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
resp O Lord make hast to help me vers Glory be to the Father c. Alleluia The Hymn WHen cruel Herod th'Innocents opprest By th'Angel warn'd thou cal'dst thy Spouse from rest That taking her celestial Babe she might With thee to Aegypt make a speedy flight Antiphon All Hail honour of the Patriarchs Steward of the Holy Church of God who did'st conserve the Bread of Life and the Wheat of the Elect. vers O holy Joseph Pray for us resp 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 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 At the Ninth Hour Jesus Mary Joseph vers O God incline unto my aid resp O Lord make hast to help me vers Glory be to the Father c. Alleluia The Hymn THY foes be'ng Dead thou mad'st no longer stay But into Galileé did'st bring away Mother and Child Heav'n this advice did give And thou at Nazareth did'st humbly Live Antiphon All Hail honour of c. as before Pag. 9. vers Pray for us O holy Joseph resp That we may be made worthy of the Promises of CHRIST The Prayer ASsist us O Lord we beseech thee as before Pag. 9. At Even-Song Jesus Mary Joseph vers O God incline unto my aid resp O Lord make hast to help me vers Glory be to the Father c. Alleluia The Hymn BLess'd Jesus of thine Eye the glorious Light At twelve Years old was lost unto thy sight But finding him among the Doctors thou His Guardian was to whoâ—â— the Angels bow Antiphon All Hail honour of the c. as before Pag. 9. vers Pray for us O holy Joseph resp That we may be made worthy of the Promises of CHRIST The Prayer ASsist us O Lord we befeech thee c. as before Pag. 9. At Compline Jesus Mary Joseph vers COnvert us O God our Saviour resp And turn away thine anger from us vers O God incline unto my â—id resp O Lord make hast to help me vers Glory be to the Father c. Alleluia The Hymn O Happy Man to be imbraced by CHRIST and the Virgin in Death's Agony That so thou might'st thy course directly bend To Limbo having made a godly End Antiphon All Hail honour of the c. as before Pag. 9. vers O holy Joseph Pray for us resp That we may be made worthy of the Promises of CHRIST The Prayer ASsist us O Lord we beseech thee c. as before Pag. 9. The Commendation THese hours Canonical I have addrest To thee Saint Joseph from a Zealous Breast That by thy Prayers thou wilt obtain that I May live with thee in Heaven Eternally Amen THE LITANY OF S. JOSEPH LOrd have Mercy on us Christ have Mercy on us Lord have Mercy on us Christ Hear us Christ graciously Hear us O God the Father Creator of the World have Mercy on us O God the Son Redeemer of Mankind have Mercy on us O God the Holy Ghost Perfecter of the Elect have Mercy on us O Sacred Trinity three Persons and one God have Mercy on us Holy Mary Queen of the whole World Pray for us Saint Joseph Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Pray for us Saint Joseph Sanctifiâ—d before Birth Pray for us Saint Joseph Priviledg'd and Preserv'd from all Mortal Sin Pray for us Saint Joseph Confirm'd in Grace Pray for us Saint Joseph Honour of the Patriarch's Pray for us Saint Joseph Replenish'd with unspeakable Benedictions Pray for us Saint Joseph Reputed Father of Jesus Pray for us Saint Joseph Abounding with all the Gifts of the Holy Ghost Pray for us Saint Joseph Who Ador'd Jesus in the Crib Pray for us Saint Joseph An Angelical Man Pray for us Saint Joseph Who by the admonition of thy good Angel preserv'dst CHRIST from the fury of Herod Pray for us Saint Joseph Who as a Principality of the first Hierarchy of Angels did'st govern Christ Pray for us Saint Joseph who as a Vertue wert a Minister to CHRIST Pray for us Saint Joseph Greater than the Dominations whom the King and Queen of Heaven Obey'd Pray for us Saint Joseph In whose Armes and Bosome CHRIST was seated as in a Throne Pray for us Saint Joseph Who as a Cherubin had'st care of the Virgin of the true Paradise Pray for us Saint Joseph a Seraphical Man Pray for us Saint Joseph A most high Contemplative Soul Pray for us Saint Joseph Who dyedst in CHRIST'S Armes Pray for us Saint Joseph Who didst hear Angelical Musick Pray for us Saint Joseph Praecursor of CHRIST to the Holy Fathers in Limbo Pray for us Saint Joseph Who arose with CHRIST from the Dead Pray for us Saint Joseph Who in Body and Mind did enjoy peculiar gifts of Glory Pray for us Saint Joseph Our dear Patron and Defender Pray for us Lamb of God that takest away the Sins of the World spare us O Lord. Lamb of God that takest away the Sins of the World hear us O Lord. Lamb of God that takest away the Sins of the World have mercy upon us O Lord hear my Prayer And let my Supplication come to thee The Prayer ASsist us O Lord we beseech thee c. as before Pag. 9. THE HYMN In Honour of S. IOSEPH HAil holy Joseph whose pure Mind Rendred thee fit to be design'd The Husband of a most pure Bride To Royal David both ally'd Hail Guardian of God's Son on Earth Fore-to'ld of his stupendious Birth And other Heavenly Secrets known But to thy self and Spouse alone How often did thy happy Armes Secure that Sacred Babe from Harms When with him and thy Virgin-Wife Constrain'd to fly to save thy Life With what unspeakable delight Didst thou enjoy the precious sight Of thy Redeemer whose bright Eyes Did far out-shine the Sun's up-rise How many times didst thou imbrace The tender giver of all Grace And didst as often fix a Kiss To fill the measure of thy Bliss To whom did God such joy's Impart As to thine own and Spouse Heart Which did strange Comforts entertain When Jesus lost was found again Most happy was thy House to be That Paradise in which the Tree Of Life did prosper when the ground Where that first grew cou'd not be found How sweetned was thy daily pains While Jesus lived on thy gains Whereby the Food that yee did Eat Became all Sanctified Meat With thee he frequently did walk Calling thee Father in his talk And by his charming sweet Discourse Did Sorrows from thy Heart Divorce No Instruments however Strung ' Ere sounded like our Saviour's Tongue Which thou heard'st hourly Happy then Wert thou above the rest of Men. And when in age resistless Death Gave summons to thy latest Breath Cou'dst thou more happiness devise Than to have Jesus close thine Eyes Great is thy
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 Doloâ—â— 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 Infaâ—â— 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 hâ—â— with their Heavenly Musiclâ—â— 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 bâ—â— come fit Mangers to receiâ—â— 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 froÌ„ 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
Favors where-ever he places his particular Affection The fifth Miraculous Leaf or Prerogative of this Lilly is that S. Joseph being a Creature shou'd take care of his Creator For he was †Pater familias Father of the Family Foster-father Tutor and Guardian of the Word Incarnate So that the Angels who beheld the Son of God in the Bosom of his Eternal Father in Heaven seeing him also in the Arms of Saint Joseph upon Earth might very well cry out with admiration and astonishmentâ— behold the Governor of the Universe govern'd by a Man Behold him who carefully nourishes all Creatures nourish'd by his Creature Behold him whom the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain shelter'd under the Roof and Protection of a poor Inhabitant of Nazareth And these Angels might also very well have address'd to Saint Joseph the same admirations that Methodius did to the Mother of God in these following words †O Nutriti cuncta nutrientis Ave Joseph cujus gratia Deus factus est indigens Euge qui debitorem illum habes qui omnia omnibus mutuat omnis enim ereatura omnia Deo debet Deuâ— autâ—m tibi debitor existiâ— O Nursing-Father to him who feeds all Creatures O Rich Joseph to whom God himself becomes a Beggar Thrice happy art thou who hast him for thy Debtor who lends to every one whatsoever he possesses for all Creatures are indebted to God for their Being and for every thing they Enjoy But to oblige thee God will become oblig'd to thee and make himself thy Debtor Wherefore let us joyn our Admirations and Congratulations with those of the Angels saying O thrice happy Joseph favorit of the Court of Heaven O best Beloved of God! since he has plac'd so great a confidence in thee as to commit his only Son to thy Care and Conduct The sixth and last Miraculous Leaf or Prerogative of this Lilly is that he is one of the Persons of the Created Trinity which is next in dignity to the uncreated and wonderfully also resembles all the three Persons of the uncreated Trinity as the Lilly also do's which he bears in his Hand For in a white resplendent Cup or Throne it includes three Golden Septers all three equal in Odour Beauty and Shape issuing from the middle or heart of the Flower which resemblance gives no little honor to the Lilly since it mak's it a similitude whereby to declare the Majesty of this Divine Mystery Nor is it any less honor to our Lilly Saint Joseph to resemble the three Divine Persons Father Son and Holy Ghost which he do's after such a manner as might raise a jealosie even in the Angels to see that God has bestow'd upon Man such a resemblance of that Mystery which in it self is the most wonderful of all Mysteries did they not Adore with all possible Submission and Resignation his Divine Will and Pleasure in all things For as the Eternal Father is the Father of the Uncreated word so Saint Joseph is the reputed Father of the word Created And as God the Son is the Redeemer of Mankind