the end Amen Ave Maria c. 4. The fourth Exercise may be to practice some particular devotion upon such day's as are dedicated to the blessed Virgins memory and honour which are all the Saturday's besides the rest of her annuall Festivities These devotions may be to visit her Altar to recite her Litanies to make use of some of these or the like prescribed forms c. 5. The fifth Exercise may be the paying of some Annuall Tribute as St. Peter Damian tearms it to the blessed Virgin how little soever it be in token of the homage and servitude due to her Soveraign Empire This Tribute may be tendred at some Altar dedicated to her honour together with the recitall of this Prayer Receive O Soveraign Empress this small Tribute which I here most humbly present to your sacred Majesty in acknowledgment of that supream Dominion you have next after God over my heart and to testifie the desire I have to live and dye your Bond-slave Permit not O sacred Virgin that I ever pay unto Sathan the World or my sensuality any Tribute of Sin and procure for me a happy passage from this my earthly Pilgrimage to the Heavenly Paradise there to offer up to your Son and You an Eternall Tribute of prayse and benediction Amen 6. The sixth Exercise may be that of Penance and Mortification by discreetly taking a Disciplin or wearing some harsh thing upon the bare skin c at certain times of the year according to each ones strength of body and the counsell of his Ghostly Father reciting upon such day 's seaven times the Salve Regina in memory of the blessed Virgins seven sorrows and adding this Prayer taken out of St. Peter Damian O my most glorious Lady the Mirror of purity and pattern of all vertu I wretched Sinner do most humbly acknowledg that I have higly offended your Son and You by the foolish and besotted liberty of my body and soul and therefore having now no other Refuge left me I here prostrate my heart before you O my compassionate Mother bequeathing my self unto you in quality of a Bond-slave and submitting my whol self to your holy Empire and command Curb I beseech you this rebellious body of mine receive this contumacious and stubborn heart and let not your Mercy reject me a sinner since your Immaculate Virginity brought forth the Author of all Piety 7. The seaventh Exercise may be these sublim Elevations following which may be divided into severall parts and recited according to each ones opportunity and devotion ELEVATIONS TO GOD AND ADORATIONS To the thrice holy Trinity In honour of the share he was pleas'd to give unto the Virgin Mary in the Mystery of the Incarnation effecting it in her and by her and to honour the most holy Virgin in that Dignity of being Gods Mother And to offer our selves to her in the state of Dependencie and servitude which is due unto her upon this title and to correspond by our inward devotion to the speciall Power which she hath over us by consequence of this her divin and admirable Maternitie 1. Adoration of the Sacred Trinity SAcred Trinity Adorable in your self and in your works I praise Admire and Adore you in the Unity of your Essence in the Equality of your Persons in the Profundity of your wisdom in the Extent of your Providence and in that your Work of Works which makes God Man and a Virgin Gods Mother 2. The Greatness of the Mystery of the Incarnation WORK Ineffable Admirable Incomprehensible Work only worthy the power and greatness of the Worker Work The chief of your works the Originall of your Mysteries the Sampler of your Greatnesses and the Sun of your Mervails Work which incloseth your Essence is terminated by one of your Persons and produces the most Eminent dignity which was ever brought forth into a Being out of the Divinity 3. Which is so Eminent a Work AND this Work so great so rare so Eminent was don in a Moment yet not for a Moment but for an Eternity This Work is done in time yet not for a time but for an ever and ever This Work is don in Nazareth yet not for Nazareth but for the whol universe This Work is don on Earth not in Heaven but 't is done both for Earth and for Heaven This Work is don amongst men but 't is done for Angells for Men and for the God of Gods For it gives a Mother to God a King to Angels and to Men a Saviour 4. And the chief work ad extra of the Divinity 'T IS the Head-work of your hands O Divin Admirable and Adorable Trinity which imitates and expresses the Life the Communication the Society which we Adore in the divin Persons For you who Work all things for your self and in contemplating your self would in this Work imprint an Idea of your self would in the honour of your own life and communication which is divin and eternall make a life and communication divin and temporall would enter into society and communication with your creatures to Imitate and honour the communication and Society which is in your persons would in a fair Resemblance seem to match the force of your inward love and internall communication in this outward effusion of love and externall communication out of your own Essence And making choice of your lowest creature would enter into league into communication into unity with men by singularly imparting your self and peculiarly associating your self to one human nature and to one human Person To one human nature by the Incarnation of one of your Persons To one human Person by the Operation of your three Persons who in the greatest of their Works would in a manner enter Society with the Virgin 5. The mystery of the Incarnation is divided between the sacred Trinity and the Virgin O Infinit condescendency The Three divin Persons living and acting in perfect unity eternally happy and compleatly content in their own mutuall Society will extend this Society to a new person and being to operate jointly the Head-work of their Power and Bounty will associate the Virgin to themselv's in this their greatest operation in that for the full accomplishment of their own glory love and greatness being to conjoyn the Created Being with the Being Increated in one of their Persons and to give it a new nature they would share the Glory of this great work between the Virgin and themselves and making choyce of her amongst all Creatures they made her worthy and capable to give together with themselv's this new Nature and to be Mother of the word Incarnate thus elevating a human Person to such a pitch of Power and to so high a Prerogative and conferring on it so great a part in so great a Mystery Blessed be you O sacred Trinity in this your divin will and holy Councill which makes the Son of God Mans Son and which makes a Virgin Gods Mother Highest Councill therfore worthy the
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
him with a filiall reverence obedience confidence that we may here feel the effects of his Grace and hereafter enjoy the priviledges of his Glory §. 4. Of the Ave Marie Or Angelicall Salutation The third part of the Rosary THere is no question amongst all faithfull Christians but that the Pater and Ave are the two most excellent Prayers we have as S. Thomas largely proves and consequently that they are of greatest efficacy to obtain what we want and desire The one being deliver'd and dictated by the divin Mouth of Gods own Son our Redeemer Christ Jesus The other being pronounced by an Archangell sent Ambassador from the sacred Trinity to Her who was chosen out amongst all women to be the worthy Mother of the second divin Person the VVord Eternall And who can doubt but that God himself is also the Author of this Salutation and that he put this lesson into his Legats mouth whom surely he sent well instructed in all things which might concern his weighty Embassie Let us therefore briefly declare the use and scope of this short sweet and mysterious Salutation and Prayer and afterwards dilate it with Acts and Affections that it being so often to be repeated in the recitall of the Rosary may give more gust to their devotion who will sometimes take the time and leasure to ruminate upon it more diligently There is surely nothing more befitting a faithfull Christian than a frequent Reflexion upon his Redemption And since the Incarnation of Gods Son in the sacred Virgins womb is the chief Mystery thereof we must needs conclude That it is an office of Piety most gratefull to the divin Majesty to revolve often those very words whereby so great a Mystery so long expected so ardently desired so zealously begg'd by the holy people of all precedent ages was first announced to mankind especially it being directly intended as a thankfull dutifull commemoration of the signall benefit of our Redemption and our Saviours Incarnation The Ave Maria says our devout S. Bernard is of such power and excellency That it causes Heaven to smile the Angells to be glad the Devills to fly away and Hell to fear and tremble as often as it is reverently recited After whom said another of the B. Virgins Minions Alanus The Ave Mary is a prayer little in words but large in Mysteries it is short in discourse but sublime in sense and vertu it is sweet above hony and precious beyond the purest gold Listen says he with admiration to what I shall here tell O you true Lovers of Mary's name and honour All Heaven rejoyceth and the whol Earth is astonished when I say Ave Maria. Sathan avoyds and Hell trembles when I say Ave Maria. The world becomes contemptible and my heart melts into inward affections when I say Ave Maria. All fear is banished and the Flesh is conquered when I say Ave Maria. Devotion arises compunction encreases when I say Ave Maria. Faith is strengthned Hope redoubled Charity enflamed comfort renewed the Spirit recreated when I say Ave Maria. This Angelicall Salutation may be said to have three parts as it hath three Authors though all inspired from God the Prime Author and Origin thereof The First part Hail Mary full of grace our Lord is with thee blessed art thou amongst women was delivered by the Angell Gabriel as it is recorded in the 2. chap. of St. Luke verse 28. The second part blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus was pronounced by St. Elizabeth the holy Baptists Mother Luke 2. vers 42. The third part Holy Mary Mother of God pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death was added by the Catholick Church in the generall councill of Ephesus and recommended to the use of all Christians in opposition of Nestor and other hereticks who deny'd the blessed Virgin to be Gods Mother The first and second part of this Salutation were frequently made use of even from the first Infancie of Christianity as appears by the Liturgie of St. James receiv'd in the sixth generall Councill and the third part ever since the generall Council of Ephesus The affections contain'd in the Hail Mary or Angelicall Salutation 1. Of Congratulation Hail Mary 2. Of Exultation Full of Grace 3. Of Admiration our Lord is with thee 4. Of Benediction Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus