Articulus 5 Article 5 Utrum dona Spiritus Sancti sint connexa Whether the gifts of the Holy Spirit are connected? Ad quintum sic proceditur. Videtur quod dona non sint connexa. Dicit enim apostolus, I ad Cor. XII, alii datur per spiritum sermo sapientiae, alii sermo scientiae secundum eundem spiritum. Sed sapientia et scientia inter dona spiritus sancti computantur. Ergo dona spiritus sancti dantur diversis, et non connectuntur sibi invicem in eodem. Objection 1: It would seem that the gifts are not connected, for the Apostle says (1 Cor 12:8): To one . . . by the Spirit, is given the word of wisdom, and to another, the word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit. Now wisdom and knowledge are reckoned among the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Therefore the gifts of the Holy Spirit are given to diverse men, and are not connected together in the same man. Praeterea, Augustinus dicit, in XIV de Trin., quod scientia non pollent fideles plurimi, quamvis polleant ipsa fide. Sed fidem concomitatur aliquod de donis, ad minus donum timoris. Ergo videtur quod dona non sint ex necessitate connexa in uno et eodem. Obj. 2: Further, Augustine says (De Trin. xiv, 1) that many of the faithful have not knowledge, though they have faith. But some of the gifts, at least the gift of fear, accompany faith. Therefore it seems that the gifts are not necessarily connected together in one and the same man. Praeterea, Gregorius, in I Moral., dicit quod minor est sapientia, si intellectu careat; et valde inutilis est intellectus, si ex sapientia non subsistat. Vile est consilium, cui opus fortitudinis deest; et valde fortitudo destruitur, nisi per consilium fulciatur. Nulla est scientia, si utilitatem pietatis non habet; et valde inutilis est pietas, si scientiae discretione caret. Timor quoque ipse, si non has virtutes habuerit, ad nullum opus bonae actionis surgit. Ex quibus videtur quod unum donum possit sine alio haberi. Non ergo dona spiritus sancti sunt connexa. Obj. 3: Further, Gregory says (Moral. i) that wisdom is of small account if it lack understanding, and understanding is wholly useless if it be not based upon wisdom . . . Counsel is worthless, when the strength of fortitude is lacking thereto . . . and fortitude is very weak if it be not supported by counsel . . . Knowledge is naught if it hath not the use of piety . . . and piety is very useless if it lack the discernment of knowledge . . . and assuredly, unless it has these virtues with it, fear itself rises up to the doing of no good action: from which it seems that it is possible to have one gift without another. Therefore the gifts of the Holy Spirit are not connected. Sed contra est quod ibidem Gregorius praemittit, dicens, illud in hoc filiorum convivio perscrutandum videtur, quod semetipsos invicem pascunt. Per filios autem Iob, de quibus loquitur, designantur dona spiritus sancti. Ergo dona spiritus sancti sunt connexa, per hoc quod se invicem reficiunt. On the contrary, Gregory prefaces the passage above quoted, with the following remark: It is worthy of note in this feast of Job’s sons, that by turns they fed one another. Now the sons of Job, of whom he is speaking, denote the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Therefore the gifts of the Holy Spirit are connected together by strengthening one another. Respondeo dicendum quod huius quaestionis veritas de facili ex praemissis potest haberi. Dictum est enim supra quod sicut vires appetitivae disponuntur per virtutes morales in comparatione ad regimen rationis, ita omnes vires animae disponuntur per dona in comparatione ad spiritum sanctum moventem. Spiritus autem sanctus habitat in nobis per caritatem, secundum illud Rom. V, caritas Dei diffusa est in cordibus nostris per spiritum sanctum, qui datus est nobis, sicut et ratio nostra perficitur per prudentiam. Unde sicut virtutes morales connectuntur sibi invicem in prudentia, ita dona spiritus sancti connectuntur sibi invicem in caritate, ita scilicet quod qui caritatem habet, omnia dona spiritus sancti habet; quorum nullum sine caritate haberi potest. I answer that, The