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Dist. 34, Part 1, Art. 1, Q. 2

Book III: On the Incarnation of the Word · Distinction 34

Textus Latinus
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Quaestio II. Utrum dona sint priora virtutibus, an e converso.

Secundo quaeritur de comparatione donorum ad virtutes quantum ad ordinem, et est quaestio, utrum dona sint priora virtutibus, an e converso. Et quod dona praecedant, videtur.

Ad oppositum:

1. Matthaei sexto1 super orationem dominicam dicitur in Glossa: « In precibus est, ut impetremus dona; in donis, ut operemur mandata; de operatione beatitudines sequuntur »: ergo videtur, quod profectus hominis incipiat a donis. Sed illi habitus gratuiti sunt priores, in quibus inchoatur principium bene agendi: ergo dona sunt priora virtutibus.

2. Item, prius est sanari quam bene operari;

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sed per dona sanantur potentiae et per virtutes habilitantur ad bene operandum2: ergo dona priora sunt virtutibus.

3. Item, prius est declinare a malo quam facere bonum3; sed per primum inter dona declinamus a malo, per virtutes ordinamur ad bene faciendum: ergo dona sunt priora virtutibus.

4. Item, prius est generans quam generatum; sed per scientiam generatur fides, secundum quod dicit Augustinus, decimo quarto de Trinitate4 dicens, quod « scientia est de his, quibus fides saluberrima gignitur, nutritur et roboratur »: ergo donum scientiae prius est quam fides. Sed fides est prima virtutum: ergo dona sunt priora virtutibus.

5. Item, intellectus est prior quam affectus5, ergo habitus intellectivi priores sunt quam habitus affectivi; sed dona ex maiori sui parte sunt in rationali, virtutes ex maiori parte sunt in affectiva: ergo priora sunt dona, quam sint virtutes.

Sed contra:

1. Super illud Iob primo6: Ventus vehemens etc.; ibi dicit Gregorius: « Spiritus ante omnia mentem septem virtutibus ornat »: ergo naturaliter habitus virtutum prius sunt a gratia quam habitus donorum.

2. Item, Threnorum secundo7: Praecipitavit omnia moenia eius; ibi Glossa: « In his rectus ordo servatur, quia, cum peccatrix anima relinquitur, prius ab ea dona virtutum, quae data sunt ad manifestationem Spiritus, auferuntur, deinde fundamenta fidei, spei et caritatis evertuntur ». Si ergo is est ordo in destruendo, ut prius destruatur illud quod ultimo fuit in componendo; et prius auferuntur dona quam fundamenta virtutum; videtur, quod prius sint virtutes quam habitus donorum.

3. Item, prius est recte agere quam expedite8 in eodem genere: si ergo habitus virtutum sunt ad rectificandum, et habitus donorum ad expediendum: ergo dona non sunt priora virtutibus.

4. Item, timor est primum donorum, sicut fides est prima virtutum; sed fides prior est, quam sit timor, quia timor ortum habet a fide: ergo simpliciter videtur, quod virtutes sint priores donis, quia, « si primum in uno genere est prius primo in altero genere, hoc simpliciter est illo prius » secundum considerationem Philosophi9.

5. Item, is est ordo habituum, qui est ordo actuum — ideo enim fides dicitur esse prior spe, quia credere prius est quam sperare — cum ergo virtutes sint ad actus primos, dona ad actus medios10; sequitur necessario, quod virtutes sint ante dona.

### Conclusio. Virtutes non quoad originem, sed quoad usum praecedunt dona.

Respondeo: Dicendum, quod dupliciter est loqui de habitibus virtutum et donorum: aut quantum ad ipsorum habituum originem, aut quantum ad usum. Si quantum ad originem, cum omnes habitus gratuiti ortum habeant a gratia, sic omnes sunt simul origine, quia omnes habitus gratuiti simul infunduntur, infusa gratia, quae est ipsorum principium11. — Si vero loquamur de ipsis habitibus donorum et virtutum in comparatione ad sequentes usus; sic concedendum est, quod virtutes praecedunt dona. Licet enim actus alicuius doni specialis praecedat actum alicuius virtutis, sicut actus timoris actum spei12; quia tamen actus primae virtutis, videlicet fidei, praecedit actum primi doni, scilicet timoris; et generaliter actus cuiuslibet virtutis praecedit actum doni sibi correspondentis, sicut actus primus praecedit medium: hinc est, quod generaliter concedi potest, quod habitus virtutum per comparationem13 ad actus et usus priores sunt respectu donorum; et hoc dico respectu eiusdem. — Unde concedendae sunt rationes et auctoritates, quae adducebantur ad partem istam.