so Saint Joseph is his Coadjutor in this great work since he imploy's all his cares all the labours of his Hands and all the sweat of his Brows to gain wherewithal to nourish and maintain our most Merciful Redeemer Lastly as the Holy Ghost is the Spouse of Mary the Mother of God so Saint Joseph is also her Spouse What therefore can be a greater Subject of jealosie to the Angels than this But they know him to be a favorit of God and therefore rejoyce as much in the honor God bestow's upon him as in their own and honor him as a Prince of their Grand-masters Court and as one he will have thus honor'd After having thus display'd these Miraculous Leaves and declar'd the wonderful Prerogatives of our Lilly I cannot refrain from blessing and praising the Divine Providence for inspiring the Painter to put a Lilly into Saint Josephs Hand by the help of which the same Providence has been pleas'd to inspire me to explicate his Merits and wonderful Prerogatives And if heretofore an ingenious Artist did so cut and dispose the Leaves of several Flowers that they made a very Beautiful Picture of Flora why may not I quicken'd by Saint Bernard's Fancy when he says †Quot virtutes tot Lilia Ser. 70. in Cant. So many Lillies so many Vertues endeavour to make a lively Picture of Saint Josephs Vertues out of the different sorts of Lillies and different signification of their Colours By the white Lilly is represented his Chastity by the yellow his Charity by the carnation his Mortification and by the green one his Hope So many Lillies so many Vertues Let therefore this declaration of his Vertues joyn'd with the rest of those wonderful Prerogatives I have before declar'd convince us of his extraordinary Perfection and give us an assurance that there is neither in Heaven nor Earth any Creature above Saint Ioseph or that is more favor'd by God except Iesus and Mary CHAP. II. Of those wonderful Qualities whereby God render'd Saint Joseph amiable above all other Saints except Jesus and Mary ARIVS Montanus a famous Antiquary and no less admir'd for his knowledge in the Hebrew Tongue kept in his Cabinet amongst his other Rarities a Medal that he extreamly valu'd both for it's Antiquity and Prophetical signification Which was a piece of Mony call'd by the Jews a Shekle on the one side of which was represented such a Vessel as the Crisme or Consecrated Oyl was kept in in the Temple with this inscription under it †Genealogia The Genealogy and on the reverse of the Medal was a double rank of Pearls one and forty in number in the center of which were these words †Tempus Unctionis The time of Anointing By the number of the Pearls were signifi'd the Pâ—ogenitors of Christ who were fitly represented by such precious jewels who were in all one and forty himself the * Christus Anointed being included I willingly make use of this erudition to begin my description of the amiable qualities of Saint Ioseph who was one of these Pearls to which he is fitly compar'd since you know how much this Jewel is esteemd for it's resplendent Beauty and Heavenly colour and therefore one of his Devot's cou'd not find out a title that more fitly express'd his Beauty than to call him †Margarita amabilis S. Teresa Lovely Pearl as the Church stiles his Spouse * Mater amabilis Let. Laur. Lovely Mother both being Parents of the Amiable and Lovely Iesus whom his Royal Progenitor stiles in his Psalm of Triumph †Speciosus forma prae Filijs Hominum Psal 44.31 The most Beautiful of the Sons of Men. We know amongst other Perfections Beauty of Body is very highly esteem'd which when it meets with good Natural Parts and a Vertuous disposition of Mind nothing can be more desir'd I shall therefore
shew how great this Love and Devotion ought to be That is to say it ought to be next to our Love and Devotion to Jesus and Mary CHAP. III. Of the great Love and special Devotion we ow Saint Joseph and that it ought to be next to that we have for Jesus and Mary CERTAINLY none can refuse to pay this debt of Love to our Amiable Saint Joseph to this object of the Love of Jesus and Mary and to one so highly belov'd by God himself For can the Eternal Wisdom Error be Deceiv'd Can Mary engage her Affections without Reason Or can we charge God with partiality because he Loves Saint Joseph next to Jesus and Mary Certainly such thoughts as these can never enter into a Pious Heart Wherefore we must conclude that since he was so amiable they cou'd not elsewhere lodge their Affections better or give a present of their Love to any one more deserving than Saint Joseph Let us therefore see how they Lov'd him and endeavour to Love him as they did Believing that God has renderd him lovely above others to move us to Love him above others and move us to follow the track's of his own Divine Affection towards Saint Joseph 'T is hereby we shall know that we are proficients in this Divine School of Love when we come to Love Saint Joseph above all other Saints next to Jesus and Mary in which consists that special Devotion we ought to have to him I say not this to lessen your Love and Devotion to any other Saint but to augment your Love and Devotion to this Saint who in regard of his Merits hold's the first rank in Heaven and Earth not only upon account of that Love that Jesus and Mary bore him but of the Love that God has manifested towards him by those high perogatives he has bestow'd upon him Not but that God has also very highly favour'd many other Saints of his Heavenly Court such as Saint John Baptist whom the Divine Word declar'd the †Inter natos Mulierum non surrexit major Joanne Baptista Matth. 11.11 Greatest amongst the Sons of women and such as the Apostles also were who are Pillars of his Church and like Stars of the first magnitude in the glorious Firmament of Heaven as well as several other Saints like unto these but we must remember what the Learn'd and Devout Gerson says that if the first Ranck and Hierarchy in Heaven is that of the Father Son and Holy Ghost so the second is this of Jesus Mary and Joseph and that all other Saints are of a lower Rank and of a different Hierarchy These other great Saints hold indeed the first place in their Rank and Hierarchy according to the ordinary Law of Love but not in that of the Order of the Hypostatical Union and in the Mistery of the Incarnation wherein those are only compris'd who most nearly relate to Jesus and Mary namely Saint Joseph who compleats this Created Trinity as I before signifi'd and therefore makes a Hierarchy apart of far greater Excellency and Dignity than the rest But still to set forth more at large Saint Joseph's Dignity I will here declare the Source and Order of this Hierarchy which comprehends none but Jesus Mary and Joseph We must therefore take notice that God who is admirable in his Works was not content only to make Man after his own Image and Likeness but wou'd also make a Created Image and Likeness of the Increated Trinity in these three wonderful personages Jesus Mary and Joseph whom he chose for the Mistery of the Incarnation So that as the three Persons of the Increated Trinity have all Cooperated to the Sacred Mystery of the Incarnation so they wou'd also make an Illustrious and Created Emblem of themselves to Cooperate likewise towards the same Mistery For Example first in the subsistance of the two Natures of JESUS CHRIST his Soul Body and Divinity are United in the Person of the Son of God So by the Union of the admirable Love and singular Report that these three Persons Jesus Mary and Joseph have to one another they Contributed to it upon Earth Mary bears the Image of God the Father Jesus is the Son according to his Humanity in a just likeness to what he is in Heaven as he is the Word or Son of God And Saint Joseph Represents the Holy Ghost in the quality of Spouse to the Blessed Virgin or in the Love he had for Jesus and Mary which he manifested by the care he took both of the one and of the other What Affections therefore are due to this Admirable and Venerable Created Trinity as the Learn'd Gerson stiles it either in general or in particular And if the greatest Honour be confer'd upon them by this Title why ought not the greatest Love to accompany it If Love attends Merit what can be next the Uncreated Trinity but the Created And next to the Father Son and Holy Ghost but Jesus Mary and Joseph who ought to take the next place in our Affections And as it wou'd be amiss for any one first to Love God the Father secondly to Love God the Son and then breaking the Order of the Trinity to Love one of the Angels placeing the Holy Ghost in the same Rank with these Holy Spirits so infinitely inferiour to him in all things if therefore this wou'd be very Preposterous since by denying his first Affection to the Holy Ghost he wou'd refuse him the first of all possible Devotions which he deservedly challenges as his Right it being an undoubted Truth that we cannot render a greater Honour than by Love and by offering our Heart in Homage Wherefore as none can divide their Love and Devotion to the three Persons in the Uncreated Trinity to give it elsewhere no more can they do so in order to the Created Trinity But must Love Jesus Mary and Joseph after the Uncreated Trinity before any other object tho' never so Perfect and therefore to Love Jesus and Mary and in the next place to Love any Saint or Angel wou'd be to break the order of Love and become injurious to this Created Trinity robbing it of that Honour God has given it and 't wou'd be to displace Saint Joseph who ought to have the third Rank in the sanctuary of our Affections which wou'd clearly appear no less a Defect of Judgment than of Devotion Wherefore our greatest Devotion after that to Jesus and Mary ought to be to Saint Joseph without any fear or apprehension that any Saint or Angel will thereby be disoblig'd they all giving him the precedency knowing very well what Honour and Devotion is due to the Spouse of Mary the Mother of God and to the reputed Father of Jesus the Son of God and to the third Person of the admirable Created Trinity of Jesus Mary and Joseph CHAP. IV. What was the reason why it was so long before Saint Joseph the best belov'd of God and most amiable of all the
