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Objection 1: It would seem that the gifts of the Holy Ghost are
not habits. Because a habit is a quality abiding in man, being
defined as "a quality difficult to remove," as stated in the
Predicaments (Categor. vi). Now it is proper to Christ that the
gifts of the Holy Ghost rest in Him, as stated in Is.
11:2,3: "He upon Whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending
and remaining upon Him, He it is that baptizeth"; on which words
Gregory comments as follows (Moral. ii, 27): "The Holy
Ghost comes upon all the faithful; but, in a singular way, He
dwells always in the Mediator." Therefore the gifts of the Holy
Ghost are not habits.
Objection 2: Further, the gifts of the Holy Ghost perfect man
according as he is moved by the Spirit of God, as stated above
(Articles 1,2). But in so far as man is moved by the Spirit of
God, he is somewhat like an instrument in His regard. Now to be
perfected by a habit is befitting, not an instrument, but a principal
agent. Therefore the gifts of the Holy Ghost are not habits.
Objection 3: Further, as the gifts of the Holy Ghost are due to
Divine inspiration, so is the gift of prophecy. Now prophecy is not
a habit: for "the spirit of prophecy does not always reside in the
prophets," as Gregory states (Hom. i in Ezechiel). Neither,
therefore, are the gifts of the Holy Ghost.
On the contrary, Our Lord in speaking of the Holy Ghost said to
His disciples (Jn. 14:17): "He shall abide with you, and
shall be in you." Now the Holy Ghost is not in a man without His
gifts. Therefore His gifts abide in man. Therefore they are not
merely acts or passions but abiding habits.
I answer that, As stated above (Article 1), the gifts are
perfections of man, whereby he becomes amenable to the promptings of
the Holy Ghost. Now it is evident from what has been already said
(Question 56, Article 4; Question 58, Article 2), that
the moral virtues perfect the appetitive power according as it partakes
somewhat of the reason, in so far, to wit, as it has a natural
aptitude to be moved by the command of reason. Accordingly the gifts
of the Holy Ghost, as compared with the Holy Ghost Himself, are
related to man, even as the moral virtues, in comparison with the
reason, are related to the appetitive power. Now the moral virtues
are habits, whereby the powers of appetite are disposed to obey reason
promptly. Therefore the gifts of the Holy Ghost are habits whereby
man is perfected to obey readily the Holy Ghost.
Reply to Objection 1: Gregory solves this objection (Moral. ii,
27) by saying that "by those gifts without which one cannot obtain
life, the Holy Ghost ever abides in all the elect, but not by His
other gifts." Now the seven gifts are necessary for salvation, as
stated above (Article 2). Therefore, with regard to them, the
Holy Ghost ever abides in holy men.
Reply to Objection 2: This argument holds, in the case of an
instrument which has no faculty of action, but only of being acted
upon. But man is not an instrument of that kind; for he is so acted
upon, by the Holy Ghost, that he also acts himself, in so far as he
has a free-will. Therefore he needs a habit.
Reply to Objection 3: Prophecy is one of those gifts which are for
the manifestation of the Spirit, not for the necessity of salvation:
hence the comparison fails.
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