Ad argumenta pro parte affirmativa:

1. Ad illud ergo quod primo obiicitur in contrarium, quod in donis est inchoatio bene agendi; dici potest, quod dona accipiuntur ibi large pro virtutibus; aut si accipiuntur pro donis proprie dictis, secundum quod videtur littera praecedens14 dicere; tunc operatio mandatorum ibi stat non pro quacumque, sed pro operatione expedita, in qua consistit noster profectus, per cuius progressum beatitudines subsequuntur. Unde et preces illae impetrantes in virtutibus radicantur: alioquin non impetrarent nec efficaciter mererentur.

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2. Ad illud quod obiicitur, quod prius est sanari quam bene operari; dicendum, quod illud verum est de quadam sanitate, et de quadam alia sanitate falsum. Est enim sanari a morbo et est sanari a sequela morbi15. Cum ergo dicitur, quod prius est sanari quam bene operari; dicendum, quod hoc est verum de sanatione, quae consistit in amotione morbi et culpae; non autem de ea quae consistit in amotione symptomatis et sequelae. Cum autem dicitur, quod dona sunt ad sanandum: hoc non intelligitur de sanatione primo modo, sed secundo. Et sic patet, quod illa ratio non concludit.

3. Ad illud quod obiicitur, quod prius est declinare a malo quam facere bonum; dicendum, quod hoc est verum: sed declinare a malo non solummodo est donorum, sed etiam virtutum, sicut patet de poenitentia et iustitia. Quod autem declinatio a malo attribuatur timori, hoc est propter expeditionem, quia donum timoris facit a malo faciliter declinare.

4. Ad illud quod obiicitur, quod generans est prius generato; dicendum, quod illud est verum de eo quod est generaliter principium generandi reliquum: sed scientia non est sic principium fidei. Nam in eodem prius est fides, quam sit scientia, quae est fidei generativa. Unde verbum Augustini intelligitur solum particulariter et respectu diversorum: quia scientia in praedicante via est ad generandum fidem in audiente16.

5. Ad illud quod ultimo obiicitur, quod intellectus praecedit affectum; dicendum, quod verum est quantum ad actus et habitus, qui sunt eiusdem coordinationis17 — unde cognitio dirigens ad affectionem est illi praeambula, propter quod prius est credere quam amare — sed de habitibus et actibus, qui non sunt eiusdem ordinationis, non habet veritatem, quia non est prius videre Deum quam amare Deum, immo e contrario. Et quoniam habitus donorum et actus non sunt eiusdem coordinationis cum habitibus et actibus virtutum, quia actus virtutum sunt in primo gradu, actus vero donorum in medio: hinc est, quod non est necesse, dona esse priora virtutibus, quamvis habitus isti magis respiciant intellectum, et illi magis respiciant affectum18.

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English Translation

Question II. Whether the gifts are prior to the virtues, or conversely.

Secondly it is asked concerning the comparison of the gifts to the virtues as regards order, and the question is whether the gifts are prior to the virtues, or conversely. And that the gifts go before, it seems.

To the opposite:

1. On Matthew six1, upon the Lord's Prayer, it is said in the Gloss: « In prayers it is that we may obtain the gifts; in the gifts, that we may carry out the commandments; from the working follow the beatitudes »: therefore it seems that a man's advance begins from the gifts. But those gratuitous habits are prior in which the beginning of acting well is initiated: therefore the gifts are prior to the virtues.

2. Likewise, to be healed is prior to acting well;

sed per dona sanantur potentiae — but by the gifts the powers are healed and by the virtues they are enabled for acting well2: therefore the gifts are prior to the virtues.

