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Pars 5, Cap. 5

Breviloquium · Pars V: De gratia Spiritus sancti

Textus Latinus
p. 257

Capitulum V. De ramificatione gratiae in habitus donorum.

De ramificatione autem gratiae in habitus donorum haec tenenda sunt, quod licet plurima sint dona gratiae gratis datae, et generaliter omnes habitus divinitus dati dona Dei non absurde dici possint; specialiter tamen et appropriate septem sunt dona Spiritus sancti, quae enumerat et nominat Isaias2, loquens de flore, qui processit de radice Iesse, id est Christo, de quo dicit, quod requiescet super eum Spiritus Domini, spiritus sapientiae et intellectus, spiritus consilii et fortitudinis, spiritus scientiae et pietatis, et replebit eum spiritus timoris Domini. In hac autem enumeratione descendendo procedit a summo et combinando, ut simul ostendatur donorum distinctio, connexio, origo et ordo.

Ratio autem ad intelligentiam praedictorum haec est: quia, cum principium reparativum per summam liberalitatem non tantum det gratiam ad rectificandum contra obliquitates vitiorum per habitus virtutum, verum etiam ad expediendum contra impedimenta symptomatum3 per habitus donorum; ideo plurificari debent dona gratuita, secundum quod necessarium est ad expeditionis sufficientiam. Quoniam igitur anima nostra indiget septiformiter expediri; hinc est, quod ex septiformi causa necesse est Spiritus sancti dona esse septiformia. Indiget namque expediri contra vitiorum obliquitates, quantum ad vires naturales et quoad superadditas virtutes, in patiendo, in agendo, in contemplando et utroque modo.

Primo igitur, propter vitiorum obliquitates expeditissime repellendas septem sunt dona Spiritus sancti, utpote timor contra superbiam; pietas contra invidiam; scientia contra iram, quae quasi est quaedam insania4; fortitudo contra accidiam, quae mentem reddit ad bona invalidam; consilium contra avaritiam; intellectus contra gulam, et sapientia contra luxuriam.

Secundo, propter expediendas vires naturales Spiritus sancti dona debent esse septem. Nam irascibilis indiget expediri ad bona tam in prosperis quam in adversis; in prosperis expeditur per timorem, in adversis per fortitudinem. Concupiscibilis indiget expediri quantum ad affectionem respectu proximi, et hoc fit per pietatem; et quantum ad affectum respectu Dei, et hoc fit per gustum sapientiae. Rationalis vero indiget expediri in veritatis speculatione, electione et exsecutione; per donum intellectus expeditur ad verum speculandum, per donum consilii ad verum eligendum, per donum scientiae ad electum exsequendum; per donum enim scientiae recte conversamur in medio nationis pravae et perversae5.

Tertio, propter expedienda septem virtutum officia septem debent esse Spiritus sancti dona. Nam timor expedit ad temperantiam, timor enim carnes configit6; pietas ad veram iustitiam; scientia ad prudentiam; fortitudo ad fortitudinem seu patientiam; consilium ad spem; intellectus ad fidem; sapientia ad caritatem. Unde sicut « caritas est mater et consummatio omnium virtutum », sic sapientia donorum, ita ut vere dicat Sapiens7: Venerunt mihi omnia bona pariter cum illa et innumerabilis honestas per manus illius.

Quarto, propter expeditionem in patiendo conformiter ad Christum septem sunt habitus donorum. Christum autem ad patiendum movit paterna voluntas, humana necessitas et virtutis strenuitas. Divina8 quidem voluntas movit, ut cognita per intellectum, ut amata per sapientiam, ut in reverentia habita per timorem. Movit etiam nostra necessitas, ad quam cognoscendam necessaria est scientia, ad quam miserandam superadditur pietas. Movit nihilominus virtutis strenuitas, ut provida in eligendo per consilium, ut vigorosa in perferendo per fortitudinem. Et sic dona debent esse septem.