Saints after Jesus and Mary had such a Love and Devotion payd him as was du to the greatness of his Merits THO' I dare not presume to penetrate into God's hidden Councels nor pretend to a knowledge of his Divine Secrets by permitting my curiosity to make inquiry why God has not permitted the wonderful Splendor of Saint Joseph's Glory to break out and shine forth till these latter Years permitting so many Years since the Incarnation to pass without any extraordinary knowledge or acknowledgement of the wonderful Merits of the Holy Spouse of the Mother of God yet I hope it will not appear a rashness in me to assign some motives that appear very reasonable since all that I pretend to herein is only to declare my own Thoughts grounded upon such observations as are taken from the ordinary Conduct which the Divine Providence has us'd in such like accidental occasions And hereby also to promote a Devotion to Saint Joseph which was the chiefest design I had in Writing this Treatise that by enlightning the Understandings of his Clients I may prepare a way for Saint Joseph to gain a higher place in their Affections We know that his Feast has not long been kept with that solemnity as now it is And that in the Primitive Ages no mention is made of any particular Devotion to this Saint nor no such notice taken of his Canonization as is now adays in practise concerning other Saints I cannot therefore but own that this Devotion towards Saint Joseph is only of late standing since the most Ancient marks of Honour shew'd him in several places are but of a very fresh date as we may guess by the Confraternities Chappels and Altars erected in his Honour both in Italy Germany and several other places of which I find the City of Avignion to be the first that was so happy as to express any Devotion to him in this kind for in the chief Church in that City there is a fair Chappel Dedicated to Saint Joseph in which there is a Confraternity of Batchelors and a Sodality of Virgins who assemble themselves upon his Feast to hear Mass and Vespers which are sung in this Chappel with great solemnity to gain thereby the Indulgences granted by the Pope where each of these Virgins has not only a Loaf of Holy Bread presented 'em as in other Confraternities but a Posy of Flowers also which they carry along with 'em in the Procession This Devotion seems to have had it's rise or beginning from Gregory the XI in the fourteenth Age for in a certain Chappel in the Church Dedicated to Saint Agricula there is an Altar-piece of Saint Joseph accompanying and conducting the Blessed Virgin and her Infant Jesus in their flight into Aegypt which Church both shews the Liberality of this Pope as well as his Devotion to Saint Joseph whose Coat of Armes is plac'd round about the Chappel Dedicated to this Saint in great Scutchions of Stone so that 't is more than probable 't was he that began the Honours given to this Saint in this Ancient Church of Avignion where he held his Chaire or Holy Sea at that time Who moreover at the same time increas'd the revenues of the Canons of the Church of Agricola This is the first place in which I find any publick Honors and Devotions done to Saint Joseph So that 't is not much above three hundred Years since we find any Foostteps of any extraordinary Devotion to this Saint and if before this time there were any they were but very small and far remote from the Primitive Ages God by his Divine Providence thus ordering the Conduct of Devotion to great Saint Joseph But why did God so long conceale the wonderful Merits of this Saint without encouraging Christians by a knowledge of them to exhibit that Love and Devotion to him which is now every where practis'd The chief reason that occurs to me is because this Devotion wou'd have given too great an advantage and encouragement to the Ebionites who began betimes to rob CHRIST of his Divinity and maintain'd that Joseph was his Natural Father This Heresie not only Sacrilegiously denying the Divinity of JESUS CHRIST but the Virginity also of his Blessed Mother Now Men as we know being easily carried to Extreams and to an excess in honoring those they esteem and love reflecting upon the incomparable excellency of the Spouse of the Virgin Mary they might easily have believ'd and taken him for the Father of Jesus Son to the Blessed Virgin especially meeting with some who were of that opinion but now we are out of the danger of any such erroneous credulity and all that Sect of Hereticks who were Enemies of CHIST's Divinity and the Virginity of our Blessed Lady are silenc'd and shut up in an everlasting Prison there is no danger of extolling his Merits which caus'd him to possess such eminent Glory in Heaven and to deserve such a Love and Devotion upon earth as was next to that of Jesus and Mary Moreover tho' there had not been this danger of giving countenance to so great an Heresie yet this extraordinary Devotion suits better with these latter Ages in which the world draws towards an End which still decaying in Piety and Fervour stands in need of some Spiritual Cordial as I may say to warm it's Chilliness and Tepedity and to inkindle Fervour in the Hearts of the Faithful for which end nothing cou'd be more efficacious than a Love and Devotion to this great Patriarch and Favorit of God There are now one thousand six hundred ninty and eight Years past since the Law of Grace took it's beginning by the happy conduct of Saint Joseph who had the charge of the Word Incarnate committed to him And can it end more happily and with greater Glory than under his conduct also procur'd by the affectionat acknowledgements applause and devotions of all Nations to this their thrice obliging Benefactour and Parent of Christianity And by their cordial and grateful acknowledgement to the Father of our King and to the Spouse of the Queen of Heaven and Earth Hereby also God wou'd manifest to the World that in the Beginning and in the End of the Law of Love which are the two Gates of God's Church and of the Law of Grace he wou'd have Joseph the most Chast and Holy-Spouse of Mary appear glorious and noble in this his enterprise and faithful in his conduct that thereby he might deserve the Triumph of a Possession of our Hearts by our Love and Devotion to him wherefore to him may be well apply'd these words of the Proverbs †Nobilis in portis Vir Ejus Prov. 31.23 Her Husband is Noble in the Gates Or as the Caldaick Translation has it Her Husband is known in the Gates at the Entrance and going out of the Law of Grace that is he is honor'd with the publick mark of a Senator which was to be plac'd at the Gates where such Men only were wont to
Measures wherewith he inspires both Art and Nature to Operate Especially in framing his chief Master-piece his Holy Church For to what End did he ordain so many Ceremonies in the Old Jewish Law Why was he so careful of all the Ornaments of Salomons Temple as even to Ordain that the very Snuffers and other Instruments of less Moment shou'd be of Gold It was because the beholding all these Ordinations and Ceremonies serv'd to his Elect People as an Aprentiship to understand and learn both the Excellency and Sublime Practices of the New Law that JESUS CHRIST was to Establish these serv'd as Foundations whereupon that was to be built and to dispose us to that Perfection as was requir'd and obtain'd by those Sacraments instituted in the Law of Love which the Divine Wisdom was to Establish in his Church 'T was therefore for this End that he brought up his Elect People in the Exercise of such a Multitude of Ceremonies in the Old Law that he might hereby dispose and bring them by little and little to that solid Devotion and Attention requir'd in the New We also see that the Written Law God gave to Moyses Perfected the Law of Nature and the Law of Grace Perfects both the Law of Nature and the Written Law and God made use of all these to bring us to that Perfection which the Vertue and Prerogatives of his Grace prepar'd us to obtain the better to entertain him with such Fervour and Devotion as he requir'd when he shou'd favor us with his Divine Presence Thus we see that God both by himself and his Creatures prepares disposes brings about and perfects all his designs by degrees And we see the reason why God for the space of near seventeen hundred Years has dispos'd and order'd that particular Honours and Devotions shou'd be perform'd by his Servants to particular Saints for particular benefits receiv'd by their Intercession for he bestow's upon each Saint some particular Grace or Priviledge to move the Faithful to a particular Devotion to that particular Saint giveing to one Saint the power of cureing one Disease to another the power of curing a different Distemper to one Saint power to help us in one Necessity to another Saint power to help us in a different Exigency to one Saint he gives the priviledge to obtain one Vertue for us to another to obtain some other different Vertue and why did God do all this