Selected quad for the lemma: saint_n

Word A Word B Word C Word D Occurrence Frequency Band MI MI Band Prominent
saint_n call_v day_n week_n 1,294 5 10.0218 5 false
View all documents for the selected quad

Text snippets containing the quad

ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A78208 Pious remarkes upon the life of S. Joseph spouse of the B. Virgin Mary mother of our Lord Jesus Christ. Written originally in French by Rd. father Paul Barrie Barry, Paul de, 1587-1661. 1700 (1700) Wing B973A; ESTC R231199 98,241 316

There are 16 snippets containing the selected quad. | View lemmatised text

effecting it by some Inhabitants of that place who herein testifi'd their good will Wherefore they transported themselves thither but found so little satisfaction at their first arrival meeting with so great and so many difficulties that they cou'd not so much as find a House to hire to live in that hereupon they resolv'd to return back to Aix from whence they came but first had their Recourse to Saint Joseph whom they had taken for Protector in this their Design and resolv'd for nine Days together to say his Litany after Mass But what appear'd as a wonderful effect of their Devotion before the end of the nine Davs a Priest of great worth and authority who had built a House and a Church adjoyning to it in honour of Saint Teresa near the said Town came to find out the Superiour to make her an offer both of the Church and House and to put her in Possession of all things else belonging thereunto Which ofler they accepted and presently the Religious took Possession of it and were settl'd there by the especial favour of Saint Joseph Who not only took them into his particular charge and care but plac'd 'em under the protection of his great Devote and dear Child Saint Teresa in a House and Church where she was greatly honour'd and where she desir'd her great Patron Saint Joseph shou'd be honour'd also Fifthly say at least the Prayer at the end of the Litany every Day or very often this being a short but a substancial and pleasing Devotion to him which qualities cannot but invite us to make use of it and thereby to imitate the Canons of Charters who Daily recite it as well to satisfie their own Devotion as to comply with the Pious desires of the Devout Henry Chicot their Benefactor and Founder of this Devotion I cannot here omit what will authorise this Devotion by relating how great an advantage it procur'd to a Religious House of Nuns which I heard from the Mouth of it's Superiour a few Months ago This Monastery had not receiv'd any Novices for a long time which much afflicted the Religious wherefore the Superiour thought it necessary to have recourse to Saint Joseph to beg his Assistance and therefore they resolv'd for six Month● together Daily to recite this hi● Prayer after Mass for this Intention which all the Religious Chearfully perform'd Which Devotion wa● no sooner begun but a young Lady of Quality with a good Fortune offer'd her self to Live and Dye with 'em in God's Service which favour will never be forgot by that Community and has oblig'd 'em to a constant Confidence in Saint Joseph as in a Father and particularly this his Child for having procur'd such a favour to them and her by his powerful Intercession Sixtly you may assign one Day in the Week for the Exercise o● some particular Devotion in honour of Saint Joseph Saturday seems to me the most proper Day upon which he may be joyntly honour'd and serv'd with his most Amiable Spouse 'T is now a Days a Devotion practis'd by some Pious Souls to assign or dedicate each Day in the Week to so me particular Devotion As Sunday to the honour of the Blessed Trinity and the Angel Guardian Munday to the honour of God the Father and for the Souls in Purgatory Tuseday to God the Son and Saint Ann. Wednesday to God the Holy Ghost and the Patron whose Name we bear Thursday to the honour of the Blessed Sacrament and Saint Barbara who rewards her Clients with Receiving their Viaticum or Communion before their Death Friday to the honour of the Passion of our Saviour And Saturday to the honour of the Mother of God and Saint Joseph her Spouse 'T is not convenient I shou'd here suggest what each one is to do that Day but leave it to the Affection or Devotion wherewith each one shall find himself inspir'd with all For Example some good Work as the giving of Almes the doing some Pennance or performing any of the Devotions before mention'd in this Chapter or whatever else the Holy Ghost shall inspire you let it be perform'd upon this Day in honour of the Person to whom you design your Devotion The seventh Devotion may be to call to mind the memory of the seven Dolours or Griefs that Afflicted Saint Joseph or of the seven Joys that were a constant Comfort to him throughout his whole Life Which you will find Compos'd after his Office and Beads Page 30. This was a Devotion that Saint Joseph himself taught to two Religious Men of the Holy Order of Saint Francis after he had deliver'd 'em from the danger of Death Who being cast away at Sea they happily laid hold of a Plank upon which they were tost to and fro upon the Waves for three Days and Nights together in this their Danger and Affliction their whole Recourse was to Saint Joseph begging his help and assistance in the sad Condition they were in Who appear'd to them in the Habit of a Young Man of a Beautiful and Comely Feature who incourag'd them to confide in his Assistance and as their Pilot Conducted them into a safe Harbour They desirous to know who their Benefactour was begg'd his Name that they might gratefully acknowledge so great a Blessing and Favour He told them he was Saint Joseph he advis'd them Daily to recite seven Pater Nosters and seven Ave Marys in Memory of his seven Dolours or Griefs and of his seven Joys and having sayd this he Disappear'd The seven Dolours of Saint Joseph I. The thought he had of forsaking his Spouse seeing her big with Child II. He seeing the Infant JESUS in the Crib shivering with cold and so ill accommodated III. Beholding the Wound of JESUS in his Circumcision and seeing him so early shedding his Blood for Love of Sinners IV. The Words of Simeon on the Day of the Purification of our Blessed Lady testifying that a Sword shou'd pierce our Ladies Heart V. His flight into Aegypt occasion'd by Herods Persecution VI. The news he heard as he return'd out of Aegypt that Archilaus was more Cruel than his Father Herod VII His loosing JESUS at twelve Years of Age when they went up to the Temple of Jerusalem The seven Joys of Saint Joseph I. That which he receiv'd by the Message of the Angel who bid him to Fear nothing but to take Mary for his Spouse II. The Adoration of the Angels Saluting our Saviour in the Crib and singing at his Birth the Hymn Gloria in Excelsis Deo III. The hearing the Salutiferous Name of JESUS from the Angel which as God-Father he was order'd to give the Son of God at his Circumcision IV. From the Words of Simeon when he foretold that CHRIST shou'd be the Salvation of many and the Glory of Israël V. From the falling down of the Idols of Aegypt at the Presence of our Saviour JESUS CHRIST VI. From the Command given him by the Angel to Return home with the Infant JESUS and
Work he had begun or to make one of his own upon the same Subject Which he perform'd both to satisfie his Friends Piety and his own Devotion to Saint Joseph the Canon also that he might the better evidence his signal Devotion to Saint Joseph in his last Will and Testament left a considerable Sum of Mony as a Foundation for a Yearly distribution to the Canons to oblige them Daily to sing his Hymn and Prayer in his honour hereby to habituate them to the Devotion of honouring and recommending themselves to this Saint Behold here the ten Lovers of Saint Joseph given us for an Example how to honour his Merits and how to put our selves under the shelter of his powerful Protection with assurance of the confiderable advantages we shall gain thereby But he has had very many other Clients besides these of both Sexes the number of which wou'd make too long a list for so short a Treatise yet I cannot omit the nameing a few more of them as first Blessed Joseph Herman of the Order of Saint Norbert who for his Devotion to Saint Joseph deserv'd to have the Name of Joseph given him by the Blessed Virgin who as Surius relates in his Life deserv'd her doing him also so great an honour as to take him for her Spouse because he honour'd her dearest Spouse Saint Joseph And as a token of indearment put her little Infant JESUS into his Armes that he might carry him therein as Saint Joseph had done Father Peter Cotton also of the SOCIETY of JESUS so well known all over France for his rare Vertues was also particularly Devoted to Saint Joseph which mov'd him to procure that the first Church in France that was honour'd with his glorious Name shou'd be Dedicated to him at Lyons near the place call'd the Bellcourt He had so tender an affection to him as thereby he mov'd Saint Joseph to Reveal to him the Day of his Death and to procure it upon his own Feast Saint Bridget and Saint Gertrude were commanded to be his Devotes and doubtless executed so advantagious a Command And those happy Carmelites Ann of Saint Bartholomew and Ann of Jesus who in this imitated their Foundress Saint Teresa were his constant and ferverous Clients I ought here also to recount those Writers who with so much Zeal have set forth his Perfections as Saint Bernard Saint Bernardin of Sienna Saint Chrysostom Saint Gregory Nazianzen Saint Peter Chrysologus Saint Thomas of Aquin the late James of Arana Charles Stangel Peter Moreles Stephen Bennet Charles of Saint Paul and many others who have set forth his Praises Nor ought we to forget those many Devout Souls of our own acquaintance who have had a great tenderness for his Service whereof some are still liveing both in the World and out of it in Religion and others gon to Heaven to reap the Fruit of this their Devotion But if these Examples have not force enough or power to effect what I pretend I shall endeavour to propose in the following Chapters such congruous and easie Devotions to this Saint as will of themselves incite us to Practise them CHAP. VI. Of the ordinary Devotions that may be Daily Exercised towards Saint Joseph ACTIONS are proper language and best expressions of Love they testifying by effects the truth of our good wishes and protestations to the Person we Love What do's the frequent repetition of I Love you I honour you great Saint Joseph and esteem you above all Saints after Jesus and Mary if this Love and Honour halts or stops heer and makes no farther progress than our Lips Wherefore all that I intend to say is to make our Love to this Saint no less effective than affective not that I require that every Point I set down shou'd be put in Practice but I propose several that the Pious Reader may make choice of that which most of all pleases him and all of 'em are so easie and profitable that none but a Soul that is harden'd against or disgusted with what conduces to her Eternal Happiness can dislike or be displeas'd with any of ' em The first Devotion is to have an Image or Picture either in our Chamber Book or Oratory And this was that which his Devout Client Saint Teresa practis'd who as her Life informs us set up over the Gates of all the Monasteries she Founded the Statues of Jesus Mary and Joseph and wherever she went carried with her a Picture of Saint Joseph which Picture is still kept at Avila nameing and styling him the Founder of her Order And that which occasion'd this her Devotion was a Conference our Saviour once had with her after she had Communicated for she being cross'd in the Foundation of the Monastery of Saint Joseph at Avila CHRIST bid her use all her endeavours to build this Monastery promising it shou'd be his own Work and that it wou●d be very agreeable to his Divine Majesty wou'd redound much to his honour and that he shou'd Faithfully be serv'd therein and Commanded her to call it the Monastery of Saint Joseph to set up Saint Joseph's and the Blessed Virgins Statue at the Gate Promising that he himself would with them be Guardian thereof Saint Teresa understanding his Will put all his Commands in execution ordering the Images to be plac'd as he had ordain'd Perhaps you 'll tell me you have neither House to build nor any Foundations to make Pardon ●●e if I tell you you lye under a great mistake since you have the Building of Perfection to raise the Foundation of a Vertuous Life to lay you are also to employ your Thoughts about an Habitation that you must live in for all Eternity One of the best means therefore to compass this great Work of our Salvation is a tender Devotion to Saint Joseph this is the best means to finish the Edifice of Perfection and to procure to our selves a happy and Eternal Habitation What Devotion therefore can be easier than this only to keep the Spiritual Image of Saint Joseph in our Thoughts and to procure it by carrying it in our Books by keeping it in our Closset and by leting it put us in mind to call upon him whom the Image represents and to beg his assistance in all our necessities By the help of such an Image a Gentelman of Venice was drawn from a most miserable to a most happy State of his Soul which had otherwise been lost The Story I shall hereafter relate in the XI Chapter with several others therein scited which prove the care he takes of the Spiritual Malady of those who are Devoted to him The second Devotion I propose is a particular and singular affection to some Mystery of his Holy Life Such as was that of his Marriage to the Blessed Virgin his Flight into Aegypt with our Saviour and the Blessed Virgin his Spouse or any other like unto these Blessed Agatha of the Holy Cross was wont to six her thoughts upon his happy Death