true answer to this question is easily gathered from what has been already set down. For it has been stated (A3) that as the powers of the appetite are disposed by the moral virtues as regards the governance of reason, so all the powers of the soul are disposed by the gifts as regards the motion of the Holy Spirit. Now the Holy Spirit dwells in us by charity, according to Rm. 5:5: The charity of God is poured forth in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, Who is given to us, even as our reason is perfected by prudence. Wherefore, just as the moral virtues are united together in prudence, so the gifts of the Holy Spirit are connected together in charity: so that whoever has charity has all the gifts of the Holy Spirit, none of which can one possess without charity. Ad primum ergo dicendum quod sapientia et scientia uno modo possunt considerari secundum quod sunt gratiae gratis datae, prout scilicet aliquis abundat intantum in cognitione rerum divinarum et humanarum, ut possit et fideles instruere et adversarios confutare. Et sic loquitur ibi apostolus de sapientia et scientia, unde signanter fit mentio de sermone sapientiae et scientiae. Alio modo possunt accipi prout sunt dona spiritus sancti. Et sic sapientia et scientia nihil aliud sunt quam quaedam perfectiones humanae mentis, secundum quas disponitur ad sequendum instinctus spiritus sancti in cognitione divinorum vel humanorum. Et sic patet quod huiusmodi dona sunt in omnibus habentibus caritatem. Reply Obj. 1: Wisdom and knowledge can be considered in one way as gratuitous graces, in so far, to wit, as man so far abounds in the knowledge of things Divine and human, that he is able both to instruct the believer and confound the unbeliever. It is in this sense that the Apostle speaks, in this passage, about wisdom and knowledge: hence he mentions pointedly the word of wisdom and the word of knowledge. They may be taken in another way for the gifts of the Holy Spirit: and thus wisdom and knowledge are nothing else but perfections of the human mind, rendering it amenable to the promptings of the Holy Spirit in the knowledge of things Divine and human. Consequently it is clear that these gifts are in all who are possessed of charity. Ad secundum dicendum quod Augustinus ibi loquitur de scientia exponens praedictam auctoritatem apostoli, unde loquitur de scientia praedicto modo accepta, secundum quod est gratia gratis data. Quod patet ex hoc quod subdit, aliud enim est scire tantummodo quid homo credere debeat propter adipiscendam vitam beatam, quae non nisi aeterna est; aliud autem scire quemadmodum hoc ipsum et piis opituletur, et contra impios defendatur; quam proprio appellare vocabulo scientiam videtur apostolus. Reply Obj. 2: Augustine is speaking there of knowledge, while expounding the passage of the Apostle quoted above (obj 1): hence he is referring to knowledge, in the sense already explained, as a gratuitous grace. This is clear from the context which follows: For it is one thing to know only what a man must believe in order to gain the blissful life, which is no other than eternal life; and another, to know how to impart this to godly souls, and to defend it against the ungodly, which latter the Apostle seems to have styled by the proper name of knowledge. Ad tertium dicendum quod, sicut uno modo connexio virtutum cardinalium probatur per hoc quod una earum perficitur quodammodo per aliam, ut supra dictum est; ita Gregorius eodem modo vult probare connexionem donorum, per hoc quod unum sine alio non potest esse perfectum. Unde praemittit dicens, valde singula quaelibet destituitur, si non una alii virtus virtuti suffragetur. Non ergo datur intelligi quod unum donum possit esse sine alio, sed quod intellectus, si esset sine sapientia, non esset donum; sicut temperantia, si esset sine iustitia, non esset virtus. Reply Obj. 3: Just as the connection of the cardinal virtues is proved in one way from the fact that one is, in a manner, perfected by another, as stated above (Q65, A1); so Gregory wishes to prove the connection of the gifts, in the same way, from the fact that one cannot be