they saw not in the face of God the calling of the Gentiles. For see how St. Paul speaks, Eph. 3:8, 9, 10. "Unto me, who am less than the least of all Saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ; to the intent, that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the Church the manifold wisdom of God."

Neither do they see in the face of God, when shall be the day of judgment, for (Matt. 24: 36.) "of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the Angels of Heaven.”

CHAPTER XXIII.

That the Saints departed know our hearts and secret thoughts. Bellarm. de Sanctor. Beatit. lib. 1. cap. 20.

In the Holy Bible it is written, 1 Kings, 8:39. "Hear thou in Heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and do, and give to every man according to his ways, whose heart thou knowest. For thou, even thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of men." Note, that if the Saints knew our hearts and

thoughts, either by beholding of the face of God, or by particular revelation, then one could not have said, that God only knows the hearts of all men. Jer. 17:9. "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?" Surely no other, but only he who addeth, verse 10. "I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins."

1 Cor. 2:11. "What man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man, which is in him?" It is without doubt, that there is no other, but he who says, Rev. 2:23. "All the Churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts."

CHAPTER XXIV.

That the Virgin Mary was conceived without sin. Concil. Basil, Sess. 36, Bellar. de Amissgrat, and statu peccat. lib. 4. cap. 15. It is the common opinion of the Franciscans and Jesuits.

In the Holy Bible it is written, Job, 14:4. "Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one." But the Virgin Mary was conceived in the same manner with others, by persons infected with origi nal sin; there is none excepted but Jesus Christ alone: because he was conceived by the Holy Ghost, who sanctified his human nature in the womb of the

Virgin.

Eccl. 7:20. "For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not." The Scripture excepts none from this rule, but our Saviour only, who "was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." Heb. 2: 4.

Luke, 1:46, 47. "Mary said, my soul doth mag. nify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour." Note, that salvation presupposeth per dition. "For the Son of Man is come to save that which was lost." Matt. 18:11. They that are not captives have no need of a redemption. "They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick." Matt. 9: 12.

Rom. 5:12. "By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." Note, that all those who descend from Adam by natural generation, receive this wicked frame and disposition in the belly of their mother; as David, who, says, Psalm 51:5. "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me." This was the reason why our Lord and Saviour was conceived by a miracle, without the operation of man. "For such an High Priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and made higher than the Heavens."

Rom. 5:18. “ Therefore, as by the offence of one, judgment came upon all men to condemnation;: even so by the righteousness of one, the free gift

came upon all men unto justification of life." Note, that if the Virgin Mary did not at all partake of Adam's sin, she had not need to be justified by Jesus Christ.

Chap. 11:32. "For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all." If the Virgin Mary had no feeling of the misery of sin, she had then no need of the mercy of God.

1 Cor. 15:22. "As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." So that the Virgin died in Adam, since she is made alive in Christ.

2 Cor. 5: 14. "For the love of Christ constraineth us, because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead." That which most straitly binds the holy bonds of love between the Mother and the Son, is that she conceived him as he was man; but as God, he is her Creator: and as Redeemer, he ransomed her by his blood. He died to give her life, seeing he died for all.

I take it for certain, that the Blessed Virgin, the true example of devotion, would not forget often to recite the Lord's Prayer, Our Father, &c. Now one of the clauses therein is Forgive us our trespasses. As often, then, as she prayed this prayer, she confessed her sins before God.

Note also, that the Blessed Virgin was subject to the afflictions of this life, and also to death. "For it is appointed to all men once to die." Heb.

9:27. Num. 16: 29. This is "the house appointed for all living," Job, 30:23. But miseries and death presuppose sin, "for the wages of sin is death,” Rom. 6:23. "The soul that sinneth, it shall die.” Ezek. 18:20. God is so good and merciful, that he will not inflict any punishment upon persons purely and absolutely holy and innocent. It must needs be, then, that those who are subject to afflictions and death endure these things either as sinful creatures themselves, or as suffering for the sins of others. But there is none besides our Saviour Jesus Christ, "who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners," Heb. 7:26, put himself in the place of us poor sinners, and redeemed us to God by his blood. Rev. 59. "Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God." 1 Pet. 3: 18.

To conclude, our belief upon this part is so clear that the greatest part of the Dominicans are of our side, and defend this truth, both by word and writing.