S. Bernard Thou art surely Blessed O sacred Virgin but we bless him above all who hath so highly blessed thee Not because thou art Blessed therefore is the fruit of thy womb blessed but thou art therfore Blessed because he hath prevented thee with his blessings in whom all Nations are blessed and of whose fulness thou also with others though far above all others hast receiv'd what thou hast c. Behold O children of Mary who have your hearts inflam'd with her sacred affection what excesses of joyes you present offer and renew in your dear Mother when you devoutly salute her with this Angelicall Canticle and Jubilation All which we shall confirm by one only authentick Revelation which her self was graciously pleas'd to impart to one of her dear darlings a famous Saint of our Order S. Mechtild studying which way she might render some gratefull service to her glorious Mother the Virgin Mary beheld her in a vision with the Angelicall Salutation before her in great and golden characters and heard these words proceeding from her sacred Mouth Know daughter that no human devotion can ever reach higher than this Salutation nor can any one more sweetly gratifie me than by reverently pronouncing this Ave Hail wherewith the Eternall father at the first greeted me confirming me by his omnipotencie ab omni va culpae from all woe and miserie of sin and impiety The eternall son likewise illustrating me with his wisdom ordain'd me to be forthwith the bright Star wherewith Heaven and earth are enlightned as by this my name Mary is declared The holy Ghost
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
as is due to Gods sacred Mother I salute you admire you congratulate you O amiable Virgin-Mother Mary as the chief Instrument of our Redemption the prime Ornament of Paradise the singular Glory of human nature and the bright Star shining unto us by your exemplary Vertues and directing us by your powerfull assistance in this sea of miseries and place of Pilgrimage Full of Grace I salute you O most sacred pure and perfect Virgin-Mother as full of Grace from the first instant of your immaculate Conception full of Sanctity during the whol course of your unspotted life upon Earth full of glory in the happy state of your Eternity in Heaven O most Powerfull and most Compassionate Virgin-Mother out of this your plenitude of grace vertue sanctity and perfection impart what you see wanting to my poor needy and naked Soul Our Lord is with thee Our Lord God was is and will be evermore with you O Virgin-Mother and you are and allwayes shall be with him He was with you upon Earth in your womb in your arms at your breasts He is with you in Heaven by his beatifying presence he will be there still with you bestowing on you a continued Eternity of glory O most unspotted Temple of the sacred Trinity by this your perpetuall and perfect union with the Divinity obtain for me that I may pass on this my Pilgrimage in the dayly exercise and reflection upon the divin presence to the end I may with you be perpetually united to him hereafter in his happy Paradise Blessed art thou amongst women O Mary the only Mother amongst all Virgins O Mary the only Virgin amongst all Mothers you conceiv'd without Sin brought forth without sorrow liv'd without blemish and after your death were translated to Eternall glory without the least touch of corruption therefore blessed are you above all women who were totally exempted from the common curses of all other women You bore him in your womb who bears up the whol World you infolded him in your arms who encompasses the spacious frame of the vast Universe you nourish'd him with your breast-milk who gives Being life food to all Creatures Finally you were are Gods Mother in which miraculous word is included all the privileges perfections which can posibly befall a creature and therefore you are justly styl'd and shall be so esteem'd by all succeeding generations the most blessed of all womankind O blessed Mary the Paragon of all Mothers the Crown of all Virgins the Joy of all the Saints the best and most accomplish'd of all Gods Creatures by these and all other your numberless Benedictions avert from me those maledictions which I have deserv'dly incurr'd by my enormous sins and transgressions And blessed is the fruit of thy Womb Jesus O Jesu the sacred fruit of Maryes virginall body be your Name and Majesty eternally blessed by all creatures in Heaven and upon Earth Blessed be your divin Person which you thus vouchsaf'd to unite unto a human body and soul for the Worlds Salvation Blessed be your Will which was thus inflam'd with the love of lost Mankind Blessed be your Memory which mercifully reflected upon us miserable and caitiff creatures Blessed be your Understanding your Wisdom your Power your