Whereby we bless and prayse both the Mother and the Son we begg both their blessings and desire all creatures to bless prayse and honour them both 5. Of Invocation and Petition founded upon her Power she being Gods Mother Holy Mary Mother of God pray for us Sinners now and at the hour of our death An Explication of the Angelical Salutation Hail That is be you glad joyfull secure and happy in being made the prime Instrument of Gods providence and mercy in order to our Redemption and to the changing of our Mother Eves hereditary curse into a happy blessing for all succeeding generations Mary Is the proper name of the glorious Mother of Jesus signifying Lady and Star of the Sea Full of Grace As being full of God by her speciall priviledg of conceiving the Word Eternall and consequently full of all vertue goodness and perfection whatsoever Our Lord is with thee For God the Father in a most singular manner over-shaddowed her God the Holy Ghost most abundantly came upon her and God the Son most wonderfully became man within her The Father was with her as with his Daughter the Son was with her as with his Mother the Holy Ghost was with her as with his dearly beloved Spouse and choycest Tabernacle Blessed art thou amongst Women That is over above and beyond all women because a Mother and a Virgin the Mother of God which is above all other human Titles and yet a perpetuall Virgin a priviledg which never any other creature did or shall possess And blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus Who remaining perfect god evermore blessâ—d in his divin Person became perfect man in her sacred womb to whom we give all possible prayse homage and gratitude for all that we have and are and especially for this his cloathing himself with our human nature in her whereby he truly becomes our Brother and provides her for our powerfull Mother Holy Mary Mother of God pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death We make to her our humble addresses in all our pressing necessities that by Her we may receive what we want by whom we receiv'd the Author himself of all goodness An Exercise upon the Ave Mary dilated with Acts c. Hail Mary All Hail the most holy excellent and admirable of all pure creatures Princess of Heaven and Earth Queen of Men and Angells I desire now to salute you with the reverence of the Archangell Gabriel with the affection of St. Elizabeth with the devotion of the holy church and with all such honour
quatenus post hujus soecuti caliginosa discrimina ad lucem indeficientem pervenire mereamur Qui vivis regnas Deus in saecula saeculorum Amen OREMUS DOmine Jesus Christe splendor gloriae figura substantiae Patris virginalis uteri fructus Qui per temporalem Nativitatem tuam divinae Filiationis imaginem per gratiam hominibus contulisti illosque fratres vocare dignatus es Auge in nobis famulis tuis in Confraternitate virginis Matris tuae gloriantibus Spiritum gratiae quem dedisti has candelas quas in honorem Nominis ejus suscipimus ita Bene †dicere sancti †ficare digneris ut quicunque cas in manibus accensas tenuerit ab omnibus liberetur tentationibus in hora mortis suae remisnem omnium peccatorum percipiat demum ad Te qui verum lumen es ipsa dirigente perveniat Qui vivis regnas in saecula saeculorum Amen Then he sprinkles the Candles with holy Water saying †In nomine Patris Filii Spiritus Sancti Amen THE GENERALL ABSOLUTION OR Plenary Indulgence To be applyed to the Brethren and Sisters of the Rosary at the hour of their Death The sick Person or some other for him having said the Confiteor the Priest standing up says Misereatur tui omnipotens Deus dimissis peccatis tuis perducat te ad vitam aeternam Indulgentiam absolutionem Remissionem peccatorum tuorum tribuat tibi omnipotens misericors Dominus Then holding his right hand over his head he proceeds DOminus noster Jesus Christus Filius Dei vivi qui Beato Petro Apostolo suo dedit potestatem ligandi atque solvendi per piissimam suam misericordiam te absolvat Et authoritate ipsius Beatorum Apostolorum ejus Petri Pauli authoritate Apostolica Absolvo te a vinculo Excommunicationis majoris minoris suspensionis interdicti in quantum possum tu indiges Restituo te Sacramentis Ecclesiae Communioni unitati fidelium †In nomine Pa †tris Fi †lii Spiritus †Sancti Amen Item Apostolica authoritate mihi commissa tibi concessa Absolvo te ab omnibus peccatis tuis quaecumque toto decursu vitae tuae quomodocumque commisisti de quibus corde contritus ore confessus es quorum memoriam non habes nec recordaris usque in praesentem diem de quibus confiteri minimè recordatus fuisti Et Restituo te illi Innocentiae in qua eras quando Baptizatus fuisti ac paritati eidem in quantum claves sanctae Matris Ecclesiae se extendunt Et per Indulgentiam plenariam a summis Pontificibus Innocentio octavo Pio quinto confratribus Sanctissimi Rosarii in articulo mortis constitutis concessam liberet te Misericordissimus Deus a praesentis futurae vitae poenis dignetur Purgatorii cruciatus remittere portas Inferni claudere Paradisi januam aperire teque gaudia sempiterna per sacratissima suae vitae passionis glorificationis Mysteria sanctissimo Rosario comprehensa perducere Et hoc si de qua agrotas Infirmitate decedas si non ex misericordia Dei salva sit tibi plenaria haec Indulgentia donec fueris in mortis articulo constitutus In nomine Patris Filii spiritus †Sancti Amen Another shorter form of Generall Absolution out of Antonius 1ª parte tit 10. cap 3. § 5. AUthoritate Apostolica mihi pro nunc commissa concedo tibi plenam omnium peccatorum tuorum Indulgentiam Remissionem In Nomine Patris Fi †lii Spiritus †Sancti Amen §. 16. Of the pious use of Processions WHereby the devout Rosarists Religiously honour God and the sacred Virgin Mary upon the first Sundays of the months and upon the seven feasts of our Blessed Lady to wit The Purification Annunciation Visitation Assumption Nativity Presentation and Conception and upon the Saturdays and other Festivall days of the fifteen Mysteries 1. The word Procession signifies literally a passing forward from one place to another Allegorically a progresse from vertu to vertu Tropologically our Peregrination upon earth Anagogically our tendencie towards heaven 2. Processions had their beginning in the Age of the old Patriarks in which the Ark of the Testament was reverently carryed to and fro by the Priests of the Tribe of Levi who were peculiarly set apart for that sacred purpose and performed that office with great pompe and solemnitie As also when David brought the Ark into the Tabernacle and Salomon into the Temple with Hymns Canticles and all sorts of musicall instruments and plac'd it under the wings of the there prepared Cherubins 3. Our solemn Processions seem in all things to imitate the Egression of the Israelites out of Egypt For 1 That people was freed by Moyses out of the hands of Pharao We by Christ out of the Clutches of the Devill 2. Ensignes were carryed before their Troops And before us Crosses and Banners 3. A pillar of Fire went before them Burning Candles are born before us 4. There the Levites carryed the Tabernacle of the Covenant and the Ark of the Testament Here the Priests carry the Statua's of Saints the Reliques of the Martyrs or the Pix with the sacred Eucharist 5. Aaron the High Priest follow'd them in his Pontificall habits and our Chief Priest follows us in his Cope and Church Ornaments 6. There was Moyses with his Rod Here is a Prelate with his Crosier a Prefect with his Officiall staffe 7. The people there march'd in compleat armour the Clergie-men are here cover'd with sacred vestments 8. they were besprinkled with Blood we with holy water 9. they had a Josuah for their conductor and conqueror we have a Jesus 10. they came at last into the Land of Promise and we come up to the holy Altar in hope to arrive one day at Heaven our promis'd home and happy countrey 4. Our Processions are the Memorialls of our Redeemers mercies minding us of the Piocessions he made from his eternall Fathers bosom into the womb of the blessed Virgin from her womb into the Manger from the Manger to Jerusalem from Jerusalem to the Mount Olivet from Mount Olivet back to his heavenly Father All which we gratefully commemorating move after his sacred Standard the Cross and make to him our humble supplications that we may pass after him from this our Pilgrimage to his Paradise from the Church Militant to the Triumphant 5. Our Processions especially those of the pious Rosarists are also Commemorations and Imitations of the blessed Virgin-Mothers journeys upon Earth when she 1. carryed or 2. accompany'd or 3. follow'd her beloved Son Jesus 1. when she carryed him in her sacred womb into the Mountains to the house of Zacharie and Elizabeth and into the Bethleem stable and when she carryed him in her sacred armes into the Temple and into Egypt 2. when she accompany'd him being twelve years old to Jerusalem
and being thirty years old throughout Judea and Galile in his preachings 3. when she follow'd him laden with his Cross to Mount Calvary And surely if all the journeys and pilgrimages from place to place of Jesus and Mary upon Earth may not properly be call'd Processions yet they may fitly be styl'd the exemplary Pattern of our Processions which are made to their likeness and in their memory and imitation 6. There are four chief and solemn Processions celebrated yearly and universally by the Catholique Church 1. in the Purification of the blessed Virgin Mary 2. upon Palm-Sunday 3. upon Easter day 4. upon Ascension day in memory and representation of that last Procession wherein the Disciples waited upon our Redeemer to Mount Olivet to see him assumpted into Heaven where it is to be noted that in the Primitive Church there were made two weekly Processions one upon Sunday in memoâ—y of the Resurrection and another upon Thursday in memory of the Ascention Whence sprung up that common Proverb of Thursdayes being neere a kin to Sunday But when afterwards the Festivities of Saints became multiplied the Solemnity and Procession of Thursday was abrogated by Pope Agapitus and transfer'd also to that of Sunday which is therefore still observ'd in the joint memorie of the Resurrection and Ascention in all cathedrall and conventuall Churches 7. To these four Processions may be added those of the greater and less Litanies which are also yearly and generally celebrated the Procession of the great Litanies upon St. Marks day instituted by Pope Gregorie the great to implore the divin assistance against the then raging Pestâ—lence the Procession of the less Litanies upon the three day's before the Ascention begun by St. Mamertus Bishop of Vienna to implore a remedie against the many miseries wherewith France was then afflicted Both which customs were afterwards confirm'd by the Church and commanded to be kept by all her faithfull children 8. Having prefated thus much of Processions in generall let us briefly