but to move his Servants to a particular Devotion to the Saints in general And to move and dispose us also to a Devotion to each Saint in particular when we wanted their help in such a necessity as God had given that Saint a particular power to help us in And why has God reserv'd to this last Age the declaration of the Merits and Power of Saint Joseph but that the Devotion wherewith he had Inspir'd us to give to each Saint in in Particular might serve us like so many dispositions and steps to raise us to such a Devotion to Saint Joseph as he merits above all other Saints next to Jesus and Mary he having all that Power united in himself which God had distributed amongst all other Saints whereby he was able to cure all Corporal and Spiritual Diseases both of Soul and Body and to help his Clients in all their Necessities whatsoever his Dignity and Merits challenging this extraordinary priviledge above all other Saints except Jesus and Mary to the end therefore that all the particular Devotions exhibited for so many Ages to many different Saints might be united and offer'd to him and that all might have Recourse to him in all their Necessities God has discover'd to us that all the power he had before Communicated and Distributed to several Saints is united and given to Saint Joseph he having all Power given him next to Jesus and Mary I shou'd not thus freely have declar'd my Thoughts upon so sublime a Subject had I not before-hand made my Apology since after all none but God and his Saints do certainly know the true reason why Saint Joseph receiv'd not more Early Honours in the Catholick Church Now therefore I shall go on to perform that which I also Promis'd and will be a far easier task which is to make known to you who were those particular Clients of Saint Joseph that in these latter Years God has Inspir'd to endeavour after a most particular manner the promoting his Honour CHAP. V. Of the ten particular Clients of Saint Joseph who by their Pious Examples have invited and mov'd us to a particular Devotion to him next to Jesus and Mary THE Clients of Saint Joseph daily increase and are already become so numerous that there are few or none that desire not to be inrol'd amongst ' em All the Clients of Jesus and Mary have also Consecrated their Affections to him in acknowledgement of his Amability and of the Love which his reputed Son Jesus and his Virgin Spouse Mary have for him their Mouths and Pens express the desires and wishes of their Hearts saying Long Live Jesus Mary and Joseph these are now become their Aspirations adding Joseph to the common Aspiration of Devout Souls Long Live Jesus and Mary and their frequent prohouncing of these words is a signal mark of the Victory he has gain'd over their Chast Affections It has been heretofore a singular Devotion of some Persons who were particularly Devoted to the Vertue of Purity to add Alexius to those two Venerable Names of Jesus and Mary but since this Lovely Sun Saint Joseph has peirc'd the Cloud under which he so many Years lay hid all change their notes and cry out Jesus Mary and Joseph instead of Jesus Mary Alexius giving Saint Joseph his own yet without lessoning their Devotion to Alexius whom after Saint Joseph they honor also with frequent Aspirations Live Alexius O let Alexius Live But they knowing the Merits of Saint Joseph to be of a different and higher rank upon account of the alliance he had with the Vertues of his Holy Spouse and with the Mistery of the Incarnation which render'd him as I have sayd one of the Created Trinity where he takes his place gives him a preference above all other Saints tho after him every one may take Alexius or what other Saint they are particularly Devoted unto for the Object of their particular Affection The first and chief of those who were tenderly affected to Saint Joseph was Jesus the Son of God For tho' our Blessed Lady was first by the date of time that Lov'd her Spouse since her Love began before JESUS CHRIST her Son was Born yet 't is not to be doubted but that the Saviour of the World incomparably more Lov'd and Cherish'd him than our Lady did And therefore tho' her Love was precedent as I sayd in regard of time Yet the Love which Jesus as Son of God had for him before time was above our imagination and beyond the power of Angels to express he lov'd
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 â—n the Armes of his Son and Saâ—lour and in the Presence of the most Sacred Virgin his Spouse The consideration of these particular Priâ—iedges with reason renderd the Holy â—â—â—gin Agatha more Devoted than â—â—â—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 anâ— Honour of them she Yearly sayâ— a hundred and forty thousand times our Lords Prayer they being sâ—â— many in number as some reasonablâ— suppose grounding their Opinion upon what Saint John relates in his Apoâ—â—lyps * Cum co centum quadraginta quaâ— tor millia habentes Nomen ejâ—â— 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 â—â—er Sensuality which was always â—â—bject to his Reason that he was confirm'd in Grace that he â—ose â—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
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 wouâ—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 â—â—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 â— 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 â— 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 Lifâ— 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 â—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 reâ—â—â—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
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
nothing neerer their Hearts than Jesus Mary Joseph The Children also of Sainâ— Francis Sales who are the Religious of the Visitation in this make knowâ— both their own and their Foundeâ—â— inclinations And the Nuns of the Word Incarnate or the Annunciates from their first beginning put themselves under his happy Protection The manner of celebrating hiâ— Feast is the same with that we Celebrate the Feast of other Saints some Fast upon the Eve in his honour others perform some otheâ— Pennance and Mortification for the same end others Communicate upon his Feast others abstain from aservil Works as upon Sundays others give more time to Prayer thaâ— upon other Days others Read hâ— Life others spend the Day in more Religious Exercises performing all this in testimony of their Love to Saint Joseph The second Devotion is to take him for your special Patron and Directour for the following Year or shou'd you already have chosen him for such then to make choice of him for the effecting some particular affair you have in hand of great Importance Resolve to perform some Devotions to him for this Intention for the space of some Months as the necessity or length of your affairs shall require †Ex Libro de gloria S. Joseph Mother Jane of the Angels of whom I have already spoken beg'd of Saint Joseph upon New Years Day that he wou'd take her for that Year 1636. into his Protection and by his powerful Intercession obtain of our Saviour the Blessing of being deliver'd from all Interiour or Exteriour Impediments in God's Service and to dispossess her of those Devils that Tormented her and free her from whatsoever else that kept or retarded her Soul from the Union of his Divine Love The Night following as she fell asleep she seem'd to feel a more particular Devotion than ordinary accompany'd with a most incredible sweet smell quite different from all other scents that are found in the Perfumes of this World And at the same time she heard a Voice that sayd to her Behold him to whom thou hast Recommended thy self Hereupon the Holy Patriarch Saint Joseph came into her mind and her Heart was fill'd with an extraordinary veneration for and love of him She seem'd in her Sleep to see such a dazeling Light as far exceeded the Brightness and Splendor of the Sun Within which she beheld a Countenance full of wonderful Majesty so Beautiful that she neither found Words to express it nor any Comparisons whereby to discover her Thoughts After all the Person spoke to her as follows Conserve Patience and Constancy in these Sensible difficulties you suffer support 'em with Resignation and endeavour to forget your self for God has Favours in store to bestow upon you Tell your Exorcist that if Men labour not for your Recovery God will make it his own Work By all means let him continue his Endeavours and God by his Ministery will Expel the Devil that most of all hinders your Devotions This being sayd all Vanish'd except the Perfume which lasted so strong for some time after that when she awak'd she verily thought her Chamber had been Perfum'd Her Thoughts were taken up all the Day following with a Confidence in our Saviour and with the Assurance of Saint Joseph's Assistance in this extream necessity she was then in Nor was she deceiv'd for five Days after upon the Feast of the Epiphany she found the effect of her Protectour's Intercession by being dispossess'd of that Devil that did so maliciously interrupt her Devotions The Father Exorcist Commanding him in the Presence of all that were Spectatours that for a Mark of his going out he shou'd write the Name of Mary upon her Hand as he did tho' not without great difficulty and repugnance fixing this Name in very legible Characters immediately above Saint Joseph's which had been writ there before upon the going out of another Devil which Names during her whole Life appear'd as clear and distinct as they did the first Day which I my self was an Eye-witness