Providence and all your ineffable Attributes which found out such an efficacious way to win us to your self and wed us to your sweet affection and friendship O Amiable Jesu the Ornament of the Universe the Beauty of Heaven the Glory of Mankind Be you blessed in each member part and particle of your most pure immaculate virginall Body which you expos'd to such cruell torments for our Redemption By these and all other the infinit blessings which are in you and belong to you sweet Jesu bestow on me the blessing of your grace in this my lives Pilgrimage and of your glory in your Eternall Paradise Holy Mary Mother of God pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death O blessed Mother of blessed Jesus despise not them for whom the dear Son of your womb disdain'd not to dy upon the Cross but in your tender pity and compassion succour the miserable encourage the weaklings comfort the afflicted and let all such feel the happy effects of your helping assistance as have recourse to your powerfull Prayers and Patronage We beseech you O gracious Mother by all the greatnesses which God hath given you by the glorious Name of Mary and Title of Gods Mother wherewith he hath honoured you by the singular love he bore you upon Earth and the supereminent glory wherewith he hath Crown'd you Queen of Heaven Pray now for us that we may pass on the short remainder of our lives Pilgrimage in his grace and favour and when Death shall summon us to depart out of this miserable World Then O then most charitable Mother chiefly assist encourage and strengthen us your poor children and conduct our Souls to the happy mansions which your divin Son our dear Redeemer hath before all time prepar'd for them in his Heavenly Kingdom wherewith you O most glorious Queen-Mother they shall see him enjoy him and be united to him for all Eternitie If we would thus devoutly reflect sometimes upon these or the like mysticall senses and rayse up our Souls to such like affections when we recite these divin forms of Prayer we should probably reap more Spirituall profit by their frequent repetition But we therefore take little or no gust in these and our other pious Exercises and make small progress in perfection because we commonly content our selvs with the bark and bare out-side of the words and seldom or never penetrate into their inward marrow sense and meaning §. 5. The manner how to recite the Rosary 1. IN the first place you are to settle your self reverently in the divin presence and seriously recollecting your senses to cast of all evagations of mind and extraversions which is the generall preparation to all Prayer 2ly To the end your understanding and will both which concur in all well-order'd Prayer and Meditation may be profitably employ'd you may please to remember these two Rules which were before intimated in the first book of this present Treatise § 8. The First Rule which concerns the action of your understanding is To represent before the Eyes of your Soul that mysterie whereon you are to meditate as even then acted in your presence As for Example The mysterie whereupon you intend to make your meditation is The Nativity of our Saviour Imagin your self standing in a privat corner of the poor Bethleem Stable beholding hearing and admiring all that there passed in that sacred night run over in your mind the condition of the place and the circumstances of the Persons and think what were their thoughts affections words actions above all consider who it was that appeared to the World in this mean equipage to wit the Son of God the King of Glory the Monark of the whol Universe
and are here set down in that direct order which ought to be observ'd in meditating upon them which is First to begin with the five joyfull mysteries Secondly to proceed to the five Dolorous Thirdly to conclude with the five Glorious For according to this order they were accomplish'd in the Persons of our Saviour Christ and his Blessed Mother The five Joyfull Mysteries So called for that they contain the chief Joys which the most sacred virgin Mary felt concerning her Son Christs human nature 1. The Annunciation of Christs Incarnation by the Archangel Gabriel to the Blessed Virgin Mary which is briefly express'd in these verses Heav'ns loftyest turret to earth's center bends Th' Incarnat Word to our low vale descends And Eccho's there usher'd by Angells voyce And by a purer Virgins vocall choyce While She according to this word of thine Humbly reply'd thy Masters word be mine 2. The Visitation which the Blessed Virgin made to her cousin Saint Elizabeth Mary salutes Eliza while from far Our Sun is brought to light his morning Star The Star though clowded feels the welcom ray And leaps to shew he can fore-run his day Dance unripe Child before