3. Likewise, to turn away from evil is prior to doing good3; but by the first among the gifts we turn away from evil, by the virtues we are ordered to doing good: therefore the gifts are prior to the virtues.

4. Likewise, the generating is prior to the generated; but by knowledge faith is generated, according to what Augustine says in the fourteenth book of On the Trinity4, saying that « knowledge concerns those things by which most saving faith is begotten, nourished, and strengthened »: therefore the gift of knowledge is prior to faith. But faith is the first of the virtues: therefore the gifts are prior to the virtues.

5. Likewise, intellect is prior to affect5, therefore the intellective habits are prior to the affective habits; but the gifts are for the greater part in the rational [power], the virtues for the greater part in the affective: therefore the gifts are prior to what the virtues are.

On the contrary:

1. Upon that text of Job one6: A vehement wind etc.; there Gregory says: « The Spirit before all things adorns the mind with seven virtues »: therefore naturally the habits of the virtues come before from grace prior to the habits of the gifts.

2. Likewise, Lamentations two7: He has cast down all her ramparts; there the Gloss: « In these the right order is kept, because, when a sinful soul is abandoned, first the gifts of the virtues, which are given for the manifestation of the Spirit, are taken from it, then the foundations of faith, hope, and charity are overthrown ». If therefore that is the order in destroying, that what was last in composing is first destroyed; and the gifts are taken away before the foundations of the virtues; it seems that the virtues are prior to the habits of the gifts.

3. Likewise, to act rightly is prior to acting expeditiously8 in the same genus: if therefore the habits of the virtues are for setting right, and the habits of the gifts for expediting: therefore the gifts are not prior to the virtues.

4. Likewise, fear is the first of the gifts, as faith is the first of the virtues; but faith is prior to fear, because fear takes its origin from faith: therefore it seems simply that the virtues are prior to the gifts, because « if the first in one genus is prior to the first in another genus, this is simply prior to that » according to the consideration of the Philosopher9.

5. Likewise, that is the order of habits which is the order of acts — for thus faith is said to be prior to hope, because to believe is prior to hoping — since therefore the virtues are for the first acts, the gifts for the middle acts10; it follows necessarily that the virtues are before the gifts.

### Conclusion. The virtues precede the gifts not as regards origin, but as regards use.

I respond: It must be said that there are two ways of speaking about the habits of the virtues and of the gifts: either as regards the origin of the habits themselves, or as regards use. If as regards origin, since all gratuitous habits take their origin from grace, thus all are simultaneous in origin, because all gratuitous habits are infused together, grace being infused, which is their principle11. — But if we speak of the habits of the gifts and of the virtues themselves in comparison to the uses that follow; then it must be conceded that the virtues precede the gifts. For although the act of some special gift precedes the act of some virtue, as the act of fear [precedes] the act of hope12; yet because the act of the first virtue, namely of faith, precedes the act of the first gift, namely of fear; and generally the act of any virtue precedes the act of the gift corresponding to it, as the first act precedes the middle: hence it is that it can be generally conceded that the habits of the virtues, by comparison13 to acts and prior uses, are so with respect to the gifts; and this I say with respect to the same [subject]. — Hence the reasons and authorities which were brought forward for that side must be conceded.

To the arguments for the affirmative side:

1. To that, then, which is first objected to the contrary, that in the gifts there is the inception of acting well; it can be said that the gifts are there taken broadly for the virtues; or if they are taken for the gifts properly so called, according to what the preceding text14 seems to say; then the working of the commandments there stands not for any whatever, but for the expedited working, in which our advance consists, by whose progress the beatitudes follow. Hence also those obtaining prayers are rooted in the virtues: otherwise they would not obtain nor efficaciously merit.

2. To that which is objected, that to be healed is prior to acting well; it must be said that this is true of a certain health, and false of a certain other health. For there is a being-healed from disease and there is a being-healed from the aftereffect of disease15. When therefore it is said that to be healed is prior to acting well; it must be said that this is true of the healing which consists in the removal of disease and fault; but not of that which consists in the removal of the symptom and aftereffect. And when it is said that the gifts are for healing: this is understood not of healing in the first mode, but in the second. And thus it is clear that that reasoning does not conclude.