perfect without the other. Hence he had already observed that each particular virtue is to the last degree destitute, unless one virtue lend its support to another. We are therefore not to understand that one gift can be without another; but that if understanding were without wisdom, it would not be a gift; even as temperance, without justice, would not be a virtue. Articulus 6 Article 6 Utrum dona spiritus sancti maneant in patria Whether the gifts of the Holy Spirit remain in heaven? Ad sextum sic proceditur. Videtur quod dona spiritus sancti non maneant in patria. Dicit enim Gregorius, in II Moral., quod Spiritus Sanctus contra singula tentamenta septem donis erudit mentem. Sed in patria non erunt aliqua tentamenta; secundum illud Isaiae XI, non nocebunt et non occident in universo monte sancto meo. Ergo dona spiritus sancti non erunt in patria. Objection 1: It would seem that the gifts of the Holy Spirit do not remain in heaven. For Gregory says (Moral. ii, 26) that by means of His sevenfold gift the Holy Spirit instructs the mind against all temptations. Now there will be no temptations in heaven, according to Is. 11:9: They shall not hurt, nor shall they kill in all My holy mountain. Therefore there will be no gifts of the Holy Spirit in heaven. Praeterea, dona spiritus sancti sunt habitus quidam, ut supra dictum est. Frustra autem essent habitus, ubi actus esse non possunt. Actus autem quorundam donorum in patria esse non possunt, dicit enim Gregorius, in I Moral., quod intellectus facit audita penetrare, et consilium prohibet esse praecipitem, et fortitudo facit non metuere adversa, et pietas replet cordis viscera operibus misericordiae; haec autem non competunt statui patriae. Ergo huiusmodi dona non erunt in statu gloriae. Obj. 2: Further, the gifts of the Holy Spirit are habits, as stated above (A3). But habits are of no use, where their acts are impossible. Now the acts of some gifts are not possible in heaven; for Gregory says (Moral. i, 15) that understanding . . . penetrates the truths heard . . . counsel . . . stays us from acting rashly . . . fortitude . . . has no fear of adversity . . . piety satisfies the inmost heart with deeds of mercy, all of which are incompatible with the heavenly state. Therefore these gifts will not remain in the state of glory. Praeterea, donorum quaedam perficiunt hominem in vita contemplativa, ut sapientia et intellectus; quaedam in vita activa, ut pietas et fortitudo. Sed activa vita cum hac vita terminatur; ut Gregorius dicit, in VI Moral. Ergo in statu gloriae non erunt omnia dona spiritus sancti. Obj. 3: Further, some of the gifts perfect man in the contemplative life, e.g., wisdom and understanding: and some in the active life, e.g., piety and fortitude. Now the active life ends with this life, as Gregory states (Moral. vi). Therefore not all the gifts of the Holy Spirit will be in the state of glory. Sed contra est quod Ambrosius dicit, in libro de spiritu sancto, civitas Dei illa, Ierusalem caelestis, non meatu alicuius fluvii terrestris abluitur; sed ex vitae fonte procedens Spiritus Sanctus, cuius nos brevi satiamur haustu, in illis caelestibus spiritibus redundantius videtur affluere, pleno septem virtutum spiritualium fervens meatu. On the contrary, Ambrose says (De Spiritu Sancto i, 20): The city of God, the heavenly Jerusalem, is not washed with the waters of an earthly river: it is the Holy Spirit, of Whose outpouring we but taste, Who, proceeding from the Fount of life, seems to flow more abundantly in those celestial spirits, a seething torrent of sevenfold heavenly virtue. Respondeo dicendum quod de donis dupliciter possumus loqui. Uno modo, quantum ad essentiam donorum, et sic perfectissime erunt in patria, sicut patet per auctoritatem Ambrosii inductam. Cuius ratio est quia dona spiritus sancti perficiunt mentem humanam ad sequendam motionem spiritus sancti, quod praecipue erit in patria, quando Deus erit omnia in omnibus, ut dicitur I ad Cor. XV, et quando homo erit totaliter subditus Deo. Alio modo possunt considerari quantum ad materiam circa quam operantur, et sic in praesenti habent operationem