thou com'st to light An after-dance will cause thy fatall night 3. The Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ Learn Man what wonders in this birth appear The lesser Orbe involves the greater Spheare Etheriall lightning leaves its native shrowd Comes forth not breaking the mysterious clowd Angells their God their Master Beasts discern Of those above of these below thee learn 4. The Oblation or Presentation of Christ to his Eternall Father in the Temple and the Purification of his Mother How cheap a thing is light and more we pay For oylin flame than goulden locks of day His ransom who from darkness all redeem'd The Priest a two poor Turtle-Doves esteem'd Jews are wise marchands this new Sun ere old Must to the Priests again b' as cheaply sold 5. The Finding of Christ in the Temple disputing amongst the Doctors Found in the Temple midst the Doctors plac'd Jesus at once vertu and learning grac'd If Church and Schools be severd zeal turns blind And knowledg lame they both are perfect joynd Adore the Altar reverence the Chair Learn what to ask and then present thy pray'r The five Dolorous Mysteries so called for that they contain the chief sorrows which Christ our Redeemer felt in his bitter Passion 1. His Agony whil'st he was at his Prayers in the Garden What man of sorrow with two blood-shot eyes Ten thousand bleeding pores there prostrate lyes All middle colours by extreams are bred His candour with our blackness makes him red Whose present dress though Scarlet but displays The rosy dawn of two more Crimson day's 2. His most cruell Flagellation Can all these bleeding wounds that scourging find No blush in face no pity raisd in mind Behold the Man you worst of savage beast Malice enough has done more Hell detests Hate forward goes till her loath'd object she Not to be wretched knows but not to be 3. His Crowning with sharp Thorns The pungent cares on regall Scepters born Do prove all Diadems be crowns of thorn Yet Kings from scoffs and low contempt are free Derisions reach not earthly Majestie Christs Crown no fewer slights than thorns emboss More keen than those sharp nayls that pierc'd his Cross 4. The Carrying of his Cross to Mount Calvary Striving his Cross to bear he faints and falls He that sustains Heaven and Earths massie balls Simon succeeds on whose weak shoulders they The shadow of the Cross not substance lay Simon the wood the weight Christ only bore A world of heavy sins throng'd in each pore 5. His Crucifixion and Death upon the Cross Hail Tree of life whose trunck the table made Whereon the worlds dear price was told and payd On thy fair planks our sinking souls that bore Poor shipwrackt men layd hold and swim to shore Raisd from the depth by thee they floating stood Boy'd up with spring-tides of Christs copious blood The five Glorious Mysteries so called for that they contain the chief Glories which befell Christ and his sacred Mother 1. The Resurrection of our Lord JESUS The piercing sword leaves sad Maria's brest Sorrow's old wound makes for new joy 's a nest Jesus himself and her revives his light Relumins many a fire long quencht in night She sees the Patriarks shine with him his ray Dimms not their weaker Stars yet doubles day 2. His Ascension into Heaven Our Heav'n-ascending Lord no fiery Steed's Nor flaming Chariot of Elijah needs The wings of wind or Angels are too slow His feet in thier own motion swifter go The Sun at his approach that fabulous sign Of Aries leaves in him the Lamb tâ— shine 3. The sending down the Holy Ghost to his Church In form of fire a rushing wind conveighs Ardours divin the Infant Church to raise And high enthrone in a majestick Sphear Above the reach of cold distrust or fear Th' Elect thus freed from bonds of narrow sense In all known tongues all unknown truth dispence 4. The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin up to heaven Enoch alive translated walks with God Walks finds yet in bliss no fix't about The zealous Thesbite undissolv'd ascends And at Heav'n gates the worlds last year attends Death 's the sole way to life Maria dyes Closes on earth open's in heav'n her eyes 5. The Coronation of the Blessed Virgin in Heaven T is thy Sons light Maria makes thee shine The beam's are his the sole reflection thine Bright as the Moon thou look'st for borrow'd rays Both tributarie to the Prince of days The Sun her globe opposed only fills On thee full light thy Sun conjoyn'd distills These fifteen Mysteries for greater ease of the memory are briefly comprehended in these six verses Annun Vis Nat. Present and Find Reduce the Joyfull Five to mind Pray'r Scourg Thorn Cross Crucify Do the five Dolorous imply Res As Parac Assump corone By those the Glorious five are known Or thus in three verses She 's told She visits He 's Born Offer'd and Found He Pray's is whipp'd is crown'd carryes is kill'd Râ—ses Ascends sends down She dyes is Crown'd §. 