affections, many eminently learned and holy men have taken great pains to illustrate, with a number of pious thoughts and meditations, the Doxology, Glory be to the Father, &C.
This short exercise pleases me as much as any. Glory he to the Father, who, when I did not exist, by his power created me to his own image: and to the Son, who, when I was lost, by his wisdom restored me by his own Blood: and to the Holy Ghost, who, by his grace and goodness, justified me, a child of wrath, both in baptism, and many times afterwards, when I had fallen.
For each and all of these benefits, be the glory such and so great, as it was in the beginning, before every creature; the same, and still greater be now in the course of this present life; and ever be, even to the consummation of the world, and world with out end, amen; to all eternity, without any limit, offered up by all the blessed in their home, where shall be no satiety, rest, or cessation from praising God. Such, and so great, 1 say, is the praise and glory which wow, at this very moment, while I recite this Doxology, I wish and endeavour to offer up to God, and to set forth at the same time in deed. See how pregnant with pious meaning is this little form of devotion!
Accordingly Cornelius, in the passage above cited, expresses his opinion that there is no prayer or action more holy than this; none more worthy of God, or more pleasing to him, nor yet more profitable to man. He there testifies that this Rosary was composed by the B, Nicolaus Serarius, a divine of the Society of Jesus, of whom the following account is given in the life prefixed to his works: —
“ The devotion exceeds belief with which he used that short expression of divine praise with which the Church concludes all the Psalms. To him the Doxology was the beginning and ending of all his actions, both public and private. This he never uttered without a special fervour, which would shine forth even in his countenance, He would seem to exult with joy and triumph, if he heard it sung with peculiar grace by the choristers. How rich and heavenly were the sentiments he derived from that most divine song; and how, by constant reflection upon it, his breast was inflamed daily more and more with zeal for the glory of God, he was
