above half dinner or supper be past The rest of the time at table is spent in putting a question as the manner is and clearing it by answers The Reader is not only at table to read the forementioned Books but to invite them to the putting of some doubt likewise every week once at least to rehearse the names of our Benefactors lastly to publish whatsoever he shall be enjoined either in word or writing by the President or Minister For he may neither read nor pronounce any thing more than what is by them imposed upon him The Reader when corrected is to repeat the Correctors words with the same pronunciation of the syllables as he gives them and the Corrector chosen for this purpose is to word mistaken without the interposing any other words When he hears the President say Etreliqua the Reader gives over Then saying the verse Tu autem Domine miserere nobis and giving notice aloud to the Priest who in his turn is to propose some doubt he goes down and making an obeisance to the President sits down to meat Doubts to be proposed at Table After reading presently some one of the Priests for all of three years standing in the Congregation are wont to do the same every day morning and evening propounds something out of the Scriptures or Morality or instructions for right informing the mind and conscience that may be questioned or disputed but avoids the putting any thing difficult obscure or too curious to which all are not able to speak Yet if at any time one make no other answer save that he stands to the common judgment of the rest it is rather to be imputed to modesty than ignorance And he that is to do that office when his day comes proposeth the question of himself tho the Reader according to the custome do not advertise him yet if any stranger invited be at the table not without the command of the President or his Substitute for then the Reader is not as at other times to put him in mind If the Proponent be absent he is to succeed him who useth to sit next him at table If any be long e're he propose the case either thro forgetfulness or neglect coming unprovided the President is either to demand it aloud of him or to mind him thereof by the whisper of some one that sits near him The difficult questions proposed at Table are usually two every one speaks to one or other thereof but the proponent in the last place to remove all doubt makes a premeditated answer to both The first Answerer is to be he that sits next below the Proponent at table then the other Priests of full three years standing in the Congregation in like order Let the answers which are to be very short have nothing of flourish and ostentation for the doubt is proposed as it were in the name of the whole company to have it explained that every one even the proposer himself may answer to it as a Scholar examined by his Master An Appendix Lastly Concerning the Constitutions themselves it is ordered thus If there be any thing douâ—â—ful in our Constitutions the President aâ—d Deputies shall clear it yet by no means may they change or impair them nor in any wise innovate or make new ones An Appendix to the first Chapter purposely set by its self In the Oratory everyday at evening upon tolling a Bell a lamp and candles being lighted and an hour-glass set upon the Altar before the Image of our Blessed Lady from the solemn Feast of our Lord's Resurrection till the first of September the hour before Sun-set and from the first of September to the Feast of Easter the first hour after Sun-set is appointed for Prayer but on Holy days from the first of November the second hour too for then there is both a Sermon and Musick Now the manner of the Prayers is this after they have spent half an hour silent in mental Prayer as it is called the Sacristan lighting the rest of the candles upon the Altar and giving notice the Priest whose week it is to officiate begins the Litanies alternately with him recited by the company assernbled excepting the following prayers pronounced by him alone Who when he comes to the Prayer for Peace which begins Deus a quo sancta desideria c. prefently two of the Brothers or Ministers of thâ— Oratory taking from off the Altar two little â—ictures of our Blessed Saviour first give them to the Priest kneeling to kiss he kissing them both and saying on the one side and the other Pax tecum they bowing their heads answer Et cum spiritu tuo and afterward offer them to be kissed by all that are in the Oratory with the like salutation Pax tecum as the Priest used The rest of the prayers in the mean while being ended he desires them all aloud to pray to God for per-severing constantly in his worship and service saying to themselves five times the Lord's Prayer and the Angelical Salutation his words are Petamus quaeso nobis in divinis perseverantiam recitantes c. Let us I beseech you beg perseverance in things spiritual rehearsing c. These Prayers ended he again desires them to repeat them both again twice for the Pope Cardinals and other more eminent Priests for the concord of Christian Princes propogation of Faith extirpation of Heresies and for obtaining the conversion of wicked livers Then again to recite them once more for the Brethren of the Oratory that are deceased begging for them eternal rest Afterward saying the verse Dominus det nobis suam pacem he repeats an Antiphon of our Blessed Lady either Salve Regina or some other best suting to the time At last they who with these sacred Images have saluted first the assembly and then mutually themselves with the kiss of peace relate to the Priest what things they have received from them to be at that time recommended to their prayers who thereupon intreats all that they would be pleased to say one Pater and Ave for those particulars and five times invoke the most Holy Name of Jesus Which done so soon as he hath pronounced the verse Divinum auxilium maneat semper nobiscum and all have bowed themselves even to the kissing the very ground the Assembly is dissolved This is the constant order of the Prayers excepting Mondays Wednesdays and Fridays and the whole week before Easter for on these days in memory of the scourging wherewith our most innocent Lord Christ Jesus for our sakes was punished they all whip themselves in the Oratory And the custome and manner is unless these days be Holy days of fall in Easter week that after half an hours mental prayer as they call it made secretly straight some of the Keepers or Officers of the Oratory distribute whips made of small cords full of knots put forth the children if there be any and carefully shut the doors and windows and extinguishing the other
