Question 82. In what way the fruits that the Apostle sets down were in her

Latin (Borgnet)English

p. 139

QUAESTIO LXXXII.

Qualiter fructus quos ponit Apostolus in epist. ad Galatas, V, 22 et 23, fuerint in ipsa?

Post haec quaeritur de fructibus, quos ponit Apostolus in epist. ad Galatas, V, 22 et 23: Fructus autem spiritus est gaudium, charitas, etc., qualiter fuerunt in beatissima Virgine?

Et videtur, quod excellentius omni viatore, hac ratione:

1. Gratia et peccatum opponuntur: conjunctio et divisio similiter opponuntur: a peccato est divisio: ergo a gratia est conjunctio: sed in beatissima Virgine improportionabilis gratia fuit: ergo improportionabilis conjunctio: sed ad conjunctionem cum Deo sequitur refectio sive fructus, ut patet in fruitione patriae quae sequitur ad summam conjunctionem: sed in beatissima Virgine fuit summa et improportionabilis conjunctio viae: ergo improportionabilis refectio: ergo habuit omnes fructus in summo.

2. Item, Isa. III, 10: Dicite justo quoniam bene, quoniam fructum adinventionum suarum comedet. Et in Psalmo CXXVII, 2: Labores manuum tuarum, etc. Ergo in operibus bonis est refectio: in beatissima Virgine fuerunt opera improportionabiliter bona aliis: ergo et refectio improportionabilis aliis.

3. Item, Psal. XVI, 12: In custodiendis illis retributio multa: sed beatissima Virgo improportionabiliter aliis custodivit: ergo in ipsis improportionabiliter retributionem habuit.

4. Item, Proverb. XV, 15: Secura mens quasi juge convivium: sed beatissima Virgo aliis improportionabiliter secura fuit: ergo aliis improportionabiliter convivavit.

5. Item, Isa. LVIII, 13 et 14: Si averteris a sabbato pedem tuum, facere voluntatem tuam in die sancto meo: et vocaveris sabbatum delicatum, et sanctum Domini gloriosum, etc. usque, sustollam te super altitudines terrae, et cibabo te haereditate Jacob, patris tui. Omnia quae huic praemittuntur cibationi, fuerunt in beatissima Virgine summe: ergo cibatio in summo ¹.

QUESTION 82.

In what way the fruits that the Apostle sets down in the epistle to the Galatians 5:22 and 23 were in her.

After these things inquiry is made concerning the fruits that the Apostle sets down in the epistle to the Galatians 5:22 and 23: But the fruit of the spirit is joy, charity, and so forth: in what way were they in the most blessed Virgin?

And it seems that they were more excellently than in every wayfarer, by this reason:

1. Grace and sin are opposed; conjunction and division are similarly opposed. From sin there is division; therefore from grace there is conjunction. But in the most blessed Virgin there was disproportionate grace; therefore disproportionate conjunction. But upon conjunction with God there follows refreshment or fruit, as is clear in the fruition of the homeland that follows upon the highest conjunction. But in the most blessed Virgin there was the highest and disproportionate conjunction of the way; therefore disproportionate refreshment; therefore she had all fruits in the highest degree.

2. Likewise, Isaiah 3:10: Say to the just man that it is well, because he will eat the fruit of his discoveries. And in Psalm 127:2: The labors of your hands, and so forth. Therefore in good works there is refreshment. In the most blessed Virgin there were works disproportionately good beyond others; therefore also refreshment disproportionate to others.

3. Likewise, Psalm 16:12: In keeping them there is great reward. But the most blessed Virgin kept them disproportionately beyond others; therefore she had reward in them disproportionately.

4. Likewise, Proverbs 15:15: A secure mind is like a continual banquet. But the most blessed Virgin was disproportionately secure beyond others; therefore she feasted disproportionately beyond others.

5. Likewise, Isaiah 58:13 and 14: If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your will on my holy day, and call the Sabbath delightful and the holy of the Lord glorious, and so forth, up to: I shall lift you up above the heights of the earth, and I shall feed you with the inheritance of Jacob your father. All things that are premised to this feeding were in the most blessed Virgin supremely; therefore the feeding was in the highest degree ¹.

Notes

For the solution of the objections, see below after Question 94. (Pro solutione objectorum, vide infra post Quaest. XCIV.) ↩