consider them of the sacred Rosary in particular which as aforesaid are made upon each first Sunday of the month and the blessed Virgins Festivities 1. The first Ceremonie in these as in all other Processions is the carriage of the Cross 1. because it is the ancient and perpetuall custom of the Catholique Church to carry the Cross before in all her supplications 2. because the Cross is the common signe mark and cognisance of all Christians 3. to shew that the pious Rosarists ground all the hope and confidence of their prayers and supplications chiefly upon the merits of Christs passion 4. because the Devill being once fully conquered by the Cross is again foyl'd defeated and put to flight by these Processions 2. The second is the reliques of Saints 1. to profess the Communion of the Saints of both Churches Triumphant and Militant 2. to declare that we beg the Saints intercessions 3. to honour God in them 3. The third is the Statua of the blessed Virgin 1. this is the custom of the Church and the tradition of our Ancestors 2. it is a confusion to Heretiques and Image-haters and a motive to us at the sight of her sacred Representative to pray unto her for their conversion who is entitled by the Church the confoundress of all Heresies throughout the whole World This praying for the conversion of Heretiques being one of the principall causes of these our Processions 3. it is a practice which Heaven hath frequently approv'd of by many signall miracles Let us insist a little upon this point and prove this carriage of our blessed Ladies Image or Statua in Processions to have been the continuall practice of the Catholique Church by producing some few but most famous examples amongst the multitude which might be cited out of authentick writers in order to confute not onely such flat Hereticks as fondly affirm these manner of Processions to be no other than modern and monkish inventions but also such ignorant and criticall Catholiques as scruple to render this sort of honour to her who can never be sufficiently honoured by any human industry Poor deceiv d and undevout wretches deserving rather to be pittied for your ignorance than to be satisfi'd by arguments in a subject of so clear evidence we will stick stedfastly to our well-taken up Tenents continue cheerfully in our rightly intended devotions and pray perseverantly for yâ—ur illumination in our sacred Processions hoping at last to conquer your peevishness by our piety and charity and by her power and intercession in whose name for whose love and to whose honour we the children of Mary are gathered together as brethren in one heart soul and mind to march under the Banner of the sacred Rosary We therefore returning to our intended purpose confidently affirm that the Examples of our pious Ancestors and the miracles wrought by the carriage of our blessed Mothers Images in Procession are sufficient warrants and motives to induce us to the same devout practice Examples and miracles which may abundantly be read throughout the whol body of the Ecclesiasticall histories from whence we will borrow these few following instances And to begin with our great St Gregorie who sate in the Roman chair in the year of Christ 601. at which time the Inhabitants of that Citie dyed sodainly lying in their beds sitting in their houses walking the fields standing in the streets so violently raging was the pestilentiall contagion he ind cting a three day's supplication let us say's he O my afflicted children meet together in the Church of blessed Mary the perpetuall Virgin and holy Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ and there w th sighs tears and prayers implore the divin mercy for the remission of our sins and the remedie of our miseries The people being gathered together accordingly He in his own person takes the sacred Virgins Picture drawn by St. Lukes pensill which picture is carefully kept and highly honoured even till this day in the same Church of St. Marie ad Praesepe or of the manger in a sumptuous chappell built by Paulus quintus for that purpose and carryes it along the street in Procession when behold the celestiall Spirits are heard ecchoing forth the blessed Virgins prayses in answer to their pious hymnes and Litanies the ayre is fill'd with the melodious harmonie of angelicall Choristers in toning sweet Athems to her honour and saluting her with these sacred words used ever since by the Church in the paschall Office Regina coeli laetare c. O Queen of Heaven rejoyce Alleluja for he whom you deserv'd to bear Alleluja Is risen from death as he foretold Alleluja To which the holy Pope by divin inspiration added of his own Pray unto God for us Alleluja and an Angell is seen upon the top of the Adrian Towr putting up a Sword into its scabbard The astonish'd St. Gregorie inferring from that action a mitigation of the divine indignation denounces to the no less ravish'd people a Quietus est from
that the materiall Rosaries or Psalters which in honour and imitation of his name they call'd Bedes and which a thing well worth the noting are so nam'd amongst us till this day were hung up every where in the Churches Chappell 's and publick places of Pâ—ayer to invite all people who would please to make use of them to this manner of piety and devotion And to pass over an hundred and six other famous Prelats and Saints of the same Benedictin Family which are nam'd and prays'd by our Gabriel Bucelinus upon this particular score of having been devout servants of the Sacred Virgin and diligent practisers and preachers of her Psalter St. Dominick call'd Loricatus from the Iron Breast-plate wherewith he perpetually mortifi'd his body one of the great Ornaments of our glorious Order another Baptist of his Age the mirror yea andumiracle of all Penitents who dyed in the year 1060. and whos 's sacred Corps remaining after his Souls departure nine dayes uncorrupted was interr'd by our St. Peter Damian the Eye-witness and faithfull writer of his admirable life and actions â— us'd to recite his Psalter nine times a day adding frequently whol nights to his dayes continued and uninterrupted devotions Also Peter the Hermite treating with Pope Urban the second concerning the expedition into the holy Land and inviting all Christians to that sacred enterprise recommended to them this very manner of prayer and devotion in 1093. and the years following of whom and the diligent propagation of the Marian Psalter by him and others of our sacred Order read the Benedictin Annals largely and authentically describing them The same devotion of the Psalter was most zealously preach'd and promulgated by St. Otto the Bishop of Bamberg and Apostle of Sclavonia who in the year 1139. not only recommended this sort of Prayer to that new converted Nation but commanded the people to bear about them the blessed Virgins Psalters as outward badges of their interiour affection and devotion towards her which custom is yet generally kept amongst the Christians of that Countrey where both sexes are seen to wear Chains and Bracelets of Bedes about their necks and arms even till this day Finally this pious practise of honouring the holy Virgin-Mother by the recitall of the Psalter became afterwards very common throughout the whol Church as may be read in the Tripartite Historie where it is regâ—stred that the devout Christians made certain Cords distinguish'd with greater and smaller knots for that sacred purpose St Bernard also the most zealous servant of the sacred Virgin and amplifier of her honour compos'd a Psalter to her prayse in imitation and according to the number of that of King David sicut vidi tenui say's Alanus which I have beheld with these eyes and held in these hands for which and his other devout practises of piety towards the Queen of Heaven he deservd to become her speciall friend and favourite St. Mary of Ognia practis'd the same in a most eminent manner adding to her dayly performance of the Davidical Psalms the devout recitall of as many Angelical Salutations which make up the compleat number of our Psalter And this custom of joyning together both Psalters was generally observ'd amongst the Religious persons of those times and afterwards embrac'd by them of the Carthusian Family who after each Psalm of David usually saluted the sacred Virgin with certain pithy verses artificially compos'd for that purpose All which Examples to which many more might be added aboundantly prove this sort of Virginall Psalter to have been anciently in use amongst some or other pious honourers of the sacred Virgin in all precedent Ages though by degrees as the divin Charitie grew colder in mens hearts so all sorts of Devotion decreased and this manner of prayer became also neglected When behold the divin providence rayses up a Saint Dominick to revive and reestablish it He lived in Spain at what time the Albigean Heresie had infected a great part of Christendom An Heresie so black and blasphemous that to recount its Tenents were methinks to offend the eares of faithfull Christians yet whosoever hath the curiositie to know and can have the patience to read such impieties may find them largly registred and solidly refuted by the learned Antoninus This glorious Champion of Christ and his Church St. Domâ—nâ—ck zealously opposes himself against this perverse Heresie praying preaching travelling and using all possible endeavours to suppress the rage of its contagious infection But alas all his pious endeavours were to very little purpose so deply was the custom of libertie sin and sensuality setled in mens hearts and affections The holy man therefore with heart full of grief and eyes full of tears makes his addresses to the Mother of Mercy and of Power humbly complaining expostulating and questioning why his so great diligence his so many painfull journeys his so frequent and fervent exhortations declamations and disputations should prove so fruitless and ineffectuall To whom she was graciously pleas'd to return this answer No mervail if the Earth wanting moysture becomes barren and fruitless nor is it any wonder that worldlings wanting the dew of the divin grace remain devoid of Faith and of the fertility of good Works When God in his mercy intended the Worlds reparation he prepar'd it with Rain the Angelicall Salutation whereby it became blessed and fruitfull Preach thou also my Psalter and there will follow a present and plentifull fruit of thy painfull labours The Saint did as he was commanded propagating the sacred Virgins Psalter throughout Spain France and Italy fitting it to each ones capacity reducing it into a fraternall unity and confirming his doctrin with such evident miracles that Christians became every where not only converted from the Albigean Heresie but also devout servants of God and diligent honourers of the Virgin Mary Thus most devout Rosarists you have the Virginall Psalter briefly brought down to St. Dominick who not only reviv'd its decayed use but is undoubtedly the Author of the Rosary as to the particular method and manner wherein we now recite it and who is the Beginner of this sacred Confraternitie whereof we are members as appears by the Bull of Pius Quintus whose last words we shall only here produce to avoid unnecessary prolixity in a matter of so great certainty The blessed St. Dominick say's he directed as is piously believ'd by Gods holy Spirit upon the like occasion that now happens in the Church when France and Italy were miserably ore-spread with the Albigean Heresie lifting up his eyes to Heaven and beholding that Mountain the glorious Virgin Mary Gods holy Mother invented and propagated a very easie plain and pious manner of praying call'd the Rosary or Psalter of the most sacred Virgin Mary whereby the said Blessed Virgin is honoured with the Angelical Salutation an hundred and fifty times repeated conformably to the number of Psalms contain'd in the Davidicall Psalter with our Lords Prayer interpos'd
