Some write that it is a soueraign remedie to driue away diuels, if we pray _Aue Maria_. Where by the way is to bee noted, that the same salutation of the Angell is no prayer, but onely a gréeting, and historicall narration, to witte, howe the Archangell =Gabriell= tolde the Virgin =Mary= before of the Incarnation of Christ. But I pray thée weigh the sense of the words, and whether though wilt or no, thou must néedes say that these words conteine in them neither asking, nor thankesgiuing, which are the parts of prayer. When the Angell came vnto her, he saluted her, saying: χαῖρει, _i. salue_, that is, God spéede, or reioyce (for as =Festus= saith, the Gréeke and the Latin word haue one signification.) Then he addeth further, full of grace, which is to be vnderstood passiuely, (as they terme it in the schooles) for because God bestowed his grace vpon her: for so the Angell himselfe expoundeth it, when he saith afterwardes, that she had founde grace, that is, that God is mercifull and louing towardes her. Those words may not be so vnderstoode, as if she were the fountaine of grace (as some haue expounded it) and that she hath grace of her selfe, and bestoweth it vpon such as call vppon her, or speake vnto her with the salutation of the Angell. For neyther the Gréeke worde, nor any other places of the Scriptures admit this sense. The Apostle saieth to the Ephesians the first Chapter, that God hath made vs his faithfull seruants, deare by his grace through his beloued, that is, through Iesus Christ. In the which saying, the same word is put, which the Angell vsed in saluting the holy Virgine. It is written in the first Chapter of saint =Iohns= Gospell in plaine wordes, that =Iohn Baptist= bare witnesse of Christ with a loude voyce, and saide, that we all haue receiued of his fulnesse, grace for grace. For the lawe was giuen by =Moses=, but grace and truth sprang vp by Christ. Many other suche places I omit for breuities sake. The Virgin =Mary= her selfe saith, the Lord hath done maruellous things vnto me. She setteth foorth the grace of God, giuen vnto her from God, without any of her deserts. For he neuer bestowed greater grace on any woman. And there is a very great difference betwéen him that conferreth grace, and them which receiue or obtaine grace. Grace is only to be sought at his hands, who giueth grace, and not of them which themselues receiue grace. A fewe yeares past, all men besought the Virgin for helpe, hoping for more grace and succour of her than of Christ himselfe. The Angell addeth further: Blessed art thou amongst women, that is, God hath conferred more grace vnto thée, than vnto any other woman. The words which are ioyned herevnto, Blessed is the frute of thy wombe, are not the words of the Angell, but of her cousin =Elizabeth=, who also saluted her. Vnto these words some religious men added, Iesus Christ, Amen. Therefore the Angell vttered not all those words of the