Page:TheParadiseOfTheChristianSoul.djvu/97

 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, &amp;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