s is, in itself, highly objectionable; its tendency is to
exalt Mary, by association, to the same place in our hearts and minds,
which Thomas a Kempis had laboured, in his "Imitation of Christ," to
secure for the Saviour; and it reminds us of the proceedings of
Bonaventura, who wrote psalms to the honour of the Virgin after the
manner which David used in his hymns to the Lord of Glory. In this work
we read the following prayer to the Virgin, which seems to be stained
with the error, the existence of which elsewhere we have already
noticed, of contrasting the justice and the stern dealings even of the
Saviour, with the mercy, and loving-kindness, and fellow-feeling of
Mary; making God an object of fear, Mary an object of love.

"Mother of my Redeemer, O Mary, in the last moments {385} of my life, I
implore thy assistance with more earnestness than ever. I find myself,
as it were, placed between heaven and hell. Alas! what will become of
me, if thou do not exert, in my behalf, thy powerful influence with
Jesus?... I die with SUBMISSION since JESUS has ORDAINED it; but
notwithstanding the natural horror which I have of death, I die with
PLEASURE, because I die under THY protection." [Chap. xiii. p. 344.]

In the fourteenth chapter the following passage occurs: "It is giving to
the blessed Virgin a testimony of love particularly dear and precious to
her, to make her holy spouse Joseph the first object of our devotion,
next to that which consecrates us to her service.... The name of Joseph
is invoked with singular devotion by all the true faithful. They
frequently join it with the sacred names of Jesus and Mary. Whilst Jesus
and Mary lived at Nazareth, if we had wished to obtain some favour from
them, could we have employed a more powerful protector than St. Joseph?
Will he now have less power and credit? GO THEREFORE TO JOSEPH, (Gen.
xli. 55.) that he may intercede for you. Whatever favour you ask, God
will grant it you at his request.... Go to Joseph in all your
necessities; but especially to obtain the grace of a happy death. The
general opinion that he died in the arms of Jesus and Mary has inspired
the faithful with great confidence, that, through his intercession, they
will have an end as happy and consoling as his. In effect, it has been
remarked, that it is particularly at the hour of death that those who
have been during their life careful to honour this great saint, reap the
fruit of their devotion." [P. 347.]

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