of as the sayd Religious past by Lyons to go to Anessy to visit the Tomb of Saint Francis of Sales in the Year 1638. I say nothing of the Names of JESUS and Saint Frantis of Sales that were to be seen on the back of the same Hand Writ at the Command of the Exorcist as a Mark of these Devils quitting their Possession which by God's Permission they had taken of her Body that being not so much to my purpose which is only to declare how much it conduc'd to her Happiness to have recourse to Saint Joseph for his Protection either upon his own or upon any other Feast The third Devotion that may be perform'd to Saint Joseph is to take him for our chief Patron and Advocate during our whole Life and Yearly to renew this Resolution upon his Feast I know a Religious Person of our Society who constantly practises this Devotion every Year Offering himself unto him by the Recital of such a Prayer as in our Sodalities of our Blessed Lady erected in our Colledges is publickly recited at their Reception into it I pretend not to perswade you to perform this Exercise every Day lest to some it might seem too great a burthen but only once a Year at least upon his chief Feast which his true Clients can not think too much to perform And the first time one makes use of this Prayer 't is fit to choose him for our particular Patron and Protector The Prayer is short and therefore I shall insert it heer as I shall insert a longer at the end of this Book Page 25. amongst other particular Devotions to be recited at Leisure O Holy Joseph Spouse of the most Blessed Virgin Mary I N. N. choose you this Day for my special Advocate and Patron and do firmly purpose never to forsake you nor to say do nor suffer any under my charge to say or do any thing against your Honour I earnestly therefore beseech you that you will please to take me for your perpetual and constant Servant and to aid and assist me in all my Actions especially in the hour of my Death Amen Make a firm Resolution to keep this Purpose and renew it often either at Holy Communion or when you visit the Blessed Sacrament whereby you will render this Devotion more Pleasing to God more Honorable to the Saint and more profitable to your self The fourth Devotion may either be to offer Mass your self or get a Priest to offer one in Honour of Saint Joseph and that piece of the Eastern Church History that was found and offer'd to Pope Adrian the V I. as very authentick assures us that CHRIST assisting Saint Joseph at his Death gave him his Blessing and Promiss'd to give the same to all those that shou'd offer Sacrifice to God in Honour of Saint Joseph upon the Day of his Glorious Death the ninteenth of March But we have no Sacrifice except the Sacrifice of Holy Mass And
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 Steâ—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
wonderfully advances and increases our Perfection and gains a great degree of Glory in Heaven This caus'd Saint Mary Magdalen of Pazzi after that the Glory of Blessed Aloysius Gonzaga was reveal'd to her to say he had gain'd that Sublime Glory by his Interiour Actions in which lys all the Perfection of the Soul So that this Interiour and this Spiritual Life is one and the self same thing But 't is not so easie as one may conceive to enter into this Interiour and Inward Life or to lead such a Spiritual Life as I speak of Since to be much recollected and to enter into our selves is the way to become a Perfect Interiour Man And to do this you must cast off and wean your self from all attention to Creatures you must lay aside Interest and Human Respects such as are Gain Honour Flesh and Blood you must give your self to Recollection and Prayer and hereby unite your self to God To do this you must constantly walk in the Presence of God seek nothing but his Divine Will Subdue your own Passions and then practise all sorts of Vertues belonging to the Interiour Powers of your Soul But all this is very hard to perform and from hence it follows that very few Persons attain to it and for this reason a great Master of Spirit sayd very well †Perfectio est Paucorum Few are Perfect But on the contrary the Imperfect and Extroverted Persons are very many who permit themselves to sinke into the Passionate Affection of self Love give their Will the Reines and yeild to all that sense requires languishing in Sensuality rather than practising true Vertue of whom Saint Paul complains All seek their own or themselves not JESUS or the things that belong to him But care must be taken by those who list themselves Clients to Saint Joseph that they do not too soon and too easily believe themselves to have obtain'd this Interiour and Spiritual Life because they find some sensible feelings of Devotion * Omnes quae sua sunt quaerunt non quae JESUS CHRISTI ad Philip. 2.21 But when they find their Passions ill Habits and all their Imperfections perfectly subdu'd and that they are become Fervent and Constant in the practice of all Vertues then they may hope they have made some progress in this Spiritual Life This Spiritual deceit was very well understood by Blessed Mary Magdalen of the Vrsulins as the handsome reply she made to a Sister Inferiour in Government when she came to make her Complaints to her This Sister coming to her and expressing how great a desire she had of the Spiritual Advancement of the Monastery and in order thereunto told her that she had observ'd some Imperfections in certain of the Religious which gave Disedification Telling her that such and such Persons were guilty of them The Superiour took in good part this Advertisment she gave her and with her wonted Sweetness promis'd in time to redress 'em and provide a seasonable cure But this Religious being of the Number of those who wou'd Reform all at once and who thought her self far from wanting any such Reform unsatisfi'd with this Sweet Answer of her Superiour told her that a speedy Order ought to be taken and so efficacious a one as might keep the Evil from spreading and she knew none better than to devide the Monastery and that all who were Stubborn and of an Ill Cholerick Humour Sluggish in Riesing Tepid Contentious and Imperfect shou'd go by themselves into another House and the other part of the Community that is the Good Fervent Perfect and Affable that had made progress in Vertue practis'd Mortification and were exact observers of Religious Discipline shou'd remain in this The good Mother still Patiently gave ear to all she sayd and sweetly ask'd her when she had ended her Discourse which of these she design'd to be in Amongst those that are Perfect reply'd the Religious that I may have no trouble nor vexation of Mind to hinder me in Vertue And I reply'd the Superiour will accompany the less Perpect first because I am one of their number and also out of Compassion to them that by having occasion of shewing Sweetness and Patience towards 'em I may gain 'em and have a greater subject of Merit When the Sister heard this admirable Reply from her Superiour she was silenc'd and saw how much she was deceiv'd by thinking her self one of the more Perfect and moreover saw that there being not many such the Monastery being slenderly furnish'd with Subjects there wou'd scarce have been half a dosen left in the whole House For in effect in a Community of threescore Religious you will scarce find six true Interiour Persons and amongst a hundred Religious Men or five hundred Seculars it wou'd be hard to find ten such as we speak of who are eminent in this Interiour Life and make the seeking after Perfection their chief Endeavour Prom whence we may gather how great an advantage the Clients of of Saint Joseph have who by his Intercession obtain so great a Blessing than which nothing is so considerable nothing harder to obtain nor any thing that ought more earnestly to be sought after What a Comfort is it then to have so powerful an Assistant who sweetens all Difficulties lending us his efficacious Hand whereby he manifests that God has left to his sole care the bringing up of all those who efficaciously desire to become eminent in this hidden Interiour Life as a Recompence of that Interiour hidden Life he led himself at Nazareth with his Sacred Family and that he is the Ruler and Governour of those Souls who desire to have their Vertue and Actions conceal'd to the World and only known to God As a Young Man greatly inlighten'd by God testifi'd to Father Seâ—rin of the SOCIETY of JESUS †P. Severin In Relatione impressâ This Farther accidentally meeting him and finding him wonderfully replenish'd with so many extraordinary Gifts and Graces of God that in his Life he never met with the like and this after a very high manner for tho' he had never been Instructed and only serv'd a Priest till he was eighteen Years of Age yet he spoke most Spiritually and not only like a Divine but also like a Saint of high Perfection The Father propos'd many Questions to him and amongst the test he ask'd him if he were Devout to Saint Joseph to which he made Answer that for the six Years last past he had been his Protectour and Directour and affirm'd that our Saviour himself had given him Saint Joseph for this end Adding that he was the greatest of Saints after the Blessed Virgin that he had the Plenitude of the Holy Ghost with the Apostles and that he was the Master and Spiritual Directour of those Souls who addicted themselves to a hidden Interiour Life and Conversation with God To prove this Truth 't is only necessary to observe the assistance Saint Joseph gives in this
