CHAPTER TITLES

That the patriarchs also and the prophets, and the rest of the holy fathers of the Old Testament, all descended to hell original: infernum; here referring to the place of the dead generally, or specifically the "Limbo of the Fathers" where the righteous awaited the Messiah. until the death of the Messiah. VIII

That the holy fathers were detained in hell by the devil, with God's permission, because of the sin of Adam; and concerning the Limbo to which they descended. Limbus (Limbo) was understood as a "border" or region of hell where there was no torture, but where the righteous were denied the vision of God until Christ's arrival. IX

That the souls of the elect could not, and ought not be liberated from hell except by the Messiah, who is both God and man. X

That through the Messiah, both the universe was to be restored and death itself was to be destroyed. XI

That the ruin of the angels This refers to the gap left in heaven by the fall of Lucifer and his followers, which some theologians believed was filled by redeemed humans. was also to be repaired through the Messiah. XII

That the holy Fathers desired the coming of the Messiah with the greatest longing. XIII

That not only the Jews, but the Gentiles The "Nations" or non-Jewish people. also were to be redeemed and saved through the Messiah: yet not all, whether Jews or Gentiles, but only those from both who would receive and confess him. XIIII

That to signify the future salvation of both Jews and Gentiles through the Messiah, the Messiah himself willed to come forth from both. This likely refers to the Messiah's genealogy, which includes both Israelites and foreign women like Ruth or Rahab. XV

That the world was to be saved through the remission of sins, and regarding the general remission of sins which was to be accomplished through the Messiah. XVI

That through the wood of the cross, the salvation of the world or the human race was to be achieved. XVII

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CHAPTERS OF THE SEVENTH BOOK.

That the mother of the Messiah was foreseen by God from eternity to conceive her son, and to give birth to the Messiah, true God and man. Chapter I

That for the love of the mother of the King Messiah and her son, God created the world, because he foresaw they would be free from the sin of Adam. II

That the mother of the Messiah was not conceived in original sin, and that she was created according to matter before the sin of Adam, and her flesh was always preserved from every stain of sin. This chapter argues for the "Immaculate Conception" of Mary, a point of significant theological debate in the 16th century. III

In response to the first objection of Hogostratus Jacob van Hoogstraten (c. 1460–1527), a Dominican inquisitor and staunch defender of scholastic orthodoxy who famously opposed the humanist Reuchlin., and that the mother of the Messiah was the first creature in the human race, and is the mother of all men, and superior to all angels, according to the opinion of the ancient Talmudists. The author is using "Talmudists" (Jewish sages) as authorities to support the exalted status of the Virgin Mary, a typical move in Christian Kabbalah. IIII

In response to the second objection of Hogostratus, and that the opinion regarding the immaculate conception of the glorious Virgin is very ancient. V

In response to the third objection of Hogostratus, where it is proved by natural reasons that the mother of the Messiah was to be conceived without original sin. VI