Fathers help to hold them by the hand and direct their unskilfull footsteps We most devout Auditors are these little weaklings in the wilderness of this world unable of our selves to walk forward or work any thing Let us therefore have recourse to hâ—m from whom is all our force and sufficiencie humbly imploring his presence and assistance by saying Pater noster Our Father 2. If any were to pass over a Field full of Snakes Serpents Dâ—agons and all sorts of venemous creatures had they not need of some holy Guide who were free from being hurt by them Of some valiant Champion who were able to destroy them of some Powerfull Person who were capable to carry them on his shoulders above the reach of the stings and poysons of these ravenous Beasts We live alas in a land full of Infernall Dragons Christ only is this holy valiant and strong Champion who can deliver us from their dangerous morsures le ts therefore incessantly invoke his assistance saying Qui es Who art 3. If any were to pass through some dismall and darksom place had they not need of Heavens light to help them forward We sejourn here in darkness and in the shadow of death Christ is the Clarity of Heaven the shining Sun of Justice the bright Star of Jacob. Le ts therefore often lift up to him our eyes and hearts saying In Coelis In Heaven 4. If any were to make a journey during which whosoever should be caught in a deadly crime must presently be adjudg'd to death had he not need to be himself holy or to be in the company of holy persons we have such a journey to make and the soul that sins mortally dyes presently as to grace and Eternally without Gods great mercy To the end therefore that our selves may be sanctified and that we may be assisted by the Saints and by the Saint of Saints le ts often say Sanctificetur Hallowed 5. If any were to pass through an unknow Countrey to an unknown City had they not need to learn the language or rely upon some faithfull Interpreter Our Pilgrimage is through a strange land to enquire after a far future Citie where the Angells language is used and there are two Schools wherein this celestiall language is learned The Lords Prayer and the Angelicall Salutation Let 's therefore betake our selves seriously to our sacred Rosary and there humbly invoke that name which designs Gods Word by which all things were made saying Nomen tuum Thy Name 6. If any were to pass through the Territories of some cruell Tyrant who made bondslaves of all such as he could catch within his clutches had they not need to cast about for some means of succour in case of their surprisall The World is this Tyrant and Christ is our only succour to whom we must instantly and frequently sue and sigh saying Adveniat Regnum tuum Thy Kingdom come 7. If any were to pass through an enemies Dominion had they not need of a safe conduct or letters Patents The accomplishment of the divin Will says Saint Augustin is our chief liberty Le ts therfore amidst all our dangers produce these Patents pronouncing often Fiat voluntas tua Thy will be done 8. If any were to pass a Field overflow'd with water had they not need of a Ship to support them from sinking This World says S. Basil is a deluge of wickedness and this life is a flood of miseries wherefore lets fly to heaven for refuge saying frequently Sicut in coelo As it is in heaven 9. If the road be rough and rugged with Rocks Hills and Mountains unpassable by reason of boggs and quick-sands unsafe through Earthquaques c. had not the Pilgrims need to seek out some secure path whereby to escape such evident dangers Our souls are such Pilgrims in our bodyes encompass'd with calamities shaken with fears and apprehensions terrifi'd with visible and invisible enemies Let 's therefore walk in the way of our Lords Prayer which will surely lead us to Paradise and say often In terra In earth 10. If any live in a barren land oppress'd with famin and poverty must they not make some daily provision for victualls or els be sure to perish with hunger We live in a dismall desert in a place of horror and vast solitude says the Prophet Moyses Deut. 32.10 in a land of death famin and miserie and Prayer says S. Basil brings in the bread of life for our spirituall sustenance Let 's therefore betake us to our Psalter and pray frequently Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie Give us this day our daily bread 11. If any were engag'd in great sums to a severe prince who would infallibly punish them with death if they punctually payd not their debts yet promising freely to pardon all such as should humbly petition him were it it not a madness to refuse the asking of so great a mercy we are debtors to the Dâ—vin Justice and since we are uncapable to pay we are liable to Eternall Death unless we will pray humbly fervently perseverantly Dimitte nobis debita nostra Forgive us our trespasses 12. If any were presently to suffer a cruell death for their enormous crimes unless they would condescend to pardon some smaller offences of their neighbors were they not miserable unhappy obstinate wretches to deny it This Pardon is given and our own obtain'd by saying cordially Sicut nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris As we forgive them that trespass against us 13. If they who are grievously troubled with Diabolical Carnal Worldly temptations might be freed by the carryage of one little Stone about them were they not strangely stupid to neglect so small a matter for the obtaining so great a benefit our Lords Prayer is this precious Stone which say's St. Augustin preserves from all harms and illusions who then would not have it alwaies in his heart and mouth saying evermore Et ne nos inducas in tentationem and lead us not into temptation If finally any were to sayl over a boysterous sea beset on this side with Syrens Whales Gryphons all sorts of devouring Monsters on that side full of Rocks Sands Gulphs all sorts of death bringing danger And a King and Queen standing on the shore should proffer to give them two Gemms indu'd with power to prevent all these perills might they not be said willingly to perish who willfully refused them This is our case my Christian Auditors who are to sayl over the Sea of this life beset on every side with Devils Sins and all sorts of dangers and behold Christ our King and Redeemer offers us his efficacious Prayer and Mary our Queen Mother her Angelical Salutation to secure us from shipwrack O let us gratefully accept them and frequently repeat in our Psalter Sed libera nos a malo But deliver us from evill Amen This is the Summary of St. Dominicks sermon whereby he parabolically in imitation of our blessed Saviour and efficaciously
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
Mother of God and Man and entirely a pure and unspotted Virgin O News exclaims S. Bernard never before heard of A Mother and yet a Virgin A Virgin and yet a Mother Hail Mary 3. At her bringing forth without pain O You Blessed and the only Blessed amongst women says the same Saint who alone were exempt from the generall curse of all women But what wonder if he put his Mother to no pain at his birth who was born to take away all pain from the whole world Hail Mary 4. At the Angelicall Iubilation FOr She saw the heavenly Court rejoycing at her Sons Nativity and heard the alternate Echo's of their Glory to God on high and Peace on Earth to People of good will Hail Mary 5. At the vision of the divin Essence FOr if She frequently enjoy'd this priviledge in her life-time as is the opinion of many learned Fathers She now surely enjoy'd it in a most eminent manner when she brought forth Gods Son into the world Hail Mary 6. At the many benefits bestowed on Mankind by her Son's Birth TO wit The Exaltation of human Nature The Redemption of the World The satisfaction for sin The victory over Satan The Promotion of Man to vertu Sanctity Perfection The certainty of Faith The Erection of Hope The Encrease of Charity The conferring of an Eternall Life and Kingdom Hail Mary 7. At the multitude of miracles wrought then for his manifestation to the World FOr 1. A great bright unusuall Star invites the Wise-men to Bethleem stable 2. Three Suns appear in Spain soon after joyning themselves into one Body signifying says S. Thomas that the Flesh the Soul and the Deity of the then born Infant were united in one person 3. A golden circle encompasses the Sun in the midst whereof stands a beautifull Virgin with a child in her bosom which the Sybill shews to Octavian the then Roman Emperor with many other wonders declaring to the whol world the divin Majesty and glory of her new-born Son Hail Mary 8. At the Adoration of the Wise-men WHo exteriourly summon'd by the appearing Star and interiourly instructed by the Holy Ghost came and fell down at his feet full of Faith Religion and Devotion and there brake forth into Acts of Adoration and extasies of Admiration Hail Mary 9. At their mysticall offrings WHich were Gold as to a great King Frankincense as to a true God Myrrh as to a mortall man who was to dy for the worlds Redemption Hail Mary 10. At the Vocation Conversion and Salvation of the Gentills WHereof she saw a happy beginning in these holy Kings Hail Mary Glory be to the Father and to the Son c. These prayers Angelicall with bended knee c. Affections Elevations Petitions O Great Monarch of Heaven and Earth Is your Mercy your Compassion and your Charity to poor Mankind so excessive as that you should thus descend from your Throne of Majesty into a vale of misery for our salvation O Virgin-Mother the choyce Chamber Temple and Tabernacle of Gods Son the Queen of Heaven and Lady of the World Be you Eternally blessed who have been found worthy to bring forth the so long desired and expected of all Ages O Jesu My Lord and my Redeemer who were born of a poor Handmaid wrapp'd in poor Swathes hous'd in a poor Stable Bedded in a poor Cribb Give me true poverty of spirit and a perfect contempt