circa aliquam materiam circa quam non habebunt operationem in statu gloriae. Et secundum hoc, non manebunt in patria, sicut supra de virtutibus cardinalibus dictum est. I answer that, We may speak of the gifts in two ways: first, as to their essence; and thus they will be most perfectly in heaven, as may be gathered from the passage of Ambrose, just quoted. The reason for this is that the gifts of the Holy Spirit render the human mind amenable to the motion of the Holy Spirit: which will be especially realized in heaven, where God will be all in all (1 Cor 15:28), and man entirely subject unto Him. Second, they may be considered as regards the matter about which their operations are: and thus, in the present life they have an operation about a matter, in respect of which they will have no operation in the state of glory. Considered in this way, they will not remain in the state of glory; just as we have stated to be the case with regard to the cardinal virtues (Q67, A1). Ad primum ergo dicendum quod Gregorius loquitur ibi de donis secundum quod competunt statui praesenti, sic enim donis protegimur contra tentamenta malorum. Sed in statu gloriae, cessantibus malis, per dona spiritus sancti perficiemur in bono. Reply Obj. 1: Gregory is speaking there of the gifts according as they are compatible with the present state: for it is thus that they afford us protection against evil temptations. But in the state of glory, where all evil will have ceased, we shall be perfected in good by the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Ad secundum dicendum quod Gregorius quasi in singulis donis ponit aliquid quod transit cum statu praesenti, et aliquid quod permanet etiam in futuro. Dicit enim quod sapientia mentem de aeternorum spe et certitudine reficit, quorum duorum spes transit, sed certitudo remanet. Et de intellectu dicit quod in eo quod audita penetrat, reficiendo cor, tenebras eius illustrat, quorum auditus transit, quia non docebit vir fratrem suum, ut dicitur Ierem. XXXI; sed illustratio mentis manebit. De consilio autem dicit quod prohibet esse praecipitem, quod est necessarium in praesenti, et iterum quod ratione animum replet, quod est necessarium etiam in futuro. De fortitudine vero dicit quod adversa non metuit, quod est necessarium in praesenti, et iterum quod confidentiae cibos apponit, quod permanet etiam in futuro. De scientia vero unum tantum ponit, scilicet quod ignorantiae ieiunium superat, quod pertinet ad statum praesentem. Sed quod addit, in ventre mentis, potest figuraliter intelligi repletio cognitionis, quae pertinet etiam ad statum futurum. De pietate vero dicit quod cordis viscera misericordiae operibus replet. Quod quidem secundum verba, pertinet tantum ad statum praesentem. Sed ipse intimus affectus proximorum, per viscera designatus, pertinet etiam ad futurum statum; in quo pietas non exhibebit misericordiae opera, sed congratulationis affectum. De timore vero dicit quod premit mentem, ne de praesentibus superbiat, quod pertinet ad statum praesentem; et quod de futuris cibo spei confortat, quod etiam pertinet ad statum praesentem, quantum ad spem; sed potest etiam ad statum futurum pertinere, quantum ad confortationem de rebus hic speratis, et ibi obtentis. Reply Obj. 2: Gregory, in almost every gift, includes something that passes away with the present state, and something that remains in the future state. For he says that wisdom strengthens the mind with the hope and certainty of eternal things; of which two, hope passes, and certainty remains. Of understanding, he says that it penetrates the truths heard, refreshing the heart and enlightening its darkness, of which, hearing passes away, since they shall teach no more every man . . . his brother (Jer 31:3,4); but the enlightening of the mind remains. Of counsel he says that it prevents us from being impetuous, which is necessary in the present life; and also that it makes the mind full of reason, which is necessary even in the future state. Of fortitude he says that it fears not adversity, which is necessary in the present life; and further, that it sets before us the viands of