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
Quaestio III: Whether unbelievers can be compelled to hear FAITH
Quaestio IV: Whether unbelievers can be compelled to embrace our FAITH, when it has been sufficiently set forth
Quaestio V: Whether unbaptized unbelievers can be compelled to abandon errors or rites contrary to natural reason
Quaestio VI: Whether the rites of unbelievers are to be permitted
Quaestio VII: Whether it is lawful to make agreements with unbelievers about the toleration of their rites
Quaestio VIII: Whether unbaptized unbelievers can retain power over the Faithful, and whether they can be deprived of it
Disputatio III: On Heresy
Quaestio I: What HERESY is
Quaestio II: Whether one who doubts about the articles of FAITH is a heretic
Quaestio III: Whether one who gives merely opinionative assent to an article of FAITH is a heretic
Quaestio IV: Whether, and what, Ignorance excuses from Heresy
Quaestio V: What pertinacity is required for HERESY
Quaestio VI: Whether, for one to be deemed a Heretic, it is necessary that he have been baptized and a believer
Quaestio VII: Whether the Church can compel heretics to receive the Catholic FAITH
Quaestio VIII: On the other means the Church uses against heretics, by forbidding their Books
Quaestio IX: Whether we are bound to avoid the conversation of heretics
Quaestio X: What excommunication is inflicted upon heretics
Quaestio XI: On the other spiritual punishments of heretics
Quaestio XII: On the temporal punishments of Heretics
Disputatio IV: On Hope
Quaestio I: What HOPE is
Quaestio II: What the material object of HOPE is
Question III
Quaestio IV: Whether a certain object is set forth for HOPE, and is hoped for
Quaestio V: Whether Hope is a Virtue
Quaestio VI: Whether HOPE is a Theological Virtue
Quaestio VII: Whether HOPE is at times formless
Quaestio VIII: Whether HOPE arises from merits
Quaestio IX: Whether Hope precedes Charity
Quaestio X: What the proximate subject of HOPE is
Quaestio XI: Whether HOPE remains in the Blessed
Quaestio XII: Whether there is a precept of hoping in GOD
Dubitatio I: UNICA. Would this precept bind one to whom certain damnation had been revealed
Disputatio V: On the Gift of Fear
Quaestio I: Whether FEAR is a Habit distinct from HOPE
Quaestio II: What the object of FEAR is
Quaestio III: Whether worldly Fear is always evil
Quaestio IV: Whether servile Fear is honorable, and a Gift of God
Quaestio V: Whether servile Fear is cast out when grace comes
Quaestio VI: Whether Initial and Filial Fear differ specifically
Quaestio VII: Whether, as Charity grows, Fear diminishes
Quaestio VIII: Whether gratuitous Fear remains in the fatherland
Quaestio IX: Whether Poverty of Spirit corresponds to the GIFT OF FEAR
Quaestio X: On the Effects, and the precept, of the FEAR OF GOD
Disputatio VI: On Despair
Quaestio I: UNICA. Of what power DESPAIR is an act, and what sin it is
Disputatio VII: On Presumption
Quaestio I: What PRESUMPTION is, and what kind of sin
Disputatio VIII: On Charity
Quaestio I: What CHARITY is
Quaestio II: What the object of Charity is
Quaestio III: Whether Charity is properly the friendship of God
Quaestio IV: Whether Charity is a created Habit
Quaestio V: Whether Charity is one special Virtue
Quaestio VI: Whether Charity is of a most special species
Quaestio VII: Whether Charity is the most excellent of the virtues
Whether Charity is the most excellent of the virtues.
I assert that Charity is the most excellent of the Virtues.
It is proved by D. Bonaventure first in 3. dist. 23. dub. 6. from 1 Corinth. 13. where it is said: And the greater of these is Charity. He gives the reason, because it alone is the mother, giving the form of virtue to the other virtues for merit, and giving them life, as S. Ambrose says in the epistle to the Romans.
It is proved secondly by D. Bonaventure in 3. dist. 36. dub. 3. and in 1. dist. 17. dub. 4. and art. un. dist. 36. quaest. 6. because it is the form of the other virtues, as I shall show in the following question: It is the bond of perfection. Coloss. 3. It is the end of the law. 1 Timothy 1. Hence in Matth. 22. it is said: This is the great first commandment. For although in Rom. 13. it is said: He that loveth his neighbor hath fulfilled the law, S. Thomas answers 3. dist. 36. dub. 5. that the Love of God is contained in it, or that it is contained in the love of God, to which it is ordered.
It is proved thirdly by D. Bonaventure first dist. 17. p. 1. dub. 6. for D. Augustine 15. de Trinitate, cap. 17. and serm. 35. de Tempore, and tract. 5. in 1. epist. Ioan. says that charity alone distinguishes between the children of the kingdom and the children of perdition, and that it is the precious evangelical Pearl.
It is proved fourthly by S. Bonaventure here, with the reason which D. Thomas also uses art. 6. That virtue is the most excellent of all which regards God under the most excellent formal aspect: Such a virtue is Charity, which regards God as good in himself, which is the most excellent aspect according to our manner of understanding: Therefore. He pursues the same argument in dist. 15. p. 1. dub. 4. and with him Tanner disp. 2. quaest. 2. dub. 1. num. 23.
It is proved fifthly by S. Thomas 3. dist. 34. p. 1. quaest. 3. from that text 1 Corinth. 12. Yet I show unto you a more excellent way. The Gloss indicates the reason brought forward: I show you a way of going to God, that is, Charity. He adduces the same in dist. 26. quaest. 5. adding that: The greater of these is Charity, 1 Cor. 13.
S. Thomas runs through the excellence of Charity with brilliance in the Diaeta, tit. 5. cap. 2. and proves it from that text 1. Cor. 13. And now there remain faith, hope, charity, these three: but the greater of these is charity. Apoc. 3. I counsel thee to buy gold tried in the fire; for charity is among the virtues as gold is among the metals. See, I beseech you, S. Thomas, who shows it compared in the Scriptures with many noble things. See also the Pharetra, lib. 2. cap. 25. where he gathers many most excellent things from the Fathers. Read the same in lib. 5. Compendii Theologiae from cap. 23. to 27. which is an Encomium of Charity. And in the de septem Itineribus aeternitatis, the fourth Journey.
Observe, that it is called the wedding garment, of which Matth. 22. speaks, and he who lacked it was cast out, as D. Bonaventure saw in the Diaeta, tit. 5. cap. 2. after the middle; for so it is expounded by the Fathers, as Valencia also notes disp. 31. quaest. 1. p. 3. So D. Gregory homil. 18. in Evangelia. Indeed Christ, who is the bridegroom, has it; but he has not faith, which the Sectarians wrongly understand by that wedding garment.
You will object first. Scripture ascribes to faith the power of justifying, as is seen in the Apostle to the Romans and Galatians, and it is called the foundation of the spiritual edifice. Hebr. 11. Charity is its cause.
S. Thomas answers dist. 31. quaest. 1. ad 1. and dist. 23. passim, that faith is called the foundation of the rude edifice, which rises and is erected through Hope, and is made firm in Charity. Moreover, justification is ascribed to faith as a disposition for grace, and form to charity, as I shall show in dist. 36. quaest. 6.