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THE CORONATION 295
316. In order that the will of the Most High and of
the most blessed Mary might coincide in these decrees,
it was necessary that the great Lady should first receive
a new measure of science and insight into the most
hidden counsels of his providence, by which all the
affairs of his creatures are arranged in weight and mea
sure (Wis. 11, 21) and all their means and ends in high
est equity and propriety. For this purpose the most
holy Mary received on this occasion a most clear insight
in all that was to be done and preordained by the divine
power in the Church militant. She saw the most hidden
reason for all that was to be done ;
and which
how many
of the Apostles were to die before She should pass from
this life; the labors they were to undertake for the name
of the Lord; the reason why all this should be so
according to the secret judgments of God, and the pre
destination of saints ;
and why they should thus shed their
blood for the planting of the Church, just as the Lord
and Redeemer had shed his for its foundation in his
Passion and Death. She understood also how, through
her own compassion and sorrow at seeing the sufferings
of the Apostles and followers of Christ, She could com
pensate Herself for not being allowed to take upon Her
self their sufferings as She desired ;
for this momentary
labor could not be spared them, if they were to reach
the eternal reward in store for them (II Cor. 4, 17). To
afford the great Lady an opportunity for this kind of
merit, She was informed of the near death of saint
James and the imprisonment of saint Peter, but not of
his liberation by an angel. She understood also, that
the Lord portioned out to the Apostles and the faithful
that kind of suffering or martyrdom, which corresponded
with each one s
grace and strength of soul.
317. In order to satisfy in all things the most ardent
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