and pleasures of this world, rather than hazard the
loss of the least degree of it, and be most fervent in our supplications
to God for the gaining, preserving, and increasing so great a treasure:
forasmuch as it is a pledge of God's love, a participation of his
Spirit, and a title to the possession of his heavenly kingdom.

But who can be surprised at those inestimable treasures which God, on
this occasion, with so liberal a hand, bestows on Mary, if he considers
the purport of the following words of the angel to her: _The Lord is
with thee_. He is with her in a manner more intimate, more perfect, and
more divine, than he ever was or will be with any other creature. He is
with her, not only by his essence, by his presence, by his power; for he
is thus with all his creatures: He is with her, not only by his actual
grace touching her heart and enlightening her understanding; he is thus
many times with the sinner: He is with her, not only with his
sanctifying grace, making her agreeable in his sight, and placing her in
the number of his children; he is present in this manner with all the
just: He is with her, not only by a special protection guiding her in
his ways, and leading her securely to the term of salvation; this he
does for the elect: but he is also with her by a substantial and
corporeal presence, residing personally and really in her. In her, and
of her substance, is this day formed his adorable body; in her he
reposes for nine months, with his whole divinity and humanity. It is in
this ineffable manner that he is with Mary, and with none but Mary. O
glorious Virgin, thrice happy Mother, from this source and ocean of all
grace what heavenly blessings in so long a space of time must have
flowed upon you! and what honors must be due to one so nearly allied to
our great Creator! What intercession so prevalent as that of the _Mother
of divine grace!_

The angel concludes his address with these words: _Blessed art thou
among women_.[6] _Blessed_, as being chosen preferably to all of her
sex, to be the glorious instrument, in the hand of God, for removing the
maledictions laid on mankind in punishment of their sins, and in
communicating to them the source of all good. And on this account it
was, that _all_ succeeding _generations_, as she foretold of herself,
_should call her Blessed_;[7] regarding her as the centre in which all
the blessings of the Old and New Testament are drawn together.

Though we are obliged t