esent Pope, in the same manner, refers to
him in his Encyclical Letter.--A.D. 1840.]

"If thou art disturbed by the heinousness of thy crimes, and confounded
by the foulness of thy conscience, {379} if terrified by the horror of
judgment thou begin to be swallowed up in the gulf of despair, think of
Mary, invoke Mary; let her not depart from thy heart, let her not depart
from thy mouth. For whilst thinking of her, thou dost not err; imploring
her, thou dost not despair; following her, thou dost not lose thy way;
whilst she holds thee, thou dost not fall; whilst she protects thee,
thou dost not fear; whilst she is thy leader, thou art not wearied;
whilst she is favourable, thou reachest thy end[141]."

[Footnote 141: See Bern. Sen. vol. iv. p. 124. The passage is
found in Bernard, Paris, 1640. p. 25.]

If the Virgin Mary is thus regarded as the source and well-head of all
safety and blessing, we cannot wonder, that glory and praise are
ascribed in the selfsame terms to her as to the Almighty. Cardinal
Bellarmin closes the several portions of his writings with "Praise to
God and the blessed Virgin Mary[142]." It is painful to reflect, that
either the highest glory, due to that God who will not share his glory
with another, is here ascribed to one of the creatures of his hand
(however highly favoured and full of grace), or else that to the most
high God is ascribed an inferior glory and praise, such as it is lawful
for us to address to an exalted fellow-creature. Surely the only
ascription fitting the lips and the heart of those who have been
enlightened by the bright beams of Gospel truth, is Glory to God alone
through Christ his Son.

[Footnote 142: Such ascriptions are very common. Joannes de
Carthagena, a most voluminous writer of homilies, adopts this as
the close of his sections: "Praise and glory to the Triune God,
to the Humanity of Christ, to the Blessed Virgin Mary his
mother, and to St. Joseph her dearest spouse."--Catholic
Homilies on the Sacred Secrets of the Mother of God, and Joseph,
p. 921. Paris, 1615.] {380}

* * * * *

SECTION V.--MODERN WORKS OF DEVOTION AMONG ROMAN CATHOLICS.

It may perhaps be surmised, that the authors referred to in the last
section lived many years ago, and that the sentiments of the faithful
members of the Church of Rome have undergone material changes on these
points. Assurances are given on every