mmendations make her cautious how she
answers, till in silence she has more fully considered of the matter:
_She revolved in her mind_, says St. Luke, _what manner of salutation
this should be_.[10] Ah! what numbers of innocent souls have been
corrupted for want of using the like precautions! Mary is retired, but
how seldom now-a-days are young virgins content to stay at home! Mary is
silent when commended, and answered not a word till she had well
considered what she ought to say: but now it is to be feared that young
women never think so little as when they are entertained with flattery.
Every soothing word is but too apt to slide from the ear to the heart;
and who can tell what multitudes, by their unwary methods, suffer
shipwreck of their modesty, and then of their purity. For how can this
be long-lived after having lost all its guardians? No, it cannot be.
Unless a virgin be assiduous in prayer and spiritual reading, modest in
her dress, prudent and wary in her choice of company, and extremely
careful in the government of her eyes and tongue when she happens to be
in conversation with the other sex, there is but too much reason to
apprehend that either her heart is already betrayed, or in danger of
being vanquished by the next assault of her spiritual enemy. A dread of,
and a speedy flight from all dangerous occasions is the only security of
virtue and innocence. Presumption wants no other tempter. Even Mary,
though confirmed in grace, was only secure by this fear and distrust in
herself.

A second cause why Mary was disturbed at the words of the angel was,
because they contained her praises. Humble souls always tremble and sink
with confusion in their own minds when they hear themselves commended;
because they are deeply penetrated with a sense of their own weakness
and insufficiency, and they consider contempt as their due. They know
that the glory of all gifts belongs solely to God, and they justly fear
lest the poison of praise should insinuate itself into their minds;
being sensible how infinitely dangerous honors and flattery are to
humility. Are {658} these our sentiments? Do we never speak of ourselves
to our own advantage? Do we never artfully praise ourselves, or
willingly lend an ear to what flatterers say to applaud us? Are we
troubled when we hear ourselves praised? What gives trouble but to too
many is, that men give them not what they take to be their right; and
that their praises equal not the notio