Question — Bontempi, Palladium Theologicum V · from Schola Thomistica
Sole Question: What beneficence is
Beneficence is a certain execution of the internal and elicited act of Charity toward another.
Beneficentia est executio quaedam actus interni, et eliciti Charitatis erga alterum.
That this is the proper act of Charity the Theologians teach.
Hanc esse proprium Charitatis actum docent Theologi.
It is proved by D. Thom. art. 1 and 4, and D. Bonavent. here; for the external act, by which the interior act of some virtue is made efficacious and brought to execution, pertains to the same virtue as the internal act, inasmuch as both acts regard the same reason of the object. It is confirmed by Valencia with D. Bonaventure from that passage of 1 John 3: let us not love in word, but in deed and in truth, where he sufficiently indicates that to do good itself is to love efficaciously, and consequently to be an act of Charity.
Probatur a D. Thom. art. 1. et 4. et D. Bonavent. hic; Nam actus externus, per quem interior actus alicuius virtutis est efficax, et ad executionem perducitur, ad eandem virtutem pertinet, ad quam actus internus, quatenus uterque actus respicit eandem rationem obiecti. Confirmatur a Valentia cum D. Bonavent. ex illo prima Ioan. 3. Non diligamus lingua, sed opere, et veritate, ubi satis indicat, ipsum benefacere, esse diligere efficaciter, ac proinde esse actum Charitatis.
From this doctrine the Seraphic Doctor gathers that one must do good to all according to place and time, just as all are to be loved, as D. Thom. also teaches art. 2, and the Apostle in Galat. 6: Let us work good toward all, but especially toward the household of the faith.
Ex hac doctrina colligit S. Doctor, ita esse omnibus benefaciendum pro loco, et tempore, sicut omnes diligendi, ut docet etiam D. Thom. art. 2. et Apostolus Galat. 6. Operemur bonum ad omnes, maxime autem ad domesticos fidei.
Hence he also deduces that one must do good to individuals in the same order in which individuals are to be loved by the order of Charity; and consequently we must first do good to those more closely joined to us, as I said disp. 8, quaest. 40.
Hinc etiam deducit, eodem ordine singulis benefaciendum, quo sunt singuli amandi ex ordine Charitatis; ac proinde coniunctioribus nobis prius benefaciendum, ut dixi disp. 8. quaest. 40.
Valencia moreover warns disp. 3, quaest. 8, puncto unico that prudence must be exercised in this matter.
Admonet autem Valentia disp. 3. quaest. 8. puncto unico, prudentiam in hoc adhibendam.