of all worldly honours and greatnesses O sweet Saviour of the World who call'd the Kings to acknowledge and adore you in your Cradle and commanded them to return back by another way into their Countrey Call and compell my rebellious heart unto you by the powerfull light of your efficacious grace shining in my interiour and dispersing all darkness and indevotion in my soul that I may there find you feel you see you adore you and offer up to your divin Majesty the Myrrh of true compunction and mortification The Frankincense of fervent Prayer and devotion the Gold of ardent love and affection O grant that I may henceforth more faithfully follow your holy lights vocations and inspirations which will conduct me into the right way leading to my heavenly home out of which I have hitherto stray'd by my own wilfull malice negligence and sinfullness O my glorious new-born King Christ Jesu you were pleas'd to want a lodging upon Earth that you might lodge me in Heaven To be deprived of all worldly conveniences that you might heap on me your Celestiall comforts To embrace Poverty Humility self-contempt abnegation annihilation that you might inrich me with all the spirituall Treasures of vertu and perfection And shall I gape after temporall goods and glories seek for fleshly solaces and satisfactions place my affection upon poor and perishable trifles No my dear Redeemer I will henceforth endeavour to imitate your most perfest Example And O that I were sincerely willing to abandon all truly content to be abandon'd by all and really resolv'd to submit my self and all to your sacred will and disposition that so I might be absolutely conformable to you my All and All O holy Virgin O happy Mother how sweetly is my Soul ravish'd in the contemplation of that unspeakable joy and gladness which your dilated heart felt when you first embrac'd the long desired of all Nations in your tender folds I congratulate this your happiness O glorious Mother of my good Jesus and humbly creeping in amongst the holy crew of admiring Angells Kings and Shepheards I affectionately present you with these my meaner Canticles of conjubilation We were the poor banish'd miserable progeny of our unfortunat mother Eve we were the wretched Bond-slaves of sin and Satan we were the forlorn lost and stray'd sheep wilfully fled away from our faithfull Shepheard We were the Prodigall children carryed abroad by our own concupiscences from our loving Father and by your Sons means O Blessed and most fortunate Mother we are disingaged deliverd redeem'd from all these miseries woes and disasters O the happy change of our unhappy condition O Eternally Blessed Tree and Blessed Blossom Blessed Womb and Blessed Fruit Blessed Mary and Blessed Jesu The fourth joyfull Mystery offer'd THe Oblation and Presentation of Christ to his Eternall Father in the Temple And the Purification of his Blessed Mother Luc. 2. The Virgin 's purifi'd her dear Son warm's Old Simeons breast presented in his arms Our Father c. The Blessed Virgin exceedingly rejoyced 1. At the carriage of her sweet Son Iesus FOr upon the fortith day after our blessed Saviours birth she cheerfully sets forth of Bethleem stable with her little Jesus in her armes and S. Joseph in her company towards Jerusalem to fulfill the Law of Moyses and to offer up her Son to his Eternall Father in the Temple And though she had just reason to dread King Herods cruelty yet she was more afraid to offend the divin Majesty The way says Ludolphus was five miles long yet she felt not the least
FOr the spitefull Pharisees hearing the Apostles speaking all sorts of languages sought to undervalue the miracle by vilifying them as Drunkards but St Peter standing up in his own and his brethrens defence solidly refutes their malicious imputation to the great joy admiration and confirmation of all the Auditors and confusion of his enemies Hail Mary 7. At the sodain multiplication of the faithfull FOr St. Peters efficacious Oration was no sooner ended but three thousand Souls were presently converted to the Faith of Christ and forthwith baptizd in his name and five thousand more within few dayes after Hail Mary 8. At the fructification of Christs Passion FOr the blessed Virgin-Mother saw not only the present fruits of her Sons death and sufferings spread abroad in the Apostles and the new converted Christians but she also foresaw the future multitude of martyrs who should couragiously dy for his love besides the vast number of confessors virgins and religious Persons who should cheerfully take up their Crosses and faithfully follow him Hail Mary 9. At the great encrease of the divin honour and worship FOr Pagans Gentills Idolaters and people of all professions renouncing their ancient errors came flocking in amain to be instructed in the Faith of Christ and to follow the Evangelicall doctrin Hail Mary 10. At the accomplishment of the number of the Elect. FOr the blessed Virgin joyfully foresaw that all such souls as should depart this life in the true Faith of of her Son Jesus inform'd with charity were to be added to the number of the Saints and to be admitted to his heavenly Kingdom Hail Mary Glory be to the Father and to the Son c. These Prayers Angelical c. Affections Elevations Petitions O Glorious Creator How great is your Mercy how infinit your liberalitie How excessive your affection to undeserving and ungratefull Mankind After your only Son was so ill treated amongst us would you also send down the Holy Ghost unto us It plainly appears that we have a potent Advocate in Heaven Jesus Christ the just to plead our cause and a Powerfull Mother upon Earth Mary the Mother of Jesus to impetrate for us this extraordinary favour It is therefore the Mothers merit and the Sons Mercy and the Eternal Fathers liberalitie and the Holy Ghosts goodness that this holy Spirit descends from Heaven upon us A Spirit of life and love a Spirit of solace and sweetness a Spirit of grace and happiness a Spirit which comes in form of fiery tongues to clear our understandings with his light to inflame our wills with his heat and to govern our tongues and affections with his gracious direction A light which dazels not a fire which consumes not a tongue which threatens not accuses not condemns not O sacred and divin Spirit you are the Father of the afflicted the Distributer of graces the enlightner of hearts the comforter of Souls and alas how opposite are my actions to your properties perfections inspirations You descend to instill into me the spirit of sweetness meekness patience and I converse with such as are under my charge and with others who are perchance far better before you than my self with a spirit of choller and peevishness with a spirit of rigour and harshness with a spirit of revenge and bitterness Ah uncharitable wretch that I am shall I contristate my neighbour instead of comforting him shall I exact from others instead of conferring benefits upon them shall I under-value my brethrens actions censure their intentions obscure their reputations instead of putting a charitable construction upon all things whatsoever Change this my crooked and crabbed disposition O powerfull Spirit thâ— plentifull bestower of all perfect gifts by the efficacy of your sacred influence upon my soul purge me I beseech you from my present imperfections pardon me for my past impieties and prevent me from future fallings by implanting your spirit of true peace and charity in my interiour which may keep my heart evermore burning in the love of you and my neighbour till I come to be totally absorpt in you together with the coequall Son and Father in your blessed Eternitie Amen The fourth glorious Mysterie she dy's THe assumption of the blessed Virgin up to Heaven Allegorically understood by Maryes chosing the best part Luke 10. The Virgins sacred Corps too rich a prize For Earth is born by Angels 'bove the Skyes Our Father c. The glorious Virgin-Mothers heart was replenish'd with exceeding great joy 1. At the news of the near approaching dissolution of her soul and body FOr as the holy Doctors deliver unto us after the dispersion of the Apostles into the Worlds severall quarters to preach the Gospell the blessed Virgin retir'd her felf into a privat dwelling near adjoyning to Mount Sion that she might pass the remaining day 's of her Pilgrimage upon earth in the devout contemplation of her divin Sons actions and the frequent visitation of the holy places of his Baptism Fasting Passion Buriall Resurrection Ascention when behold at the time appointed by the eternall providence a heavenly Messenger probably the Arch-Angell Gabriel reverently saluting her in her Sons name informs her of her near approaching departure out of this life Hail Mary 2. At the securitie of heâ— Glorious and speedy Resurrection FOr as Albertus and all the Doctors agree she could not possibly doubt of her present and immediate Translation to Eternall happiness Hail Mary 3. At her dying without any dread terrour or trouble FOr how could She fear death who was so fervent in Charity as that she desired nothing more than to be dissolved and to be with Christ How could She be terrifi'd at Deaths approach who was absolutely free from all sin and impiety Or how could She be troubled at the apprehension of Gods severe Judgments who was secure of her salvation 4. At the presence of the Apostles at her departure FOr it is a generally receiv'd Tradition of the Fathers That all the Apostles were by divin instinct sodainly gather'd together from the worlds severall climats to honour her with their personall presence at this time of her earthly dissolution Hail Mary 5. At the sweet separation of her Soul aâ—… Body FOr say's S. Hierom as She was free from the corruption of the flesh so she was exempt from the calamities of Death And S. John Damascen The pain 's which she suffer'd not in childing and dying She payd at the time of Christs Passion Hail Mary 6. At the Ioyfull Re-union of her Soul and Body in her Resuscitation and Assumption into Heaven FOr according to S. Augustin There was no reason corruption should seize on her after death whose integrity was preserv'd in her life c. but 't was fit she should be always living who was the Parent of all life and that she should be always with him who for nine months space was with her in her womb c. Hail Mary 7. At Christ's meeting her accompanyed with the Heavenly
