Whether Any Habits Are Infused in Man by God?
Objection 1: It would seem that no habit is infused in man by God.
For God treats all equally. If therefore He infuses habits into some,
He would infuse them into all: which is clearly untrue.
Obj. 2: Further, God works in all things according to the mode which
is suitable to their nature: for "it belongs to Divine providence to
preserve nature," as Dionysius says (Div. Nom. iv). But habits are
naturally caused in man by acts, as we have said above (A. 2).
Therefore God does not cause habits to be in man except by acts.
Obj. 3: Further, if any habit be infused into man by God, man can by
that habit perform many acts. But "from those acts a like habit is
caused" (Ethic. ii, 1, 2). Consequently there will be two habits of
the same species in the same man, one acquired, the other infused.
Now this seems impossible: for the two forms of the same species
cannot be in the same subject. Therefore a habit is not infused into
man by God.
_On the contrary,_ it is written (Ecclus. 15:5): "God filled him with
the spirit of wisdom and understanding." Now wisdom and understanding
are habits. Therefore some habits are infused into man by God.
_I answer that,_ Some habits are infused by God into man, for two
reasons.
The first reason is because there are some habits by which man is
disposed to an end which exceeds the proportion of human nature,
namely, the ultimate and perfect happiness of man, as stated above
(Q. 5, A. 5). And since habits need to be in proportion with that to
which man is disposed by them, therefore is it necessary that those
habits, which dispose to this end, exceed the proportion of human
nature. Wherefore such habits can never be in man except by Divine
infusion, as is the case with all gratuitous virtues.
The other reason is, because God can produce the effects of second
causes, without these second causes, as we have said in the First
Part (Q. 105, A. 6). Just as, therefore, sometimes, in order to show
His power, He causes health, without its natural cause, but which
nature could have caused, so also, at times, for the manifestation of
His power, He infuses into man even those habits which can be caused
by a natural power. Thus He gave to the apostles the science of the
Scriptures and of all tongues, which men can acquire by study or by
custom, but not so perfectly.
Reply Obj. 1: God, in respect of His Nature, is the same to all, but
in respect of the order of His Wisdom, for some fixed motive, gives
certain things to some, which He does not give to others.
Reply Obj. 2: That God works in all according to their mode, does not
hinder God from doing what nature cannot do: but it follows from this
that He does nothing contrary to that which is suitable to nature.
Reply Obj. 3: Acts produced by an infused habit, do not cause a
habit, but strengthen the already existing habit; just as the
remedies of medicine given to a man who is naturally health, do not
cause a kind of health, but give new strength to the health he had
before.
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