Whether the Fruits Are Suitably Enumerated by the Apostle?
Objection 1: It would seem that the fruits are unsuitably enumerated
by the Apostle (Gal. 5:22, 23). Because, elsewhere, he says that
there is only one fruit of the present life; according to Rom. 6:22:
"You have your fruit unto sanctification." Moreover it is written
(Isa. 27:9): "This is all the fruit . . . that the sin . . . be taken
away." Therefore we should not reckon twelve fruits.
Obj. 2: Further, fruit is the product of spiritual seed, as stated
(A. 1). But Our Lord mentions (Matt. 13:23) a threefold fruit as
growing from a spiritual seed in a good ground, viz. "hundredfold,
sixtyfold," and "thirtyfold." Therefore one should not reckon twelve
fruits.
Obj. 3: Further, the very nature of fruit is to be something ultimate
and delightful. But this does not apply to all the fruits mentioned
by the Apostle: for patience and long-suffering seem to imply a
painful object, while faith is not something ultimate, but rather
something primary and fundamental. Therefore too many fruits are
enumerated.
Obj. 4: On the other hand, It seems that they are enumerated
insufficiently and incompletely. For it has been stated (A. 2) that
all the beatitudes may be called fruits; yet not all are mentioned
here. Nor is there anything corresponding to the acts of wisdom, and
of many other virtues. Therefore it seems that the fruits are
insufficiently enumerated.
_I answer that,_ The number of the twelve fruits enumerated by the
Apostle is suitable, and that there may be a reference to them in the
twelve fruits of which it is written (Apoc. 22:2): "On both sides of
the river was the tree bearing twelve fruits." Since, however, a
fruit is something that proceeds from a source as from a seed or
root, the difference between these fruits must be gathered from the
various ways in which the Holy Ghost proceeds in us: which process
consists in this, that the mind of man is set in order, first of all,
in regard to itself; secondly, in regard to things that are near it;
thirdly, in regard to things that are below it.
Accordingly man's mind is well disposed in regard to itself when it
has a good disposition towards good things and towards evil things.
Now the first disposition of the human mind towards the good is
effected by love, which is the first of our emotions and the root of
them all, as stated above (Q. 27, A. 4). Wherefore among the fruits
of the Holy Ghost, we reckon "charity," wherein the Holy Ghost is
given in a special manner, as in His own likeness, since He Himself
is love. Hence it is written (Rom. 5:5): "The charity of God is
poured forth in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, Who is given to us."
The necessary result of the love of charity is joy: because every
lover rejoices at being united to the beloved. Now charity has always
actual presence in God Whom it loves, according to 1 John 4:16: "He
that abideth in charity, abideth in God, and God in Him": wherefore
the sequel of charity is "joy." Now the perfection of joy is peace in
two respects. First, as regards freedom from outward disturbance; for
it is impossible to rejoice perfectly in the beloved good, if one is
disturbed in the enjoyment thereof; and again, if a man's heart is
perfectly set at peace in one object, he cannot be disquieted by any
other, since he accounts all others as nothing; hence it is written
(Ps. 118:165): "Much peace have they that love Thy Law, and to them
there is no stumbling-block," because, to wit, external things do not
disturb them in their enjoyment of God. Secondly, as regards the calm
of the restless desire: for he does not perfectly rejoice, who is not
satisfied with the object of his joy. Now peace implies these two
things, namely, that we be not disturbed by external things, and that
our desires rest altogether in one object. Wherefore after charity
and joy, "peace" is given the third place. In evil things the mind
has a good disposition, in respect of two things. First, by not being
disturbed whenever evil threatens: which pertains to "patience";
secondly, by not being disturbed, whenever good things are delayed;
which belongs to "long suffering," since "to lack good is a kind of
evil" (Ethic. v, 3).
Man's mind is well disposed as regards what is near him, viz. his
neighbor, first, as to the will to do good; and to this belongs
_goodness._ Secondly, as to the execution of well-doing; and to this
belongs _benignity,_ for the benign are those in whom the salutary
flame (_bonus ignis_) of love has enkindled the desire to be kind to
their neighbor. Thirdly, as to his suffering with equanimity the
evils his neighbor inflicts on him. To this belongs _meekness,_ which
curbs anger. Fourthly, in the point of our refraining from doing harm
to our neighbor not only through anger, but also through fraud or
deceit. To this pertains _faith,_ if we take it as denoting fidelity.
But if we take it for the faith whereby we believe in God, then man
is directed thereby to that which is above him, so that he subject
his intellect and, consequently, all that is his, to God.
Man is well disposed in respect of that which is below him, as
regards external action, by _modesty,_ whereby we observe the _mode_
in all our words and deeds: as regards internal desires, by
_continency_ and _chastity:_ whether these two differ because
chastity withdraws man from unlawful desires, continency also from
lawful desires: or because the continent man is subject to
concupiscence, but is not led away; whereas the chaste man is neither
subject to, nor led away from them.
Reply Obj. 1: Sanctification is effected by all the virtues, by which
also sins are taken away. Consequently fruit is mentioned there in
the singular, on account of its being generically one, though divided
into many species which are spoken of as so many fruits.
Reply Obj. 2: The hundredfold, sixtyfold, and thirtyfold fruits do
not differ as various species of virtuous acts, but as various
degrees of perfection, even in the same virtue. Thus continency of
the married state is said to be signified by the thirtyfold fruit;
the continency of widowhood, by the sixtyfold; and virginal
continency, by the hundredfold fruit. There are, moreover, other ways
in which holy men distinguish three evangelical fruits according to
the three degrees of virtue: and they speak of three degrees, because
the perfection of anything is considered with respect to its
beginning, its middle, and its end.
Reply Obj. 3: The fact of not being disturbed by painful things is
something to delight in. And as to faith, if we consider it as the
foundation, it has the aspect of being ultimate and delightful, in as
much as it contains certainty: hence a gloss expounds thus: "Faith,
which is certainly about the unseen."
Reply Obj. 4: As Augustine says on Gal. 5:22, 23, "the Apostle had no
intention of teaching us how many (either works of the flesh, or
fruits of the Spirit) there are; but to show how the former should be
avoided, and the latter sought after." Hence either more or fewer
fruits might have been mentioned. Nevertheless, all the acts of the
gifts and virtues can be reduced to these by a certain kind of
fittingness, in so far as all the virtues and gifts must needs direct
the mind in one of the above-mentioned ways. Wherefore the acts of
wisdom and of any gifts directing to good, are reduced to charity,
joy and peace. The reason why he mentions these rather than others,
is that these imply either enjoyment of good things, or relief from
evils, which things seem to belong to the notion of fruit.
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