Question 156. Whether she had the properties of Powers?

Latin (Borgnet)English

p. 227

QUAESTIO CLVI. Utrum habuerit proprietates Potestatum?

Jam igitur de secunda hierarchia videamus, in qua primus ordo est Potestatum, cujus tres sunt proprietates.

Prima est sui ordinis et dignitatis custoditivum. Secunda est aliorum ordinativum. Tertia activum et reductivum.

Primam in summo habuit: quia Virgo fuit post et ante in sua dignitate stans.

Secundam etiam habuit cum excellentia: quia fuit ordinis virginum inventrix et ordinatrix, et Angelorum ordinum reparatrix et restauratrix.

Tertiam habuit in summo, et fuit activa in summo: quia habuit actus virtutum secundum modum patriae quantum ad perfectionem, et secundum statum viae quantum ad meriti conditionem. Fuit etiam universaliter reductivum per exemplum: unde et dicta est stella maris, et sic habuit proprietates Potestatum in summo.

QUESTION 156. Whether she had the properties of Powers?

Now therefore let us see about the second hierarchy, in which the first order is that of the Powers, whose properties are three.

The first is to guard its own order and dignity. The second is to order others. The third is active and reductive.

She had the first in the highest degree, because the Virgin stood afterward and before in her own dignity.

She also had the second with excellence, because she was the discoverer and orderer of the order of virgins, and the repairer and restorer of the orders of Angels.

She had the third in the highest degree, and was active in the highest degree, because she had acts of virtues according to the mode of the homeland as to perfection, and according to the state of the way as to the condition of merit. She was also universally reductive through example; whence she was also called star of the sea, and thus she had the properties of the Powers in the highest degree.