Volume 37 · p. 384
End of III Kings and IV Kings, page 384
in misericordia, in humilitate, in bonitate, in largitate, et in pulchritudine. Unde sequitur: Et vestivit eum totaliter, regaliter, plusquam omnem creaturam puram, auro fulvo nimis, id est, charitate suprema, imo et seipso. Qui habeat sex gradus. Primus est humilitas. Secundus, virginitas. Tertius, paupertas. Quartus, erubescentia. Quintus, patientia. Sextus, temperantia. Et summitas throni rotunda erat, spe caelestium. Et duae manus hinc atque inde tenentes sedile, id est, Mariam. Duae manus, scilicet timor et reverentia: habebat enim ad Filium timorem et reverentiam: quia licet esset ejus filius, tamen erat Dominus, et Deus. Et duo leones stabant juxta manus singulas: et duodecim leunculi stantes super sex gradus hinc atque et inde: non est factum tale opus mirabilitate, utilitate, pretiositate, dignitate, pulchritudine, in universis regnis, caeli, atque terrae.
8. Item, Ipsa est hydria et vas satietatis. III Regum, XVII, 12 et seq.: In cujus laude dicit vidua, id est, Ecclesia: Vivit Dominus Deus tuus! quia non habeo panem, nisi quantum pugillus capere potest farinae in hydria, et paululum olei in lecytho. Ad quam Elias ait: ... Haec autem dicit Dominus Deus Israel: Hydria farinae, id est, Maria, non deficiet, quia semper potest et vult dare, quia largissima, quia ditissima, quia gratia plena. Nec lecythus olei minuetur, quo nos pascit semper, et ungit, et laetificabit.
9. Item, Ipsa est nebula refrigerans, pluens, et donans, in annuntiatione, id est, tempore gratiae. III Regum, XVIII, 44 et 45: Nubecula parva, id est, Maria, parva per humilitatem, sed immensa per gratiam, ascendebat, vel in nativitate sua, mundo apparendo, vel in assumptione caelos penetrando: vel, ascendebat per naturam, quia nobilissima, per gratiam, quia omni gratia ditissima, per gloriam, quia super omnes choros Sanctorum exaltata. De mari, id est, de hoc mundo. Et paulo supra, v. 41: Et ait Elias, id est, Christus, ad Achab: Sonus multae pluviae est, id est, gratiarum, omnes compluens, et gratiam quaerentibus infundens. Et infra, v. 45: Cumque se verteret huc atque illuc, ecce caeli contenebrati sunt, et nubes, et ventus, et facta est pluvia grandis. Nam, ut ait Bernardus, de plenitudine ejus accipiunt singuli et universi 1.
LIBER REGUM IV.
Praevaricatus est Moab 2.
1. Imperatrix caelorum est vas invocationis et sanationis. IV Regum, II, 20 et 21, dixit Eliseus: Afferte mihi vas novum, id est, Mariam. Alii enim omnes per peccatum inveterati sunt, et corrupti: sed ipsa est novum, habens multiplicem novitatem. Et mittite in illud sal. Glossa: "Ver-
in mercy, in humility, in goodness, in generosity, and in beauty. Hence it follows: And he clothed it totally, royally, more than every pure creature, with very yellow gold, that is, with supreme charity, indeed with himself. It had six steps. The first is humility. The second, virginity. The third, poverty. The fourth, blushing modesty. The fifth, patience. The sixth, temperance. And the top of the throne was round, by hope of heavenly things. And there were two hands on this side and that holding the seat, that is, Mary. The two hands are fear and reverence; for she had fear and reverence toward the Son, because although he was her son, nevertheless he was Lord and God. And two lions stood beside each hand, and twelve little lions standing upon the six steps on this side and that; no such work was made in wondrousness, usefulness, preciousness, dignity, and beauty, in all the kingdoms of heaven and earth.
8. Likewise, she is the jar and vessel of satisfaction. III Kings XVII, 12 and following: In her praise the widow, that is, the Church, says: The Lord your God lives! for I do not have bread, except as much flour as a handful can hold in the jar, and a little oil in the flask. To her Elijah said: ... But thus says the Lord God of Israel: The jar of flour, that is, Mary, will not fail, because she is always able and willing to give, because she is most generous, because she is most rich, because she is full of grace. Nor will the flask of oil be diminished, with which she always feeds us, anoints us, and will gladden us.
9. Likewise, she is the cloud cooling, raining, and giving, in the annunciation, that is, in the time of grace. III Kings XVIII, 44 and 45: A little cloud, that is, Mary, little through humility but immense through grace, was ascending, either in her nativity by appearing to the world, or in the assumption by penetrating the heavens; or she was ascending by nature, because most noble, by grace, because most rich in every grace, by glory, because exalted above all the choirs of Saints. From the sea, that is, from this world. And a little above, verse 41: And Elijah, that is, Christ, said to Ahab: There is the sound of much rain, that is, of graces, raining upon all and pouring grace into those seeking grace. And below, verse 45: And when he turned this way and that, behold, the heavens were darkened, and clouds and wind, and a great rain was made. For, as Bernard says, individuals and all receive from her fullness 1.
THE FOURTH BOOK OF KINGS.
Moab transgressed 2.
1. The Empress of the heavens is the vessel of invocation and healing. IV Kings II, 20 and 21: Elisha said: Bring me a new vessel, that is, Mary. For all others have grown old and been corrupted through sin, but she is new, having manifold newness. And put salt in it. The Gloss: "The
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