confidence, which remains also in the future life. With regard to knowledge he mentions only one thing, viz., that she overcomes the void of ignorance, which refers to the present state. When, however, he adds in the womb of the mind, this may refer figuratively to the fullness of knowledge, which belongs to the future state. Of piety he says that it satisfies the inmost heart with deeds of mercy. These words taken literally refer only to the present state: yet the inward regard for our neighbor, signified by the inmost heart, belongs also to the future state, when piety will achieve, not works of mercy, but fellowship of joy. Of fear he says that it oppresses the mind, lest it pride itself in present things, which refers to the present state, and that it strengthens it with the meat of hope for the future, which also belongs to the present state, as regards hope, but may also refer to the future state, as regards being strengthened for things we hope are here, and obtain there. Ad tertium dicendum quod ratio illa procedit de donis quantum ad materiam. Opera enim activae vitae non erunt materia donorum, sed omnia habebunt actus suos circa ea quae pertinent ad vitam contemplativam, quae est vita beata. Reply Obj. 3: This argument considers the gifts as to their matter. For the matter of the gifts will not be the works of the active life; but all the gifts will have their respective acts about things pertaining to the contemplative life, which is the life of heavenly bliss. Articulus 7 Article 7 Utrum dignitas donorum attenditur secundum enumerationem qua enumerantur Isaiae XI Whether the gifts are set down by Isaias in their order of dignity? Ad septimum sic proceditur. Videtur quod dignitas donorum non attenditur secundum enumerationem qua enumerantur Isaiae XI. Illud enim videtur esse potissimum in donis, quod maxime Deus ab homine requirit. Sed maxime requirit Deus ab homine timorem, dicitur enim Deut. X, et nunc, Israel, quid dominus Deus tuus petit a te, nisi ut timeas dominum Deum tuum? Et Malach. I, dicitur, si ego dominus, ubi timor meus? Ergo videtur quod timor, qui enumeratur ultimo, non sit infimum donorum, sed maximum. Objection 1: It would seem that the gifts are not set down by Isaias in their order of dignity. For the principal gift is, seemingly, that which God requires of man more than the others. Now God requires fear of man more than the other gifts: for it is written (Deut 10:12): And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but that thou fear the Lord thy God? and (Mal 1:6): If . . . I be a master, where is My fear? Therefore it seems that fear, which is mentioned last, is not the lowest but the greatest of the gifts. Praeterea, pietas videtur esse quoddam bonum universale, dicit enim apostolus, I ad Tim. IV, quod pietas ad omnia utilis est. Sed bonum universale praefertur particularibus bonis. Ergo pietas, quae penultimo enumeratur, videtur esse potissimum donorum. Obj. 2: Further, piety seems to be a kind of common good; since the Apostle says (1 Tim 4:8): Piety is profitable to all things. Now a common good is preferable to particular goods. Therefore piety, which is given the last place but one, seems to be the most excellent gift. Praeterea, scientia perficit iudicium hominis; consilium autem ad inquisitionem pertinet. Sed iudicium praeeminet inquisitioni. Ergo scientia est potius donum quam consilium, cum tamen post enumeretur. Obj. 3: Further, knowledge perfects man’s judgment, while counsel pertains to inquiry. But judgment is more excellent than inquiry. Therefore knowledge is a more excellent gift than counsel; and yet it is set down as being below it. Praeterea, fortitudo pertinet ad vim appetitivam; scientia autem ad rationem. Sed ratio est eminentior quam vis appetitiva. Ergo et scientia est eminentius donum quam fortitudo, quae tamen primo enumeratur. Non ergo dignitas donorum attenditur secundum ordinem enumerationis eorum. Obj. 4: Further, fortitude pertains to the appetitive power, while science belongs to reason. But reason is a more excellent power than the appetite. Therefore knowledge is a more excellent gift than