Joseph's Assistance who Appear'd to her and layd his Hand upon that side where the Pain was and so Cur'd her But this being a very Miraculous Cure and the circumstances very extraordinary I cannot omit to give you in short a particular account of the cheif Passages leaving the rest to a Printed Relation of it approv'd by the Bishop of Poicters and shewing how she Recover'd by a most Miraculous Oyntment that the Saint apply'd And because the most satisfactory relation I think that can be made of it is what she Relates her self in a Letter to a Friend I shall therefore put it down in her own Words I fell into very violent Convulsion Fits like one ready to give up the Ghost I found my self depriv'd of all Sense yet my Judgment was still at liberty and as I lay in this sad Condition there appear'd to me a great and beautiful Clow'd in which on my right side stood my Good Angel of incomparable Beauty like a Youth of eighteen Years of Age with fair deshevel'd Hair This Youth had in his right Hand a fair Wax flaming Taper on the other side in the Clowd was my Holy Father Saint Joseph with a Countenance outshining the Sun in Brightness and a Majesty more than Human resembling in Age a Man of forty or forty five Years Old with a goodly Head of Hair of a Chesnut colour very long and I perâ—eiv'd he look'd upon one of the Assistants that stood by me after a very sweet manner full of Amity and Affection Then beholding me he layd his Hand upon that side where from the beginning was the principle Source if my Distemper he anointed me With Oyl or some such kind of Liquor and the place he anointed remain'd something moist And at that same inâ—ient I found my self perfectly reâ—ever'd and told the standers by as much This is what she her self Recounts now see what follow'd she finding her self very well ris out of her Bed which she had kept upon account of her Feaver for fourteen Days together occasion'd by a form'd Plurisie that gave her extraordinary pain she had been let Blood nine times in twelve Days space which caus'd such a Weakness and Feebleness as she was scarce able to turn her self in her Bed none expecting any thing but Death But Mr. Faveon her Physitian and a Protestant was most of all astonish'd when entring into her Chamber not knowing any thing of the Miracle he saw all the Company on their Knees the Sick Womans bed empty and cover'd and saw her who but a little before he had left as a Dying Person riseing from her Knees walking in her Religious Habit about the Chamber without any help and coming towards him with a Smiling Countenance To whom she recounted her Miraculous recovery giveing him also thanks for the Pains he had taken This surprise was so suddain that he remaind for along time in a silent astonishment not knowing what to say or think but in the end coming to himself he acknowledg'd it to be a wonderful change but God says he is Omnipotent But another yet greater Miracle soon follow'd this of which this was partly the occasion for the rest of the Oyntment remaining upon a Linnen Cloath wherewith the recover'd Person wip'd the Place Saint Joseph had Anoynted not only retain'd a Sweet and Aromatick Smel as I my self experienc'd as this Religious Person so Miraculously Cur'd past by Lyons but has also the power of Working Miracles which it likewise Communicates to Beads Medals Images and Papers that have only touch'd this Miraculous Oyntment or the Cloath that Wip'd it off the Religious Persons Side The second Miracle wrought by the Oyntment is as follows Madame de Laubougemont about eight Days after Sister Jean of the Angels had so Miraculously Recover'd being big with Child happen'd after the self same manner to fall Sick of a Plurisy at Trevoux which four of the ablest Physicians of that place judg'd Incurable and therefore thought it in vain to apply any Remedies But God Inspir'd both the Patient and her Husband to make use of the Remedy Saint Joseph had afforded the foresaid Religious and therefore they sent an Express to Loudun to desire they might make use of the Cloath that had Wiped off the Heavenly Balsome from the Place Saint Joseph had Anointed This being brought to the Sick Lady the very Smel of it's Divine Perfume fill'd her Soul with Joy and the Application of it to her Right Side perfectly recover'd her and a few howers after she was Deliver'd of a Child which the Doctours and Surgeons judg'd to have been a whole Month Dead in her Body A Young Man call'd Claud Murner at Laubougemont afflicted with an extraordinary swelling in one of his Ribs that reach'd quite to his Reins and caus'd a very violent Feaver So that all concluded he wou'd either be a Cripple as long as he liv'd or else the breaking of the Ulser wou'd occosion his Death such an abundance of humours being gather'd together and had caus'd so great an inflamation and swelling as gave him a very great deal of pain so that he cou'd not lye in any other Posture in his Bed but upon his Belly Which mov'd a great compassion in those that visited him amongst which was one of his Relations a Father of the SOCIETY from whom I receiv'd this account Who hearing the Doctours and Surgeons of Mascon conclude there was no hopes of a Cure caus'd the Youth with all Confidence to make a Vow to Saint Joseph The Father sayd Mass in honour of the same Saint to procure his powerful Intercession and advis'd the Youth to Confess and Communicate This done he caus'd the Name of JESUS to be written and brought to the Sick Person who swallow'd down the Paper it having touch'd the Heavenly Balme of Saint Joseph I before spoke of they rubb'd also the inflamation with a piece of the same Paper The same Day the Feaver left him his appetite return'd the swelling wasted by degrees and his strength recover'd after such a manner that within three or four Days he found himself able to perform a journey of seven Leagues on Hors-back and this happen'd not only to these Persons I have Nam'd but to several others both at Lyons Trevoux and Loudun were cur'd of very Desperate Feavers by the same means Sister Margaret Rigaud a Profess'd Religious of the Monastery of Saint Elizabeth at Lyons fell from a flore one story high the fall caus'd such a bruise in her Head as made the Blood gush out of her Ears and depriv'd her of her Senses they us'd all remedies but nothing cou'd ease her Head which was so bruis'd that for several Months together she was not able so much as to lean or rest it even upon the softest Pillow Her Mind was in no less pain being very much disquieted caus'd by the weakness of her offended Brain and the Evil very much increasing a Consult of Doctours and Surgeons were call'd who
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 â—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
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 greaâ—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 conâ—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 aâ— Angel as Saint John Baptist's was Joseph signifies Encrease anâ— what an Encrease in all kinds did he receive with it All sonâ— of such Heavenly Graces aâ—sorts of Priviledges and Prerogatives as the Dignity of hiâ— 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 â—ext to JESUS and MARY â—â—t it be a constant Comfort to â—ny Heart and from the abundance of Heart let my Mouth frequently repeat the sweet â—ame of Joseph joyning it to â—â—ose Delicious Names of JESUS â—nd MARY The Colloquie O most Holy and Royal Infant O most Blessed Joseph be to me a Joseph that is â—otain for me such Encrease of sanctity such a Love of Poverty â—nd Angelical Purity with such 〈◊〉 true Humility as rendred you â—â—uly great and such a Devotion to your dear self that the â—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 anâ— 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 aÌ„d 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
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 â—n the other side the Zeal he had â—or God's Law the chief object â—f his Love requir'd he shou'd â—â—ut her away as an Adultress â—et on the other side her conâ—ant Obedience to the Law and â—ractice thereof wou'd not perâ—it him rashly to accuse her â—ereof and to quit the greatest Comfort of his Life by forsakâ—ng her yet to satisfie God's Command without divulging â—er crime in appearance at his return home he purpos'd a priâ—ate Divorse being unwilling to â—ublish what perhaps was no â—rime in her for as Saint Jerom â—ously surmizes the thought â—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 thâ—â— himself unworthy of her Conversation and therefore to thiâ—â— of retiring himself from 〈◊〉 Sanctuary judging himself 〈◊〉 deserving of that Relation he 〈◊〉 contracted with her O raâ—ing Perplexity O interiour Maâ—tyrdom O cruel Combat between the Love of God and 〈◊〉 of his Spouse O how do's Goâ— try his best Servants And wiâ—â— what Silence and Humility do the Blessed Virgin as well as 〈◊〉 bear this Cross But how Mâ—raculously do's God Comfort those that thus bear Afflictions He sends Divine when Humaâ— helps cannot afford any Foâ— behold God sends the Angel Gâ—â—briel to bid him take his Wiâ—â— 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
