CHAPTER IV.
Rosary of Mary, the Virgin Mother of God.
From her Life and Eulogy.
THE USE AND DESIGN OF THE FOLLOWING ROSARY.
There is in the Sixth Part of this Work a Rosary of the Life of our Saviour Christ, so arranged as to be adapted for daily use. The reflection that a similar work might be not unacceptable to the most blessed Mother of our Redeemer and her worshippers, has been my motive for the composition of the following Rosary.
My first endeavour in both of them has been to give a collective view of the Life of Christ, and of Mary his Mother, simultaneously with the special subjects of their praise, and to furnish at the same time matter for the meditation of good persons, as well as for the arousing of their holy affections.
Let, then, thy mind be exercised alternately with the devout worship of Christ, and of Christ's Mother. And because the endeavour to imitate its objects is the kind of worship most acceptable to them, and most profitable to thyself, I have been careful to point out sufficiently for this purpose the examples which are displayed in them of all the virtues, of which they are the brightest patterns.
In what manner the virtues of Christ are subjects both for our meditation and imitation, has been already set forth in the Sixth Part. But, of the things which specially demand our admiration and imitation in the Mother of Christ, I wish rather to inform thee in the honied words of St. Ambrose. Have, he says, constantly pictured before your mind the Virgin Life of the blessed Mary; for in her are displayed, as in a mirror, all the comeliness of chastity, and all the beauty of virtue. Hence are to be deduced examples proper to a good life; for in her, as in a model of perfection, are delineated those precepts of virtue, by which you are instructed what to correct, what to avoid, and what to retain. She was, not in body only, but in mind a Virgin, humble in heart, grave in speech, wise in understanding, slow to speak, much addicted to reading, assiduous at her work, modest in her language, and habituated to look up to God, and not to man, as the Judge of her thoughts. There was no severity in her look, no boldness in her utterance, no indecorum in her conduct. After much said be