fortitude; and yet the latter is given the precedence. Therefore the gifts are not set down in their order of dignity. Sed contra est quod Augustinus dicit, in libro de Serm. Dom. in monte, videtur mihi septiformis operatio spiritus sancti, de qua Isaias loquitur, his gradibus sententiisque congruere (de quibus fit mentio Matth. V); sed interest ordinis. Nam ibi (scilicet in Isaia) enumeratio ab excellentioribus coepit, hic vero, ab inferioribus. On the contrary, Augustine says: It seems to me that the sevenfold operation of the Holy Spirit, of which Isaias speaks, agrees in degrees and expression with these: but there is a difference of order, for there the enumeration begins with the more excellent gifts, here, with the lower gifts. Respondeo dicendum quod dignitas donorum dupliciter potest attendi, uno modo, simpliciter, scilicet per comparationem ad proprios actus prout procedunt a suis principiis; alio modo, secundum quid, scilicet per comparationem ad materiam. Simpliciter autem loquendo de dignitate donorum, eadem est ratio comparationis in ipsis et in virtutibus, quia dona ad omnes actus potentiarum animae perficiunt hominem, ad quos perficiunt virtutes, ut supra dictum est. Unde sicut virtutes intellectuales praeferuntur virtutibus moralibus; et in ipsis virtutibus intellectualibus contemplativae praeferuntur activis, ut sapientia intellectui, et scientia prudentiae et arti; ita tamen quod sapientia praefertur intellectui, et intellectus scientiae, sicut prudentia et synesis eubuliae, ita etiam in donis sapientia et intellectus, scientia et consilium, praeferuntur pietati et fortitudini et timori; in quibus etiam pietas praefertur fortitudini, et fortitudo timori, sicut iustitia fortitudini, et fortitudo temperantiae. Sed quantum ad materiam, fortitudo et consilium praeferuntur scientiae et pietati, quia scilicet fortitudo et consilium in arduis locum habent; pietas autem, et etiam scientia, in communibus. Sic igitur donorum dignitas ordini enumerationis respondet, partim quidem simpliciter, secundum quod sapientia et intellectus omnibus praeferuntur, partim autem secundum ordinem materiae, secundum quod consilium et fortitudo praeferuntur scientiae et pietati. I answer that, The excellence of the gifts can be measured in two ways: first, simply, viz., by comparison to their proper acts as proceeding from their principles; second, relatively, viz., by comparison to their matter. If we consider the excellence of the gifts simply, they follow the same rule as the virtues, as to their comparison one with another; because the gifts perfect man for all the acts of the soul’s powers, even as the virtues do, as stated above (A4). Hence, as the intellectual virtues have the precedence of the moral virtues, and among the intellectual virtues, the contemplative are preferable to the active, viz., wisdom, understanding and science to prudence and art (yet so that wisdom stands before understanding, and understanding before science, and prudence and synesis before eubulia): so also among the gifts, wisdom, understanding, knowledge, and counsel are more excellent than piety, fortitude, and fear; and among the latter, piety excels fortitude, and fortitude fear, even as justice surpasses fortitude, and fortitude temperance. But in regard to their matter, fortitude and counsel precede knowledge and piety: because fortitude and counsel are concerned with difficult matters, whereas piety and knowledge regard ordinary matters. Consequently the excellence of the gifts corresponds with the order in which they are enumerated; but so far as wisdom and understanding are given the preference to the others, their excellence is considered simply, while, so far, as counsel and fortitude are preferred to knowledge and piety, it is considered with regard to their matter. Ad primum ergo dicendum quod timor maxime requiritur quasi primordium quoddam perfectionis donorum, quia initium sapientiae timor domini, non propter hoc quod sit ceteris dignius. Prius enim est, secundum ordinem generationis, ut aliquis recedat a malo, quod fit per timorem, ut dicitur Proverb. XVI; quam quod operetur bonum, quod fit per alia dona. Reply Obj. 1: Fear is chiefly required as being the foundation, so to speak, of the perfection of the other gifts, for the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Ps 110:10; Ecclus. 