7. Of the fifteen Mysteries of the Rosary in particular The first part containing the five Joyfull Mysteries 1. The first Joyfull Mystery She 's told THE Annunication of Chirsts Incarnation by the Archangell Gabriel to the Blessed virgin Mary Luca. To Blessed Mary th' Angell of our Lord Announces she shall bear th' Eternal Word This first Principall and Joyfull Mystery as also all the others hereafter following comprehends under its notion may other singular and particular Joy's wherewith the sacred Virgins soul was ravish'd and replenish'd upon the news brought down to her from Heaven of the Eternall Words Incarnation in her womb which we shall both here and hereafter briefly reduce to Ten heads or points of Meditation according to the number of the Angelicall Salutations which are
short Pilgrimage I may dwell with him for ever in his eternall Paradise The Second joyfull Mysterie She visits The visitation which the blessed Virgin made to her cousin St. Elizabeth Luke 1. She visits St. Eliza. to rejoyce With her for what was told by th'Angells voyce Our Father c. The blessed Virgin exceedingly rejoyced 1. At the consideration of Gods wonderfull works Which were now made known unto her by his heavenly Messenger for pondring all his words after his departure from her she admiringly compares her own meaness with Gods Immensity She ravishtly extolls his mercy his goodness his compassion towards poor mankind She gratefully acknowledges her own unworthiness to have such wonders wrought in and by her Hail Mary 2. At the Inhabitation of God within her O the joy of her heart O the jubily of her soul to contain him in her womb whom the Heaven of Heavens cannot comprehend Hail Mary 3. At her perfect Sanctification For she knew her self to be consummated in the fullness of Grace adorn'd with the gifts of the Holy Ghost confirm'd in all vertues absolutely impeccable and secure of her finall perseverance Hail Mary 4. At her singular Illustration For by the Inhabitation of the Eternall word within her she became enlightned both in soul and body In Soul so as to know secrets to understand sciences to foresee things to come as appears by her Propheticall Magnificat In body insomuch as her externall beauty and comliness attested Gods inward presence and we may piously believe with St. Bernard that no one no not her husband St. Joseph could fixedly behold the beames of her shining countenance and so the Gloss understands that passage of St. Matthews Gospell Joseph knew her not till she had brought forth Hail Mary 5. At her journey into the Mountains of Judea For reflecting upon the Angells last Speech Behold thy Kinswoman Elizabeth hath also conceiv'd a Son in her old age She speedily cheerfully and joyfully undertakes this long journey of thirty four miles says Ludolphus and on foot in order to visit her congratulate her assist her Hail Mary 6. At the carriage of Christ in her womb For though the way was long and mountainous though she a tender Virgin and with child yet neither was the journey irksome nor her burden cumbersom nor her travail wearysom because she carried him who supported encourag'd and enabled her Hail Mary 7. At the blessing of Elizabeth Who at her approach runs ravishtly into her embraces and affectionately exclaims Blessed art thou amongst all women and blessed is the fruit which thou bear'st in thy womb Blessed is the Tree together with the fruit the Stemm with the Flower the Mother with the Son Hail Mary 8. At her conjoyn'd Virginity and Maternity For she joyfully perceiv'd that Propheticall saying compleated in her own Person Behold a Virgin shall conceive and bring forth a Son and she as joyfully knew her self to be the Mother of God according to St. Elizabeths expression How deserve I this honour that the Mother of my Lord should vouchsafe to visit me Hail Mary 9. At the overflowing of her Grace into others For at her voyce and visitation St. John St. Elizabeth and St. Zacharieâ— were fill'd with the Holy Ghost Hail Mary 10. At the many miracles accompanying and following this Visitation 1. In Elizabeth replenish'd with Gods holy Spirit 2. In St. John clean's from originall Sin sanctify'd in the womb confirm'd in grace 3. In Zacharies illumination c. Hail Mary Glory be to the Father c. These prayers Angelical with bended knee c. Affections Elevations Petitions O what a confluence of joyes were found at this blessed meeting of these two Mothers of two great Princes whereof one was the greatest that was born of women and the other was his Lord and these made Mothers by two miracles Surely never but in Heaven was a greater extasie of Iubilation The word Incarnate