Question — Bontempi, Palladium Theologicum V · from Schola Thomistica
Question IX: On solicitude for temporal things
This is immoderate study about temporal goods, either because in them the ultimate end is placed, or because it has joined to it a superfluous fear of lacking them. This solicitude Christ forbids, Matth. 6. Be not solicitous. So St. Bonaventure, Opusc. Explicatio terminorum Theologiae, and in the first part of the Centiloquium, sectione 8. It is defined by Cicero here, sectione 22. It is immoderate Love of possessing.
De sollicitudine temporalium.
Haec est studium immoderatum circa bona temporalia, vel quia in eis constituatur ultimus finis, vel quia habet adiunctum timorem superfluum eis carendi. Hanc sollicitudinem prohibet Christus Matth. 6. Nolite solliciti esse. Ita S. Bonau. Opusc. Explicatio terminorum Theologiae, et parte prima Centiloquii, sectione 8. Ea definitur a Tullio, hic, sectione 22. Est Amor immoderatus habendi.
It has especially three species: The first is great anxiety for acquiring temporal things, whether the effect follows or not; and this is found both in those who possess much and those who possess little: The second is great tenacity in retaining, which allows nothing to be spent on pious causes or the relief of the poor: The third, finally, is a burning thirst for amassing worldly riches from every quarter, whether by fair means or foul. So St. Bonaventure, de profectu Relig. lib. 1. cap. 34. and most excellently in the Diaeta, tit. 1. cap. 6. he compares the man solicitous of temporal things to the Mole; for the wickedness of this solicitude is dark and its imprudence blind; as many possessions as it has, so many tombs it has, which it digs for itself, burying itself in continual solicitude. Then the Saintly Doctor reproves this care for riches with various other similitudes set forth there, which see.
Tres habet praecipue species: Prima est magna acquirendi temporalia anxietas, sive effectus sequatur, sive non; et haec habetur tam in his qui multum, quam qui modicum possident: Secunda est, magna retinendi tenacitas, quae in pias causas, aut pauperum subsidium nihil sinit erogari: Tertia denique est ardens sitis undecunque mundanas divitias, sive per fas, sive per nefas, accumulandi. Ita D. Bonau. de profectu Relig. lib. 1. cap. 34. eximie vero in Diaeta, tit. 1. cap. 6. rerum temporalium sollicitum Talpae comparat; huius enim sollicitudinis atra est nequitia, et caeca imprudentia; quot habet possiones, tot habet tumulos, quos continua sollicitudine sibi sepeliendo effodit. Deinde variis aliis appositis similitudinibus reprobat S. Doctor hanc Divitiarum curam, quas ibi vide.
Toward the end of the Chapter he records several effects of this solicitude, the chief of which is servitude of Idols Ephes. 5. For to this Avatus refers all his works.
Ad finem vero Capitis, plures effectus huius sollicitudinis recenset, quorum praecipuus est Idolorum servitus Ephes. 5. Ad hanc enim Avatus omnia sua opera refert.
The second is folly opposed to prudence; for as the fool does not guard against danger, however near,1 so the man solicitous about the world, though near to death, does not guard against his peril, as is said, Lucae 12. Fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee, other effects see in the same place. 1 Editor's note: the print reads 'sicut stultas non praecavet periculum'; 'stultas' is not grammatical here and is rendered 'stultus' (the fool), the sense required by the parallel clause.
Secundus, est stultitia prudentiae opposita; nam sicut stultas non praecavet periculum, quamvis propinquum sit; ita de mundo sollicitus, etiam morti propinquus, suum periculum non praecavet, ut dicitur, Lucae 12. Stulte, hac nocte animam tuam repetent, alios effectus ibidem vide.