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Objection 1: It would seem that knowledge is not a gift. For the
gifts of the Holy Ghost surpass the natural faculty. But knowledge
implies an effect of natural reason: for the Philosopher says
(Poster. i, 2) that a "demonstration is a syllogism which
produces knowledge." Therefore knowledge is not a gift of the Holy
Ghost.
Objection 2: Further, the gifts of the Holy Ghost are common to
all holy persons, as stated above (Question 8, Article 4; FS,
Question 68, Article 5). Now Augustine says (De Trin.
xiv, 1) that "many of the faithful lack knowledge though they have
faith." Therefore knowledge is not a gift.
Objection 3: Further, the gifts are more perfect than the virtues,
as stated above (FS, Question 68, Article 8). Therefore one
gift suffices for the perfection of one virtue. Now the gift of
understanding responds to the virtue of faith, as stated above
(Question 8, Article 2). Therefore the gift of knowledge does
not respond to that virtue, nor does it appear to which other virtue it
can respond. Since, then, the gifts are perfections of virtues, as
stated above (FS, Question 68, Articles 1,2), it seems
that knowledge is not a gift.
On the contrary, Knowledge is reckoned among the seven gifts (Is.
11:2).
I answer that, Grace is more perfect than nature, and, therefore,
does not fail in those things wherein man can be perfected by nature.
Now, when a man, by his natural reason, assents by his intellect to
some truth, he is perfected in two ways in respect of that truth:
first, because he grasps it; secondly, because he forms a sure
judgment on it.
Accordingly, two things are requisite in order that the human
intellect may perfectly assent to the truth of the faith: one of these
is that he should have a sound grasp of the things that are proposed to
be believed, and this pertains to the gift of understanding, as stated
above (Question 8, Article 6): while the other is that he should
have a sure and right judgment on them, so as to discern what is to be
believed, from what is not to be believed, and for this the gift of
knowledge is required.
Reply to Objection 1: Certitude of knowledge varies in various
natures, according to the various conditions of each nature. Because
man forms a sure judgment about a truth by the discursive process of his
reason: and so human knowledge is acquired by means of demonstrative
reasoning. On the other hand, in God, there is a sure judgment of
truth, without any discursive process, by simple intuition, as was
stated in the FP, Question 14, Article 7; wherefore God's
knowledge is not discursive, or argumentative, but absolute and
simple, to which that knowledge is likened which is a gift of the Holy
Ghost, since it is a participated likeness thereof.
Reply to Objection 2: A twofold knowledge may be had about matters
of belief. One is the knowledge of what one ought to believe by
discerning things to be believed from things not to be believe: in this
way knowledge is a gift and is common to all holy persons. The other
is a knowledge about matters of belief, whereby one knows not only what
one ought to believe, but also how to make the faith known, how to
induce others to believe, and confute those who deny the faith. This
knowledge is numbered among the gratuitous graces, which are not given
to all, but to some. Hence Augustine, after the words quoted,
adds: "It is one thing for a man merely to know what he ought to
believe, and another to know how to dispense what he believes to the
godly, and to defend it against the ungodly."
Reply to Objection 3: The gifts are more perfect than the moral and
intellectual virtues; but they are not more perfect than the
theological virtues; rather are all the gifts ordained to the
perfection of the theological virtues, as to their end. Hence it is
not unreasonable if several gifts are ordained to one theological
virtue.
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