in the Armes of our most Merciful Redeemer And did I know to which of these my Pious Readers Inclinations wou'd most of all lead him I wou'd promote his Devotion thereunto But instead of this to shew how pleasing such Devotions as these are to Almighty God I will here relate what happen'd to a Devout Client of Saint Joseph a Religious Man of the Monastery of Monferat in Spain who was particularly Devoted to his voyage into Aegypt with JESUS and his Holy Virgin Mother It fell out that this Religious Man returning once very late to his Monastery lost his way and wandred so long up and down a Mountain some distance from it that at length he gave himself for lost by reason of the contagious effects that were occasion'd by the unwholsome Fogg's of that place or because he fear'd to become ● Prey to the Merciless savage Beasts of which the place was very full his fears and apprehentions increas'd with the darkness of the Night and caus'd him to recommend himself to Saint Joseph when upon a sudden he meets a grave Man leading an Ass which had a Woman upon it bearing an Infant in her Armes this happy incounter gave him ● wonderful Comfort which was increas'd when asking the way to the Monastery the Man who lead the Ass bad him follow him and he wou'd lead him the right way thither As they went their whole Discourse was of God and this with so much Fruit that never in his Lif● the Religious Man even in Prayer had felt the like Sweetness which was accompanied with no less Joy when he saw himself enter into the Village in which the Monastery was which joy was follow'd with no less astonishment when on a sudden his guide Disappear'd as soon as he had thus brought him out of all danger Which gave him presently the assurance that 't was Saint Joseph that had brought him out of this trouble and danger he was in whereby his Devotions to this great Saint was increas'd and also to that particular part of his Life to which he was before so particularly Devoted The third Devotion is to say every Day or at least once a weak his little Office which is in the Key of Paradise which is Printed at the end of this Book for the greater conveniency of those who desire to make use thereof This Office contains a continual Praise of Saint Joseph in which some of his Devotes who say it Daily others who say it every Saturday find great Comfort and no less Profit also And the great advantage that the Clients of Saint Joseph experience is his readiness always to acknowledge them as such and to assist 'em accordingly as appears by what some Years since happen'd at Loudun in France The Prioress of the Vrsulins of Loudun nam'd in Religion Sister ●ean of the Angels of the House of Cose was Possess'd by an Evil Spirit call'd Leviathan who exercis'd extraordinary violences and cruelties towards her she not knowing how better to defend her self against this his Tyrany made a Vow to say every Day the Office of Saint Joseph for a whole Year together and Weekly also to do some Pennance in his honour to obtain by his powerful Intercession a freedom from the Persecution she suffer'd from this her Infernal Enemy Two or three Days after she had made this Vow the Wicked Spirit left her at the first Exorcisme leaveing a Cross on the Fore-head of the said Religious as the Exorcist had enjoyn'd him and at the same time another Devil cry'd out Saint Joseph is come and has caus'd Leviathan to depart The fourth Devotion is Daily to recite the Litany of Saint Joseph which contain all the cheif Passages of his Life together with all the extraordinary Priviledges God bestow'd upon him And having lately seen a Manuscript of a certain Religious of the Order of Saint Bennet in which were set down amongst some particular Devotions to Saint Joseph A little Litany Compos'd in his honour in an Alphabetical order which pleas'd me very much it facilitating the Memory in relating it and therefore take occasion of giveing you the same in English after the same Order which if you like not you may make use of the great Litany which you will find in the Office of Saint Joseph Page 15. with the Prayer Page 5. THE ALPHABETICAL LITANY OF S. Joseph LORD have Mercy on us Christ have Mercy on us Lord have Mercy on us Jesus Receive our Prayers Lord Jesus Grant our Petitions O God the Father Creator of the World Have Mercy upon us O God the Son Redeemer of Mankind Have Mercy upon us O God the Holy Ghost Perfecter of the Elect. Have Mercy upon us Holy Trinity one God Have Mercy upon us Holy Mary Spouse of Saint Joseph Pray for us Holy Joseph Advocate of the Humble Pray for us Holy Joseph Blessed amongst Men. Pray for us Holy Joseph Confirm'd in Grace Pray for us Holy Joseph Defender of the Meek Pray for us Holy Joseph Exil'd with Christ into Aegypt Pray for us Holy Joseph Favorit of the King of Heaven Pray for us Holy Joseph Guardian of the Word Incarnate Pray for us Holy Joseph Honour'd amongst Men. Pray for us Holy Joseph Idea of Humility and Obedience Pray for us Holy Joseph Kind Intercessour for the Afflicted Pray for us Holy Joseph Lilly of Chastity and Temperance Pray for us Holy Joseph Mirrour of Silence and Resignation Pray for us Holy Joseph Nurfing Father to the Sou of God Pray for us Holy Joseph Obsequious Servant to the Son of the Blessed Virgin Mary Pray for us Holy Joseph Patron of the Industrious and Innocent Pray for us Holy Joseph Quintessence of all Vertue Pray for us Holy Joseph Ruler of the Family of Jesus Pray for us Holy Joseph Spouse of the ever Blessed Virgin Pray for us Holy Joseph Theatre of all Glorious Priviledges Pray for us Holy Joseph Vnion of all Christian Perfections Pray for us O Lamb of God who takest away the Sins of the World Spare us O Lord. O Lamb of God who takest away the Sins of World Hear us O Lord. O Lamb of God who takest away the Sins of the World Have Mercy upon us Pray for us O Holy Joseph That we may be made worthy of the Promises of Christ The Prayer ASSIST us O Lord we beseech thee by the Merits of the Spouse of thy most holy Mother that what our unworthiness cannot obtain may be giv'n us by his Intercession Who livest and reignest with the Father in the unity of the Holy Ghost World without end Amen But the better to excite you to a Practise of this Devotion of re●●●eing the Litany of this great Saint I shall here set down some particular Favors obtain'd by the recital of them either every Day or only for a certain time prefixt The Religious of the Order of Saint Vrsula had a defign to settle themselves in Lambesa in Province some Years since upon hopes given 'em of
sit For tho' it wou'd have been an incredible satisfaction to the Faithful to have had him as much Lov'd and honor'd during the whole time of the Law of Grace as now yet God wou'd reserve this Joy and Contentment for these latter Years And therefore the Devout and Learn'd Bellarmin was wont to call this Age in which we now Live the Age of Saints He judging the number of Persons that arrive to an eminent degree of Sanctity by makeing Petfection the chief and whole study of their Lives to be far greater in these our Days than ever ir was in former Ages No time therefore cou'd be better for the acknowledging and serving Saint Joseph the greatest of Saints than the Age of Saints wherein the Splendor of his Perfections might appear so much the more Glorious by how much it had been for so many Ago● Eclipsed and lain under a Cloud O how wonderful is God in all his Designs And how good is he to us who Live in this Age Since he depriv'd former Ages of the Beauty of this Sun and ordain'd it shou'd break through that Cloud it lay hid in in this our Age to give us this most bright Day and to move us to a servent Love and Devotion to Saint Joseph Moreover the Divine Providence has in this which is one of the chief works of Grace acted after the same manner as he do's in the rarest Master-pieces of Nature 'T is his special Favor that permits us to enjoy the sight of these Beautiful Objects which are the product of his Divine Creation Such as are Diamonds Rubies Emerods Pearls and all other sorts of Precious Stones that gives us also a sight of Gold Silver and other resplendent Metals yet there are far greater Treasures of this kind buried in the Bottom of the Sea and in the Bowels of the Earth than ever we have yet seen or heard of His Bounty let 's us also behold the many Beautiful Flowers Plants Trees Birds and Beasts together with that wonderful and agreeable variety of so many beautiful Faces of Men Women and Children the wonders of the Universe yet God has layd up and kept a reserve of all these Objects far more Beautiful than any we have ever yet seen He permits us also to behold the most glorious objects of the Sun Moon and Stars tho' their distance hinders us in some measure from perceiving that wonderful Beauty they contain in themselves But there are far greater richer and more beautiful Objects than all these in the Empyrial Heaven which God has still conceal'd from us which are as far above the Sun in Beauty as the Empyrial Heaven is above it in Height Tho' God's Liberality and Bounty towards us in affording us the Contemplation of all these Beautiful Objects is a great mark of his Goodness Yet he has been far more gracious towards us in shewing us the wonderful works of his Grace than in discovering to us the foresaid works of Nature By giving us some knowledge of those wonderful ornaments of the Empyrial Heaven especially of those two great Luminaries Jesus and Mary which adorn and imbelish his Heavenly Pallace together with a great number of other Saints also who like so many Blaeing Stars Beautifie his Caelestial Hierusalem or Vision of Peace And tho' we must own our sight too short and even too weak to behold these great Lights whose number is beyond our casting up and whose Beauty and Glory exceed our Imagination because we can have no full and compleat knowledge of 'em till we be so happy as to enjoy their company by being plac'd with them in the Celestial Court Yet we must nevertheless acknowledge this imperfect and abstractive knowledge he gives us as a special favour and also that he has after so extraordinary a manner been pleas'd to discover to us in this our Age one of the Richest Treasures of Heaven for Greatness Sanctity and Glory which for so many foregoing Ages he had conceal'd from the World that we may inrich our selves by paying due honour and affection to him whom he had rais'd to the honour of being the Foster Father of Jesus and Spouse of the Virgin Mary and hereby gain those Heavenly Blessings that accompany such a Devotion And 't is no less for Saint Joseph's greater honour than our greater merit that God has reserv'd the discovery of his Merits till our Days We also know that except the work of Creation of all things out of nothing that nothing is done here upon Earth without fit Dispositions and due Preparations The Painter prepares his Pallet with Colours and primes his Cloath before he begins to Paint The Architect squares and makes ready his Timber Stone and other Materials before he begins to Build The Gold-smith refines his Silver and hammers out his Plates before he begins to imboss his Work Ladies make up their Commodes all their other Ornaments and Rich Attire before they Dress or Adorn themselves A good Rhetoritian prepares and disposes his Matter and Figures to adorn his Oration before he Composes it Nay we see that even all sorts of Artisans prepare both Tools and Matter to work upon and great preparations are made before any excellent Piece of Work can be accomplish'd and when 't is done 't is also necessary that the Beholders shou'd be duly inform'd and well dispos'd for the better conceiving understanding and admiring it's Perfections God therefore would dispose the World to conceive and understand the great Perfections of Saint Joseph before he wou'd discover to them such a Master-Piece And not only Art but Nature also do's produce her Works by degrees nor do's she furnish them without many Previous Dispositions and Trials of her Skill For according to Pliny who search'd more narrowly into her Works than any other Naturalist has ever done ●●ys that † Campanula rudimentum est Naturae Lilia facere addiscentis The Bell-flower is an Essay 〈◊〉 Tryal of Nature how to make a ●●illy or Tulip For after she has thus ●ade or produc'd it of one Colour ●he takes still longer time as the ●●ost experienc'd Florists inform us ●o Adorn Trace and Paint it after ●o Artificial a manner with so many ●indes of rich resplendent Colours ●s render it so very Beautiful that ●he Divine Wisdom gives it this high Commendation saying * Nec Salomon in omni Gloria su● coopertus est sicut unum ex illis Matth. 6.29 That Salomon in all his Glory was not so Richly Attir'd as one of these Yet Nature do's not Communicate this Beauty to them but by degrees and after several tryals of her Skill for she first rais'd it from Seed only of one Colour which Colour also is very indifferent and ordinary in respect of those Colours wherewith she afterwards Stripes Traces and Adorn's it Now if from the Works of Art and Nature we have recourse to those of Grace immediately wrought by God himself we shall find he takes the self same
