Whether the Virtues Are More Excellent Than the Gifts?
Objection 1: It would seem that the virtues are more excellent than
the gifts. For Augustine says (De Trin. xv, 18) while speaking of
charity: "No gift of God is more excellent than this. It is this
alone which divides the children of the eternal kingdom from the
children of eternal damnation. Other gifts are bestowed by the Holy
Ghost, but, without charity, they avail nothing." But charity is a
virtue. Therefore a virtue is more excellent than the gifts of the
Holy Ghost.
Obj. 2: Further, that which is first naturally, seems to be more
excellent. Now the virtues precede the gifts of the Holy Ghost; for
Gregory says (Moral. ii, 26) that "the gift of the Holy Ghost in the
mind it works on, forms first of all justice, prudence, fortitude,
temperance . . . and doth afterwards give it a temper in the seven
virtues" (viz. the gifts), so "as against folly to bestow wisdom;
against dullness, understanding; against rashness, counsel; against
fear, fortitude; against ignorance, knowledge; against hardness of
heart, piety; against piety, fear." Therefore the virtues are more
excellent than the gifts.
Obj. 3: Further, Augustine says (De Lib. Arb. ii, 19) that "the
virtues cannot be used to evil purpose." But it is possible to make
evil use of the gifts, for Gregory says (Moral. i, 18): "We offer up
the sacrifice of prayer . . . lest wisdom may uplift; or
understanding, while it runs nimbly, deviate from the right path; or
counsel, while it multiplies itself, grow into confusion; that
fortitude, while it gives confidence, may not make us rash; lest
knowledge, while it knows and yet loves not, may swell the mind; lest
piety, while it swerves from the right line, may become distorted;
and lest fear, while it is unduly alarmed, may plunge us into the pit
of despair." Therefore the virtues are more excellent than the gifts
of the Holy Ghost.
_On the contrary,_ The gifts are bestowed to assist the virtues and
to remedy certain defects, as is shown in the passage quoted (Obj.
2), so that, seemingly, they accomplish what the virtues cannot.
Therefore the gifts are more excellent than the virtues.
_I answer that,_ As was shown above (Q. 58, A. 3; Q. 62, A. 1), there
are three kinds of virtues: for some are theological, some
intellectual, and some moral. The theological virtues are those
whereby man's mind is united to God; the intellectual virtues are
those whereby reason itself is perfected; and the moral virtues are
those which perfect the powers of appetite in obedience to the
reason. On the other hand the gifts of the Holy Ghost dispose all the
powers of the soul to be amenable to the Divine motion.
Accordingly the gifts seem to be compared to the theological virtues,
by which man is united to the Holy Ghost his Mover, in the same way
as the moral virtues are compared to the intellectual virtues, which
perfect the reason, the moving principle of the moral virtues.
Wherefore as the intellectual virtues are more excellent than the
moral virtues and control them, so the theological virtues are more
excellent than the gifts of the Holy Ghost and regulate them. Hence
Gregory says (Moral. i, 12) that "the seven sons," i.e. the seven
gifts, "never attain the perfection of the number ten, unless all
they do be done in faith, hope, and charity."
But if we compare the gifts to the other virtues, intellectual and
moral, then the gifts have the precedence of the virtues. Because the
gifts perfect the soul's powers in relation to the Holy Ghost their
Mover; whereas the virtues perfect, either the reason itself, or the
other powers in relation to reason: and it is evident that the more
exalted the mover, the more excellent the disposition whereby the
thing moved requires to be disposed. Therefore the gifts are more
perfect than the virtues.
Reply Obj. 1: Charity is a theological virtue; and such we grant to
be more perfect than the gifts.
Reply Obj. 2: There are two ways in which one thing precedes another.
One is in order of perfection and dignity, as love of God precedes
love of our neighbor: and in this way the gifts precede the
intellectual and moral virtues, but follow the theological virtues.
The other is the order of generation or disposition: thus love of
one's neighbor precedes love of God, as regards the act: and in this
way moral and intellectual virtues precede the gifts, since man,
through being well subordinate to his own reason, is disposed to be
rightly subordinate to God.
Reply Obj. 3: Wisdom and understanding and the like are gifts of the
Holy Ghost, according as they are quickened by charity, which
"dealeth not perversely" (1 Cor. 13:4). Consequently wisdom and
understanding and the like cannot be used to evil purpose, in so far
as they are gifts of the Holy Ghost. But, lest they depart from the
perfection of charity, they assist one another. This is what Gregory
means to say.
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