Disputation — Bontempi, Palladium Theologicum V · from Schola Thomistica
Disputation IV: On the Vow of Poverty
SINCE the price of heaven, appraised by Christ, is the spirit of poverty: Blessed are the poor, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven, no one who wishes to purchase such treasures can exempt himself from this poverty; Truly a loftier voice sounds in the ears of the perfect: If you will be perfect, go, and sell, etc. the rich shrink from this voice; grown fat with riches; the unclean, fatted with delights; and the proud, enlarged with honors, as the Holy Doctor has it tit. 3. dicta salut. cap. 3. citing that of Deuteronomy 32. Incrassatus, impinguatus, dilatatus, dereliquit Deum factorem suum, nor do they gladly receive this counsel, even those who profess a more exact observance of the commandments, as was that Young man who, after he had said, Matthew 19: all these have I kept from my youth, upon hearing: Go and sell, and give, at the sound of these words was struck dumb, and went away sad, for he was having many possessions; nor is it a wonder, for not all receive that word, since poverty is set as a sign, which is contradicted, as the Seraphic Doctor has at the place cited. The essence, excellence, and becomingness of this votive virtue we undertake to discuss here briefly.
De Voto Paupertatis.
CUM caeli pretium, a Christo taxatum, sit spiritus paupertas: Beati pauperes, quoniam ipsorum est regnum caelorum, nullus, qui tantos thesauros velit emere, valet ab hac paupertate se eximere; Verum altior vox perfectorum auribus insonat: Si vis perfectus esse, vade, et vende, etc. hanc vocem exhorrent auati; divitiis incrassati; immundi, deliciis impingvati; et superbi, honoribus dilatati, ut habet Sanctus Doctor tit. 3. dicta salut. cap. 3. afferens illud Deuteronomii 32. Incrassatus, impinguatus, dilatatus, dereliquit Deum factorem suum, nec libenter consilium istud excipiunt, etiam qui mandatorum observantiam exactiorem praetendunt, qualis erat Iuvenis ille, qui postquam, Matthaei 19. dixerat: omnia haec custodivi a iuventute mea, audito: Vade et vende, et da, ad horum verborum sonitum obmutuit, et abiit tristis, erat enim habens possessiones multas; nec mirum, non enim omnes capiunt verbum istud, cum paupertas posita sit in signum, cui contradicitur, ut habet Seraphicus loco citat. Huius itaque votivae virtutis essentiam, praestantiam, et decentiam hic breviter discutiendam suscipimus.
Within this disputation
- Question I: On the essence of this vow
- Question II: Which poverty is more excellent
- Question III: Whether mendicancy befits religious poverty
- Question IV: Whether religious ought, on account of poverty, to wear mean clothing
- Question V: Whether austerity of food is owed to religious poverty
Question VI: How poverty is violated
- Doubt I: Whether prelates can grant religious an annual allowance
- Doubt II: Whether a religious who has superfluities by his superior's permission is a proprietor
- Doubt III: Whether a religious sins by accepting alms for others
- Doubt IV: Whether a legacy to a religious stands, as belonging to him personally
- Question VII: On the penalties and the marks of a proprietor