him in his last Agony leaning on his Pillow taking him by the Hand and receiving his last Breath from his Lips and at his last Groan clos'd his Eyes shut his Mouth and form'd his Visage with his own most Divine Hand to give him a graceful Aspect at his last farewell Are not all these extraordinary marks of Jesus his particular Love to Saint Joseph The second we find inroul'd amongst the fervorous Lovers of Saint Joseph is Mary the Mother of Jesus she Lov'd him in quality of her Spouse never any Virgin Lady was so Faithfully Loving so Chastly Observant so Religiously engaging in her Conversation with her espous'd Husband as Mary was to her Joseph He was Most passionately lov'd and esteem'd by her as the Protector of her Consecrated Virginity and also the conserver of her Honour Whose Conversation was a security to her unblemish'd Reputation against any reproach that cou'd be made concerning her Virgin Child-Birth For had he forsaken her during the nine Months after her Conception her Purity wou'd unavoidably have been suspected Moreover she bore an affectionate service to him as to her Husband and Head and as to one of the greatest Merit amongst all Man kind next to her Son Jesus This Love of the Virgin Mary to her Spouse caus'd her to descend to the meanest and lowest Services whereby she cou'd any ways express her Love and Esteem of him it caus'd her to attend and wait upon him to prepare his Meat and to perform all other humble Offices he stood in need of she knew very well the place she possest upon Earth and that also which was design'd for her in Heaven As being the Queen Mother of God as being Queen both of Men and Angels and that in this regard Saint Joseph was her Inferior yet the Love she had for him made her lay aside these considerations and render him all sorts of honour and respect imaginable for as Saint Briget says in her Revelations * Lib. 7. Revela S. Brigit cap. 25. lib. 6. cap. 59. she call'd him her Lord never spoke to him but with a wonderful and most submissive respect and there was no tenderness of affection that a loveing Soul can express to one she highly esteems and passionately loves which she did not thousands and thousands of times testifie to Saint Joseph wherefore to convince you how she lov'd him hearken to the affectionate Character she her self gives of him to Saint Briget as 't is set down in her Revelations after the following manner My Spouse was reserv'd in Speech never uttering the least unprofitable murmuring or complaining Word never was he mov'd to Anger or shew'd the least Impatience he was contented in Poverty diligent and vigilant in Labour most obedient and condescending to all my Inclinations Very Meek and Affable even to those that most rudely treated him he couragiously defended the absent that suffer'd Detraction and was a faithful Witness and Divulger of God's wonderful Works he was resign'd to live upon Earth tho his longing and earnest desire was after Heaven expecting and confiding in God's Promises and frequently repeating God grant I may see them Accomplish'd he avoided Publick Assemblies took no content at all in Creatures but all his thoughts and desires were that he might perfectly accomplish God's Divine Will Saint Teresa of Jesus deserves the third place amongst those who after a particular manner have express'd their Love and Esteem to Saint Joseph Who merits the title of Saint Joseph's chiefest Devote and may well therefore be plac'd amongst his lovers She made choice of him for her particular Advocate frequently recommending her self to him as to one she honour'd above all other Saints she stil'd him her Father and Master and had such a confidence in him as was admirable and thereby deserv'd such a reward for it as she her self attests in the sixth chapter of her Life which was that she never ask'd any thing of him either for Body or for Soul that he denied her which caus'd her to say that God by his other Saints help'd and succour'd us in some particular cases of necessity but help'd us in all necessities by Saint Joseph as by his Plenipotentiary To let us understand that as he was subject to him in all things upon Earth as to a father who Commanded him So he was the same in Heaven granting him whatsoever he ask'd This was Saint Teresa's opinion concerning her great Patron to whom she was so particularly Devoted that she endevour'd to invite all to take him for their particular Patron and Protectour But especially those who desire to give themselves to Prayer and to become knowing in that most holy and profitable Exercise and therefore was wont to say let him who cannot find a Master to teach him the Art of Praying take this great Saint for his Master and he shall not fail to prove a great Proficient and a most skilful Scholar Infine she did what she cou'd to instill into all sorts of Persons a particular Devotion to Saint Joseph who as he was Master of her Heart so she had a desire he shou'd be so of the Hearts of all others and therefore endeavour'd to engage their Hearts with her own in an ardent Love of him and Devotion to him which desire of hers together with the experiments she had had of the good obtain'd by the Merits and Prayers of this Saint caus'd her engageingly to promise the same success to all that shou'd recommend themselves to him Attesting that she never knew any Person that had a true Devotion for him or render'd him any particular Service that obtain'd not a great progress and advancement in Vertue You see here the cause of my ranking her in the first place of those of this last Age that set up the Standard of Devotion to Saint Joseph by divulging his Merits and by a due acknowledgement of his Favours whereby in these our times in which we have more need than ever of Heavenly assistance she brought in that profitable Devotion to this great Saint The fourth Person noted for his particular Devotion to Saint Joseph is that holy Minim blessed Gaspar Bond who after Jesus and Mary had none so near his Heart as Saint Joseph All his Life long he had a most singular Devotion to him and at his Death his chief recours was to none so much as to this Holy and Amiable Patriarch and express'd his Devotion by a particular honour shew'd to his Name after the Name Jesus and Maria which made such an impression in him that he cou'd think or speak of nothing else he took a particular gust in the pronouncing of them and thought the doing so gave a good success and prosper'd all his undertakings and this was the short but pithy Incomium that he gave them * Haec tria nomina Bona sunt omnia Et mundi lumina Et coeli limina This Trinity of Names This lower World Inflames Contains the goods of Love
O pens Heaven's Gates Above Wherefore to shew the Love and Esteem he had of them he us'd them as a watch-word as a salutation both at meeting or parting as a sign of admiration as a parenthesis as a transition and even upon all occasions he made use of them when he came home his Salutation to the Porter was Jesus Mary Joseph pray Brother open the Gate and the same Salutation he us'd when he went forth and when any Strangers came in his Salutation was Jesus Maria Joseph Father you are welcome thus on all occasions these Names were in his Mouth and as he liv'd in this Devotion so he desir'd to dye in the same wherefore in time of his last Sickness he earnestly recommended to those that assisted him that when they saw him in his last Agony they wou'd frequently repeat these Names in his Ears which were an extract and abridgement of his Affections and a singular cordial to help and conduct his Soul in it's passage to God And that fell out which he desir'd for he died with these Words in his Mouth † Bone Jesu miserere mei Good Jesus have Mercy upon me and then Invocating these three Names Jesus Maria Joseph he yielded up his happy Soul God grant us all so happy an end as this The fifth Person Devoted after a a particular manner to Saint Joseph was that Prince and Prelate of Geneva Saint Francis of Sales who as we have reason to beleive honour'd him above all the Saints in Heaven according to the Testimony of Father Peter Bernaud of the SOCIETY of JESUS who had the honour to assist him in his last Sickness who was acquainted with two or three very remarkable passages that testified the very great Devotion this Holy Prelate had to Saint Joseph The Night before he dy'd being at Lyons upon the point of his Departure an Apoplexy seiz'd him tho' not perceptable to the Rector of Saint Joseph's Colledge of the SOCIETY of JESUS when he came to salute and bid him adue who offering him his and all the Fathers Services that were in his House to which all the reply or complement the Bishop return'd was to tell him with an Angelical Sweetness O Father know yee not that I am all Saint Joseph's The same Father also related that watching the Night following in the Chamber of this holy Prelate to assist him at his happy Death whilst the Apoplexy grew worse not having his own Breviary to say his Howers one lent him the Breviary of the sick Prelate in which he found but one Picture which was of Saint Joseph Another mark of his tender Devotion to Saint Joseph is related also by the same Father happen'd some time before when he made the first Sermon in our Church upon the Feast of Saint Joseph It seems the Lord Cardinal of Markmont Arch-Bishop of Lyons had engag'd the Bishop to Preach upon Saint Joseph's Day in the Church of the Carmelits which Father Bernaud being ignorant of invited him also to Preach in the Jesuits Church Dedicated to Saint Joseph who notwithstanding refus'd not to do him this favour giving him this Answer Tho' when I bring forth Twins by one Days Labour I shall not come off well yet for the Love of Saint Joseph I will de it However he perform'd it in the afternoon with very good success and for an hour and a half so imploy'd his Eloquence in expressing his feeling Devotion to Saint Joseph explicating the Eminent Merits and setting forth the Prayses af his Belov'd Patron after such a manner that convinc'd the Cardinal and the rest of his Auditory of the great Passion and ardent Affection he had for this Saint This Devout Sermon of his puts me in mind of a rich Treatise 〈◊〉 writ concerning this Divine Spouse of our Blessed Lady which is in his Book of Spiritual Entertainments wherein he evidences how great a● esteem he had of Saint Joseph and that you may by a part judge of the whole Piece and of the great Affection and Esteem he had for this Saint give me leave out of it to recite one of his Exclamations O what a great Saint says he in the entrance of the Discourse i● the Glorious Saint Joseph He 's not only a Patriarch but the chief of all the Patriarch's He 's not only a Confessour but more than a Confessour for in his Prerogative of Confessour is included the Dignity of Bishops the Generosity of Martyrs the Purity of Virgins and the Perfections of all other Saints 't is therefore with just reason that he is compar'd to the Palm which is the King of Trees This is sufficient to declare his Zeal of the Honour of this Saint and of the Love he had for him this being his whole drift in that Discourse Moreover if we address our selves to the Religious of the Visitation of our Blessed Lady his Spiritual Children they being of the Order he Instituted and who inherit the Love their Founder had for Saint Joseph They 'll tell you their Patriarch has Dedicated his Book Of the Love of God to Saint Joseph That he has put the first Monastery and Church of their Order under his Protection That he every where bears the title of their Tutelar Saint or Protector that he has order'd that in all their Houses they keep his Feast with Solemnity and in his Institute has Commanded that all these Religious his Children shou'd hear a particular Devotion to him that the Mistris of Novices shou'd cause the Novices and even the Postulants to get a habit of calling upon him when they began their Mental Prayer and that they take him for their Guide and Advocate in that Exercise These are his Daughters who Imitate their Father in their Love and Devotion to Saint Joseph which he has as his Divine Legacy intail'd upon them The sixth who was Eminent for her Devotion to Saint Joseph was Blessed Margaret de Chateau of the Holy Order of Saint Dominick As commonly we think upon what we Love so this Virgin had ordinarily no other subject of Meditation than the Sacred Birth of our Saviour lying in the Manger assisted by the Blessed Virgin and Saint Joseph and this her Meditating upon those small services that Saint Joseph render'd to this little Infant and his Holy Mother caus'd both an incredible Consolation in her Mind and a singular Affection to this Holy Patriarch nor was this without many wonderful effects that accompany'd it which were manifestly wrought by the Finger of God who most wonderfully drew in her Heart these three Personages attending upon Jesus lying in the Crib A favour never before heard of who being often heard to tell her Confidents saying O that yee did but know what I carry and keep in my Heart After she was Dead she was open'd and in her Heart they found three Precious Stones in which were Ingraven the three Objects of her Love In the first was an Image of our Blessed Lady with a Rich