rejoycingly begins to bestow his blessings on the World before he is born into it Elizabeth rejoycingly admires Gods goodness and mercy and his Mothers charity and humility St. John rejoycingly dances in the womb after the harmonious musick of their mutuall Salutations whil'st the holy Virgin her self sweetly in tones her Creators prayses who is the true Author and Origin of all these wonders singing with heart and mouth My ravish't Soul extolls his name Who rules the Worlds admired frame My Spirit with exalted voyce In God my Saviour shall rejoyce Who hath his glorious beams displayd Upon a poor and humble Maid Me all succeeding Ages shall The blessed Virgin-Mother call O the ardent charity of my Saviour Christ and of his sacred Mother He is no sooner conceiv'd in her womb but be carryes her and she him into the mountains of Judea to give the life of grace to the young Baptist O Jesu the powerfull Sanctifier of all souls vouchsafe to give mine also a gracious visite and to inflame it with the fire of your love that I may henceforth more readily correspond to your holy motions more carefully lay hold upon all occasions conducing to vertu piety perfection and more charitably assist my necessitous neighbour And you O most lovely most loving and most beloved Virgin bestow a visit on this poor house and heart of mine Here I live in a vale of teares temptations miseries I sojourn amongst continuall dangers I dwell in darkness and the shadow of death and my being in this world is like that of a child in his Mothers belly expecting with fear and hope to be born into the bright-light of a Blessed Eternity O let your comfortable visitation and your Sons grace-bringing presence disperse my inward darkness qualify my fearfullness fortify my hope and confidence and give me a sweet Antipast of my future happiness Come then O most charitable and most compassionate Virgin My good Mother my gracious mediatrix my only Hope next to your holy Son Jesus Come and cast an Eye of Pity upon your poor servant Let your harmonious voyce resound in my souls eares and obtain for me a tast of your Sons goodness that I may henceforth relish nothing but himself and according to your most perfect example rejoyce in nothing but God my Saviour The third joyfull Mystery He is Born The Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ Luc. 2. THe Son of God born of a sacred Mayd Between two beasts is in a manger laid Our Father c. The Blessed Virgin exceedingly rejoyced 1. At the first sight of the new-born Iesus O The Jubily of her ravish'd heart To see him safely brought into the world whom she carefully carryed nine months in her womb To swathe and suckle him who is the Son of the most high To kiss him who was comely above all the children of men To embrace him whose beauty the Sun and Moon admire and whose countenance the Angells desire to contemplate Hail Mary 2. At her preserv'd Virginity FOr she now found her self compleatly a
Oblation Donation and consecration of my self unto your Majesty desiring intending and resolving to be hereafter not only your loyall subject and servant but even your reall vassal and Bondslave In confirmation whereof I will continually wear this materiall Chain about my Body both as a Badge of my now professed Bondage and also as a token of my perpetuall affection towards you Vouchsafe therfore O Soveraign Queen to Receive Admit and own me henceforth as a thing peculiarly yours and as such a one to defend and protect me during this life from the snares of sin to dissipate and break asunder at the hour of my death the shackles of Satan and to draw my departing soul by this happy Chain to your Sons heavenly Kingdom there to prayse admire and enjoy both him and you for all Eternity Amen 6. After the recitall of this oblation of your self in Bondage to the Blessed Virgin put the chain about some part of your Body and endeavour thenceforward to walk worthy so noble a Profession 5. The Practises and Exercises of this Devotion of the Bondage 1. The first Exercise may consist of jaculatory Prayers frequently darting out these or the like affections O my blessed Lady I am your Servant and the Bond-slave of your greatness Or O my Lord Jesu I am yours and your Mothers Servant and Bond-slave Or Holy Mary Mother of God! pray for us sinners and your bond-slaves now and in the hour of our Death Or when you hear the clock strike salute the blessed Virgin with an Ave Marie to which all Christians are invited by Pope Leo the tenth and Paul the fifth who gave large Indulgences thereunto Or say then blessed be the hour and day in which our Lord Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary Or Eternity is at hand Or Jesus Maria Joseph Or let the Souls of the faithfull departed rest in Peace 2 The second Exercise may be a short pair of Bedes consisting of three Paters in honour of the holy Trinity and twelve Ave's in honour of the twelve Priviledges of the sacred Virgin to be said in this manner 1. Pater Noster c. Thanking the eternall Father for having made choyce of so worthy a daughter 1. Ave Marie c. considering her eternal Predestination 2. Ave her immaculate Conception 3. Ave her most pure Virginity 4. Ave her most admirable Maternity 2. Pater Noster c. Thanking the eternal Son for having made choyce of so worthy a Mother 1. Ave considering her most happy Child-birth 2. Ave her soveraign Dominion not only over the World but over the Creator of the World He was subject to them Luke 2. 