THE Institutions OF THE CONGREGATION OF THE ORATORY At St. MARIES in Vallicella WITHIN THE City of ROME Founded by St. PHILIP NERIUS Printed at OXFORD 1687. The Institution of the Congregation of the ORATORY in the City THE Congregation of the Oratory instituted by Saint Philip Nerius enured rather by practice than bound by laws had no peculiar rule according to the custome of Religious persons by which to direct their consultations in managing affairs For the pious Father using with a paternal affection to govern the designs of all suitably to their inclinations thought it enough to see his altogether inflamed towards piety to be very fervent in the contempt of all worldly things for the love of Christ and then to approve and confirm as by the Spirit of the Lord those things which by long experience he had found both well to content them and dayly to advance them in the attaining vertue and pleasing God. This way therefore he was worthily held fit to discover to Secular Priests tho differing from the rules of the Religious who often professed the Congregation was not instituted by him as its Founder but by Almighty mighty God as the author and perfecter thereof Those things therefore either which he took care after this manner to be decreed or which have been from his first institution by those of our Congregation customarily observed and ever since retained that they may be known in short are here summarily collected Of the Oratory and the Prayer there Of the Church and the Divine Offices Of the profitable use of the familiar Sermons Of the standing rules of the Congregation of the Oratory Of the election and office of the President and four Priests Deputies Of those that are to be admitted into or expelled out of the Congregation Of the breeding of Novices Of the chief practices of the Congregation Of their apparel and usual converse Of the Refectory and manner of their Diet together CHAP. I. Of the Oratory and the Prayers WE truly term it the Oratory being a place appropriated to Prayer for the familiar handling the word of God hereafter to be spoken of which was begun in it but afterward more perfected and translated into the Church did not so fitly give it that name In this place as well strangers as our own every evening after mental prayer as we call it say the usual Litanies or also besides three times in the week which is an arbitrary castigation of the body discipline themselves with whips On Holy-days likewise from the first of November to the Feast of our Lord's Resurrection they are here not only by the usual Prayers but also by a familiar Exhortation and a consort of Musick excited to the contemplation of celestial things From Easter again to the first of November after Vespers sung in our Church and a Sermon heard they repair to some appointed place of the Suburbs or in case hot weather hinders to some Church within the City there to perform the same Spiritual exercises Besides every Sunday unless there be some preaching in our Church the Litanies being said here in the morning and a seasonable Sermon made after a plain familiar way chiefly from some observations drawn out of the Gospels those of the Brethren resorting thither are named that are to visit the seven principal Churches of the City and the three publick Hospitals of the Sick at certain times that week The care of all this belongs to the Prefect of the Oratory one appointed out of our Priests or to his Assistant either of which are to see to the keeping of these Orders and provide for the spiritual benefit of those Strangers that come in whom likewise they are to instruct on Holy-days in their personal attendance on the offices of piety to be performed to sick persons in the Hospitals and also to choose out of the Brethren some one fit for some services of the Oratory and especially a Rector and to be careful that in no wise these infringe that Constitution which the Congregation thought good to deliver in these words Let the Prefect of the Oratory by no means suffer the Brethren who are chosen Officers therein to intermeddle in any matter or business belonging any way either to the place it self or the Constitutions thereof which he hath not appointed them for such authority or power they may not have And furthermore that nothing may be innovated hitherto observed there especially concerning all weighty matters belonging to the Oratory let the Prefect consult the President of the Congregation who hath the same power to dispose of the affairs of the Oratory as of the Congregation Enough of this now to shew after what way the many strangers that more frequent the Oratory are to be furthered in contemplation and the love of heavenly things But our own more dedicated to such a purpose are especially to observe that which the Fathers instructed by St. Philip have to this end thus decreed Let every one have his set hours for meditation wherein let him dayly make greater progress affecting and aspiring after God and things celestial of which the Superiors according to their Charity and prudence ought often to admonish every one and mind them of the benefit reaped from these exercises Thus those of the Congregation have their set times wherein to sequester themselves for Prayer and meditation And besides the President to exhort them whom they are to hear they have the Priest also that is appointed to take the Confessions of our Order who is wont according to his discretion either to quicken unto these exercises any that is too flow or when it is requisite moderate any too eager But by reason of the many other employments beneficial to themselves and their neighbours they have no other time or space either of the morning or day appointed or prescribed them for prayer but what every one at his own choice piously and religiously shall alot for such meditations and holy devotions But at evening as hath been said they are duly to meet in the publick Oratory then open for all even Strangers and inviting them to Prayer whence it took its name But concerning the order and custome of the using Prayer and discipline in the Oratory and concerning the other pious Offices of the Fraternity we shall treat below in the Appendix of this Chapter CHAP. II. Of the Church and the Divine Service THE Priests of the Congregation as being Ministers in Divine things are much in the Church especially on Holy-days Some give the divine mysteries to them that come others busied in hearing Confessions quit not their feats from day-break till dinner time unless forced by necessity All the Priests say Mass every day and the rest serve especially those in Orders who when Mass is to be celebrated more solemnly and with Musick betimes in the morning descending into the Vestry with a devout diligence apparel the Priests with the sacred vestments and present at the solemn Sacrifice