Crown upon her Head in the second lay little Jesus surrounded by a Flock of Lamb's in the third stood Saint Joseph with a Venerable Countenance a Mantle of Gold hanging upon his shoulder a Dove over his Head and a Religious Woman kneeling at his Feet resembling the deceas'd Nun. The sight of this as we may truely beleive was a comfort to all the beholders and the fame of it was spread abroad far and near which much increas'd the Devotion to Jesus Mary and Joseph especially to the last who had thus rewarded his suppliant Which three Miraculous pieces are preserv'd to this very Day and to be seen in the Town of Chateau in the Monastery of the Order of Saint Dominick where they are kept with great Devotion The seventh Person Famous for her particular Devotion to Saint Ioseph is Blessed Agatha of the Holy Cross of the same Order And it was upon the Feast of the Purification that this Pious Soul conceiv'd so great a Devotion to this Saint The occasion whereof was this she had a design to act the part of a severe Governess in correcting certain Women whom the had a little before taken in a Fault thereby to frighten 'em from falling again into the like Which afterwards she had a scruple of fearing she might have exceeded in her Words and manner of her Correction wherefore she resolv'd to go to Confession and whilst she was in the Church preparing her self for it Our Blessed Lady Appear'd to her with her Infant Jesus in her Armes accompanied by Saint Joseph the surprise of so great a favour made her not loose so good an occasion of begging Pardon for her Fault both of the Infant and his Mother which they granted her and at the same time fill'd her Heart with so great an abundance of joy and comfort that she spent the whole Day in Thanksgiving to them considering at the same time the seraphical affections Saint Joseph had when he assisted in the Temple of Jerusalem at the Purification of our Blessed Lady Nor did she permit this Devotion they had inkindl'd in her Heart both towards themselves and Saint Joseph to cool but still increas'd the fervour thereof towards the Spouse of the Blessed Virgin which was incourag'd and encreas'd by a Vision she had upon the Feast of this Holy Patriarch concerning his Life and Death Wherein she understood by Divine Inspiration that when this Saint was at his last Gasp he felt an extream regret to quit the Company and Conversation of Jesus and his Beloved Spouse knowing that after the departure of his Soul from his Body he was not presently to enjoy God but was to expect this Happiness till the Resurrection of the Son of God which grief continuing our Blessed Saviour bid him not afflict himself at this separation for he shou'd quickly see both him and his Eternal Father also with an accomplishment of the chief and greatest Promises God had made by the Prophets These words Comforted him but the Prayers that Jesus made for him in his last Agony comforted him far more and so he past from this Life to the next ●n the Armes of his Son and Sa●lour and in the Presence of the most Sacred Virgin his Spouse The consideration of these particular Pri●iedges with reason renderd the Holy ●●●gin Agatha more Devoted than ●●●r to Saint Joseph The Devout Yolant de Silva deserves with reason to have the eighth place or rank amongst the Devotes of Saint Joseph Her chief Devotion was to consider the Infancy of our Blessed Saviour who was drest in swadling Bands for the Love of Men and often Meditating upon this Point inkindled her Devotion towards Saint Joseph she imagining his Ears Blessed with the Cries of this Blessed Babe his Eyes with beholding him in all Conditions his Armes by being as a Cradle to Rock Carry and Embrace him his Mouth by declaring the faith and Affection of his Heart both by his Words and those Amorous Impressions of his Lips upon the Infants Sacred Feet This Mistery occasion'd her Devotion also to the Holy Innocents who as the Church says † Non loquendo sed moriendo confessi sunt Orat. Innocent Not by Speaking but by Dying Profest their Faith In Memory an● Honour of them she Yearly say● a hundred and forty thousand times our Lords Prayer they being s●● many in number as some reasonabl● suppose grounding their Opinion upon what Saint John relates in his Apo●●lyps * Cum co centum quadraginta qua● tor millia habentes Nomen ej●● scriptum in Frontibus Apoc. c. 14.1 They having his Name Writter in their For-Heads for whom they Sacrifis'd their Lives These Devotions prov'd very advantagious to her for Saint Joseph and the Holy Innocents in requital visited her at the hour of her Death never quitting her till they accompany'd and conducted her Devout Soul unto Heaven The Ninth Client of Saint Joseph was the Devout John Gerson Chancelour of the University of Paris No passionate lover ever having the like affection for his belov'd object as he had for Saint Joseph He having compos'd a Book he in titles it his Josephin in honour of Saint Joseph In each one of his Sermons he never omitted to say something in his Praise And in having as I may say amass'd and gather'd together all that can be sayd to encrease Saint Joseph's praise and esteem in this his work it may very well be call'd a Magazin of Saint Joseph's Praises But the better to judge of his Love to Saint Joseph 't is necessary to Read what he says of him and what praises he gives him As that he was Sanctifi'd in his Mother's Womb as Saint John Baptist was That he had obtain'd a perfect Victory ●●er Sensuality which was always ●●bject to his Reason that he was confirm'd in Grace that he ●ose ●ith our Saviour from the Dead That he then Appear'd to his belov'd Spouse the Blessed Virgin That no Saint in Heaven is greater than he except the Blessed Virgin So that to hear what he says you wou'd beleive God had chosen him for Saint Joseph's chief Panegyrist to write and set forth his Praises and that all others who have writ of this Subject are but his Schollars 'T was he that found out the true elevation of this Star and that it's ascendent was next to the Virgin Mother All which proves him a true Lover and Client of Saint Joseph The Devout Henry Chycot Canon of Chartres deserves the tenth place amongst the Clients of Saint Joseph all his thoughts being taken up how to augment his honour either by himself or others He undertook to write a Book upon his Marriage with the Mother of God in which he endeavour'd to set forth his Praises but not being able to finish it that Saint Joseph might loose nothing by his Death he address'd himself by Letter to his Friend John Gerson obligeing him by all the tyes of Friendship between them either to perfect this
us that such as in these occasions recommend themselves to this great Patriarch presently either recover what is lost or by his efficacious Assistance even gain by their loss bearing the same with perfect Patience and Resignation For a proof of what he asserts he brings for an Example the Comfort which one of his acquaintance receiv'd who lost something of great Value and recover'd it by this means 'T is perhaps upon this account that Scrupulous and Anxious Persons have recourse to him since they have lost so great a Jewel as is the Repose of Conscience and Peace of Mind this being the dearest most precious and considerable Treasure we have in this World for we may assure our selves and certainly believe that he who felt the loss of JESUS and the grief it cost him will not fail to comfort those who implore his assistance in the like exigency The Second is to take occasion for Saint Joseph's sake to make it your endeavour to Love all his Clients and Devotes whether they be already gon before us to Heaven or are still with us upon Earth and especially those who have born the happy Name of Joseph but above all to shew a particular Love and Devotion to Saint Teresa his particular and as I may say his chief Devote and not only to those that are in Heaven but also to those as you know particularly to be Devoted to him upon Earth For your Love to them upon this account will become no less pleasing to Saint Joseph than if they bore his Name and the bearing a tenderness and love to those that do so is very pleasing also to Saint Joseph Wherefore to help you to practise this Devotion I will here give you a ' List of some Eminent Persons that have born his Name and upon this account receiv'd from God some of those particular Favours he bestow'd upon him And shall begin with the Patriarch Joseph who tho' he liv'd so many Ages before our great Saint Joseph yet was a Type of him and probably upon that account might receive his Name and those other extraordinary Favours God bestow'd upon him The first therefore in this List of those that bore the Name of Joseph Is the Patriarch Joseph of the Old Law to whom the Holy Ghost gives a evry great Elogium or Commendation in the 49. Chapter of Ecclesiasticus Calling him Ruler and Prince of his Brethren the Stay and Support of his Nation and People Who deserves also the first place he being not only the first to whom this Name was given but who was also a Type of our Saint Joseph upon account of his Chastity The Character also that the Holy Ghost gives the Patriarch agrees with our Joseph in a far more eminent degree than it did to the Patriarch he being a Prince and Ruler not only over his Brethren but Governour to the Mother and Son of God being their support in all their Necessities and Saving him who was to Save not only one but all Nations throu'out the whole World The second is Joseph of Arimathea that Noble Centurion prais'd by the Holy Ghost for his Love to CHRIST in a time of extream danger For when those who were Friends of CHRIST fled from him as being look'd upon as Enemies to the State he couragiously ask'd his Body and took care of Embalming it and laying it in a new Monument he had prepar'd for himself by the Love and care he took of it after his Death hereby Imitating our Saint Joseph's Love to the Living Body of JESUS He also resembles him in recovering things lost As may appear by the following Example † Ex P. Joan. a S. Maria in Hist S S. Ordinis Saint Mary Vasquez of Mela of the Order of Saint Dominick and of the Monastery of Zamata in Spain had a singular Devotion to this Saint Joseph of Arimathea upon account of the tender Devotion he shew'd to the Precious Body of JESUS begging it taking it from the Cross Embalming it and laying it in his own Monument and when her Monastery had lost a Paper of great importance she had recourse to him for it Soon after there came a Person well mounted to the Monastery Gate where lighting from his Horse he ask'd for Sister Mary Vasquez and as soon as she came Deliver'd her the Paper and return'd without any Conversation at all with her The third is Saint Joseph Son to the Samaritan Woman who gave Water to our Saviour at the Well whilst he rested himself in the Journy he made with his Disciples Who accompany'd with his Brother Victor obtain'd the Glorious Crown of Martyrdom their Mother also shar'd in the Victory as a Reward for her Charity to JESUS Whose Feast is kept upon the twentith of March according to Baronius's Martyrologe who now drink of that Water their Mother beg'd that takes away all Thirst for an Eternity The fourth is Joseph the Just one of the seventy two Disciples of our Saviour to whom the Holy Ghost gave the same title of Just as to our great Saint Joseph so esteem'd by the Apostles for his Sanctity that they Nam'd him with Saint Mathias to be substituted in Judas Escariot's place The fifth is Joseph the Poet by Excellency call'd the Sacred Poet Whose delight was to Compose Verses in Honour of the Saints whom they recompenc'd by Appearing to him and assisting him at his Death and accompanying him to Everlasting Life his Feast is kept upon the third of April according to the † Euseb Hist. lib. 3. cap. 32. Greek Martyrologe but according to Baronius the fifteenth of February The sixth is Joseph of Ste●ald call'd Herman in the World of the Order of Saint Norbert so singularly devoted to the Mother of God that she took him for her Spouse and gave him the Name of Joseph to the end that in all things he shou'd resemble her first Spouse The manner how it fell out is as follows * Surius Apr. 11. The Religious amongst whom he Liv'd began first to call him Joseph upon account of Virginal Bashfulness which caus'd him to Blush upon the least occasion even when the Religious call'd him Joseph which made him complain to the Abbot tho' without redress for their calling him so and the Night after in time of his Prayer in the Quire he saw a most Beautiful Lady coming towards him full of Majesty and Glory with two Angels attending her the one ask'd the other to whom this Beautiful Lady shou'd be espous'd To whom reply's the other but to him you see here before you Poor Herman was surpris'd at this discourse and so confounded that he wish'd himself hid in some by Corner where none might see him But one of the Angels takes him by the Hand and leads him to the Altar and there takes his Virginal Hand and joyns it with the Hand of the Sacred Virgin saying By the order of God my Master I give you the Virgin of Virgins for your Spouse
