Whether There Is a Gratuitous Grace of Working Miracles?
Objection 1: It would seem that no gratuitous grace is directed to
the working of miracles. For every grace puts something in the one to
whom it is given (Cf. I-II, Q. 90, A. 1). Now the working of miracles
puts nothing in the soul of the man who receives it since miracles
are wrought at the touch even of a dead body. Thus we read (4 Kings
13:21) that "some . . . cast the body into the sepulchre of Eliseus.
And when it had touched the bones of Eliseus, the man came to life,
and stood upon his feet." Therefore the working of miracles does not
belong to a gratuitous grace.
Obj. 2: Further, the gratuitous graces are from the Holy Ghost,
according to 1 Cor. 12:4, "There are diversities of graces, but the
same Spirit." Now the working of miracles is effected even by the
unclean spirit, according to Matt. 24:24, "There shall arise false
Christs and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders."
Therefore it would seem that the working of miracles does not belong
to a gratuitous grace.
Obj. 3: Further, miracles are divided into "signs," "wonders" or
"portents," and "virtues." [*Cf. 2 Thess. 2:9, where the Douay
version renders _virtus_ by "power." The use of the word "virtue" in
the sense of a miracle is now obsolete, and the generic term
"miracle" is elsewhere used in its stead: Cf. 1 Cor. 12:10, 28; Heb.
2:4; Acts 2:22]. Therefore it is unreasonable to reckon the "working
of miracles" a gratuitous grace, any more than the "working of signs"
and "wonders."
Obj. 4: Further, the miraculous restoring to health is done by the
power of God. Therefore the grace of healing should not be
distinguished from the working of miracles.
Obj. 5: Further, the working of miracles results from faith--either
of the worker, according to 1 Cor. 13:2, "If I should have all faith,
so that I could remove mountains," or of other persons for whose sake
miracles are wrought, according to Matt. 13:58, "And He wrought not
many miracles there, because of their unbelief." Therefore, if faith
be reckoned a gratuitous grace, it is superfluous to reckon in
addition the working of signs as another gratuitous grace.
_On the contrary,_ The Apostle (1 Cor. 12:9, 10) says that among
other gratuitous graces, "to another" is given "the grace of healing
. . . to another, the working of miracles."
_I answer that,_ As stated above (Q. 177, A. 1), the Holy Ghost
provides sufficiently for the Church in matters profitable unto
salvation, to which purpose the gratuitous graces are directed. Now
just as the knowledge which a man receives from God needs to be
brought to the knowledge of others through the gift of tongues and
the grace of the word, so too the word uttered needs to be confirmed
in order that it be rendered credible. This is done by the working of
miracles, according to Mk. 16:20, "And confirming the word with signs
that followed": and reasonably so. For it is natural to man to arrive
at the intelligible truth through its sensible effects. Wherefore
just as man led by his natural reason is able to arrive at some
knowledge of God through His natural effects, so is he brought to a
certain degree of supernatural knowledge of the objects of faith by
certain supernatural effects which are called miracles. Therefore the
working of miracles belongs to a gratuitous grace.
Reply Obj. 1: Just as prophecy extends to whatever can be known
supernaturally, so the working of miracles extends to all things that
can be done supernaturally; the cause whereof is the divine
omnipotence which cannot be communicated to any creature. Hence it is
impossible for the principle of working miracles to be a quality
abiding as a habit in the soul. On the other hand, just as the
prophet's mind is moved by divine inspiration to know something
supernaturally, so too is it possible for the mind of the miracle
worker to be moved to do something resulting in the miraculous effect
which God causes by His power. Sometimes this takes place after
prayer, as when Peter raised to life the dead Tabitha (Acts 9:40):
sometimes without any previous prayer being expressed, as when Peter
by upbraiding the lying Ananias and Saphira delivered them to death
(Acts 5:4, 9). Hence Gregory says (Dial. ii, 30) that "the saints
work miracles, sometimes by authority, sometimes by prayer." In
either case, however, God is the principal worker, for He uses
instrumentally either man's inward movement, or his speech, or some
outward action, or again the bodily contact of even a dead body. Thus
when Josue had said as though authoritatively (Josh. 10:12): "Move
not, O sun, toward Gabaon," it is said afterwards (Josh. 10:14):
"There was not before or after so long a day, the Lord obeying the
voice of a man."
Reply Obj. 2: Our Lord is speaking there of the miracles to be
wrought at the time of Antichrist, of which the Apostle says (2
Thess. 2:9) that the coming of Antichrist will be "according to the
working of Satan, in all power, and signs, and lying wonders." To
quote the words of Augustine (De Civ. Dei xx, 19), "it is a matter of
debate whether they are called signs and lying wonders, because he
will deceive the senses of mortals by imaginary visions, in that he
will seem to do what he does not, or because, though they be real
wonders, they will seduce into falsehood them that believe." They are
said to be real, because the things themselves will be real, just as
Pharaoh's magicians made real frogs and real serpents; but they will
not be real miracles, because they will be done by the power of
natural causes, as stated in the First Part (Q. 114, A. 4); whereas
the working of miracles which is ascribed to a gratuitous grace, is
done by God's power for man's profit.
Reply Obj. 3: Two things may be considered in miracles. One is that
which is done: this is something surpassing the faculty of nature,
and in this respect miracles are called "virtues." The other thing is
the purpose for which miracles are wrought, namely the manifestation
of something supernatural, and in this respect they are commonly
called "signs": but on account of some excellence they receive the
name of "wonder" or "prodigy," as showing something from afar
(_procul_).
Reply Obj. 4: The "grace of healing" is mentioned separately, because
by its means a benefit, namely bodily health, is conferred on man in
addition to the common benefit bestowed in all miracles, namely the
bringing of men to the knowledge of God.
Reply Obj. 5: The working of miracles is ascribed to faith for two
reasons. First, because it is directed to the confirmation of faith,
secondly, because it proceeds from God's omnipotence on which faith
relies. Nevertheless, just as besides the grace of faith, the grace
of the word is necessary that people may be instructed in the faith,
so too is the grace of miracles necessary that people may be
confirmed in their faith.
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