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
Quaestio XVIII: Whether Faith resides in the Intellect
Quaestio XIX: Whether Faith is perfected by Charity, as by its form
Quaestio XX: Whether it is certain that FAITH remains without CHARITY
Quaestio XXI: Whether, and how, FAITH is a VIRTUE
Quaestio XXII: Whether FAITH is ONE VIRTUE
Quaestio XXIII: Whether FAITH is the first of the Virtues
Quaestio XXIV: Whether FAITH is more certain than any science, or than any intellectual habit
Quaestio XXV: Whether one can know with certainty that he has FAITH
Quaestio XXVI: In whom FAITH is found
Quaestio XXVII: Whether FAITH is a substantial Gift of GOD
Quaestio XXVIII: Whether the difference between FAITH and other acts, natural as opposed to supernatural moral acts, always arises from the object
Quaestio XXIX: On the effects of FAITH
Quaestio XXX: On the GIFT OF UNDERSTANDING
Dubitatio I: Whether UNDERSTANDING is a gift of the Holy Ghost
Whether UNDERSTANDING is a gift of the Holy Spirit.
I ASSERT. It is proved from St. Bonaventure in the places alleged, especially de Dono intellectus, cap. 2. and St. Thomas art. 1. Understanding imports a certain intimate cognition; for to understand is said as it were to read within, and this is clear to one considering the difference between the cognition of the Intellect and of the senses; for sensitive cognition is occupied about sensible things outside; but intellectual cognition, as nobler and subtler, penetrates even to the interior quiddities of things, because the object of the intellect is whatever is, from Aristotle 3. de anima, text. 37. Whence human cognition begins from sense, nor is it perfected unless it arrives at the Intellect, which truly knows what a thing is. For it is said in the book de spiritu, et anima, cap. 11. that: Whatever the senses perceive outwardly, the imagination represents inwardly, reason investigates, the intellect judges, intelligence comprehends, and leads to contemplation, which memory preserves. But it must be adverted that intellect is sometimes taken as it is the natural power of the soul, and thus the author of the Book de Spiritu, et anima speaks of it, while he says, that the intellect is the power of the soul by which it perceives invisible things, with which Aristotle de anima concurs. And this intellect is for the most part blinded: Whence Psal. 81. They did not know, nor understand. Sometimes the Intellect is taken as the intellectual virtue, or the habit of the first natural principles, which subsist beneath the light of the intellect, as is clear from Aristotle 6. Eth. cap. 6. But neither of these is the Gift of the Holy Spirit, although it is from God, and accordingly even from the Holy Spirit.
Since however man is ordered to beatitude as to a supernatural end, as appears from his image; therefore one must posit an intellect, or some light, as the supernatural habit of supernatural principles, which are the articles of faith, and in consequence the operation of certain [virtues] which are ordered to the end, because: Faith works through love, as the Apostle says Galat. 5. and this supernatural light is called the gift of Understanding, which names a certain excellence of cognition, penetrating supernatural things, which cannot be had by natural light.
But it is DESCRIBED in the book de spiritu, et anima, loc. cit. Intelligence is that power of the soul which is immediately subjoined to God: for it discerns the highest truth itself.
AGAIN it is defined there cap. 37. The Intellect is that power of the soul by which, as far as is possible to man, the Divine things are known, for penetrating the heavenly secrets, which cannot be penetrated except through his spirit, who also searches the deep things of God. Whence the Apostle says 1. Cor. 2. But to us God has revealed by his Spirit, who searches all things, even the deep things of God. This is St. Bonaventure literally, and almost St. Thomas.
The Holy Doctor proves the same thing by the testimonies of the Scriptures, and of the Fathers. Prima Ioan. 2. The anointing of the Spirit teaches us. Ioan. 16. When the Paraclete shall come, he will teach you all truth. He proves the same in Diaeta loc. cit. from 2. Timot. 2. The Lord will give you understanding in all things. He proves the same in 3. dist. 34. p. 1. art. 2. quaest. 2. The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom, and of understanding.
St. Bonaventure elegantly discourses on the most noble and delightful cognition which the Gift of understanding communicates, under the metaphor of a banquet, de septem donis, cap. 7. Where he first asserts that by the gift of Understanding celestial dishes are set forth, and he reports St. Gregory lib. 1. Moral. cap. 32. saying: Understanding prepares a banquet in its day: because in that it penetrates what is heard, refreshing the heart, it illuminates its shadows: Therefore in the penetration of the things heard, the truth having been found, the mind is refreshed. The reason is, because it does not suffice the mind to taste the coverings of truths, but the kernel. Since therefore the gift of Understanding, according to Gregory, penetrates all the coverings of divine truth, both in the Scriptures and in doctrine, it reaches even to the intimate truth to be tasted, by a certain intellectual experience, which belongs to the most perfect, as Bernard says in Cantica; therefore the gift of Understanding refreshes the mind most sweetly. Speaking of this taste of experience, Bernard in the book de amore Dei cap. 10. says: The taste of the experience of the Scriptures, and of the Sacraments of God, which is in Christ, gives us sense, that we may understand the Scriptures. Whence the Lord after the resurrection opened the sense of the disciples, that they might understand the Scriptures, at the end of Luke. See the Seraphic Doctor delighting divinely in this bread having all savor of sweetness, Sap. 16. For he feeds them with the bread of life, and understanding. Eccles. 15.