Angels than Men and asking them how they obtain'd this happiness they assur'd me it was the effect of Saint Joseph's Intercession they having beg'd it of him who was himself thirty Years together in the continual Presence of the Word Incarnate and found by experience the good that proceeded from it who is therefore ready to help Recollected Souls to a Participation of this incomparable Comfort of being Constantly in God's sight which influences and facilitates all their Actions But Saint Joseph's help is no les● efficacious also in obtaining Peace of Mind another necessary Disposition for obtaining this Interiou● Life and amongst many other Examples I cou'd bring of my own knowledge I will heer produce one A certain Person of the number of those who think extraordinary Devotion and sublime Spirituality consists in discoursing of such high Points as are both above their own as well as Auditours reach either to understand or explicate yet will venture at new Propositions to make themselves admit'd as Persons more than ordinarily inlightned by God This Person came to a Monastery and at the Grate broaches one of his own Fantastical Opinions for a truth that the Humanity of our Saviour was in all places as well as his Divinity and that one might have the Presence of the one as well as of the other This new proposition wrought some trouble in those that were present especially in one of 'em who recounted the passage to me telling me she was not able any longer to make her Prayer but that this new and extravagant Doctrine came into her Head and so darkn'd her Soul that she was able to do nothing Wherefore by my Direction as soon as this Thought occur'd and troubl'd her she recommended her self to Saint Joseph and beg'd him to disperse this Clowd who had scarce finish'd this her Petition but her trouble vanish'd and he● wonted Peace and Tranquility of Mind return'd after such a manner that she never more thought of that Discourse and resolv'd never more ●o give ear to such Discourses of Novelties which nothing but a vain curiosity can lead us unto And as ●o the gaining all forts of Interiour Vertues requir'd also for this Spiritual and Interiour Life I need only tell you Saint Teresa's Thoughts † S. Teresa in the 6. Chap. of her Life Ther 's no sort of Vertue says she which is not lodg'd as in it's Proper Seat in the Soul of those who serve Saint Joseph with a Faithful Heart and recommend themselves to his Prayers for one may perceive in them in a little time incredible advancements 'T is but making tryal therefore and having recourse to him for these Ends expecting and assuring our selves of a Happy Success by his Favorable Assistance Thus Saint Te●●sa assures us of his efficacious help CHAP. XI Of the assistance Saint Joseph gives to Spiritual Maladies especially to those who are in a bad State of Soul THE Vision Saint Teresa had upon the Assumption of our Blessed Lady whilst she consider'd the Sins of her Past Life is a proof of Saint Joseph's help in all our Spiritual Infirmities At which time a Divine Transport seizing her Soul she saw it cloath'd with a very white and resplendent Robe At first she perceiv'd not who put it on but at last she saw the Mother of God on the one side of her and Saint Joseph on the other and understood that this was done by them to signifie that at the same time her Soul was freed from all Sin and Imperfection Which proves how careful and desirous the Holy Spouse of Mary is to disperse and drive away all Spiritual Distempers and restore Purity to our Soul so that in all attack's of any Violent Passion in any dangerous Temptation and in our failings or fall's into any Imperfection there is no better means to free our selves and obtain a particular help and assistance than by calling upon Saint Joseph We see daily Examples of this by the great and wonderful change we find in the Conversations of those who are noted for their Devotion to this Saint what Victories do we perceive they have gain'd over their Passions What Mortifications do they not use to subdue their Senses And with what Peace and Tranquility do they perform all this I knew some who cou'd not forbear Jesting and Rallying which serves for nothing but to wound and destroy Charity others who had strange aversions against those who suited not with their Temper and Humor they not being able to suffer so much as their sight much less their Conversation others that were so Passionately carried away with Private and Particular Affections that they cou'd neither Pray Labour nor perform any of their Duties which is a Passion if not cur'd that is very Dangerous and Pernicious to Purity But to my great Joy and Comfort I ever found all these Passions vanish after they had perform'd some Devotions to Saint Joseph for this Intention For this ill Habit of Sharpe and Mortifying Words of Uncharitable and Malicious Thoughts that caus'd these aversions soon Vanish'd after application made to Saint Joseph for his Assistance I knew a Young Woman violently attack'd with a Passion of Love which she free'd her self from by resolving in honour of Saint Joseph to obstain for nine Days from the Conversation of the Person she Lov'd which the performing and recommending her self every Day during that time to Saint Joseph to beg his help to overcome it she was perfectly free'd from this tormenting and dangerous Spirit of Love and that she might never more be troubl'd with th● like she resolv'd during her whole Life to say Daily Saint Joseph●● Litany whereby she obtain'd th● happy end she aim'd at but to p●● her in mind that this constant Devotion to Saint Joseph was th● means whereby she obtain'd th●● Favour when ever she neglected th● ordinary time of performing it● she found some small return's of this Passion which immediately vanish'd at it's performance I knew also another Person who by a violent attack of the same Passion had quite lost her Sleep and was in great danger of loosing her wit 's also for she was seiz'd upon by Dispairing Thoughts and Doubts of her Perseverance in Religion who being Councel'd for nine Days together to say the Beads of Saint Joseph I before spoke of Page 28. some of her Friends joyning their Devotions with her's to Saint Joseph for this end at the end of the nine Days she found her self perfectly cur'd There are many such like Favours which this great Saint obtains for his Faithful Servants that have recourse to him by his obtaining for them a Victory over those Passions they find themselves seiz'd withall which often times they have not Confidence to Discover and which pass only between God and themselves these I have set down for encourageing all in the the like circumstances to have recourse to this Spiritual and Powerful Physitian the great Saint Joseph Isador in his fourth Book and
himself out of all danger Tevenet a good Old Man of Saint Laurence Dauger a Village neer Lyons Infected with the Plague ask'd the Viccaire of the Place whether there were no means for his Recovery who answer'd him that there was none but by having Recourse to Saint Joseph and by makeing a Vow every Year to keep his Feast and to Confess and Communicate upon it and for nine Days to say seven Paters and Aves and conclude them with JESUS MARIA JOSEPH The Pious Old Man immediately made the Vow and at the same time found himself free'd from the Plague wondring what was become of his Bubo's and Swellings which all Vanish'd upon a suddain Martin de Ba●● a little Child of four Years of age was struck with the Plague as he was at play all gave him for lost and his Mother being in very great Desolation and Affliction was Councel'd to Recommend him to Saint Joseph which she immediately did in these Words Saint Joseph to you I Recommend my Child about two howers after the Childs Father perceiving some signs of Death calls his Wife who now giving him for Dead made a kind of Pious Complaint saying Ah Saint Joseph She comes to the Child and finds the Evil diminish'd who a little after call's to his Mother for some Meat recovers his wonted Countenance rises from his Bedd and cry's out I am well Saint Joseph has Cur'd me And the Morning following there was not the least sign of any Disease and he felt no more Weakness than if he had never been Sick whom his Parents carried to the Church of Saint Joseph to give thanks where they hung up a Votive Picture to testifie not only the Childs but the Fathers Delivery from the Plague who afterwards was visited and Deliver'd also by Saint Joseph's Intercession from the same Evil by the Application of some Cotton or the Bubo or Swelling that had touch'd the Oyntment of Loudun whereby Saint Joseph Miraculously cur'd one of the Religious of that place as I before mention'd whereby he was immediately cur'd Bennet Gontelle a Gardner liveing in a Garden that joyns to Saint Joseph's Church every Day lost one of his Family consisting of seventeen Persons out of which one Daily fell sick and was led to the Pest-House where his Wife and all his Children were already Dead of it and he and one Servant only left alive in the House who Daily expeeted to follow the rest I visiting him being his nex Neighbour in this sad Affliction Councel'd him to make a Vow to Saint Joseph which he did and I joyn'd with him in it promising him to Offer several Masses and Communions in his Honour if by his Intercession he wou'd obtain his and his Servants Preservation from the Plague God hears his Prayers and preserv'd 'em both from the Infection To Conclude this Catalogue o● those whom Saint Joseph assisted after a very extraordinary manner who were either cur'd when Infected or preserv'd from the Infection ● must also add the following Relation Those who were appointe● Masters of Health in this City o● Lyons appointed to take care of the Infected and to prevent the encrease of the Infection having after a particular manner recommended themselves to Saint Joseph were all preserv'd from it notwithstanding for the discharge of their imployment they were Daily expos'd to the danger of gaining the Infection Wherefore they all came in a Body to Saint Joseph's Church in the Year 1638. to Confess and Communicate and to Offer Wax Candles at Saint Joseph's Altar to express their Gratitude to him for so signal a favour which by his Intercession he had obtain'd both for them and for the whole Town CHAP. XIII The Assistance which God gives upon all occasions by Saint Joseph's Intercession WHOSOEVER desires to experience the effects of Saint Joseph's Intercession will find him a true Father for he forsakes none in their necessities but assists those who have recourse to him in all their exigencies especially if what they desire do's any way conduce to God's Honour and Glory Thus he assisted Saint Teresa in the Foundation of the greatest part of her Monasteries as is set down at large in the History of her Order And I know a person who was in great pain about the success of an affair of importance whereupon he caus'd Mass to be sayd in honour of Saint Joseph beg'd his Intercession and it succeeded as well as be cou'd wish it shou'd have done Saint Joseph also has concern not only for Spiritual but even temporal Affairs and by his Intercession assists those that beg his help herein as we may see by the Example Saint Teresa relates of her self who was in great pain about some Debts she had contracted in building the Monastery of Avila not knowing what course to take for the payment of the Work-Men In this perplexity Saint Joseph Appears to her bids her confidently to agree with the Work-Men and engage for all necessaries for the building promising she shou'd not want Mony to Defray the Expences and in effect she found he perform'd his Promise she receiving Monies from such Persons from whom she least of all expected so great Charities both to her own and other Persons Astonishment The Carthusians also experienc'd in the last Age how powerful his Intercession is with Almighty God for fearing so great a Desolation as the fayling of their Order wou'd have been for want of Subjects none presenting themselves to undertake that sort of Life a general Chapter held at their great Charter-House by Grenoble to the end they might obtain Saint Joseph's powerful intercession in what was of the greatest concern for the support of their Order they made a Decree in General Chapter in which they chose him for the Patron and Advocate of their Order and they ordain'd that his Feast shou'd for the future not only be kept as a Feast of Obligation throu'out their whole Order but with very great Solemnity which singular Devotion of theirs was so favour'd and accepted by Saint Joseph and his Intercession was so Efficacious in the Court of Heaven that in all Parts of the World where they are establish'd they have never since wanted proper Subjects to encrease their Holy Order and if any particular House at any time wants Subjects 't is but addressing them selves to him and they find his powerful Assistance as their House at Lyons did some five Years ago where by making a Vow that the Priests shou'd every Day make a Commemoration of him in their Mass they have never since wanted fit Subjects to Encrease their Number But Saint Joseph not only brings Subjects to Religion but even whole Nations to the Catholic Church and this was the reason that our Fathers gave the Name of Joseph to the first Tarquois whom they Baptis'd New France also owns him for it's Patron and for the Propa●atour of the Catholic Faith in the Southern Parts of America and one of the cheif Missions in those Parts is
