PROTEST OF THE AUTHOR.
In obedience to the decrees of Urban VIII., of holy memory, I protest that I do not intend to attribute any other than purely human authority to all the miracles, revelations, graces, and incidents contained in this book; neither to the titles holy or blessed applied to the servants of God not yet canonized; except in cases where these have been confirmed by the holy Roman Catholic Church, and by the holy Apostolic See, of whom I profess myself an obedient son; and therefore to their judgment I submit myself and whatever I have written in this book.
CONTENTS.
| PAGE. | |
| Preface to American edition | [3] |
| Protest of the author | [4] |
| Petition of the author to Jesus and Mary | [11] |
| To the reader | [13] |
| Introduction | [16] |
| Prayer to the blessed Virgin to obtain a good death | [22] |
| CHAPTER I. | |
| Section 1.—Hail, holy Queen, Mother of Mercy!—Of the great confidence we should have in Mary, because she is the Queen of Mercy | [25] |
| Sect. 2.—How much greater should be our confidence in Mary, because she is our mother | [39] |
| Sect. 3.—How great is the love of our mother for us | [50] |
| Sect. 4.—Mary is also mother of penitent sinners | [68] |
| CHAPTER II. | |
| Sect. 1.—Our life, our sweetness!—Mary is our life, because she obtains for us the pardon of our sins | [80] |
| Sect. 2.—Mary is again our life, because she obtains for us perseverance | [90] |
| Sect. 3.—Mary renders death sweet to her servants | [101] |
| CHAPTER III. | |
| Sect. 1.—Hail, our hope!—Mary is the hope of all | [115] |
| Sect. 2.—Mary, the hope of sinners | [129] |
| CHAPTER IV. | |
| Sect. 1.—To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve!—How ready is Mary to succor those who call upon her | [142] |
| Sect. 2.—How powerful is Mary to protect those who invoke her in temptations of the devil | [155] |
| CHAPTER V. | |
| Sect. 1.—To thee we send up our sighs, groaning and weeping in this valley of tears!—The need we have of the intercession of Mary for our salvation | [168] |
| Sect. 2.—The same subject continued | [185] |
| CHAPTER VI. | |
| Sect. 1.—Ah, then, our advocate!—Mary is an advocate, powerful to save all | [200] |
| Sect. 2.—Mary is a merciful advocate, who does not refuse to defend the cause of the most miserable sinners | [215] |
| Sect. 3.—Mary is the peacemaker between sinners and God | [226] |
| CHAPTER VII. | |
| Turn thy eyes of mercy towards us.—Mary is all eyes, to pity and relieve our miseries | [241] |
| CHAPTER VIII. | |
| Sect. 1.—And after this our exile, show us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.—Mary rescues her servants from hell | [254] |
| Sect. 2.—Mary assists her servants in purgatory | [267] |
| Sect. 3.—Mary conducts her servants to paradise | [276] |
| CHAPTER IX. | |
| Oh clement, oh merciful!—How great is the clemency and mercy of Mary | [290] |
| CHAPTER X. | |
| Oh sweet Virgin Mary!—How sweet is the name of Mary in life and in death | [305] |
| THE VERY DEVOUT PRAYERS OF VARIOUS SAINTS TO THE HOLY MOTHER | [322] |
| PART II. | |
| DISCOURSE I. ON THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF MARY. | |
| How befitting it was to all three of the Divine Persons that Mary should be preserved from original sin | [337] |
| DISCOURSE II ON THE BIRTH OF MARY. | |
| Mary was born a saint, and a great saint, for great was the grace with which our Lord enriched her from the beginning, and great was the fidelity with which Mary at once corresponded with it | [371] |
| DISCOURSE III. ON THE PRESENTATION OF MARY. | |
| The offering which Mary made of herself to God was prompt, without delay; entire, without reserve | [393] |
| DISCOURSE IV. ON THE ANNUNCIATION OF MARY. | |
| Mary could not humble herself more than she did in the incarnation of the Word; on the other hand, God could not exalt her more than he has exalted her | [410] |
| DISCOURSE V. ON THE VISITATION OF MARY. | |
| Mary is the treasurer of all the divine graces; therefore he who desires graces, should have recourse to Mary; and he who has recourse to Mary, should be secure of obtaining the graces he wishes | [436] |
| DISCOURSE VI. ON THE PURIFICATION OF MARY. | |
| The great sacrifice which Mary this day made to God, in offering him the life of her Son | [457] |
| DISCOURSE VII. ON THE ASSUMPTION OF MARY. | |
| How precious was the death of Mary. 1st. By the favors which accompanied it. 2d. By the manner in which it took place | [475] |
| DISCOURSE VIII. ANOTHER DISCOURSE ON THE ASSUMPTION OF MARY. | |
| 1st. How glorious was the triumph of Mary when she ascended to heaven! 2d. How exalted was the throne to which she was raised in heaven! | [496] |