Citizens WHo can conceive say's S. Hierom how gloriously the world's Queen this day appeared with what affection the celestiall legions met her with what melodious Canticles she was conducted to her throne of glory with what an amiable and pleasing countenance her dear Son receiv'd her into his divin embraces and plac'd her above all other creatures c. Hail Mary 8. At her being exalted above all the Angelicall Orders and Hierarchies ACcording as the Church sings in her prayses You O sacred mother of God! are exalted above all the Quireâ— of Angells c. Hail Mary 9. At her being placed on her Sons right hand FOr as S. Hierom says we may piously believe that our Saviour seated her next to himself in the throne of his glorious Humanity How els had he accomplish'd what himself commanded Honour thy Father and Mother Hail Mary 10. At her being appointed the powerfull Advocatrix of mankind WE have Her to plead for us says S. Bernard who can suffer no repulse because she found grace with God Let us therefore seek Grace from the Fountain of Grace by the Finder of Grace and whatsoever we offer to the divin Majesty Let us commend it to Mary that so all may return to the Author of Grace by the same channell whereby it ran unto us Hail Mary Glory be to the Father and to the Son c. These prayers Angelicall c. Affections Elevations Petitions O Sacred Virgin-Mother your Deifi'd Soul is not forc'd out of your dying Body by the violence of pains but sweetly leaves it in an extasie of love O how welcom how amiable how desirable is death to a Soul that is well setled in the fear of God and fully confirm'd in the divin love and favour And how easily is that thing quitted without any affliction which is possess'd without overmuch affection Thrice happy he who so prudently regulates the use of life as to be always prepar'd to yeild it up to Death Happy he who patiently cheerfully resignedly endures the inconveniences of this soon-passing Pilgrimage in hope of a never-ending felicity in the heavenly Paradise Happy he who willingly deprives himself of this worlds most pleasing contentments upon confidence of laying up therby more solid pleasures in the Magazin of Eternity O glorious Virgin who have left me so perfect a Pattern of living vertuously and of dying happily Assist me I beseech you both in the one and the other I humbly acknowledg to my own great shame and sorrow that my life hath been hitherto far wide from the Imitation of your holy example But O pious Mother passing by my former indignity and pittying my present necessity take my perishing cause into your maternall consideration strengthen my Resolution of living vertuously for the future and assist me in that dreadfull hour of my deaths agony O let your Prayers patronage and protection then fortifie my Faith in its apprehension of the approaching Eternity Encourage my Hope in its consideration of the severe Judgment then near at hand and inflame my Charity in its last tendency to the long desired object of my Soul I now contemplate you great Empress seated there above in a throne of Majesty and satiated with the fulness of glory and felicity And I also consider you the still compassionate Mother the powerfull Mediatrix the pious Advocatrix of poor Mankind Wherefore I humbly begg for the love of your holy Son JESUS and by all that is dear to you in Heaven and Earth leave me not in that last hour but cast then your Eyes of mercy and favour upon me so shall I not doubt to be translated from a temporall death to an Eternall life and to remain perpetually with you in the perfect enjoyment of that fountain of life and love to which you are happily assumpted The fifth Glorious Mysterie Is Crown'd THE Coronation of the Blessed Virgin in Heaven The blest Promotress of all Chast desires Is Crowned Queen of th'Celestiall Quires Our Father c. THE Blessed Virgin Mothers Soul was fill'd with inexplicable joy 1. At her being seated upon a Royall throne in the celestiall glory WHere says S. Hierom the Immaculat Virgin-Mother was triumphantly plac'd next to her glorious Son Jesus in the celestiall Palace A Throne of Kingly glory says S. Augustin is prepar'd for you O great Queen-Mother in the Court of the heavenly Kingdom Hail Mary 2. At her being cloathed with Royall Garments ACcording to that saying of the Psalmist The Queen stood on thy right hand in a vesture of gold wrought about with divers colours Whereupon Saint Bernard extasiedly exclaims Gods Mother the worlds Lady Heavens Queen is elevated to the Eternall Fathers Throne and seated next to the sacred Trinity Where she stands on the Kings right hand in a golden garment To wit a body most pure and unspotted encompassed with variety that is a Soul enamell'd with all sorts of vertues Hail Mary 3. At her being adorn'd with Royall Iewells Ear-rings and Bracelets TO wit the Plenitud of all Prudence Science and Intelligence in her Soul and of Clarity Subtility Impassibility in her Body Hail Mary 4. At her being honor'd with a Royall Ring TO wit In her Soul which was the singular Spouse of the Eternall King a singular Joy Glory and felicity And in her Body which was singularly Instrumentall in the Eternall Words Incarnation a singular beauty Hail Mary 5. At her being grac'd with a Royall Scepter TO wit in her Soul by a speciall Power which was given her in Heaven and Earth and in her Body by a speciall prerogative of glory Hail Mary 6 At her being deck'd with a royall crown TO wit first with a generall Crown which is the substantiall and essentiall reward of Eternall glory and Beatitude consisting in the clear vision the perpetuall Fruition and the perfect possession of the Divinity This Crown corresponds to the three-fold Theologicall vertues in the Soul To Faith succeeds vision To Charity Fruition To Hope Possession Now as the sacred Virgin excells here all others in these vertues so her Crown out-shines there all others in Glory Hail Mary 7. At her being crown'd with the silver Aureola of Virgins FOr she being the Immaculat Mother of God and the unspotted Queen of all Virgins having none like her in the first nor any to parallell her in the Second is adorn'd with a Crown as far surpassing the Aureola's of other virgins as the Suns brightness excells that of the lesser Starrs Hail Mary 8. At her being crown'd with the golden Aureola of Martyrs FOr as She endured more than all Martyrs when the sword of sorrow pierc'd her heart at the time of her Sons Passion so she deserv'd a Crown above all Martyrs correspondent to her sufferings Hail Mary 9. At her being crown'd with the Starrie Aureola of Doctors FOr they who instruct others to Justice says the Prophet Daniel shall shine as Stars in perpetuall Eternity Now the sacred Virgin was the Teacher and
is the principall and indeed the only proper Feast of this Confraternity they are to Confess Communicate and be present at the solemnity then celebrated by their fellow members of this Confraternity in the place appointed by the Chief Director thereof 3. Upon the second Sunday of each month they are to Confess Communicate and assist at the solemn Mass and Procession of the Confraternity 4. They are with all possible care and diligence to avoid swearing not only in themselv's but also in all others admonishing checking and correcting as far as the Rules of Charity and Discretion will permit all such as shall inconsideratly and rashly Swear and Blasphem in their presence and hearing 5. They are to assist at the Anniversary of their departed Brethren celebrated upon the first vacant day after the Feast of the Circumcision The Plenary Indulgences omitting the many particular granted to this Fraternity In the year 1564. Idibus Aprilis Pope Pius the fourth the first Approver and Confirmer of this Confraternity endow'd it with most large Favours Priviledges and Indulgences and amongst the rest he granted to all the Members thereof who shall Confess Communicate and Assist at the divin service either in whol or in part upon the Feast of the Circumcision such Plenary Indulgences of all their sins as the Apostolicall Seat usually bestows in the year of Jubily upon all them who visit the Churches in and without Rome In the year 1580. 5th of September Pope Gregory the thirteenth grants a Plenary Indulgence to all the Members thereof who shall accompany the Procession which as also the Mass of this Confraternity he appoints to be had upon each second Sunday of the Month not otherwise hindred having confessed communicated and pray'd for the generally intended ends of the Church in the granting of all Indulgences to wit For the Peace of Christian Princes for the extirpation of Heresies for the exaltation of the Catholique Church c. In the year 1598. 2. of Februarie Pope Clement the 8th grants a plenary Indulgence to all the Members thereof Confessing and Communicating upon each day of the Festivities of the fifteen Mysteries of this Rosary of the Name of Jesus In the year 1606. 21. of October Paul the fifth grants a Plenary Indulgence at the entrance into this Confraternity to all such as shall then being truly penitent confess and Communicate and also to all such as shall devoutly call upon the sacred name of Jesus either by mouth or in heart at the Article of death And in the year 1612. 28. of September he renews and confirmes the former Grant of Gregory the 13. And lastly in the year 1626. Pope Vrban the 8. Grants also a Plenary Indulgence at the entrance into this Confraternity to all such as shall then Confess and Communicate c. and to all such as shall devoutly call upon the holy Name of Jesus at the Article of death The Manner of Reciting this Rosary of the holy Name of JESUS invented by Joannes Micon to implore Christs Mercy for our selv's and for all sinners is this Taking your Ordinary Bedes of the Rosary begin with the sign of the Cross either in Latin or in English In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Amen Then after the recitall of one Pater-noster Ave Maria and Creed begin thus V. Intend unto my ayd O. God R. Lord make hast to help me V. