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Objection 1: It would seem that charity increases by addition. For
just as increase may be in respect of bodily quantity, so may it be
according to virtual quantity. Now increase in bodily quantity results
from addition; for the Philosopher says (De Gener. i, 5) that
"increase is addition to pre-existing magnitude." Therefore the
increase of charity which is according to virtual quantity is by
addition.
Objection 2: Further, charity is a kind of spiritual light in the
soul, according to 1 Jn. 2:10: "He that loveth his brother
abideth in the light." Now light increases in the air by addition;
thus the light in a house increases when another candle is lit.
Therefore charity also increases in the soul by addition.
Objection 3: Further, the increase of charity is God's work,
even as the causing of it, according to 2 Cor. 9:10: "He will
increase the growth of the fruits of your justice." Now when God
first infuses charity, He puts something in the soul that was not
there before. Therefore also, when He increases charity, He puts
something there which was not there before. Therefore charity
increases by addition.
On the contrary, Charity is a simple form. Now nothing greater
results from the addition of one simple thing to another, as proved in
Phys. iii, text. 59, and Metaph. ii, 4. Therefore charity
does not increase by addition.
I answer that, Every addition is of something to something else: so
that in every addition we must at least presuppose that the things added
together are distinct before the addition. Consequently if charity be
added to charity, the added charity must be presupposed as distinct
from charity to which it is added, not necessarily by a distinction of
reality, but at least by a distinction of thought. For God is able
to increase a bodily quantity by adding a magnitude which did not exist
before, but was created at that very moment; which magnitude, though
not pre-existent in reality, is nevertheless capable of being
distinguished from the quantity to which it is added. Wherefore if
charity be added to charity we must presuppose the distinction, at
least logical, of the one charity from the other.
Now distinction among forms is twofold: specific and numeric.
Specific distinction of habits follows diversity of objects, while
numeric distinction follows distinction of subjects. Consequently a
habit may receive increase through extending to objects to which it did
not extend before: thus the science of geometry increases in one who
acquires knowledge of geometrical matters which he ignored hitherto.
But this cannot be said of charity, for even the slightest charity
extends to all that we have to love by charity. Hence the addition
which causes an increase of charity cannot be understood, as though the
added charity were presupposed to be distinct specifically from that to
which it is added.
It follows therefore that if charity be added to charity, we must
presuppose a numerical distinction between them, which follows a
distinction of subjects: thus whiteness receives an increase when one
white thing is added to another, although such an increase does not
make a thing whiter. This, however, does not apply to the case in
point, since the subject of charity is none other than the rational
mind, so that such like an increase of charity could only take place by
one rational mind being added to another; which is impossible.
Moreover, even if it were possible, the result would be a greater
lover, but not a more loving one. It follows, therefore, that
charity can by no means increase by addition of charity to charity, as
some have held to be the case.
Accordingly charity increases only by its subject partaking of charity
more and more subject thereto. For this is the proper mode of increase
in a form that is intensified, since the being of such a form consists
wholly in its adhering to its subject. Consequently, since the
magnitude of a thing follows on its being, to say that a form is
greater is the same as to say that it is more in its subject, and not
that another form is added to it: for this would be the case if the
form, of itself, had any quantity, and not in comparison with its
subject. Therefore charity increases by being intensified in its
subject, and this is for charity to increase in its essence; and not
by charity being added to charity.
Reply to Objection 1: Bodily quantity has something as quantity,
and something else, in so far as it is an accidental form. As
quantity, it is distinguishable in respect of position or number, and
in this way we have the increase of magnitude by addition, as may be
seen in animals. But in so far as it is an accidental form, it is
distinguishable only in respect of its subject, and in this way it has
its proper increase, like other accidental forms, by way of intensity
in its subject, for instance in things subject to rarefaction, as is
proved in Phys. iv, 9. In like manner science, as a habit, has
its quantity from its objects, and accordingly it increases by
addition, when a man knows more things; and again, as an accidental
form, it has a certain quantity through being in its subject, and in
this way it increase in a man who knows the same scientific truths with
greater certainty now than before. In the same way charity has a
twofold quantity; but with regard to that which it has from its
object, it does not increase, as stated above: hence it follows that
it increases solely by being intensified.
Reply to Objection 2: The addition of light to light can be
understood through the light being intensified in the air on account of
there being several luminaries giving light: but this distinction does
not apply to the case in point, since there is but one luminary
shedding forth the light of charity.
Reply to Objection 3: The infusion of charity denotes a change to
the state of "having" charity from the state of "not having it," so
that something must needs come which was not there before. On the
other hand, the increase of charity denotes a change to "more having"
from "less having," so that there is need, not for anything to be
there that was not there before, but for something to be more there
that previously was less there. This is what God does when He
increases charity, that is He makes it to have a greater hold on the
soul, and the likeness of the Holy Ghost to be more perfectly
participated by the soul.
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