3. To that which is objected, that to turn away from evil is prior to doing good; it must be said that this is true: but to turn away from evil belongs not only to the gifts, but also to the virtues, as is clear of penance and justice. But that turning-away from evil is attributed to fear, this is on account of the expediting, because the gift of fear makes [one] turn away from evil easily.

4. To that which is objected, that the generating is prior to the generated; it must be said that that is true of what is generally the principle of generating the rest: but knowledge is not in this way the principle of faith. For in the same [subject] faith is prior to the knowledge which is generative of faith. Hence the saying of Augustine is understood only particularly and with respect to different [subjects]: because knowledge in the preacher is a way to generating faith in the hearer16.

5. To that which is last objected, that the intellect precedes the affect; it must be said that it is true as regards acts and habits which are of the same coordination17 — hence cognition directing toward affection is preambular to it, on account of which it is prior to believe than to love — but of habits and acts which are not of the same ordination, it does not hold true, because it is not prior to see God than to love God, but rather the contrary. And since the habits of the gifts and their acts are not of the same coordination as the habits and acts of the virtues, because the acts of the virtues are in the first degree, but the acts of the gifts in the middle: hence it is that it is not necessary that the gifts be prior to the virtues, although these habits regard the intellect more, and those regard the affect more18.

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Apparatus Criticus
  1. Vers. 9. — Glossa (interlin. apud Strabum et Lyranum) secundum August., II. de Serm. Domini in monte, c. 10, n. 36. seqq., additis tamen in Glossa nonnullis. — Pro impetremus (in Vat. et originale) codd. et edd. 1, 2 impetrentur. Deinde pro profectus, quod ex codd. E F H. T U restituimus, alii codd. partim perfectus, partim cum edd. perfectio.
    Verse 9. — The Gloss (interlinear, in Strabo and Lyra) following Augustine, On the Lord's Sermon on the Mount, book II, c. 10, n. 36 ff., though with some additions in the Gloss. — For impetremus (in the Vatican [ed.] and the original) codices and editions 1, 2 read impetrentur. Then for profectus, which we have restored from codices E F H T U, other codices [read] partly perfectus, partly with the editions perfectio.
  2. Cfr. quaest. praeced. — Pro per virtutes habilitantur codd. T Z virtutes habilitant.
    Cf. the preceding question. — For per virtutes habilitantur codices T Z [read] virtutes habilitant.
  3. Psalm. 36, 27: Declina a malo et fac bonum.
    Psalm 36, 27: Turn away from evil and do good.
  4. Cap. I. n. 3. Pro de Trinitate edd. et nonnulli codd. de Civitate Dei. — De prioritate fidei cfr. supra d. 23. a. I. q. I. in corp. — Inferius pro virtutum cod. U virtus.
    Chapter 1, n. 3. For de Trinitate the editions and several codices [read] de Civitate Dei. — On the priority of faith cf. above d. 23, a. 1, q. 1, in the body. — Below, for virtutum codex U [reads] virtus.
  5. Cfr. Aristot., II. de Anima text. 20. et 27. seqq. (c. 2. seq.), et III. text. 56. seq. (c. 10. seq.).
    Cf. Aristotle, On the Soul book II, text 20 and 27 ff. (c. 2 f.), and book III, text 56 f. (c. 10 f.).
  6. Vers. 19. — Gregor., II. Moral. c. 49. n. 77: Donum quippe Spiritus, quod in subiecta mente ante alia prudentiam, temperantiam, fortitudinem, iustitiam format, eandem mentem, ut contra singula quaeque tentamenta erudiat, in septem mox virtutibus temperat.
    Verse 19. — Gregory, Morals book II, c. 49, n. 77: For the gift of the Spirit, which in the subject mind forms before other things prudence, temperance, fortitude, justice, the same mind — that it may instruct it against each several temptation — at once tempers in seven virtues.