| DISCOURSE IX. ON THE DOLORS OF MARY. | |
| Mary was queen of martyrs, because her martyrdom was longer and greater than that of all the martyrs | [515] |
| REFLECTIONS ON EACH OF THE SEVEN DOLORS IN PARTICULAR. | |
| ON THE FIRST DOLOR. | |
| Of St. Simeon’s prophecy | [537] |
| ON THE SECOND DOLOR. | |
| Of the flight of Jesus into Egypt | [545] |
| ON THE THIRD DOLOR. | |
| Of the loss of Jesus in the temple | [552] |
| ON THE FOURTH DOLOR. | |
| Of the meeting of Mary with Jesus, when he went to Calvary | [560] |
| ON THE FIFTH DOLOR. | |
| Of the death of Jesus | [568] |
| ON THE SIXTH DOLOR. | |
| The piercing of the side of Jesus, and his descent from the cross | [577] |
| ON THE SEVENTH DOLOR. | |
| Of the burial of the body of Jesus | [585] |
| OF THE VIRTUES OF THE MOST HOLY MARY. | |
| Section 1.—Of the humility of Mary | [594] |
| Section 2.—Of the charity of Mary towards God | [603] |
| Section 3.—Of the charity of Mary for her neighbor | [611] |
| Section 4.—Of the faith of Mary | [615] |
| Section 5.—Of the hope of Mary | [620] |
| Section 6.—Of the chastity of Mary | [623] |
| Section 7.—Of the poverty of Mary | [629] |
| Section 8.—Of the obedience of Mary | [632] |
| Section 9.—Of the patience of Mary | [636] |
| Section 10.—Of the prayer of Mary | [639] |
| Various practices of devotion to the divine mother | [643] |
| Various additional examples appertaining to the most holy Mary | [679] |
| Novena of meditations for the nine days preceding the Feast of the Purification of Mary | [727] |
| Meditations for various feasts of Mary | [749] |
| Prayers to the divine mother for every day of the week | [764] |
| Little Rosary of the seven dolors of Mary | [773] |
| Little Rosary of the immaculate Mary | [778] |
| Various prayers to Mary | [778] |
| EJACULATIONS TO THE MOST HOLY MARY | [782] |
| ACCLAMATIONS IN PRAISE OF MARY | [785] |
PETITION OF THE AUTHOR TO JESUS AND MARY.
My most loving Redeemer and Lord Jesus Christ, I thy poor servant, knowing how pleasing to thee are those who seek to glorify thy most holy mother, whom thou lovest so much, and dost so much desire to see loved and honored by all men, I propose to publish this book of mine which treats of her glories. I know not to whom I could commend it but to thee, who hast so much at heart the glory of this mother. To thee, then, I present and dedicate it. Receive this little offering of my love for thee and thy beloved mother. Take it under thy protection, and pour into the hearts of those who read it the light of confidence in this immaculate Virgin, and the warmth of a burning love for her, in whom thou hast placed the hope and refuge of all the redeemed. And for the reward of this, my poor effort, give me, I pray thee, that love for Mary with which I have desired to inflame, by this my little work, the hearts of all those who read it.
To thee also I appeal, oh my sweetest Lady and mother Mary. Thou knowest that in thee, next to Jesus, I have placed all hope of my eternal salvation, since all the good I have received, my conversion, my vocation to leave the world, and whatever other graces have been given me by God, I acknowledge them all as coming through thee. Thou knowest that to see thee loved by all as thou dost deserve, and to offer thee some token of gratitude, I have always sought to proclaim thee everywhere, in public and in private, and to inspire all men with a sweet and salutary devotion to thee. I hope to continue to do so for the remainder of my life, even to my last breath. But I see by my advanced age and declining health that the end of my pilgrimage and my entrance into eternity are drawing near; therefore, I hope to give to the world, before my death, this little book of mine which may continue to proclaim thee for me, and also may excite others to publish thy glories and the great mercy which thou dost exercise towards thy devoted servants. I hope, my most beloved queen, that this my poor offering, although it falls so far short of thy merit, may be pleasing to thy grateful heart, since it is wholly a gift of love. Extend, then, that most kind hand of thine with which thou hast delivered me from the world and from hell, and accept it and protect it as belonging to thee. But I ask this reward for my little offering, that henceforth I may love thee more, and that all into whose hands this work shall fall, may be inflamed with thy love, so that immediately their desire may increase to love thee, and see others love thee also; and that they may engage with all ardor in proclaiming and promoting, as far as possible, thy praise, and confidence in thy most holy intercession. Thus I hope, thus may it be.