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Objection 1: It would seem that "Gift" is not a personal name.
For every personal name imports a distinction in God. But the name
of "Gift" does not import a distinction in God; for Augustine says
(De Trin. xv, 19): that "the Holy Ghost is so given as
God's Gift, that He also gives Himself as God." Therefore
"Gift" is not a personal name.
Objection 2: Further, no personal name belongs to the divine
essence. But the divine essence is the Gift which the Father gives
to the Son, as Hilary says (De Trin. ix). Therefore "Gift"
is not a personal name.
Objection 3: Further, according to Damascene (De Fide Orth.
iv, 19) there is no subjection nor service in the divine persons.
But gift implies a subjection both as regards him to whom it is given,
and as regards him by whom it is given. Therefore "Gift" is not a
personal name.
Objection 4: Further, "Gift" imports relation to the creature,
and it thus seems to be said of God in time. But personal names are
said of God from eternity; as "Father," and "Son." Therefore
"Gift" is not a personal name.
On the contrary, Augustine says (De Trin. xv, 19): "As the
body of flesh is nothing but flesh; so the gift of the Holy Ghost is
nothing but the Holy Ghost." But the Holy Ghost is a personal
name; so also therefore is "Gift."
I answer that, The word "gift" imports an aptitude for being
given. And what is given has an aptitude or relation both to the giver
and to that to which it is given. For it would not be given by
anyone, unless it was his to give; and it is given to someone to be
his. Now a divine person is said to belong to another, either by
origin, as the Son belongs to the Father; or as possessed by
another. But we are said to possess what we can freely use or enjoy as
we please: and in this way a divine person cannot be possessed, except
by a rational creature united to God. Other creatures can be moved by
a divine person, not, however, in such a way as to be able to enjoy
the divine person, and to use the effect thereof. The rational
creature does sometimes attain thereto; as when it is made partaker of
the divine Word and of the Love proceeding, so as freely to know God
truly and to love God rightly. Hence the rational creature alone can
possess the divine person. Nevertheless in order that it may possess
Him in this manner, its own power avails nothing: hence this must be
given it from above; for that is said to be given to us which we have
from another source. Thus a divine person can "be given," and can
be a "gift."
Reply to Objection 1: The name "Gift" imports a personal
distinction , in so far as gift imports something belonging to another
through its origin. Nevertheless, the Holy Ghost gives Himself,
inasmuch as He is His own, and can use or rather enjoy Himself; as
also a free man belongs to himself. And as Augustine says (In
Joan. Tract. xxix): "What is more yours than yourself?" Or we
might say, and more fittingly, that a gift must belong in a way to the
giver. But the phrase, "this is this one's," can be understood in
several senses. In one way it means identity, as Augustine says
(In Joan. Tract. xxix); and in that sense "gift" is the same
as "the giver," but not the same as the one to whom it is given.
The Holy Ghost gives Himself in that sense. In another sense, a
thing is another's as a possession, or as a slave; and in that sense
gift is essentially distinct from the giver; and the gift of God so
taken is a created thing. In a third sense "this is this one's"
through its origin only; and in this sense the Son is the Father's;
and the Holy Ghost belongs to both. Therefore, so far as gift in
this way signifies the possession of the giver, it is personally
distinguished from the giver, and is a personal name.
Reply to Objection 2: The divine essence is the Father's gift in
the first sense, as being the Father's by way of identity.
Reply to Objection 3: Gift as a personal name in God does not
imply subjection, but only origin, as regards the giver; but as
regards the one to whom it is given, it implies a free use, or
enjoyment, as above explained.
Reply to Objection 4: Gift is not so called from being actually
given, but from its aptitude to be given. Hence the divine person is
called Gift from eternity, although He is given in time. Nor does
it follow that it is an essential name because it imports relation to
the creature; but that it includes something essential in its meaning;
as the essence is included in the idea of person, as stated above
(Question 34, Article 3).
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