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
Dubitatio II: Whether the GIFT OF UNDERSTANDING can coexist with FAITH
Dubitatio III: Whether the GIFT OF UNDERSTANDING consists in the contemplation of the Creator and of Creation
Dubitatio IV: Whether the GIFT OF UNDERSTANDING is found in all who have grace, and whether in these alone
Dubitatio V: What is the necessity and utility of the GIFT OF UNDERSTANDING
Dubitatio VI: Whether* **the GIFT OF UNDERSTANDING** *corresponds to the sixth beatitude, namely, Blessed are the clean of heart, etc.
Dubitatio VII: Whether* **to the GIFT OF UNDERSTANDING** *there corresponds, among the fruits of the Holy Ghost, Faith
Quaestio XXXI: On the Gift of Knowledge
Dubitatio I: Whether* **KNOWLEDGE** *is a gift of the Holy Ghost
Dubitatio II: Whether knowledge is concerned with Divine things
Dubitatio III: Whether the gift of knowledge is speculative
Dubitatio IV: Whether the third Beatitude corresponds to the Gift of Knowledge: Blessed are they that mourn, etc.
Disputatio II: On Unbelief
Quaestio I: What UNBELIEF is, and what kind of sin it is
Quaestio II: Whether all the works of unbelievers are sins
Whether all the works of infidels are sins.
The sectaries of this time clamor that all the works of infidels are sins. So Luther, art. 36. among those condemned by Leo X; Melanchthon in Apol. confess. Augustana; Bucerus lib. de concordia communi; Calvin lib. 2. Instit. cap. 3.; Kemnitius in examine sess. 6. can. 7.
But the opinion of Gregory of Rimini was, 2. sent. dist. 41. quaest. un. art. 2., that every action of that infidel is evil who is wholly ignorant of God; but not the actions of heretics, who at least acknowledge God. Capreolus, however, in 2. dist. 41. quaest. un. art. 3., thinks that at least every commanded action, done by an infidel at the time it is commanded, is evil, because it ought to be referred to the true God, which infidels do not do, since they do not know the true God: and in this he favors Gregory.
Yet it is most true that some works of infidels are good.
It is proved first from St. Bonaventure, 3. dist. 38. dub. 2. ex 7 primo Exodi, where the midwives of Egypt are praised, because against the king's command they kept alive the Hebrew infants, to which they were bound by both Divine and natural law. Now those midwives were infidels. And of them it is said: Quia timuerunt Deum, aedificavit eis domos — Because they feared God, he built them houses. There St. Jerome says: AEdificavit eis domos spirituales: Ergo aliquam spiritualem rem adeptae sunt — He built them spiritual houses: therefore they attained some spiritual thing.
It is proved second from the Saintly Doctor, from what is said in prima secundae, tract. 5. qui de Gratia, disp. 1. quaest. 10., where it is shown that by the powers of nature one can perform a good moral work.
It is proved third from the Saintly Doctor here, because neither faith nor sanctifying grace is required for a good moral work, as the Council of Trent defines, sess. 6. cap. 7., where under anathema they condemn those who say that every action of man before justification is sin.
The same is proved from the Fathers: Ambrose lib. 1. de Abraham, cap. 2.; Jerome in fine lib. 2. com. in epistolam ad Galat.; Augustine lib. de spiritu, et litt. cap. 27. et 28.; Chrysostom homil. 67. ad popul. See Tanner disp. 1. q. 8. dub. 4.
They object certain passages of Scripture, Matth. 7. Non potest arbor mala bonos fructus facere — A bad tree cannot bring forth good fruit.
The Saintly Doctor answers here, from St. Augustine lib. 1. cont. Iulianum, cap. 3. et in Enchir. cap. 15., that the bad tree is said to be the will, insofar as it wills something badly, or insofar as the will of that infidel is not perfectly good. So also Tanner and others.
Second they object that word of Ioan. 15. Sine me nihil potestis facere — Without me you can do nothing.
The Saintly Doctor answers on that passage, and in 2. dist. 28. art. 2. quaest. 3., that He speaks of meritorious works, and of those which are a disposition to salvation de congruo. Then it suffices that the help of God be present, so that one may act on account of God known as the author of nature, even if faith is absent.
They object third, Rom. 14. Omne, quod non est ex fide, peccatum est — All that is not of faith is sin.
The Saintly Doctor answers, in 3. dist. 23. dub. 2. et in 4. dist. 39. q. 3., that he there speaks of conscience in the manner of a work, so that a deed done against conscience is evil. Thus it is expounded by St. Chrysostom, homil. 26. in epistolam ad Romanos, and by others. So also Tanner loco citato.
They object fourth that word of Titus 1: Coinquinatis, et infidelibus nihil est mundum — To the defiled and unbelieving nothing is clean.
It is answered from St. Bonaventure here, and St. Chrysostom homil. 3. ibi, that all things are unclean to infidels when they superstitiously perform their actions; for an infidel can judge one thing unclean, for instance a little wine, as well as a sow. See the rest in Valencia quaest. 10. p. 2.; Tanner loco citato.