some keep the feast of the Conception of
the Blessed Virgin. Therefore it seems that in her very Conception
she was holy; and hence that she was sanctified before animation.

Obj. 4: Further, the Apostle says (Rom. 11:16): "If the root be holy,
so are the branches." Now the root of the children is their parents.
Therefore the Blessed Virgin could be sanctified even in her parents,
before animation.

_On the contrary,_ The things of the Old Testament were figures of
the New, according to 1 Cor. 10:11: "All things happened to them in
figure." Now the sanctification of the tabernacle, of which it is
written (Ps. 45:5): "The most High hath sanctified His own
tabernacle," seems to signify the sanctification of the Mother of
God, who is called "God's Tabernacle," according to Ps. 18:6: "He
hath set His tabernacle in the sun." But of the tabernacle it is
written (Ex. 40:31, 32): "After all things were perfected, the cloud
covered the tabernacle of the testimony, and the glory of the Lord
filled it." Therefore also the Blessed Virgin was not sanctified
until after all in her was perfected, viz. her body and soul.

_I answer that,_ The sanctification of the Blessed Virgin cannot be
understood as having taken place before animation, for two reasons.
First, because the sanctification of which we are speaking, is
nothing but the cleansing from original sin: for sanctification is a
"perfect cleansing," as Dionysius says (Div. Nom. xii). Now sin
cannot be taken away except by grace, the subject of which is the
rational creature alone. Therefore before the infusion of the
rational soul, the Blessed Virgin was not sanctified.

Secondly, because, since the rational creature alone can be the
subject of sin; before the infusion of the rational soul, the
offspring conceived is not liable to sin. And thus, in whatever
manner the Blessed Virgin would have been sanctified before
animation, she could never have incurred the stain of original sin:
and thus she would not have needed redemption and salvation which is
by Christ, of whom it is written (Matt. 1:21): "He shall save His
people from their sins." But this is unfitting, through implying that
Christ is not the "Saviour of all men," as He is called (1 Tim.
4:10). It remains, therefore, that the Blessed Virgin was sanctified
after animation.

Reply Obj. 1: The Lord says that He "knew" Jeremias before he was
formed in the womb, by knowledge, that is to say, of predestination:
but He