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost R. As it was in the Beginning is now and ever shall be world without end Amen The first part of this Rosary consists in the Repetition of these words fifty Times O Jesu Christ the Son of David have mercy upon us Meditating during the recitall of each Decade upon one of the Five Mysteries of the Life of Our Blessed Redeemer Christ Jesus and ending each Decade with Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost c. The Mysteries of the first Quinquagena or Fiftieth 1. Christs Incarnation 2. The Nativity of Christ in Bethleem 3. The Circumcision of Christ 4. The finding of Christ in the Temple disputing amongst the Doctors 5. The Baptizing of Christ in the River Jordan O Jesu Christ the Son of David have mercy upon us The second Part of this Rosary consists in the Repetition of these words also fifty times O Jesu of Nazareth King of the Jew 's have mercy upon us Meditating in like manner during the recitall of each Decade upon one of the Five Mysteries of the Death Passion of our Blessed Redeemer Christ Jesus and ending each Decade with Glory be to the Father c. as aforesaid The Mysteries of the second Quinquagena or fiftieth 1. The washing of the disciples feet 2. The Prayer in the Garden 3. The Apprehension of Christ in the Garden 4. The carrying of the Cross 5. The Descent into Hell O Jesu of Nazareth King of the Jewes have mercy upon us The third Part of this Rosary consists in the Repetition of these words also fifty times O Jesu Christ Son of the living God have mercy upon us Meditating likewise during the recitall of each Decade upon one of the Five Mysteries of the Glory of our Blessed Redeemer Christ Jesus and ending each Decade with Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the holy Ghost c. as formerly The Mysteries of the third Quinquagena or Fiftieth 1. The Resurrection 2. The Ascension 3. The sending of the Holy Ghost to his Church 4. The Crowning of the Virgin Mary and the Saints 5. The coming to Judgment O Jesu Christ Son of the Living God have mercy upon us A brief Declaration of the Crown of our Lord. THe devotion call'd the Crown of our Lord Or the Rosary of the age of Christ or the Crown of Camaldula was invented by one blessed Michael by birth a Florentin by profession a Monk of Camaldula a man of admirable piety and sanctity who chang'd this life for a happy immortality in the year 1522 since which time this manner of prayer hath been far and near propagated throughout the whol World with the Churches generall applause and approbation and to the great profit and comfort of all faithfull Christians The Tenor of the Brief of Pope Leo the 10th as far forth as it concerns the confirmation and declares the form of reciting this sacred Crown is as here follow 's Bishop Leo the servant of Gods servants to all aâ—d singular the faithfull people of Christ to whom these his letters shall come sends greeting and the Apostolical Benediction We have lately had notice from persons worthy of belief that a certain antient Hermit of the sacred Wilderness of Camaldula having already finish'd fifteen years of his earthly Pilgrimage in great austerity as a Recluse shut up within the narrow limits of one only Cell Hath conceiv'd by divin inspiration as may be piously believ'd from whence every right
thought proceeds that it would much redound to the honour of Christ our Lord and Saviour and conduce to the encrease of devotion in the hearts of all pious Christians If as according to the very ancient institution and generally receiv'd custom severall godly people use to recite sixty three Angelicall Salutations with our Lords Prayer seven times interpos'd in honour of the most blessed Virgin Mary according to the number of years which she is esteem'd to have liv'd upon earth which kind of prayer is call'd the Virgins Crown so they would also inure themselv's to recite thirty three Lords Prayers interposing four Angâ—lical Salutations in the honour of our Redeemer for a commemoration of the years in which he convers'd upon earth amongst men which would be as it were our Lords Crown c. We whom it behoves to promote the honour of our Lord Jesus Christ as farr forth as he shall enable us and to add fewell to the devotion of his faithfull flock Do approve and confirm the aforesaid manner of Prayer invented by that ancient and recluded Hermit and will have it call'd the Crown of our Lord c. Given at Florence the 18 of Feb. in the year 1516. The same Rosary or Crown of our Lord was afterwards confirm'd by Pope Gregory the 13. and endow'd with more and greater Indulgences vide Augustinum Florentinum Lucam Eremitam Bucelinum in Annalibus Benedictinis c. The Crown therefore consisting of 33. Pater Nosters or Lords Prayers consonant to the number of years in which our dear Redeemer convers'd with men in his human flesh upon earth to merit for us a happy Crown of Glory in Heaven and of four Ave Maries or Angelical Salutations with one Creed added for a conclusion is divided into four parts whereof the three first parts are Decades or Tens there being in each of them a ten-times-repeated Lords Prayer and one Angelical Salutation and in the fourth part there is only a Thrice-repeated Lords Prayer with one Angelical Salutation and the Creed and may be recited as it is here distinctly set down with an additionall point of Meditation upon some of the pious Mysteries of our Saviours life and a short Aspiration which may easily be dilated with more affections and resolutions according to each ones Spirit of devotion The first Part of the Crown of our Lord. Of Christs coming into the World 1. OUr dear Redeemer descended from his royall Throne from his eternall Fathers Bosom from his happy Heaven into this vale of misery and cloath'd himself with human flesh in the holy Virgins Womb. O Jesu how excessive is your Mercy how infinit your affection how stupendious your condescendency to undeserving man Ah! that my heart were perfectly free from all that displeases you that so it might deserve perpetually to harbour you Our Father 2. HE being conceiv'd inspir'd his sacred Virgin Mother to take a journey into the Mountains of Judea there to visit salute and serve St. Elizabeth her Kinswoman O Jesu that my soul were alwaies pliable docible obedient to correspond to your sweet and sacred impulses motions and aspirations how cheerfully should I then serve your soveraign Majesty and how charitably should I assist my necessitous neighbour Our Father 3. AFter he had been carryed nine months in his Mothers chast entralls he was born in a cold Stable wrap'd in poor raggs cradled in a hard Cribb O Jesu make me in love with poverty humility and mortification which you have made so amiable by practising them in your own divin person Our Father 4. THe Angells congratulate his happy birth with their heavenly Canticles and the shepheards humbly joyfully and admiringly adore him O Jesu let my tongue incessantly sing forth your Prayses let my heart perpetually breath forth acts of gratitude for your Mercies and let my soul sweetly melt away in her reciprocall affections Our Father 5. UPon the eighth day after his Nativity he was circumcis'd and call'd Jesus O Jesu O sacred and sugred Name O Jesu be unto me a Jesus O that my tongue heart and hands with all my senses powers and faculties of body and soul were truly circumcis'd from all superfluous curious vitious inclinations passions and affections that so I might never more think speak or act any thing offensive to your divin will and liking Our Father 6. HE was diligently sought out by the Eastern Sages humbly ador'd by them and highly honoured by their royall Presents and Oblations O Iesu let me never leave seeking till I find you the only belov'd Object of all my affections and strengthen me sweet Iesu to make a totall Oblation Consecration and Resignation of my whol self to your holy will and pleasure entirely irrevocably eternally Our Father 7. HE was carryed to the Temple in his sacred Mothers arms to be presented as her first-born to his eternall Father shewing himself in all things subject to the Law O Iesu shall not I humble my self and submit to all men for your sake Our Father 8. HE to avoid Herods cruelty sustain'd a tedious banishment in his tender years O Jesu give me patience in all my persecutions temptarions and troubles and let not my grievous sins banish me from your sweet grace and presence Our Father 9. HE return'd from Egypt after his seven years sufferings O Jesu let your efficacious grace recall me from vice to vertu let me return into you my first Origin and let me repose in you my only center and security Our Father 10. HE dwelt with his Parents in t he City Nazareth O Jesu dwell in my soul here by your grace that my soul may dwell with you hereafter in your eternal glory Our Father O Sacred Virgin-Mother who having conceiv'd your divin Son without sin and brought him forth without sorrow serv'd him so diligently during the time of his minority appease him I beseech you in my behalf by your powerfull Prayers and intercession Hail Mary The second Part. Of Christs Conversation amongst men 1. OUr dear Redeemer being twelve years old went up with his Parents to Jerusalem to perform his devotions where he was lost sought and after three day's found in the Temple O Jesu replenish my heart with solid devotion that sincerely seeeking you I may happily find you and having found you I may faithfully keep you company in my interiour for evermore Our Father 2. HE return'd with his Parents to Nazareth and was subject unto them O Iesu break my rebellious will that I may promptly obey you and my Superiors according to your most perfect trample Our Father 3. HE being thirty years old was baptiz'd by St. Iohn in the river Iordan O Iesu permit not my sinfull soul to pass forth of my body till it be baptiz'd in a river of tears and restor'd to purity by the Sacrament of Penance Our Father 4. HE fasted forty dayes and nights in the Desert and was tempted by the Devill O Iesu give me courage to subdue all
apply my self to you I will transfrom my self into you I lose my self and Abysm my self in you for you are my God and I am your Creature you are my Soveraign and I your vassall you are my Redeemer and I your Bondslave 14. A totall Reference and Oblation of our selv's to Jesus THese are your qualities and these my endeavours and duties I accept of them and entirely yeild up my self And I make an Oblation to you of my Obedience of my servitude and of my Absolute dependency upon you and this I offer up to you for evermore I render up and totally submit my self to the motion of your Spirit and to the efficacious conduct of your Grace establish'd on Earth in Heaven by the new Mysterie of your Incarnation And I will have no other repose upon earth than in your labours no other delight than in your Cross no other life than in your death no other solace than in your sufferings as it is your Will that I should in Heaven and in Eternity have life in your life felicity in your felicity Paradise in your Paradise fruition in your fruition and subsistency in your Divinity ELEVATIONS TO THE SACRED TRINITY UPON The Mysterie of the Incarnation TO ADORE the Supream Greatnesses of JESUS and to offer up our selv's unto him in the estate of humble servitude and absolute dependency which is due to him by reason of the ineffable union of the Divinity with the Humanity HOLY Divin and Adorable Trinity in the Unity of your Essence in the Society of your Persons in the fecundity of your Emanations I prayse and adore you in the sublimity of your Greatnesses and I Abysm my self in the profundity of your Councills and in the extent of your Mercies 1. God Created two Natures capable of himself upon one he exercises his Justice upon the other his Mercy YOU have created two Natures capable of your self That of the Angell and that of Man You will exercise upon one of them your Justice and upon the other your mercy I Adore you in this your will and I give you thanks for this your Councill which you held from all Eternity in the excess of your miserations Councill most sublime and most profound Councill most holy and most sacred to unite one day and for evermore human nature to your Divin Essence 2. The Mystery of the Incarnation is the head-work of Gods Love and Power And what is proper to the Person of