Question 186. How does she comprehend in herself the blessing of Levi?

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QUAESTIO CLXXXVI. Qualiter comprehendat in se benedictionem Levi?

Sequitur, Deuteron. XXXIII, 8 et seq.: Levi quoque ait: Perfectio tua, et doctrina tua viro sancto tuo, quem probasti in tentatione, et judicasti ad Aquas contradictionis. Qui dixit patri suo et matri suae: Nescio vos: et fratribus suis: Ignoro vos: et nescierunt filios suos. Hi custodierunt eloquium tuum, et pactum tuum servaverunt, judicia tua, o Jacob, et legem tuam, o Israel: ponent thymiama in furore tuo, et holocaustum super altare tuum. Benedic, Domine, fortitudini ejus, et opera manuum illius suscipe. Percute dorsa inimicorum ejus: et qui oderunt eum, non consurgant.

In benedictione ista novem ponuntur. Primum est perfectio vitae, ibi, Perfectio tua. Secundum est altitudo doctrinae, ibi, Et doctrina tua. Tertium est Christi eductio, et hoc est: Viro sancto tuo. Quartum est omnium abnegatio, et hoc est: Qui dixerit patri suo, etc. Quintum, praeceptorum et consiliorum impletio, et hoc est: Hi custodierunt eloquia tua, etc. Sextum est pro aliis intercessio, et hoc est: Ponent thymiama, etc. Septimum est de passione glorificatio, et hoc est: Benedic, Domine, fortitudini ejus. Octavum est de operibus remuneratio, et hoc est: Opera manuum illius suscipe. Nonum est hostium destructio, et hoc est: Percute dorsum inimicorum ejus.

Hujusmodi sufficientia sumitur sic: Benedictio vel est pertinens ad meritum, vel ad praemium. Si ad meritum, vel est in essendo, vel in operatione. Si in essendo, vel est in substantia, vel in efficientia. Si in substantia, vel est in se, et sic est vitae perfectio: vel respectu aliorum, et sic est altitudo doctrinae. Si in efficientia, sic est Christi eductio. Si autem est meritum in operando, vel est in se, vel in aliis. Si in se, vel est a malo, et sic est omnium abnegatio: vel est bonum, et sic est consiliorum et praeceptorum impletio quae sunt in utroque Testamento. Si autem est in operando in aliis, sic est pro aliis intercessio. Si autem pertinet ad praemium, vel est absolute, vel respective. Si absolute, sic est de passione glorificatio et de actione remuneratio. Si respective, sic est hostium destructio.

QUESTION 186. How does she comprehend in herself the blessing of Levi?

There follows Deuteronomy 33:8 and following: He also said to Levi: Your perfection and your teaching are for your holy man, whom you proved in temptation and judged at the Waters of contradiction. He who said to his father and to his mother: I do not know you; and to his brothers: I do not recognize you; and they did not know their sons. These kept your utterance and preserved your covenant, your judgments, O Jacob, and your law, O Israel. They will place incense in your fury and a holocaust upon your altar. Bless, Lord, his fortitude, and receive the works of his hands. Strike the backs of his enemies, and let those who hate him not rise.

In this blessing nine things are posited. The first is perfection of life, there, Your perfection. The second is height of teaching, there, And your teaching. The third is the bringing forth of Christ, and this is: For your holy man. The fourth is the denial of all things, and this is: He who said to his father, etc. The fifth is fulfillment of precepts and counsels, and this is: These kept your words, etc. The sixth is intercession for others, and this is: They will place incense, etc. The seventh is glorification from suffering, and this is: Bless, Lord, his fortitude. The eighth is remuneration from works, and this is: Receive the works of his hands. The ninth is destruction of enemies, and this is: Strike the back of his enemies.

The sufficiency of this sort is taken thus. A blessing either pertains to merit or to reward. If to merit, it is either in being or in operation. If in being, it is either in substance or in efficiency. If in substance, either in itself, and thus it is perfection of life; or with respect to others, and thus it is height of teaching. If in efficiency, thus it is the bringing forth of Christ. But if it is merit in operating, it is either in oneself or in others. If in oneself, either it is from evil, and thus it is denial of all things; or it is good, and thus it is fulfillment of counsels and precepts, which are in both Testaments. But if it is in operating in others, thus it is intercession for others. But if it pertains to reward, it is either absolute or respective. If absolute, thus it is glorification from suffering and remuneration from action. If respective, thus it is destruction of enemies.

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Qualiter autem haec omnia fuerunt in beatissima Virgine, facile est videre: ipsa enim fuit perfectissima in vita, altissima in doctrina, qua totam legem scivit, Christum quoque de suo utero eduxit, qui ibi quadraginta septimanis sex diebus minus quievit. Item, omnia abnegavit et perfectissimam paupertatem in summo habuit, ut supra patuit. Item, praecepta et consilia in summo et ex charitate in summo implevit. Item, pro aliis intercessio in ipsa in summo fuit, quae pro omnibus Dominum placavit, et adhuc pro nobis ipsi pectus offert et ubera ostendit. Item, quia post Filium summam passionem habuit, et summam de passione habuit glorificationem. Item, quia summas et nobilissimas actiones habuit, et summam habuit remunerationem. Item, quia sibi et omnibus nobis hostem vicit a quo numquam victa fuit, supremum de hoste triumphum reportavit.

Et sic patet qualiter beatissima Virgo habuit benedictionem Levi.

But how all these things were in the most blessed Virgin is easy to see: for she was most perfect in life, highest in teaching, by which she knew the whole law; she also brought forth Christ from her womb, who rested there for forty weeks less six days. Likewise, she denied all things and had the most perfect poverty in the highest degree, as was clear above. Likewise, she fulfilled the precepts and counsels in the highest degree and from charity in the highest degree. Likewise, intercession for others was in her in the highest degree, for she placated the Lord for all and still offers him her breast for us and shows her breasts. Likewise, because after the Son she had the highest suffering and had the highest glorification from suffering. Likewise, because she had the highest and noblest actions and had the highest remuneration. Likewise, because for herself and for all of us she conquered the enemy by whom she was never conquered, and carried back the supreme triumph over the enemy.

And thus it is clear how the most blessed Virgin had the blessing of Levi.