says that He "sanctified" him, not before formation, but
before he "came forth out of the womb," etc.

As to what Ambrose says, viz. that in John the Baptist there was not
the spirit of life when there was already the Spirit of grace, by
spirit of life we are not to understand the life-giving soul, but the
air which we breathe out (_respiratus_). Or it may be said that in
him as yet there was not the spirit of life, that is the soul, as to
its manifest and complete operations.

Reply Obj. 2: If the soul of the Blessed Virgin had never incurred
the stain of original sin, this would be derogatory to the dignity of
Christ, by reason of His being the universal Saviour of all.
Consequently after Christ, who, as the universal Saviour of all,
needed not to be saved, the purity of the Blessed Virgin holds the
highest place. For Christ did not contract original sin in any way
whatever, but was holy in His very Conception, according to Luke
1:35: "The Holy which shall be born of thee, shall be called the Son
of God." But the Blessed Virgin did indeed contract original sin, but
was cleansed therefrom before her birth from the womb. This is what
is signified (Job 3:9) where it is written of the night of original
sin: "Let it expect light," i.e. Christ, "and not see it"--(because
"no defiled thing cometh into her," as is written Wis. 7:25), "nor
the rising of the dawning of the day," that is of the Blessed Virgin,
who in her birth was immune from original sin.

Reply Obj. 3: Although the Church of Rome does not celebrate the
Conception of the Blessed Virgin, yet it tolerates the custom of
certain churches that do keep that feast, wherefore this is not to be
entirely reprobated. Nevertheless the celebration of this feast does
not give us to understand that she was holy in her conception. But
since it is not known when she was sanctified, the feast of her
Sanctification, rather than the feast of her Conception, is kept on
the day of her conception.

Reply Obj. 4: Sanctification is twofold. One is that of the whole
nature: inasmuch as the whole human nature is freed from all
corruption of sin and punishment. This will take place at the
resurrection. The other is personal sanctification. This is not
transmitted to the children begotten of the flesh: because it does
not regard the flesh but the mind. Consequently, though the parents
of the Blessed Virgin were cleansed from original sin, nevertheless
she contracted original sin, sinc