  7. Vers. 8. — Glossa est ordinaria et sumta ex Paschasii Radberti exposit. in hunc loc.; in eius textu origin. pro evertuntur legitur destruuntur, pro quo cod. U substituit subvertuntur. — Inferius pro et prius auferuntur plurimi codd. ut prius auferantur.
    Verse 8. — The Gloss is the ordinary [Gloss] and is taken from Paschasius Radbertus' exposition on this passage; in his original text for evertuntur there is read destruuntur, for which codex U substitutes subvertuntur. — Below, for et prius auferuntur very many codices [read] ut prius auferantur.
  8. Edd. recte agens quam expediens. Deinde pro ergo dona non sunt priora virtutibus codd. H Z bb ergo dona sunt posteriora virtutibus, multi alii codd. et edd. 1, 2 ergo dona sunt priora virtutibus, cod. K (a secunda manu) ergo virtutes sunt priores donis.
    The editions [read] recte agens quam expediens. Then for ergo dona non sunt priora virtutibus codices H Z bb [read] ergo dona sunt posteriora virtutibus, many other codices and editions 1, 2 ergo dona sunt priora virtutibus, codex K (by a second hand) ergo virtutes sunt priores donis.
  9. Libr. III. Topic. c. 2: Et si optimum optimo melius, et simpliciter hoc illo melius, ut si optimus homo optimo equo melior, et simpliciter homo simpliciter equo melior. — De minori cfr. hic lit. Magistri, c. 5.
    Topics book III, c. 2: And if the best is better than the best, also this is simply better than that, as if the best man is better than the best horse, so simply man is simply better than horse. — On the minor [premise] cf. here the text of the Master, c. 5.
  10. Cfr. quaest. praeced. in corp.
    Cf. the preceding question, in the body.
  11. Vide infra d. 36. q. 1.
    See below d. 36, q. 1.
  12. Cfr. hic lit. Magistri, c. 5.
    Cf. here the text of the Master, c. 5.
  13. Ita codd. F H K U Z bb, alii et edd. comparationes.
    Thus codices F H K U Z bb; others and the editions [read] comparationes.
  14. Scil. in Glossa, supra in Matth. 6, 9. allegata, quae revera de donis et ordine, quo Isaias ea enumerat, loquitur. — Pro accipiuntur cod. V accipi videntur; in edd. deest large. Inferius pro per cuius progressum codd. F V pro cuius progressu.
    Namely in the Gloss cited above on Matt. 6, 9, which in fact speaks of the gifts and of the order in which Isaiah enumerates them. — For accipiuntur codex V [reads] accipi videntur; in the editions large is lacking. Below, for per cuius progressum codices F V [read] pro cuius progressu.
  15. Cfr. supra pag. 736, nota 7. — Superius pro alia sanitate codd. A bb alia sanatione, Vat. omittit alia.
    Cf. above p. 736, note 7. — Above, for alia sanitate codices A bb [read] alia sanatione; the Vatican [ed.] omits alia.
  16. Cfr. supra d. 24. dub. 2. et 3. et praecipue infra d. 35. dub. 2.
    Cf. above d. 24, dub. 2 and 3, and especially below d. 35, dub. 2.
  17. Vide supra lit. Magistri, d. XXIII. c. 8. seq. et d. XXIV. c. 3. — Paulo ante pro eiusdem ordinationis codd. A (K a secunda manu) L T Z aa bb eiusdem coordinationis, et superius pro eiusdem coordinationis codd. G V eiusdem ordinationis, ubi post dirigens cod. U omittit ad.
    See above the text of the Master, d. 23, c. 8 f. and d. 24, c. 3. — A little before, for eiusdem ordinationis codices A (K by a second hand) L T Z aa bb [read] eiusdem coordinationis, and above, for eiusdem coordinationis codices G V [read] eiusdem ordinationis, where after dirigens codex U omits ad.
  18. Vide scholion ad 1. quaest.
    See the scholion on the 1st question. — [This question carries no own scholion; the ordo doctrine is treated in the article-master scholion of `bon-sent-III-d34-p1-a1-q1` (q1 §III), which gathers the consentientes dossier on the order of the gifts to the virtues: Alex. Hal. loc. cit. m. 4; S. Thom. S. 1.II. q. 68. a. 8. ad 2; B. Albert hic a. 1; Petr. a Tar. hic q. 1. a. 3. quaestiunc. 1; Dionys. Carth. hic q. 2.]
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