Summa Theologiae Moralis, vol. I: De Principiis

S. Th. I-II, q. 68, a. 1-4 ; q. 69 et 70 ; II-II, q. 8, a. 6.

630. Thesis I. The gifts of the Holy Spirit differ from the infused moral virtues¹ : we need these to be disposed to obey promptly right reason ; therefore all the more do we need those to be disposed to obey promptly the motion or inspiration of the Holy Spirit in us through charity (as of the proper mover) indwelling. « For the higher the mover, the more necessary it is that the mobile be proportioned to it by a more perfect disposition, as we see that a disciple must be more perfectly disposed in order that he may grasp higher teaching from a doctor ». And therefore, just as for obeying reason the appetite needs habits, so all the more it seems to be said that the gifts by which we obey the Holy Spirit are habits, not transient dispositions, so that we may be moved connaturally, promptly, easily and sweetly, not however as it were violently, but as instruments fitted and proportioned to Him.

Therefore the gifts of the Holy Spirit are supernatural habits by which we are disposed to obey promptly the motion or inspiration of the Holy Spirit Himself in us through charity as of the proper mover indwelling. They are called gifts not only because they are given by God, but because they dispose for following the instinct of the giving (i.e. infusing) Holy Spirit, and render man promptly movable by divine inspiration, which is a special gift of actual grace ; they can also simply be called spirits².

631. Thesis II. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are necessary for salvation. — For the motion of the Holy Spirit³, or the special aid of actual grace, is needed not only by those who exercise extraordinary and more excellent works (for which one's strength is not sufficient), but by each one that he may persevere and progress in the grace received, as is proved in the treatise on grace. The fundamental reason for this is assigned by S. Thomas, that through grace and the theological virtues we possess the nature, life and forces of God only in an imperfect way ; but he who possesses some nature or form or virtue imperfectly cannot always and in all things operate of himself, unless, at least sometimes, he be moved by Him who perfectly possesses that nature : as infants in life, who must be led lest they fall, but also that they may progress. Therefore the imperfect in divine life are to be moved and led by God Himself, that we may always live so as to arrive at eternal life.

Whence the gifts of the Holy Spirit are necessary for salvation to every just person, and although especially for extraordinary and more excellent works, not however uniquely but also for common works they dispose, whenever and inasmuch as they are done by the just under the motion of the Spirit of God. Hence those gifts are granted to all the just (Rom. VIII, 14) and are connected with charity by which we are united to the Holy Spirit the mover.

632. What those gifts are. — Those gifts are enumerated in Isaiah XI, 2, where they are attributed to Christ the exemplar of the just and the firstborn among many brothers (Rom. VIII, 9-29 ; Gal. IV, 6) : « The spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the spirit of counsel and of fortitude, the spirit of knowledge and of piety, and the spirit of the fear of the Lord shall rest upon him ». But, according to the doctrine of the Fathers from the beginning of the Church, they are also granted to all the just.

Nothing certain can be established about the number of gifts, for in the Greek and Latin text seven are enumerated, in the Hebrew text piety is lacking ; besides the prophet does not seem to intend a complete enumeration but rather indicates the more excellent gifts to teach that the fullness of the gifts of the Holy Spirit belongs to Christ. Nevertheless the Fathers, theologians and mystical authors are wont to order all the sanctifying effects of the Holy Spirit according to the seven gifts which are enumerated in our text, to which the Liturgy alludes in its hymns.

Four are in the intellect, by which we are disposed that under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and as it were experimentally 1) we may penetrate the truths of faith through the gift of understanding, and judge both 2) about created things through the gift of knowledge, insofar as they lead to God or lead away, and 3) about divine things, and about human things according to divine reasons, through the gift of wisdom, by which we sweetly relish them (Wis. VII, 8, 11), and 4) about individual things to be done or avoided in the spiritual life, and in more difficult and unforeseen cases, through the gift of counsel, by which we are directed to operate without hesitation. This is the practical gift ; the three preceding are principally speculative, secondarily practical.