feelings one to another occasion after these most Joyful Tydings The Colloquie O Infinite Goodness that thus triest and rewardest even thy best Servants let all Saints and Angels praise thee for this thy Bounty to thy dearest Mother and her dearest Spouse and cry out with Saint Paul †Non sunt Condignae Passiones hujus temporis ad futuram gloriam quae revelabitur in nobis Rom. 8.18 That all the Afflictions and Iribulations of this World are nothing in comparison of the Glory they will Cloath us withall in the next Grant us O God that with Patience Courage and Conformity we may suffer those thou shalt vouchafe to send us as they did rather to please thee than for any other Reward that can be hop'd for O Pious Joseph O Amiable Virgin Interceed to obtain this Favour for us by your powerful Intercessions in all perplexing Difficulties V. MEDITATION Of the Vertues Saint Joseph exercis'd at the Birth Circumcision and Presentation of the Son of God Prepratory Prayer BEG Grace of God profitably to consider the Examples Saint Joseph gives us in these three Mysteries I. Prelude IMAGINE Saint Joseph after his tiresome Winter Journy of thirty Miles with our Blessed Lady who had now almost accomplish'd her ninth Month ariv'd at Bethleem whither he came to comply with the Emperours Edict to enrole himself and his Consort Behold him with Solicitude seeking a place for her to retire into but finding none he is forc'd to lead her into a poor ruinous Stable where the Son of God is Born There behold him Adoring him newly Born Then Circumcising and giving him the Name of JESUS And lastly accompany them with their Divine Infant to the Temple where they are met by Simeon and Anne who had long expected this happy hour and attend to what pass'd in this meeting II. Prelude BEG Grace to understand and profit by those Pious Thoughts wherewith Saint Joseph's Heart was replenish'd whilst he Contemplated these wonderful Mysteries I. Point Consider how promptly Saint Joseph Obey'd the Emperours Edict chearfully quitting in the circumstance his Spouse was in those conveniencies they had at Nazareth to expose himself and her to the inconveniencies of a long Winter Journy to go to a strange place where by reason of his Poverty he cou'd expect none wanting wherewithall to purchase ' em O wonderful Love of Poverty and Mortification O blind Obedience O admirable Confidence in the Divine Providence He knew the Emperours Edict was God's Command who cou'd and wou'd take care of 'em and support 'em to comply with it O! What Heavenly Discourse past in the way upon this Subject O! What Acts of Resignation to the Inconveniencies and usage they met withall Being deny'd place in an Inn and forc'd to lodge and and bring forth her Son in a Stable O! What Joy was it to him to become a Victime of Obedience and feel these sensible effects of Poverty O! What Love what Compassion what sorrow fill'd his tender Heart to see what the Divine Infant and his Mother suffer'd at his entrance into the World What Acts of Love what Congratulations and Thanksgiving did he the give him And with what Joy and Comfort did JESUS fill his Heart pierc'd with Sorrow for what he and his Mother Suffer'd by his Heavenly Smiles and Carresses And how did the Angels by their Heavenly Canticles endeavour to Comfort and Rejoyce his sad Heart as they had done the Shep-heards whō they brought to Adore him And what occasion did the sight also of the Offerings and Adorations of the three Kings give him to Bless Admire and Love the Divine Providence Procuring these Honnour 's to the Divine Infant and his Mother O the Charming Beauty of Poverty O the Dignity of Humility O unspeakable Pleasure of Suffering Mortification for God in God and with God! O Divine Lessons taught us and practis'd not only by S. Joseph but by no less than God himself yet how are these admirable Virtues thus esteem'd by God contemn'd by Men O Blessed Joseph obtain for me such a Love Esteē and Practice of 'em as may constantly replenish all my Thoughts and Actions influenc'd by those that were Communicated to your Heart from the Heart of the Divine Infant JESUS II. Point Consider Saint Joseph performing that hard task of Obedience in Circumcising this Divine Infant Imagine how the Pain he caus'd him pierc'd his own Heart consider how the Divine Infant by his Smiles and Interiour Inspirations encourag'd assisted and even provok'd and help'd him to performthis great Pledge of his Divine Love by this early shedding of his Sacred Blood Consider what a strife of Joy and Sorrow were rais'd in Saint Joseph's Heart first by beholding him shedding his Precious Blood and Contemplating this Fountain and Stream of Mercy as a certain Pledge of Mans Redemption and secondly by feeling himself the Pain he occasion'd by the Wound he gave him Consider also the Joy with which Saint Joseph gave and the Divine Infant receiv'd the Holy Name of JESUS Beg Saint Joseph's Intercession to pronounce it with such a tender Affection and Devotion as may render it essential towards the Salvation of your Soul O JESUS be to me a JESUS OH Joseph beg of him to be to me a JESUS for Love he bears to his most Blessed Mother and your dearest self III. Point Consider that forty Days after his Birth Saint Joseph led the Blessed Virgin Mother with her Divine Infant to the Temple carrying a pair of Turtles in his Hand for his Redemption where Saint Simeon and the Holy Prophetess Anne after many Years Expectation of this Happy Day were Inspir'd to receive them at the Gate Joyn your self to this pious Procession behold with what a transport of Joy Saint Simeon takes the Divine Infant out of his Mothers Arms into his own and how willingly the Blessed Virgin parted with what was dearer to her than her Life to make an Oblation of him to his Eternal Father Hearken to Saint Simeons Prophecy in this transport and consider with what Affection he Offers his Life to the God of Life Behold Saint Joseph's Heart pierc'd whilst Saint Simeon foretold the piercing of that of his Spouse Behold also the Joy Saint Joseph felt in hearing that JESUS was to be the Light and Salvation of the Gentil's as well as of the People Israel Behold Saint Joseph Offering the Turtles to Saint Simeon to Redeem his Beloved JESUS O wonderful Riches of Poverty Acceptable to God for the Purchase and Redemption of an inestimable Treasure O what a mutual Joy pass'd between JESUS and Joseph at this Reception into his Arms And between him and his Mother in in being restor'd to her's O Powerful Joseph obtain for me such a disposition as his Mother your self and Saint Simeon had as often as I Receive him and obtain for me such a Disposition of Heart for his Reception as may cause a Joy in him to be Receiv'd by me The Colloquie O Divine Infant
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
Body decently Enterr'd in the Valley of Josaphat by our Saviour and his mournful Spouse and after our Saviour's Resurrection rais'd to Life Which also Ascended with him to Heaven where he plac'd him in the Seat next to that he had ordain'd for thâ— Blessed Virgin his Mother II. Prelude BEG Grace of God so to Livâ— as to enjoy the Assistance of JESUS MARIA JOSEPH at our Death and their Company also in Heaven I. Point Saint Joseph according to Cedrinus dy'd a little before the Baptisme of JESUS at seventy Years of Age Assisted by JESUS and MARY Consider with what Joy and Resignation he suffer'd the Incommodities of Sickness and the Pang's of his approaching Death knowing they wou'd put an end to all his Labours and Miseries in this World and open to him the Gate of Happiness in the next Imagine what Comfort he Receiv'd from those Pious and Fervent Acts our Saviour suggested to him Consider what thanks our Saviour and Blessed Lady gave him for all the Care and Pains he had taken of them Congratulating with him for the great Reward he was ready to receive for them all Consider also what thanks Saint Joseph Return'd for their constant Affection towards him begging as the last Favour their powerful help and Intercession for a happy passage to Eternity And then consider with what a Peaceful Resignation and with what a Joyful and Smiling Countenance he render'd his Soul to God his Creator by the Hands of JESUS his Redeemer Consider our Saviour Closing his Eyes and Composing his Sweet Countenance with his Sacred Hands Behold his Blessed Mother recommending his Soul to the Eternal Father of JESUS O most happy Death The certain Reward of a most Pious Life O Happy Joseph Dying in the Merciful Armes of JESUS and MARY Obtain for me by your Pious Intercession that I may so serve them during my whole Life that I may enjoy your and their Comfortable Assistance at my Death II. Point Consider a great Company of Angels sent by God to Conduct his Soul to Limbo Consider the Joyful tydings he brought thither of their Speedy Deliverance he having for thirty Years continually Converst with and Serv'd the Messias Consider also what care our Saviour and our Blessed Lady took in Burying his Precious Body according to Saint Hierom in the Valley of Josaphat between Mount Olivet and Mount Sion in the self same place where the Virginal Body of his Spouse was afterwards for some Days to Repose Thrice Happy Soul thus Dear to God and his Angels O most Precious Relicks Thus taken care of by the Son of God and Queen of Angels Oh how estimable in God's sight is whatsoever belongs to his Saints and Servants O Holy Joseph obtain by your Intercession that in Body and Soul I may so serve the Amiable JESUS here that they may be Lov'd and Esteem'd by him hereafter III. Point Consider that after our Saviours Resurrection he took Saint Joseph and several others his special Servants out of Limbo Rais'd his Body to Life after his own and carried him to Visit and Comfort his Blessed Mother O what Joy What Comfort And with what Reason Consider our Saviour afterwards carrying him with him in Triumph at his Ascension into Heaven placing him there next to the Seat prepar'd for his Blessed Mother giving