thâ— Father in the Mysteries of the Trinity and Incarnation O Eternall Father who do produce in your self an only Son equall to your self and do produce him out of your self by a second and new Nativity choosing him to unite in his person your nature and ours I prayse and bless you as God and as Father an ds God and Father of this only Son Jesus Christ our Lord. You beget him eternally and you bestow him as another your self in this unspeakable generation and since the Moment chosen by your wisdom you give him incessantly to this humanity derived from the Virgin Happy Moment which serv'd for the Beginning of this great work the head-work of your love and power O God and all-powerfull Father be you Eternally blessed in this moment in this work in this love Love by which you powre out of your self this Celestiaâ—l dew this divin substance this pretious gift which the World and the blessed Virgin receiv's and in her our nature Work wherein is accomplish'd the work of your works the mysterie of your mysteries the mysterie of the Incarnation Moment in which our nature receiv'd and that for an evermore the Person of your only Son for her peculiar Person and this by a tie so sacred so divin so inward and conjoyn'd to your Divinity 3. What is proper to the Person of the Son in these Mysteries O Only Son of God! who do give your Essence to the Holy Ghost and your Person to our Humanity by an ineffable and secret Power of your Love I prayse you contemplate you and adore you in your self and in these two different donations you eternally produce the Holy Ghost and give him the same essence which you have receiv'd of the Father you create and form a new man by a new effort of your grace and power and you give your self to him uniting his nature to your own Person nor do you ever cease in this union and divin donation you thus worthily and divinly exercise your love you conspire in unitie with the Father in these two great donations the one Eternall the other Temporall and you fill up with the one times fullness and with the other the fullness of Eternitie blessed be you in time and in Eternitie When you discoursed of your self to your most inward and familiar friends that is to your Apostles in the last hour of your life you then nam'd your self Life and so you are the Life and Originall of Life and of Love in the thrice sacred Trinity which Death cannot bereave you of but in the the excess of your love you would yet become a new Life and a new beginning of Life and Love in your humanity Blessed be you in this will and in this love Love depressing and exalting Love annihilating and deifying Love crucifying and glorifying for this Love elevates the humanity and depresseth the divinity this Love annihilates in a manner your nature and deifies ours this Love puts you on the Cross and placeth us â—n Glory and finally this Love transforms us into you not only by communication of qualities but even by communication of substance O Son of God! I love you and I adore you in this love in this annihilation in this powerfull transformation 4. What is proper to the Person of the Holy Ghost in these Mysteries FRom you I come to the Holy Ghost who proceeds from you as you proceed from the Father for in this way of Life and Love I trace the order of the divin Processions and sources of Life and after the Son I address my self to you O Fountain of Life O holy Spirit Spirit of Truth of Life and of Love and I adore you in your self for you are God in the unity which you have with the Father and the Son I adore you in your Emanation for you proceed from them and you are their Spirit their Tye their Love and I again adore you in the admirable operation which you exercise in the time ordain'd by the eternall wisdom for it is the highest and holyest Operation which can be terminated out of your self Operation which environs the worthiest person that ever shall be next to the divin Persons that is the Person of the Virgin Operation which depresses and exalts her depresses her even into the center of her nothing drawing from her these sacred words Behold our Lords hand-mayd and exalts her to the greatest dignity which shall ever be communicated either to her or to any other making her Mother of God
Joyfull Mysteries The first Joyfull Mystery branch'd into ten heads or points of Meditation with Affections Elevations Petitions 309 The second Joyfull Mystery 318 The third Joyfull Mystery 327 The fourth Joyfull Mystery 337 The fifth Joyfull Mystery 348 The second Part of the Rosary containing the five Dolorous Mysteries 359 The first Dolorous Mystery divided into ten heads or points of Meditation with Affections c. 360 The second Dolorous Mystery 372 The third Dolorous Mystery 381 An Anthem and Prayer in honour of the sacred Crown of Thorns 391 The fourth Dolorous Mystery 392 The Fifth Dolorous Mystery 400 The third Part of the Rosary containing the five Glorious Mysteries 410 The first Glorious Mystery drawn into ten heads or points of Meditation with Affections 411 The second Glorious Mystery 421 The third Glorious Mystery 431 The fourth Glorious Mystery 440 The fifth Glorious Mystery 450 The first Appendix JESUS or the Confraternity of the most Sacred Name of JESUS with Elevations sutable thereunto 462 The Author and origin of this Confraternity 463 The reason and end of its Institution 463 The five Rules of it 463 The plenary Indulgences omitting many partiall granted to it 465 The manner of reciting this Rosary of the Name of Jesus 467 A brief Declaration of the Crown of our Lord. 471 Its Author Origin Manner of reciting and Confirmation by Pope Leo the tenth 472 The Crown of our Lord consists of 33. Pater nosters and of 4. Ave Maria's with one Creed added for a Conclusion 473 The first Part Of Christs coming into the World consists of Ten Pater nosters and One Ave Maria with points of Meditation and Elevations upon each Pater noster 474 The second Part Of Christs Conversation amongst men consists likewise of Ten Pater nosters and One Ave Maria with points of Meditation and Elevations correspondent to this Decade 479 The third Part Of Christs bitter Death and Passion consists also of Ten Pater nosters and One Ave Maria with points of Meditation and Elevations as in the two precedent parts 483 The fourth Part Of Christs glorious Triumph after death consists only of Three Pater nosters and One Ave Maria with points of Meditation and Elevations correspondent 487 Thirty-three Elevations and Petitions to Jesus in honour of the Thirty-three years of his holy Life 490 An Advertisement to the Practisers of these sacred Devotions 493 Elevations to Jesus Christ our Lord on honour of his severall estates and of the singular Mysteries of his Life To adore the Supream Greatness of Jesus and offer our selves to him by way of humble servitude and absolute Dependencie which is due to him in consequence of the ineffable union of the Divinity with our Humanity 495 1. The Eternall Greatness of the Word Incarnate 496 2. The equality and consubstantiality of the Divin Persons in a perfect distinction is a wonder in God himself 497 3. God low's himself to us and makes himself one of us 498 4. Gods Son gives his Eternall Essence and substance to our nature 499 5. Jesus is born lives suffers dyes for us 500 6. Jesus adores his heights by his lownesses and raises up his lownesses by his greatnesses 501 7. His excessive Love in the effusion of his Blood for us thereby testifying the effusion of his greatness goodness also upon us 503 8. Jesus is all ours and we are all his yea we are in him we live in him we are parts of him 504 9. The perfection of a Christian requires That Jesus live in him and that he imprint in his Soul the spirit and life of his Estates and Mysteries 506 10. The principall mysteries of Jesus apply'd to our sanctification and his qualities and Offices referr'd to our use 508 11. By how many Titles we belong to Jesus and Jesus to us 509 12. Jesus is Gods gift unto us and what this gift demands of us with an explication of Christian Grace 510 13. Christian Grace is form'd upon the Mystery of the Incarnation which is its Modell and requires of us a particular manner of Oblation and donation to Jesus 512 14. A totall reference and oblation of our selves to Jesus 513 Elevations to the sacred Trinity upon the Mystery of the Incarnation To adore the Supream Greatnes of Jesus and offer up our selv's to him in the state of humble servitude and absolute Dependencie which is due to him by reason of the ineffable union of the Divinity with our Humanity 514 1. God creates two Natures capable of himself upon one he exercises his Justice upon the other his Mercie 515 2. The Mysterie of the Incarnation is the Head-work of Gods love and power And what is proper to the Person of the Father in the Mysteries of the TRINITY and Incarnation 516 3. What is proper to the Person of the Son in these Mysteries 517 4. What is proper to the person of the Holy Ghost in these Mysteries 519 5. Contemplations upon the Humanity of Jesus 520 6. Contemplation upon the associating of the B. Virgin in the Mystery of the Incarnation 521 7. An Oblation of humble servitude to Jesus and his Deifi'd Humanity 522 8. A larger expression of this servitude 523 9. The life of the Divinity in the Humanity 523 10. The denudation of Jesu's Human subsistencie is the cause that his Humanity and all its actions are appropriated to the Person of the Eternall Word by which it subsists 524 11. An Oblation of all that we are have and can to this sacred Humanity 525 12. Jesus is doubly in the state of a servant First by humbling his Divin Person to a created nature Secondly by dying on the Cross 526 13. An Oblation of our selves to Jesus in honour of this his double estate of being a servant 527 14. The continuance of this Oblation of servitude 528 15. A Confirmation of this our oblation of servitude 529 16. An ardent desire of an unseparable union with Christ 530 17. The Humanity of Jesus is the Temple of the Divinity 531 18. What great things are wrought in this Humanity 532 19. This Humanity is holy by the Divinity it self which is a substantiall sanctity flowing from him into himself and thence into us 533 20. And this sanctity sanctifies even that created Grace which is in himself 534 21. An humble yeilding submitting and dedicating of our whol selves to the Deifi'd Humanity of Jesus in the way of perpetuall Bondage 535 the second Appendix Maria or the Devotion call'd the Bondage of the Blessed Virgin MARY with Elevations sutable thereunto 538 1. The Author and Origin of the Bondage 539 2. An ancient and authentick example of the practise of this Bondage 539 3. Whereupon this Devotion of the Bondage is grounded 542 The B. Virgin made up the chain of her Bondage with the links of 12. vertues 543 4. The Rules of this Devotion of the Bondage 545 The Blessing of the Chains for the Bondage 546 The Prayer and Oblation of our selv's in Bondage to