Three are in the appetite : for impelled by the Holy Spirit 5) we lovingly revere God, not as creator but as Father, and all men as His children (Rom. VIII, 15) through piety ; 6) we confidently scorn whatever dangers and adversities in the way of salvation through the gift of fortitude ; and 7) with filial reverence fear to offend God especially in the pleasures toward which we are most inclined, and this is the fear of the Lord⁴].

633. The gifts correspond to the virtues. — And indeed 1) immediately⁵] to the seven principal infused virtues : to faith correspond understanding and knowledge ; to hope the fear of God insofar as it makes us avoid offending God ; to charity wisdom ; to prudence counsel ; to justice piety ; to fortitude the gift of fortitude ; and to temperance the fear of God insofar as it makes us flee the pleasures that most allure us to sin. By these gifts respectively we are disposed for acts both common and ordinary, and the more excellent ones of these virtues to be exercised under the impulse of the Holy Spirit. Thus S. Thomas ; according to others however, while counsel [corresponds] to hope, knowledge corresponds to prudence ; according to still others to hope, to which then fear does not correspond ; according to others, as Innocent V, to temperance.

2. They also correspond mediately⁶] to the seven principal acquired virtues : to understanding, the principle ; to knowledge and wisdom correspond the three gifts of the same name ; to prudence counsel ; to justice piety ; to fortitude fortitude ; to temperance the fear of God.

634. The Beatitudes are not habits but certain perfect and excellent works of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which especially conduce to beatitude, and especially merit both perfect beatitude in heaven, and also the inchoation (sure hope) of beatitude in the present life. Whence by reason of their singular perfection they are a pledge, merit, and inchoation of perfect beatitude.

About the fittingness of their enumeration and signification, cf. S. Thomas, q. 69, a. 3 and 4. — According to him also one beatitude corresponds to each gift, considering in the beatitudes their motives, namely in this way : To the gift of fear, the first beatitude : Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven ; — to the gift of piety, the second : Blessed are the meek, for they shall possess the land ; — to the gift of knowledge, the third : Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted ; — to the gift of fortitude, the fourth : Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice, for they shall be filled ; — to the gift of counsel, the fifth : Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy ; — to the gift of understanding, the sixth : Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God ; — to the gift of wisdom, the seventh : Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God (III Sent. d. 34, q. 1 a. 4). The eighth beatitude however : Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice' sake, is a certain confirmation and manifestation of all the preceding, inasmuch as through them it comes about that for the sake of these goods no one withdraws because of any persecution (I-II, q. 69, a. 3, ad 5).

635. The fruits of the Holy Spirit are whatever works of virtue when they have a special delight and sweetness attached, whence they are called fruits ; they are perfected under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, whence they are called fruits of the Holy Spirit. When carnal and worldly delights allure us, the Holy Spirit Himself produces in us a much greater and as it were heavenly delight through the works of the virtues ; hence the fruits are opposed to the works of the flesh.

The principal ones are enumerated by the Apostle, Gal. V, 22, 23.

636. Corollaries. — From the fact that the gifts dispose man to be well moved by God, the virtues to be well moved by reason, which is the fundamental distinction, it follows

1. that the virtues are given that man may actively act well, the gifts that he may be passively acted upon well ; and although he also acts freely under the action of the gift, yet he is more passive than active, « because the mind of man does not behave as mover but rather as moved » ;

2. that the virtues perfect man for acting in a human way, accommodated to human nature ; the gifts for acting in a higher way, superhuman and divine, according as it befits the Holy Spirit : thus as to the object when someone exercises more excellent and heroic works, or as to the manner alone when he is moved spontaneously, as it were instinctively, and acts without discourse and is rather led than leads himself ;

3. that we can use the virtues when we wish, the gifts when the Holy Spirit wishes.

637. Observation. — The gifts are not to be confused with the gratias gratis datas (gracious gifts), although these can be founded on a gift, e.g. of knowledge or wisdom, which they manifest : for they remain distinct ; and they are rather transient, not habits. Cf. q. 68, a. 5, ad 1 and 2.