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
Quaestio X: Whether FAITH has grown as regards light
Quaestio XI: Whether Faith has grown in certitude
Quaestio XII: Whether the articles of Faith are to be expounded by some authority which is an infallible teacher, and what it is
Quaestio XIII: What are the marks of the true Church, in which the authority of expounding FAITH resides
Quaestio XIV: What must be believed by the necessity of means
Quaestio XV: What things are to be believed by the necessity of precept
Quaestio XVI: Whether we are bound to confess FAITH, and when
Quaestio XVII: Whether it is lawful to dispute about FAITH, and when
It is CERTAIN that disputation about the faith is licit, as all concede with D. Bonaventure in 4. dist. 11. dub. 1., where he says: disputation about the things of the faith is licit for their defense; for so the Holy Fathers also disputed, and Act. 6. et 7. Stephen: and Act. 9. Paul with the Jews.
But it is ILICIT to dispute so that by reasons and arguments we attain something above reason, or that the faith, already sufficiently proposed, be tested by way of argument. So also D. Thom. quaest. 10. art. 7., Bannes ibi, Sanchez lib. 2. cap. 10., Becan. cap. 15. quaest. 7., Suarez disp. 20. sect. 1., Fagundez lib. 1. cap. 8. Nevertheless it will not be illicit for him to whom the faith has not yet been sufficiently proposed. So Suarez, Sanchez, Fagundez, and Valencia disp. 1. quaest. 4. p. 1.
OBSERVE that it is forbidden to Laymen to dispute about the faith, by the decree of Alexander, cap. quicunque §. Inhibemus, etc., and it is defined there: Whoever acts against this shall be entangled in the snare of excommunication, where even learned Laymen are understood, as the Doctors commonly say, fourteen of whom are cited by Fagundez cap. 8.; although Cajetanus, and Bannes 2. 2. quaest. 10. art. 7., Petrus Ledefma 2. Tom. tract. 1. cap. 5. exclude the learned, since also Albertus Pighius Comes, and Ioannes Echius, and Henry VIII. King of England, while he was a Catholic, disputed against Luther, and were praised; Fulsensis adds lib. 3. cap. 6. that this is licit to an erudite Layman, if necessity or great utility is present.