call'd The Mission of Saint Joseph and in the Year 1626. two hundred Families were Baptis'd and their Example mov'd six Neighbouring Townships to unite themselves to the True Faith that they might also become partakers of those Spiritual and Temporal Blessings which Saint Joseph Visibly obtain'd for these happy Converts Saint Joseph also favours Marryage and unites the Hearts of Married Persons procuring them a True and Constant Conjugal Assection ●s appears in the Example of a very Rich Marchant of Lyons who had great Inclinations to Marry with a Young Woman of quality but she rejected all Propositions in that kind whereupon he addresses himself to Saint Joseph Vow 's the giveing an Alms of a hundred Crowns in his Honour if he wou'd move her to hearken to his proposal of Marriage The Vow was no sooner made but he gains her Consent and the Marriage is made up and they liv'd a most happy Couple in a Constant Peace and Union of Affections which is one of the greatest Blessings in this Sacrament He assists Chast Persons also and preserves them from all attempts that the Enemy makes to Destroy in them the admirable Vertue of Chastity as appears in an Example of a Pious Virgin who being attack'd in this Point her Confessour advises her to have recourse to Saint Joseph and causes her to wear about her a Paper that had touch'd the Miraculous Oyntment at Loudun whereby she presently found Help and Comfort As another also did who recommended her self to the same Saint promising to wear his Image for nine Days together I had this Relation from the Person her self who receiv'd this benifit by Saint Joseph's Intercession Saint Joseph also hears and helps Persons with Child as appears by a Votive Picture in the Church of Saint Joseph at Lyons on the side of his Altar her Child being Dead for some Days within her she cou'd not be deliver'd thereof Yet she no sooner beg'd his Assistance but she was Deliver'd of it half putrifi'd with safety also of her Life which all dispair'd of The like favour happen'd to a Woman at Trevoux who by a very hard Labour for three Days together was brought to the last extreamity and danger of Death in these streights she thought of Recommending her self to Saint Joseph and Purpos'd to Confess and Communicate in his Honour and to swallow a Paper that had touch'd the Miraculous Oyntment of Loudun which she had no sooner done but she was happily Deliver'd He favours also Married Prisons giving them Children one of the cheif Blessings of Marriage as a Votive Picture in Saint Joseph's Church testifies of one who wanted this Blessing who had no sooner beg'd his Intercession but within a Year she obtain'd it But to save the setting down many other Examples of Saint Joseph's powerful Assistance the Testimony of Saint Teresa and of many others of his Clyents whom I have heard avouch the same Truth is that he refuses nothing that is ask'd him but provides a remedy in all necessities which is a sufficient motive to make us all have Recourse to him with all confident assurance of our obtaining our Petitions CHAP. XIV To exhort all to have Recours to Saint Joseph and Confide in his Powerful Protection WE ought Piously to beleive that the Mother of God has a knowledge from her Son of what is good for our Salvation wherefore if we do but Consult her and desire her to advise us what is best for us to do to secure our Saltation we cannot doubt but she will tell us Be Devout to Saint Joseph love my Dear Spouse Saint Joseph To prove this Assertion I will relate what Father Balthasar Alvares a great Clyent of hers and Confessour to the great Devote Saint Teresa affirm's Who being one Day Sick at Valedolid of a Violent burning Fevaer one of the Religious that help'd him shew'd him an Image of our Blessed Lady and Saint Joseph and put him in mind of Recommending himself to the Spouse of the Blessed Virgin You have Reason says he for the Mother of God has expressly Commanded me to do so And as afterwards he own'd 't was in the Holy Chappel of Laurette where she gave him this Command She gave the same advice also to Saint Teresa who was Father Balthazar 's Penitent which caus'd her to have so great a Devotion to Saint Joseph and such a Confidence in him that she stil'd him her Father and those that follow our Blessed Ladies advice in this particular may expect such a particular mark of her kindness and encouragement upon this account as she shew'd S. Teresa It happend that at Avila upon the Feast of the Assumption whilst Saint Teresa was carrying on the Foundation of that Monastery under the Name of Saint Joseph that one Day whilst she was at her Prayer she saw our Blessed Lady upon one side and Saint Joseph on the other shewing her extraordinary expressions of kindness and amongst others that which gave her an incredible Consolation was a familiar treatment our Blessed Lady us'd towards her takeing her by the Hand and giving her thank 's for her Affection to her doar Spouse and for her particular Devotion towards him After these thanks she ptomis'd her all sorts of Assistance in her Pious design and in confirmation of her Affection she made her a Present of a Collar or Chain of Gold with a Cross hung at it set with Precious Stons so resplendent as she never beheld the like This made Saint Teresa use her utmost endeavours to induce and perswade all to a Devotion to her Glotious Patron And without doubt were we so happy as to Converse with the Saints now in Heaven they wou'd joyn with her in perswading us to so Pious and Profitable a Work by their own Example For we Read in Saint Gertrud's Life that upon the Vigil of the Annunciation of our Blessed Lady she perceiv'd all the Saints in Heaven bow their Heads in honour of Saint Joseph whilst his Name was Recited in the Quire they looking upon one another with signs of Joy and Congratulation to see Saint Joseph Honour'd upon Earth as they Honour him in Heaven Since therefore the Queen of Saints and Angels and all the Saints and Angels themselves take such a Satisfaction in seeing Saint Joseph Honour'd can we think it proceeds from any other reason than because they see this Honour done Saint Joseph highly pleasing to God and most profitable to Man Wherefore let us upon this account renew our Pious Resolutions of rendring him all Honour and of Honouring him abore all next to Jesus and Mary Let us resolve to honour him all the Days of our Lives especially upon his Feast Days since ther 's none more Belov'd nor none more Worthy of our Love than he next to Jesus and Mary Who obliges his Lovers by all sorts of Favours Wins their Devotions by Miracles especially in matters of Life and Death both in Body and Soul as well for this Life as the
glory sure above Whom CHRIST did so intirely love As on thy Person to bestow Such Priviledges here below Then let us all with one Beseech Saint Joseph to present Our wants to God and for us Pray That serve our Lord we ever may Amen The Prayer OMnipotent and Merciful Lord Jesus who did'st provide Saint Joseph the just Son of David for Spouse of Blessed Mary thy Virgin-Mother and chose him for thy Nursing-Father Grant we beseech thee that by his Prayers and Merits thy Church may enjoy a perfect Peace and so arrive at the consolation of thy everlasting Vision Throu ' the same Lord Jesus our Saviour who with the Father and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth one God for ever and ever Amen A VOTIVE OBLATION TO S. JOSEPH To choose him for our Patron O Holy JOSEPH Virgin-Spouse of the Virgin-Mother of GOD most glorious Advocate of all such as are in danger or in their last Agony and most faithful Protector of all the Servants of MARY your dearest Spouse I. N.N. In the Presence of JESUS and MARY do from this moment choose you for my Lord and Master for my powerful Patron and Advocate for the obtayning a most happy Death And I firmly Resolve and Purpose never to forsake you and never to say or do nor even to suffer any under my charge to say or do any thing against your Honour receive me therefore for your constant Servant and recommend me to the constant Protection of MARY your dearest Spouse and to the everlasting Mercies of JESUS my Saviour Assist me in all the Actions of my whole Life all which I now offer to the greater and everlasting glory of JESUS and MARY as well as to your own Never therefore forsake me and whatsoever Grace you see most necessary and profitable to me obtain it for me now and at the hour of my Death to which I now invite you against the uncertain hour in which it shall happen that whatsoever now and then shall not be possible for me to obtain may by your Intercession be bestow'd upon me by JESUS the GOD the of my Soul Amen Ex Man Tyrnaviensi THE BEADS OF S. IOSEPH UPON the great Beads you recite the following Prayer which the Holy Church makes use of in his Divine Office and is as follow 's The Prayer ASsist us O Lord we beseech thee by the Merits of the Spouse of thy most Holy Mother that what our possibility cannot obtain may be giv'n us by his intercession Who livest and reignest with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Ghost World without end Amen Upon the lesser Beads you say HOLY Joseph most Blessed of all Blessed Souls after JESUS and MARY Pray for us now and at the hour of our Death Amen SEVEN PRAYERS OR DEVOTIONS Containing the seven Dolours and Joy's of Saint Joseph The first Prayer Containing the first Dolour and Joy of Saint Joseph O Most Chast Spouse of the most Holy Mother of Jesus by the grief you felt when you perceiv'd her your beloved Spouse with Child being as yet Ignorant of that Ineffable means God had made use of for this end which caus'd you to think of leaving her And by the great Joy you had as soon as the Angel freed you from the Suspicion by declaring to you the Mistery of the Incarnation of the Eternal Word Pray for us that we may endeavour to advance your honour and worship throughout the whole World to the end that by the assistance of God's Grace surmounting all troubles and asslictions of Mind in this Mortal Life we may in the next become the peaceful Mansion of the Holy Ghost for all Eternity Amen Our Father Hail Mary The second Prayer Containing the second Dolo●● and Joy of Saint Joseph O Thrice happy Joseph Foster-Father of Jesus by the great grief you 〈◊〉 in your Heart when you contemplated this beloved Infa●● lying in the Manger Weeping and Shivering with Cold. And by the great Joy you receiv'd in beholding the Holy Angels adoring and honouring h●● with their Heavenly Musicl●● and in seeing the three King Prostrate before him and Offering him three rich Presents Pray for us O great Saint 〈◊〉 the end that our Souls may b●● come fit Mangers to recei●● our Saviour into and that 〈◊〉 may lodge and keep him always therein even to the last Moment of our Lives that then we may find and enjoy him in Heaven in the midst of his Everlasting Glory Amen Our Father Hail Mary The third Prayer Containing the third Dolour and Joy of Saint Joseph O Great Joseph a Man according to God's own Heart by the grief you felt at the Circumcision of the tender Infant Jesus shedding his most Precious Blood and by the Joy you had in giving him the Sweet Name of Jesus according to the Revelation which the Angel had made you Pray for us to your Blessed Son to the end we may be wash'd and purified with his most Precious Blood and always bear his Name imprinted in our Hearts Amen Our Father Hail Mary The fourth Prayer Containing the fourth Grief and Joy of Saint Joseph O Most Glorious Joseph and Prudent Servant of God by the great Grief that Wounded and Pierc'd your Afflicted Heart when you heard by the Mouth of Simeon that the Soul of your dear Spouse was to be pierc'd with a Sword And by the joy you felt therein when you heard frō the same Simeon that Jesus was design'd for the Resurrection and Salvation of Mankind Pray for us to the end that we may become such partakers of the Dolours of the Mother that we may afterwards partake of the Joy and Happiness of her Belov'd Son Jesus Amen Our Father Hail Mary The fifth Prayer Containing the fifth Dolour and Joy of Saint Joseph O Pious Comforter of the Mother of God by the Dolours and Anxieties you underwent in your Flight into Aegypt and by the Joy you receiv'd when at your entrance you saw the Idol's fall down upon the Earth as not being able to suffer the Presence 〈◊〉 your Divine Jesus Pray for us I beseech you that flying the dangers of all Terrene and Inordinate Inclinations we may one Day rejoyce by seeing all the black Idol's of our Sins Intirely cast down and destroy'd in our Souls Amen Our Father Hail Mary The sixth Prayer Containing the sixth Dolour and Joy of Saint Joseph O Most Chast and Vigilant Guardian of Mary the Virgin of Virgins by the great perplexity you were in when call'd out of Aegypt you heard that Archilaus the Son of Herod was made King who was no less Cruel and Bloody than his Father and by the great Joy that possest your Heart when the Angel Commanded you not to fear because all were Dead that sought his Life Pray for us that we may so live in the midst of the Aegypt of this Sinful World that one Day we may deserve to be call'd to the Celestial Juda Amen Our Father Hail Mary The seventh Prayer