1:16), and not as though it were more excellent than the others. Because, in the order of generation, man departs from evil on account of fear (Prov 16:16), before doing good works, and which result from the other gifts. Ad secundum dicendum quod pietas non comparatur in verbis apostoli, omnibus donis Dei, sed soli corporali exercitationi, de qua praemittit quod ad modicum utilis est. Reply Obj. 2: In the words quoted from the Apostle, piety is not compared with all God’s gifts, but only with bodily exercise, of which he had said it is profitable to little. Ad tertium dicendum quod scientia etsi praeferatur consilio ratione iudicii, tamen consilium praefertur ratione materiae, nam consilium non habet locum nisi in arduis, ut dicitur in III Ethic.; sed iudicium scientiae in omnibus locum habet. Reply Obj. 3: Although knowledge stands before counsel by reason of its judgment, yet counsel is more excellent by reason of its matter: for counsel is only concerned with matters of difficulty (Ethic. iii, 3), whereas the judgment of knowledge embraces all matters. Ad quartum dicendum quod dona directiva, quae pertinent ad rationem, donis exequentibus digniora sunt, si considerentur per comparationem ad actus prout egrediuntur a potentiis, ratio enim appetitivae praeeminet, ut regulans regulato. Sed ratione materiae, adiungitur consilium fortitudini, sicut directivum exequenti, et similiter scientia pietati, quia scilicet consilium et fortitudo in arduis locum habent, scientia autem et pietas etiam in communibus. Et ideo consilium simul cum fortitudine, ratione materiae, numeratur ante scientiam et pietatem. Reply Obj. 4: The directive gifts which pertain to the reason are more excellent than the executive gifts, if we consider them in relation to their acts as proceeding from their powers, because reason transcends the appetite as a rule transcends the thing ruled. But on the part of the matter, counsel is united to fortitude as the directive power to the executive, and so is knowledge united to piety: because counsel and fortitude are concerned with matters of difficulty, while knowledge and piety are concerned with ordinary matters. Hence counsel together with fortitude, by reason of their matter, are given the preference to knowledge and piety. Articulus 8 Article 8 Utrum virtutes sint praeferendae donis Whether the virtues are more excellent than the gifts? Ad octavum sic proceditur. Videtur quod virtutes sint praeferendae donis. Dicit enim Augustinus, in XV de Trin., de caritate loquens, nullum est isto Dei dono excellentius. Solum est quod dividit inter filios regni aeterni, et filios perditionis aeternae, dantur et alia per spiritum sanctum munera, sed sine caritate nihil prosunt. Sed caritas est virtus. Ergo virtus est potior donis spiritus sancti. 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 Spirit, but, without charity, they avail nothing. But charity is a virtue. Therefore a virtue is more excellent than the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Praeterea, ea quae sunt priora naturaliter, videntur esse potiora. Sed virtutes sunt priores donis spiritus sancti, dicit enim Gregorius, in II Moral., quod donum spiritus sancti in subiecta mente ante alia iustitiam, prudentiam, fortitudinem et temperantiam format, et sic eandem mentem septem mox virtutibus (idest donis) temperat, ut contra stultitiam, sapientiam; contra hebetudinem, intellectum; contra praecipitationem, consilium; contra timorem, fortitudinem; contra ignorantiam, scientiam; contra duritiam, pietatem; contra superbiam, det timorem. Ergo virtutes sunt potiores donis. Obj. 2: Further, that which is first naturally, seems to be more excellent. Now the virtues precede the gifts of the Holy Spirit; for Gregory says (Moral. ii, 26) that the gift of the Holy Spirit 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, 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.