Another example, in like manner specifying both the merits and
intercession of the departed saint, contains {252} expressions very
unacceptable to many of those who are accustomed to make the Bible their
study. It is a prayer to Joseph, the espoused husband of the Virgin
Mary. Of him mention is made by name in the Gospel just before and just
after the birth of Christ, as an upright, merciful man, to whom God on
three several occasions made a direct revelation of his will, by the
medium of a dream, with reference to the incarnate Saviour. Again, on
the holy family visiting Jerusalem, when our Lord was twelve years of
age, Mary, his mother, in her remonstrance with her Son, speaks to Him
of Joseph thus: "Why hast Thou thus dealt with us? Behold thy father and
I have sought Thee sorrowing." Upon which not one word was uttered by
our Saviour that would enable us to form an opinion as to his own will
with regard to Joseph. Our Lord seems purposely to have drawn their
thoughts from his earthly connexion with them, and to have raised their
minds to a contemplation of his unearthly, his heavenly, and eternal
origin. "How is it that ye sought me? Wist ye not that I must be about
my Father's business?" After this time, though the writings of the Holy
Book, either historical, doctrinal, or prophetic, at the lowest
calculation embrace a period of fourscore years, no allusion is made to
Joseph as a man still living, or to his memory as one already dead. And
yet he is one of those for the benefit of whose intercession the Church
of Rome teaches her members to pray to God, and from whose merits they
are taught to hope for succour.

On the 19th of March the following Collect is offered to the Saviour of
the world:--

"We beseech thee, O Lord, that we may be succoured by the merits of the
husband of thy most holy mother, {253} so that what we cannot obtain by