mayest, like her, faithfully correspond and diligently co-operate with every divine grace.
Consider 3dly, how the Angel adds in his salutation, " the Lord is with thee "; to signify the source from which all her fulness of grace flowed, and the extraordinary manner of God's communicating himself and all his graces, to this most highly favoured of all his creatures. For our Lord was not only with the Blessed Virgin, by his essence, his presence, and his power, as he is with all men; not only by his sanctifying grace, as he is with all the just; but in a most extraordinary manner, by a far more eminent grace, a closer union and an higher sanctification. And therefore the Angel adds, " blessed art thou amongst women "; to express the supereminence of those graces and benedictions, with which she was blessed from heaven, and should still be blessed, more and more; as well as the innumerable blessings, that should be communicated to all mankind, through the fruit of her womb; and the blessings and praise that should on that account be given her by all generations. For as one woman by disobedience, in hearkening to the suggestions of the infernal serpent, was the beginning of all the maledictions that fell upon