mercy on me or the verse of the Psalm O God make speed to save me O Lord make hast to help me or this Create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me and let him kiss the earth and say to the tempter I will accuse thee to my spiritual Father if thou temptest me any more 522. Obedience against our inclinations is to be practised in small matters and which seem of no consequence because thus we attain a facility to yeild it in greater 523. The mortification of the will and understanding in matter of obedience to Superiors is much more beneficial and attains sooner to perfection than great corporal Penances 524. It is not sufficient to consider if God will have such good done as is attempted but if he will have it done by our means in such a manner at such a time which appearing not to be God's will we ought contentedly to desist from any such enterprise 53. There is nothing better for man than Prayer and without it he cannot endure long in the way of the Spirit therefore every moment must he have recourse to this most powerful means of Salvation 54. The enemy of our salvation fears nothing more nothing makes him sadder nothing he seeks more to hinder than Prayer 5â— When one is praying let not his bodily eyes be so fixed on an Image that he never removes them from it for this will hurt the Head but let him make use of an Image for the help of his memory as for example to reduce into his mind the benefit of the Incarnation of Christ or his Nativity or his death on the Cross or if it be the Image of a holy man or a holy woman let him make use of it to put him in mind of their virtues that he may imitate them and pray them to intercede to God for him 56. To know how to pray well it is a very great help to read the Lives of Saints and when the Spirit inclines him then to meditate on them and so when it inclines to think on the passion of Christ then to follow that attraction and not to pray or meditate differently from that to which the Spirit moves 57. Fancies which intervene are a great disturbance to prayer and many troubled with such by-thoughts give it over but they do not well for notwithstanding any such fancies one ought to persevere still as much as may be in prayer and God often gives in a moment that which could not be obtained in a long time 58. Amongst other things we are to ask of God a chief is perseverance in well-doing and well-serving of God because if any hath patience and perseverance in well doing in a good life after once begun he will acquire an exceeding great measure of Spirit 59. In the beginning of the conversion of a soul to God the Spirit useth to come sometimes strongly upon him but afterward it seems as it were to go away and the Lord shews thereby as if he had forsaken him but stand he firm and it will return again 60. God useth almost never to send death to one who much serves him but that he first notifies it to him by some sign or by giving him the Spirit extraordinarily 61. There are three degrees in a Spiritual life the first is called an animal life the second the life of a man the third the life of an Angel that is to say the Lord useth in the beginning for the drawing of souls to himself to entice them with sweetnes and with a certain spirit and gusts extraordinary and then afterward he makes a shew to go far from them witholding his most holy hand from these sweet treatments to see if they stand firm in the Spirit leaving them to fight it out for a little time and then when they have made resistance for a while and have overcome those tribulations and temptations he restores afterward their heavenly gusts and consolations doubled and this is a life Angelical void of all pain or offence 621. It is no pride to desire to exceed in sancity any Saint whatsoever because to desire to be Saint is to desire we may have the will to love and to honour God above all things and this desire if it were possible ought to be extended to infinity because God is worthy of infinite love and because his greatness is infinite 622. No man ever ought to trust his own prudence but in all things to ask counsel of God consult his Confessor and beg the prayers of others 63. To maintain our selves in a good life and the holy service of God frequent Confession and the holy Communion are most necessary for the right practising of these is a very great help 64. For Graces obtained by the way of prayer we must continue so long our prayer till the grace be perfected and if prayer be intermitted God doth sometimes suspend the grace Therefore if a sick man for whom prayer is made begin to mend upon the prayers made for him these then must not be ceased but as such recovery was begun by prayer even so by the strength of prayer must it be perfected 65. When he who prayeth feels in the continuation of his prayer great quietness of spirit it is a good sign that God either hath or will grant the grace he sues for 66. Many feeling within themselves carnal temptations or the like doubt sometimes whether they have consented or no but if the person tempted feel in himself still a love toward that vertue against which he was tempted and an hatred against that vice it is a sign he hath not consented Likewise if he would not swear that he hath consented it is a sign that he hath not consented because when there is a deliberate consent the soul easily perceives it 67. After the temptation past we must not reason if we have consented or not for such reasonings cause a return of carnal temptations 68. Carnal temptations ought to be feared and fled even in sickness and in old age it self so long as we are able to shut and open our eyes for the spirit of fornication spares neither time nor person 69. The servant of God if with more security he will walk amongst so many snares spread abroad in all places let him have for an intercessor for him to her Son the Bl. Virgin. 70. Church-goods must be employed sparingly and not be spent but upon necessity because they are goods which belong to God. 71. Chearfulness and mirth is good in him who serves God but he must file dissolutenes and be careful not to fall into a spirit of jesting for they who delight in jesting render themselves incapable of ever receiving the Spirit of God and if they have any thing that is good in them they lose it suddenly 72. When the Priest visits the sick let him not play the Prophet saying that the sick person will not recover because sometimes having prophesied death if