King of England with their Spouses may be stil'd Children of Joseph and Mary O Divine Motives Oh what care has God of his Servants Oh Angelical Chastity How little art thou esteem'd by Men and how art thou lov'd and admir'd by God and Angels Oh Chast and Fruitful Marriage that has brought forth so many Virgins O Virgin Mother of JESUS O Virginal Spouse of the Virgin Mary inspire us with these Chast desires inable us to make and practice such Nuptial and Virginal Contracts as these that may render us capable of accompanying and following the Chast lamb your Son JESUS for all Eternity III. Point Consider also God's infinite Wisdom by uniting in Marriage two Persons so alike in all things excepting their Age he being forty she only fourteen Years old which disparity was very fit upon account of those Reasons mention'd in the foregoing Point For first they were both of the Royal Line of David Secondly they were both Sanctified before their Birth Thirdly they were both signal Lovers of Chastity they being the first that knew it's Merit and Vow'd it Fourthly they both so excell'd in Sanctity and Humility that she who stil'd her self a humble Handmaid or Slave was declar'd by an Angel full of Grace and he who endeavour'd to cover his Sanctity by his humble Trade and Profession is Canoniz'd by the Holy Ghost who pronounc'd him Just The Colloquie O Matchless and most happy pair to whose Care and Protection can I better commit my self than to yours to whom God committed the Care and Protection of his only Son and of his Virgin Mother O Virgin Mother of God accept me therefore for your Child since your Son has recommended me to you as such O Virgin Father to whom God committed the Care of his only Son and of his Virgin Mother accept own and protect me as your and her Child and teach me to shew my Love to you both by a Love of Chastity of which you have given me so admirable an Example in these your Angelical Espousals and a Love of Humility and all other Vertues by your Constant Practice of 'em upon all occasions IV. MEDITATION Of Saint Joseph's Journey with the Blessed Virgin to Visit St. Elisabeth Prepratory Prayer TO beg Grace to understand the Vertues Exercis'd by the Blessed Virgin and Saint Joseph in this Journey and to profit by their admirable Examples I. Prelude IMagin your self bearing our Blessed Lady and Saint Joseph company in their troublesome Winter Journey of forty miles over steep Mountains to Visit Saint Elizabeth Hearken to their Pious Discourses in their Journey and behold also what past at their meeting Saint Elizabeth and in their three Months abode in her House Behold also Saint Joseph's perplexity when he perceiv'd our Blessed Lady with Child II. Prelude BEG Grace to understand their Charity their Patient Sufferings their Humility And Saint Joseph's Resignation together with his most Prudent and Meek Carriage in the greatest of Tryals I. Point Consider that about four Months after Saint Joseph's Espousal with the Blessed Virgin and a few Days after the Angel Gabriel had declar'd to her unknown to Saint Joseph the Mistery of the Incarnation and that her Cosen Elizabeth was six Months gon with Child The Blessed Virgin desir'd leave of Saint Joseph that she might visit her but he out of the tender affection he had for his Spouse wou'd not permit her to go alone but wou'd accompany her himself O Charitable Visit O Tender Affection that renders the hardest things Delightful O Amiable Virgin thus dear to your Spouse what a Journey did your Charity to your Cosen move you to undertake O great Saint Joseph what pains did the care and tenderness you had for your Spouse move you Joyfully to suffer O Holy Joseph obtain for me by your powerful Intercession this ardent Charity that even renders the hardest and most troublesom things easie and even delightful II Point Consider what Joy and what Congratulations past at the meeting of these Relations what sincere expressions of Kindness past between Saint Joseph and Saint Zachary And what extraordinary expressions thereof past also between our Blessed Lady and Saint Elizabeth Who Prophetically confirm'd to her what the Angel had reveal'd by calling her * Mater Domini Mother of our Lord. Consider also with what Affection and Humility our Blessed Lady and Saint Joseph assisted Saint Elizabeth and Saint Zachary in all kinds of services both before and at the Birth of Saint John Baptist consider also what Pious conversations past between these Pious Persons during the three Months they staid there O Angelical and Heavenly conversation O Wonderful practicers of Charity and Humility obtain for me by your Intercession those two Vertues you so excell'd in III. Point Consider the great tryal Almighty God gave Saint Joseph when in his return home he found our Blessed Lady with Child O what a Combat of different Passions did this knowledge endeavour to raise in his Peaceful Heart The experience he had of her Vertue wou'd not permit him to Judge hardly of her nor the tender Affection he had for her suffer him to act with Severity against her but ●n the other side the Zeal he had ●or God's Law the chief object ●f his Love requir'd he shou'd ●●ut her away as an Adultress ●et on the other side her con●ant Obedience to the Law and ●ractice thereof wou'd not per●it him rashly to accuse her ●ereof and to quit the greatest Comfort of his Life by forsak●ng her yet to satisfie God's Command without divulging ●er crime in appearance at his return home he purpos'd a pri●ate Divorse being unwilling to ●ublish what perhaps was no ●rime in her for as Saint Jerom ●ously surmizes the thought ●f the Promis'd Messias who was to be Born of a Virgin occur'd to him and her Vertue made him think she might 〈◊〉 design'd for his Mother 〈◊〉 this thought made him also th●● himself unworthy of her Conversation and therefore to thi●● of retiring himself from 〈◊〉 Sanctuary judging himself 〈◊〉 deserving of that Relation he 〈◊〉 contracted with her O ra●ing Perplexity O interiour Ma●tyrdom O cruel Combat between the Love of God and 〈◊〉 of his Spouse O how do's Go● try his best Servants And wi●● what Silence and Humility do the Blessed Virgin as well as 〈◊〉 bear this Cross But how M●raculously do's God Comfort those that thus bear Afflictions He sends Divine when Huma● helps cannot afford any Fo● behold God sends the Angel G●●briel to bid him take his Wi●● who had Conceiv'd of the Holy Ghost and shou'd bring forth a Son to whom he shou'd give the Name of JESUS who shou'd save his People O Joyful tyding Whereby Joseph is not only freed from all Perplexity and Discomfort but a new dignity is given him by being Declar'd God-Father to the Son of God O stupendious Dignity O just Reward of such Pious Sufferings Consider also what mutual Joy did the reciting their past
Contaning the seventh Dolour and Joy of Saint Joseph O Merciful Joseph who is able to conceive the sensible Sorrow and extream grief you felt when you had lost the Child Jesus Methinks I hear you say O unfortunate Man that I am what is become of my Beloved Where is the Soul of my Heart And where shall I seek him I will never Sleep or give my self any Repose till I find him but presently without any loss of time run over all parts of the Earth to find him whom Heaven has pleas'd to commit to my Charge and Custody and without whom I cannot live but in extream Grief and Affliction And on the other fide who is able to express the Joy and extream Satisfaction wherewith your Heart was replenish'd when you found him in the midst of Doctours We humbly beseech you by this unconceivable Sadness and Joy that we may never loose our most amiable Jesus or if ever we be so unhappy as to loose him make us feel such a true and lively sorrow as you did that we may so carefully seek him as that we may soon find him with so great and sensible a Comfort that our sole care afterwards may be always to conserve him without ever loosing him any more Amen Our Father Hail Mary EIGHT MEDITATIONS FOR The Octave of Saint JOSEPH I. Meditation Of the Sanctification Birth and Name of Saint Joseph Preparatory Prayer TO beg Light of God to understand his particular Providence towards Saint Joseph and those special Prerogatives he bestow'd upon him before and at his Birth as also at his Circumcision I. Prelude Imagin your self at Nazareth where Saint Joseph was born and there behold the difference wherewith Men and Angels regarded this Royal Infant Harken to the sweet Name of Joseph given him at his Circumcision consider the esteem the Angels had both of this Holy Infant and of the sweet Name of Joseph that was given him at his Circumcision II. Prelude BEG Grace to be Inflam'd with Love and Devotion to this sweet Infant and the Holy Name of Joseph I. Point Consider that Saint Joseph as Gerson solidly proves was Sanctifi'd before his Birth for if the Prophet Jeremy Saint John Baptist and other Saints receiv'd this favour upon account of those Functions they were afterwards to Exercise The Office design'd for Saint Joseph of being Spouse to the Mother and Foster-Father and Governour to the Son of God far exceeded theirs and therefore no less requir'd the same priviledges they had Admire the Purity of this holy Infant give thanks to God for this favour of his early Sanctification congratulate with him for it and for those high Dignities for which God design'd him that mov'd him to give it And beg by the Intercession of Saint Joseph such a true Sanctification as may render you pleasing to his Divine Majesty and his Celestial Court whose love is as much to be valued as the esteem of the World is to be contemn'd II. Point Consider this holy Infant thus dear to God linally Descended from David heir to so many Kings and Royal Prophets is Born in a Poor house of Poor but Noble Parents without any of those marks of honor and grea●ness which are common to the Birth of Princes See the difference between God's and the World's esteem of Riches and Honor consider how be treats his true Favorits behold how the Angels admire what the World takes no notice of Praise their Wisdom and con●emn it's Folly The Glory of this Royal Infant is from within hid from the Eyes of the World but seen by God and his Angels O the Beauty and Riches of Poverty Which Worldlings perceive not O Royal and Holy Infant obtain for me such an inflam'd Love of Poverty such a generous Humility as you had that I may esteem no honour greater than to be contemn'd by the World for God's Sake or than the being lov'd and esteem'd by him and his Celestial Court III. Point Consider the signification of the Name that was given him at his Circumcision either by Divine Inspiration or which is more probable by the Revelation of a● Angel as Saint John Baptist's was Joseph signifies Encrease an● what an Encrease in all kinds did he receive with it All son● of such Heavenly Graces a●sorts of Priviledges and Prerogatives as the Dignity of hi● Person and Employments justly requir'd The Name of the great Patriarch Joseph who was a Figure of this was given him upon account of his Angelical Chastity and the care he was to take in Feeding Protecting and Preserving the Elect Children of God in Aegypt But our Joseph of whom the other was a Type was to be the Virgin-Spouse of the Virgin-Mother of God Protectour and Preserver both of her and her Son nay even of the Son of God himself in Aegypt O Name above all Names ●ext to JESUS and MARY ●●t it be a constant Comfort to ●ny Heart and from the abundance of Heart let my Mouth frequently repeat the sweet ●ame of Joseph joyning it to ●●ose Delicious Names of JESUS ●nd MARY The Colloquie O most Holy and Royal Infant O most Blessed Joseph be to me a Joseph that is ●otain for me such Encrease of sanctity such a Love of Poverty ●nd Angelical Purity with such 〈◊〉 true Humility as rendred you ●●uly great and such a Devotion to your dear self that the ●ery pronouncing your Blessed Name may creat such a Joy and Comfort in my Heart as may move you to interceed for and consequently to obtain an● Increase of all Vertues in it II. MEDITATION Of the humble Vocation and Sanctity of Saint Joseph Preparatory Prayer TO beg of God to let us set why Saint Joseph follow'd so humble a Profession as that of a Carpenter and after what manner he practic'd it Increasing at the same time in all sorts of Perfection I. Prelude IMagin your self at Nazareth beholding Saint Joseph a most comely Youth of eighteen Years of age learning and exercising the laborious and humble trade of a Carpenter II. Prelude BEG of God to teach you by S. Joseph's Example how Profitably to joyn an Humble Active ād Passive Life that thereby the less you are esteem'd upon Earth by Creatures the more you may be Esteem'd and Lov'd by your Creator in Heaven I. Point Consider first that Providence ordain'd that Saint Joseph tho' of a Royal extract shou'd learn and exercise so mean a Trade as that of a Carpenter first to avoid Idleness so vety dangerous to the Virginal Purity he had Vow'd to him Secondly that the Humble exercises of this Trade might ballance the Dignities he design'd to bestow upon him of being Spouse to the Mother and Foster Father to the Son of God That no Ostentation or Vanity might take any place in his Humble Heart Thirdly that by the Labour of his Hands and Sweat of his Brows he might gain wherewithall to Exercise the greatest of Charities by nourishing and maintaining the Mother and Son of God