him power to obtain all Favours for his Clients together with a tender Heart of a Father and a tender Affection of a Spouse towards them Consider also the Part he had in the Mystery of the Incarnation his bearing the Dignity of Spouse to the Mother and Foster-Father to the Son of God Consider that the Labours Pains and Dangers he underwent in their thirty Years Service requir'd such a speedy Reward in Heaven The Truth of which was Verified by the Glory that appear'd about the Head of Saint Bernardine when in a Sermon he declar'd this Truth Where he receives the Reward of Virgins for his Fidelity to the Vow of Virginity the Reward of Doctours for Reducing so many Idolaters in Aegypt to the Worship of the True God Of Martyrs and Confessours in the Labours and Dangers he Suffer'd for JESUS And therefore he deserves the Crown of Virgins Doctours Confessours and Martyrs and to be Honour'd by all above all next to JESUS and MARY The Colloquie O Powerful Joseph Foster-Father to JESUS and Spouse to MARY who hast the Heart of a Father and Affection of a Spouse for thy true Clients and hast also the Power of JESUS and MARY joyn'd with thy own for their Assistance in all their Necessities Obtain for me such a Filial Confidence in thee and such a tender Affection for thee as JESUS and MARY had that I may obtain their and thy Powerful Assistance in all the exigencies of this Life and the happy enjoyment of their and thy Company in the Life to come Amen FINIS THE TABLE OF THE DEVOTIONS TO Saint Joseph Spouse to the B. V. Mary Mother of Jesus THE Office of Saint Joseph Pag. 3. The Litany of Saint Joseph P. 15. The Hymn in Honour of Saint Joseph Pag. 20. A Votive Oblation to Saint Joseph to choose him for our Patron Pag. 25. The Beads of Saint Joseph Pag. 28. Seven Prayers or Devotions Containing the seven Dolours and Joyes of Saint Joseph Pag. 30. The I. Dolour and Joy of Saint Joseph Ibid. The II. Dolour and Joy of Saint Joseph Pag. 32. The III. Dolour and Joy of Saint Joseph Pag. 33. The IV. Dolour and Joy of Saint Joseph Pag. 34. The V. Dolour and Joy of Saint Joseph Pag. 35. The VI. Dolour and Joy of Saint Joseph Pag. 36. The VII Dolour and Joy of Saint Joseph Pag. 37. Eight Meditations for the Octave of Saint Joseph Pag. 41. I. Med. Of the Sanctification Birth and Name of S. Joseph Ibid. II. Med. Of the Humble Vocation and Sanctity of S. Joseph P. 48. III. Med. Of the Marriage of Saint Joseph Pag. 56. IV. Med. Of Saint Joseph's Journey with the Blessed Virgin to Visit S. Elizabeth P. 66. V. Med. Of the Virtues Saint Joseph exercis'd at the Birth Circumcision and Presentation of the Son of God Pag. 76. VI. Med. Of the Virtues Saint Joseph exercis'd in the Flight of JESUS into Aegypt his Return from thence and at his Loss of him in Jerusalem Pag. 87. VII Med. Of Saint Joseph's eighteen Years Conversation with Jesus and Mary at Nazareth Pag. 96. VIII Of Saint Joseph's last Sickness Death and Glory in Heaven Pag. 109.
what greater Blessing can we have than the Sacrifice of the Son of God who was Promis'd to us Moreover were not this true yet all that we can perform that is considerable all that is of any worth or that conduces to the Glory of any Saint is included in the Oblation of the Divine Sacrifice of Mass wherein JESUS CHRIST is offer'd in thanks giving to his Eternal Father for all those Favours and Benefits he has heap'd upon any Saint raising him to so Eminent a Glory and Dignity The fifth Devotion is to give Almes or bestow a Dinner upon some poor Man or Widdow in Honour of Saint Joseph and if you please for the same end relieve a poor Woman and her little Infant to Honour the Created Trinity the Infant JESUS Mary as also Saint Joseph and to encourage you to so Pious a Work Saint Vincent Ferrerius recounts a wonderful Story of a Gentelman of Valence who was very Devout to all these three and amongst the rest of his Devotions us'd every Christmas Day to invite a Woman with a Sucking Child and an Old Man to Dine with him and all this for the Love he bore to Jesus Mary and Joseph This Charity and Devotion was so pleasing to God that upon his Death Bed he had the Comfort to see them who just as he Departed gave him this comfortable Invitation to Paradise as follows Friend you have every Year invited us to a Feast in your House come now and we will receive you to our Feast and into the dwelling place of the Blessed there to â—ign with us and them in all sorts of contentment as long as a happy Eternity shall last Who can conceive how God Recompences even the least Services we do to him or his Saints I wish we cou'd always think on this And practise what these thoughts wou'd move us to perform The sixth and last Devotion to Saint Joseph is to meditate upon the Vertues Mysteries or chief Passages of his Life The Morning either before or after Communion is the most proper time for Meditation Because the After-noon is reserv'd for Even-Song Sermon or some other Works of Charity as visiting the Sick in Hospitals comforting and relieving Prisoners How and when these Meditations are to be us'd I shall declare in the following chapter CHAP. VIII Of Devotions to Saint Joseph during the Octave of his Feast or at other times according to the Opportunity or Affection of his Clients I Cannot think ther 's any better means to pass the Octave of Saint Joseph with Devotion and profit than by the consideration of his Life and Death and the contemplating upon his Glory in Heaven Because such Reflexions as these will increase our Love and Affection towards him and move us to earnest and efficacious attempts to imitate his transcendent Vertues However because some may not have time or opportunity of making these Meditations and that those that have not or know not how to Meditate may make use of 'em instead of Spiritual Reading I have made the Meditations somewhat longer than ordinary Which you will find Printed in a large Character at the end of this Book amongst other Devotions Page 41. There are eight of 'em in all for each Day of the Octave of his Feast in which are briefly contain'd the chief Passages of the Life Death and Glory of Saint Joseph and tho' the Reading of 'em for your Spiritual Lecture will be very profitable yet they will produce far greater profit and comfort in your Soul if you Meditate upon 'em whereby you will increase a far greater Devotion to Saint Joseph than only by the bare Reading of them We have declar'd already that all the Devotions Honours and Respects that are render'd to other Saints ought to be given to Saint Joseph For whosoever Loves him as he deserves must needs think he can never sufficiently Honour him his Merits exceeding all Honour and Devotion that can be shew'd him Wherefore shou'd I advise you to cause a Mass to be sayd in his Honour to perform some good Work of Charity or Pennance you may say I invite you only to such a general testimony of Affection as we give to all other Saints whom we honour I will here therefore propose to you such a particular Devotion as Mother Jane of the Angels Superiour of the Vrsulins practis'd with admirable success Who having purpos'd for her Deliverance to Communicate nine Days together in honour of Saint Joseph upon the Ninth Day one of the Devils within her of his own accord presented himself to the Exorcist during his Exorcisms and acknowledg'd he was Commanded in the Name of Saint Joseph as he left his Station to write the Name of Saint Joseph upon her Hand which he swore he wou'd perform as he did soon after You may also say or get nine Masses sayd in honour of Saint Joseph which was a Devotion that very much assisted Father John Joseph Sevrin Exorcist to this Religious Woman for before he had ended his nine Masses the Devil left her writing according to his Promise his Name in the presence of many upon her bare Hand and amongst others in the Presence of an English Nobleman †The Right Honorable Walter Montague Son to the Earl of Manchesters then a Protestant who held her Arm which was the occasion of his Conversion to the Roman Catholic Faith and of another then an Athist whose Life is Writ he afterwards becoming as renown'd for Sanctity as before he was Infamous for Athisme You may also perform the Devotion proper to all Saints by endeavouring to Imitate his rare and particular Vertues As the exercise of a retir'd and hidden Sanctity the practice of Angelical Purity even in Marriage his Humility Patience and Meekness in Conversation his great Recollection and wonderful Silence Who as a Holy Person declar'd to Father Sevrin Was a very great keeper of Silence and that in the House of our Saviour at Nazareth he spoke very little our Blessed Lady and Jesus still much less and that his Eyes perform'd to him the Office of a Tongue without need of speaking Lastly you may Imitate the works of Piety that Saint Joseph Practis'd But because these are also found in most Saints and therefore seem a general Devotion I will propose some that were particular and proper to Saint Joseph Which other Persons of Piety and Particular Devotes of his * Quiriolê have perform'd in his Honour they are six in number some of which I hope you will find suitable to your Devotion and Inclination CHAP. IX Containing nine different occasions of particular Devotions proper to Saint Joseph and practis'd by his Particular Devotes THE first is when you have lost any thing you had a high Value for to have recourse to Saint Joseph either to beg his help or at least to suffer profitably this loss if by his Assistance we happen not to recover it John Gerson his great Client suggests this Devotion assuring