Palladium theologicum, Tomus quintus: De virtutibus
Gaudenzio da Brescia (1612–1672)
Reuerendi patris Gaudentij Bontempi, ... Palladium theologicum, seu Tota theologia scholastica in septem tomos distributa. Ad intimam mentem d. Bonauenturae seraphici doctoris ... Tomus quintus, De virtutibus
First published 1676
Bontempi's Palladium theologicum (Lyon 1676) is a complete scholastic theology composed ad mentem D. Bonaventurae, arranged in seven tractatus on the order of the Secunda secundae. This fifth volume, De virtutibus, treats the theological virtues (faith, hope, charity, with their gifts, beatitudes and fruits), the cardinal virtues and their opposite vices, and the states and offices of men (religious and prelates, bishops, princes), including the extensive disputations on contracts, religion, vows, fortitude, temperance and the judicial process. It is a significant example of the Bonaventurian scholastic school and a counterpart to the Thomist manuals of the period.
Tractatus I: PRIMUS DE VIRTUTIBUS THEOLOGICIS
Proemium I: Prooemium
Disputatio I: ON FAITH
Quaestio I: What FAITH signifies, and what it is
Quaestio II: What the object of FAITH is
Quaestio III: Whether the object of FAITH is something complex
Quaestio IV: Whether the object of FAITH can be false
Quaestio V: Whether the object of FAITH can be evident scientifically
Quaestio VI: Whether FAITH is concerned with those things which are seen by vision on the way
Quaestio VII: Whether the articles of FAITH are evidently credible
Quaestio VIII: Whether the things to be believed are rightly arranged according to the articles
Quaestio IX: Whether the articles of FAITH have grown over the course of time
The COMMON opinion of Theologians is that all the articles of faith have always been believed implicitly, though not explicitly: so D. Bonaventure and D. Thomas here, where the Thomists, and all the Sententiarii with the Master, 3. dist. 25., where also Albert. art. 1 to 1. Scotus question 1. Durand. question 1. Richard. art. 3. question 2. Valencia question 1. p. 6. et others in Suarez on Faith disp. 2. sect. 6. Cardinal Lugo disp. 3. sect. 5. Aragon. here. Tanner. disp. 1. q. 1. n. 101.
I ASSERT first, that the articles of Faith, as to implicit belief, have not grown.
It is PROVED by the Seraphic Doctor first, because the Christian Faith is contained wholly in the new law, and the new law was enfolded in the old, as the whole in the wheel, as is said Ezech. 1.
It is PROVED second by the Seraphic Doctor. When the object is changed substantially, the habit is changed: Therefore if faith had a new object, believing what it did not believe before, it would be changed; but Faith, according to the diverse times, has not been changed, from D. Augustine epistle 51., Irenaeus book 4. chapter 13., and other Fathers; and so indeed what we believe, the Fathers believed explicitly as to substance, at least implicitly, so that even the holy Doctors who use this term teach, that it has not been changed as to substance, but according to accident; because what was believed implicitly of old is now believed explicitly, and so these articles were contained in the ancient ones, as more remote and more distinct concepts in the universal ones, as Valencia notes.
It is PROVED third by the Seraphic Doctor. For in ancient times all expected the Redeemer; but that he was to be a God-man, not all knew. So of the remaining articles looking to the passion, resurrection, and Ascension of Christ. The Seraphic Doctor explains this more fully in the body. These are the arguments for the opposite, granted in this sense in the replies.
It is PROVED fourth. As the object of Charity grew, so also of Faith; but all things must now be loved explicitly, even enemies; in ancient times they were to be loved implicitly: Therefore.
I ASSERT second, that not all things that are now believed explicitly were believed in the same way in ancient times.
It is proved first by the Seraphic Doctor from that of Exodus 6. I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: and my Name Adonai I did not show them, that is, I did not impart to them a clear knowledge of my Simplicity, and Unity, as D. Thom. expounds, question 174. article 6.
It is proved second by the Seraphic Doctor. As the Evangelical Law is related to the Mosaic as to morals, so also the faith of the new law to the faith of the old as to things to be believed; but the Gospel adds many counsels above the old law: Therefore the new law adds more things to be believed; yet not otherwise than by unfolding the implicit, as is clear from the foregoing. It is almost the argument of D. Irenaeus, book 4. chapter 47.
It is proved third by the Seraphic Doctor. For the Mysteries of the Incarnation, the Sacraments, and other things believed in the Church were not believed explicitly of old.
It is proved fourth by the Seraphic Doctor. The new Church knows many things that lay hidden from the Angels, as is said Ephes. 3. Therefore much more did these things lie hidden from the men of the old law.