inspire me with those Thoughts of these Mysteries wherewith thou didst Inspire the tender and Loving Heart of Saint Joseph O most Holy Joseph obtain by your Spouses and your own Intercession such a true Disposition of Heart to Receive and lay them up in my Heart that I may profit by them that hereby my Heart may become a grateful Present to you to Offer to JESUS Behold such as it is I here Offer with all the Affection I am able O Increase this Affection that the present may be more acceptable and than Offer it to the Divine JESUS the God of my Heart VI. MEDITATION Of the Virtues Saint Joseph Exercis'd in the Flight of JESUS into Aegypt in his Return from thence and at his loss of him in Jerusalem Preparatory Prayer BEG Grace to see and Imitate those Virtues Saint Joseph practis'd in these Mysteries I. Prelude BEHOLD Saint Joseph as soon as he heard the Angel Pronounce those Words Take the Child and his Mother and fly into Aegypt getting up at Midnight and without any delay beginning a long Winter Journy of above a hundred and sixty Miles with his Spouse the Blessed Virgin and her tender Infant JESUS not yet a Year old Behold him also exercising his Trade for seven Years together at Mattutes six miles from Babylon amidst a company of Idolaters who were incited by the Devil to treat these Holy Persons after a most rude and inhuman manner All which Saint Joseph patiently suffer'd till he was warn'd by an Angel to return home Then imagine them returning back the same tedious Winter Journy to Nazareth were remaining four Years they ascended with JESUS now twelve Years of of Age to Jerusalem where they lost him and returning back to seek him found him in the Temple II. Prelude BEG Grace rightly to Consider the profit Saint Joseph made by all these Mysteries and beg his Intercession to do the like I. Point Consider Saint Joseph's Blind and Prompt Obedience by intirely adandoning himself to God's Provindence Quitting at mid-night his Country his House Friends and all other Conveniencies to begin a long Winter Journey to go to live amongst Idolaters The Love of JESUS and his Precious Life made him set at naught all other things to save this God's Will was his Guide and Law which he Blindly Obey'd without consulting his Reason which might have suggested difficulties and objected for Example why at this time of Night Why in this hard season of Winter Why must we go amongst Idolaters and not rather to the three Kings What must he Fly He who is to Save others Cannot he Save himself How long must we remain in this Banishment But nothing pass'd of all this he knew Reason was not to be Consulted but Contradicted when God Commands He knew God never adandon's those that abandon themselves to his Providence O sublime Obedience O perfect Resignation O admirable Confidence O Holy Joseph obtain for me these Vertues Practis'd by thee after so sublime a manner as rais'd thee to this Dignity of becoming Saviour to him who was to Save the whole World II. Point Consider what a Mortified Life Saint Joseph must needs lead amongst such Barbarous Idolaters Consider what he must Interiourly suffer for seven Years together by seeing God continually Offended And what Exteriour Sufferings he underwent by a want of all things Living only upon the poor Earnings of his Trade and the effects of Poverty he saw JESUS and his Spouse suffer were more sensible than his own and then behold and admire his Patience Resignation and Joy in Suffering with and for JESUS Consider how by his continual Adorations and Honours done to God he endeavour'd to satisfie for those Idolatries which he with a sad Heart continually beheld O Pious O Patient and Resign'd Joseph teach me how to Love and to Express my Love by Labours and Sufferings as you did and that Love may make Labours and Sufferings both Easie and Delightful assist me to undergo them as in the Presence and purely for the sake of JESUS Then Consider what Joy the Angels tidings of Herod's Death occasion'd in his Heart not for his own sake but for the sake of JESUS whose Life Herod sought and which was dearer to him than his own O teach me this generous and disinteress'd Love that may make me have no regaurd at all to my own Interest but that my chief delight may be only in what relates to God's Honour and Happiness III. Point Consider at Saint Joseph's return from Jerusalem how sensible he was when he miss'd JESUS finding he had lost the only object of his Love and fearing this loss might proceed from his own Fault and Negligence Consider his Resignation to this so sensible Affliction and with what Peace and equality of Mind he bore it and with what Diligence he sought him and then consider what Joy his Heart felt when he found him and heard his Divine Disputations with the Doctours in the Temple Consider also what Joy the Words of our Blessed Lady caus'd in his Soul when she gave him the Title of Father which Joy was accompanied with no less Humility and Confusion reflecting upon his own unworthiness thereof O great Saint Joseph Interceed that I may never loose JESUS through my own Fault and when he withdraws himself that I may suffer it with resignation and so efficaciously seek him that I may find him as soon as you did The Colloquie O Infinite Goodness grant me by the Intercession of Saint Joseph that I may in all things intirely abandon my self to your Divine Will Patiently suffer what you think best where when and as long as you please grant that I may never Wilfully loose you but when you please to withdraw your self may suffer it with that Patience and Resignation and seek you with such Fervour and Constancy as that I may find you VII MEDITATION Of Saint Joseph's eighteen Years Conversation with Jesus and Mary at Nazareth Preparatory Prayer TO beg of God to understand the great profit Saint Joseph made by the advantage of two such admirable Examples encreasing in all sorts of Vertue I. Prelude IMAGINE your self to hear his Royal Progenitor David under a Similitude Prophetically declare in the following words the profit he made by his abode at Nazareth † Justus ut Palina florebit sicut Cedrus Libani multiplicabitur plantati in Domo Domini in atrijs Domus Dei nostri florebunt Psal 91.13 The Just says he planted in the House or Court of God shall florish like a Palm Tree and Increase or be Exalted in Perfection like a Cedar of Libanus See how Saint Joseph verifies this Prediction both by his Title of Just and Name of Joseph which signifies An Increase and reflect how like a Cedar he grew and increas'd even to the highest pitch of Perfection in Nazareth which may truly be call'd the House and Court of God since 't was the Habitation of the Son of God his Virgin Mother and his
Foster Father Saint Joseph for no less than eighteen Years Imagine your self there to hear and see Saint Joseph's Pious Conversation and manner of Living II. Prelude BEG Grace to Conceive those admirable Virtues practis'd by Saint Joseph in his Conversation with JESUS and MARY and beg also his Powerful Intercession that you may seriously endeavour to Imitate his excellent Example I. Point Consider with how great an Affection Patience Constancy and Humility Saint Joseph Exercis'd all those Humble and Laborious Actions that belong'd to so painful a Trade and to his Domestick Affairs Consider with what Concern Tenderness and Compassion he beheld our Saviour Labouring with him consider what courage his Presence and Assistance gave him in all his Labours and with what Content he perform'd 'em for the Maintenance of JESUS and his Blessed Mother how joyfully also he Assisted 'em both on all occasions and with how pure an Intention he perform'd each Action both to please and to express his Love towards God Who do's not envy Saint Joseph's Happiness in this particular And who wou'd not wish himself in Saint Joseph's place to do the same Do but help those for God's sake you live withall or that want your Assistance and you will have the same Merit and Reward Consider also what Joy you shou'd have had to serve JESUS and MARY as Saint Joseph did Exercise the same Acts of Charity to God's Image your Neighbour as he did to JESUS and he his promis'd the same reward as if you did it to himself * Quamdiu fecistis uni ex his fratribus meis minimis mihi fecistis Matth. 25. v. 40. What you have done to the least of these my Brethren you have done it to me Reflect also upon God's Presence who beholds helps and encourages you whilst you Labour and you 'll have the same Comfort in your Labours which he had Labour purely to please God for the Love of God and to do the Will of God and you will have the same Reward as if you had Wrought and Labour'd as Saint Joseph did to maintain JESUS Who says his † Cibus meus est facere Voluntatem ejus qui misit me Joan. 14. v. 34. Meat is the fulfilling the Will of his Father O how did Saint Joseph do all this And how pleasing did this make him in God's Sight His chief delight being to do God's Will II. Point Consider that his Conversation with JESUS and MARY was so pleasing to him that he avoided all other Conversations to which the Will of God did not particularly lead him consider whither the Conversation you have with these in Prayer be as pleasing to you● as to make you quit all other unnecessary Conversations see whither you prefer Retirement Silence and Conversing with JESUS and MARY before all other Conversations in this world Consider also Saint Joseph's Modest behaviour his Silence Recollection Temperance and Mortification both in Eating and Drinking and Imitate him in these Reflect upon his Pious Discourses with JESUS and his Spouse and frequently Practise the same by such like Pious Aspirations and Colloquies as he made to them Consider how he ponder'd and laid up in his Heart after his Spouses Example all the Divine sayings of JESUS and do you also hearken unto keep-in memory and reflect upon those Divine Inspirations whereby JESUS also speaks to you in Prayer or at other times Consider how his Heart was Inflam'd by the words of JESUS and how without doubt he often express'd it to his Spouse as the Disciples did by this their Interrogation * Nonne Cor nostrum ardens erat in nobis dum loqueretur Luke 24.32 Was not our Heart Inflam'd whilst he spoke within us And reflect how those Flames also broke forth in his pious Discourses and set others on fire Who wou'd not have wish'd to have his Heart thus Inflam'd by enjoying this delightful Conversation Endeavour only in your Conversation to bring in Pious Discourse and you will invite him to come and Converse with you † Ubi sunt duo vel tres Congregati in Nomine meo ibi sum in medio eorum Matth. 18. v. 20. Meet but those you Converse withall in his Name and you will meet him you will always find him in the midst of 'em darting Flames into your Heart Lastly in your Conversation follow Saint Joseph's Example in taking the part and excusing the absent when you hear 'em Blam'd and you will be secure from faling into that ordinary Defect which renders most Conversations Dangerous and Displeasing to God the Censuring or Backbiting your Neighbour III. Point Consider Saint Joseph's Silence Recollection and Interiour Peace of Mind wherewith he perform'd all his Exteriour Actions whilst his Hands Labour'd upon Earth his Thoughts and Affections were imploy'd in Heaven Consider with what Humility of Spirit with what Perfect Obedience and with what Joy of Heart he perform'd all his Actions haveing always before his Eyes the wonderful Obedience of JESUS both to himself and his Spouse beholding him verifie what the Royal Prophet foretold that he shou'd be * In Laboribus a Juventute Psal 87. v. 16. In Labours from his Youth and what the Holy Ghost also declar's † Et erat Subditus illis Luc. 2. v. 82. That he was Subject to them Who therefore can think even the hardest Labour too much to do for JESUS who thus Labour'd for us Who can think even the Humblest and Meanest Employment below him when with Saint Joseph he beholds the Son of God stooping to the like and Obeying Saint Joseph in the Meanest and Vilest Offices Beg of Saint Joseph to Inspire and put you in mind of these or such like Thoughts in all your Actions Labours and Mortifications which he had in his that they may become pleasing to God and both easie and profitable to your self whereby you shall not only Labour but Pray continually Imitate him therefore in all you do and beg of him to teach you this most profitable Art so pleasing to God of joyning Prayer and Action together The Colloquie BEG of God by Saint Joseph's Intercession that Spirit wherewith he Convers'd with JESUS and MARY and perform'd all his Actions during those eighteen Years he liv'd at Nazareth whereby you shall not only make your self pleasing to God in this World but b● acting after this manner sha●● obtain such a foretast of th●● next as will make you thin● nothing too hard or too muc● for the purchase of so great an● everlasting a Happiness VIII MEDITATION Of Saint Joseph's last Sickness Death and Glory in Heaven Preparatory Prayer BEG of God to understand the Sentiments Saint Joseph had in his Sickness and Death and the Reward he now Possesses of all his Virtues I. Prelude IMAGINE Saint Joseph lying Sick upon his Death-bed with our Blessed Saviour and our Lady on each side of him imagine him sweetly giving up the Ghost His Soul carried by Angels to Limbo and his