3. Ave her excellent Purity of Soul and Body 4. Ave her continuall and sublim Contemplation 3. Pater Noster c. Thanking the Holy Ghost for having made choyce of so worthy a Spouse 1. Ave considering her sweet departure out of this life 2. Ave her miraculous Resurrection 3. Ave her glorious Assumption 4. Ave her eternall Glorification and Coronation 3. The third Exercise may be a Crown consisting of five pretious Pearls in honour of the blessed Virgins five principall Vertues to be offer'd up to her in the manner following 1. The Jasper of Faith Produce Acts of Faith with most ardent affection saying O Soveraign Queen I firmly believe that you were an entire Virgin both before and after your happy Child-birth That you are the true Mother of Gods Son That your life was without the least Sin That you were a Martyr at the foot of the Cross That you are exalted above all pure Creatures in the Celestial glory That you are our Advocate interceding for us wretched sinners c. Add such other points of Faith as your devotion shall suggest and then conclude thus Receive most sacred Lady this Protestation of my Faith as a Jasper-stone belonging to your Crown and obtain for me a lively perfect and perseverant Faith unto the end Amen And recite one Ave Mary to this intention 2. The Emerald of Hope Produce Acts of this Vertu in honour of the blessed Virgin saying O Soveraign Queen I contemplate you as the hope of the World long expected by the Fathers in Limbo earnestly look'd upon by the Souls suffering in Purgatory humbly besought by the Children of the Church Militant who cry out incessantly Hail to Queen that reigns above the Sky Hail to the Mother of true Clemency Hail Life hail Sweetness and our Hope to you We that are Eves exiled Children sue In cry's and groans which from this vale of tears Are fann'd with sighs up to your sacred Eares O then Chast Advocate on us reflect From Heavens bright Mansion your benigne aspect And make us after this our Exile come To JESUS the blest Off-spring of your Womb Sweet Virgin and Gods Mother pray that we Of Christs rich promises may worthy be In this number I rank my self and place in you O holy Virgin next after God my hope and confidence trusting that you will be to me a Fountain of Grace a Towre of Defence a City of Refuge and a Gate of Heaven to give me entrance into Paradise Receive most sacred Lady this Emerald which I present unto you for your Crown and strengthen my hope unto the end Ave Maria Gratia Plena c. 3. The Rubie of Charitie Produce Acts proper to this Vertu saying O Soveraign Queen I consider you as brimfull of perfect Love and Charity and inviting the whol World to participate with you of its sweet fruits and effects saying come to me all you who desire me and be replenish'd with my generations Eccles 24. Behold I come to you with an ardent and enflam'd affection beseeching you to enrich me with the treasure of true Charity towards God and my Neighbour Receive most sacred Lady this Rubie which I offer unto you for your Crown and confirm my love and charity to the end Amen Ave Maria c. 4. The Diamond of Fortitude Produce the Acts belonging to this vertu saying O Soveraign Queen I behold you as a valiant Champion terrible to the Troops of Satan like a well order'd Army Encourage me I beseech you to fight under your banner support my weakness with your strong hand and help me to overcome all worldly fleshly and diabolical temptations c. Receive most sacred Lady this Diamond which I present unto you for your Crown and obtain for me an invincible Fortitude to the end Amen Ave Maria. c. 5. The Pearl of Chastity Produce Acts appertaining to this vertu saying O Soveraign Queen I admire you as the Mother of Purity the Mirror of Chastity the First who vow'd Virginity obtain for me I beseech you that all my thoughts words and actions may savour of Purity be seasoned with modestie and be accompany'd with Chastity c. Receive most sacred Lady this Pearl which I present unto you to illustrate your Crown and powerfully protect me against all carnalitie and impurity to