Quinto, propter expeditionem in agendo septem dona dantur a Spiritu sancto. Nam ad actionem expeditam9 necesse habemus expediri ad declinandum a malo, quod fit per timorem. Necesse etiam habemus expediri ad proficiendum in bono duplici: vel necessitatis, vel supererogationis. Circa primum expedimur per scientiam et pietatem, ita quod unum est dirigens, et aliud exsequens; circa secundum, per consilium dirigens et per fortitudinem exsequentem. Necesse etiam habemus quiescere in optimo, et hoc quantum ad intellectum veri et quantum ad affectum boni; primum fit per donum intellectus, secundum per donum sapientiae, in quo est quies.

p. 258

Sexto, ad expeditionem in contemplando dona Spiritus sancti sunt in septenario numero. Nam ad vitam hierarchicam et contemplativam necessarium est animam purgari, illuminari et perfici1. Purgari autem oportet a concupiscentia, a malitia, ab ignorantia, ab infirmitate seu impotentia; primum facit timor, secundum pietas, tertium scientia, quartum fortitudo. Illuminari autem indigemus in operibus reparationis et primariae conditionis; primum dat consilium, secundum intellectus. Perfici autem habemus per accessum ad summum, quod consistit in uno, et hoc per donum sapientiae; et sic arcanum contemplationis a lato consummatur quasi in cubito2.

Septimo denique, ad expeditionem in actione et contemplatione septem debent esse dona Spiritus sancti. Nam contemplativa propter conversionem ad Trinitatem tria debet habere dona expedientia: quantum ad reverentiam maiestatis, timorem; quantum ad intelligentiam veritatis, intellectum; quantum ad saporem seu gustum bonitatis, sapientiam3. Activa vero, quae versatur in agendis et sustinendis, debet habere quatuor, scilicet pietatem ad agendum et fortitudinem ad sustinendum; et directiva harum duarum, scilicet scientiam et consilium. Unde quia ad expeditionem necessaria est directio, ideo fit donorum combinatio; et plura sunt dona ad intellectum spectantia, quia lux cognitionis vehementer expedit ad dirigendos pedes in viam rectam4.

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English Translation

Chapter V. On the branching of grace into the habits of the gifts.

Concerning the branching of grace into the habits of the gifts, these things are to be held: that although the gifts of grace freely given are very many, and generally all habits divinely bestowed may not absurdly be called gifts of God; nevertheless specially and by appropriation the gifts of the Holy Spirit are seven, which Isaiah enumerates and names2, speaking of the flower which came forth from the root of Jesse, that is, Christ, of whom he says that there shall rest upon him the Spirit of the Lord, the spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the spirit of counsel and of fortitude, the spirit of knowledge and of piety, and the spirit of the fear of the Lord shall fill him. Now in this enumeration he proceeds descending from the highest and by combining, so that there may be shown at once the gifts' distinction, connection, origin and order.

Now the reason for the understanding of the foresaid is this: since, whereas the reparative principle by its supreme liberality gives grace not only for setting right against the crookednesses of the vices through the habits of the virtues, but also for setting free against the impediments of the symptoms3 through the habits of the gifts; therefore the gratuitous gifts must be multiplied according as is necessary for a sufficiency of setting free. Since therefore our soul needs to be set free in a sevenfold manner, hence it is that from a sevenfold cause the gifts of the Holy Spirit must be sevenfold. For it needs to be set free against the crookednesses of the vices, as regards its natural powers and as regards the superadded virtues, in suffering, in acting, in contemplating and in both ways.

First, then, for the most expeditious repelling of the crookednesses of the vices the gifts of the Holy Spirit are seven, inasmuch as fear is against pride; piety against envy; knowledge against anger, which is as it were a kind of madness4; fortitude against sloth, which renders the mind unable for good things; counsel against avarice; understanding against gluttony, and wisdom against lust.

Second, for the setting free of the natural powers the gifts of the Holy Spirit must be seven. For the irascible power needs to be set free toward good things both in prosperity and in adversity; in prosperity it is set free through fear, in adversity through fortitude. The concupiscible power needs to be set free as regards its affection in respect of the neighbor, and this is done through piety; and as regards its affection in respect of God, and this is done through the taste of wisdom. But the rational power needs to be set free in the speculation, choice and execution of the truth; through the gift of understanding it is set free for speculating what is true, through the gift of counsel for choosing what is true, through the gift of knowledge for executing what has been chosen; for it is through the gift of knowledge that we converse rightly in the midst of a depraved and perverse nation5.

Third, for the setting free of the offices of the seven virtues the gifts of the Holy Spirit must be seven. For fear sets free unto temperance, since fear pierces the flesh6; piety unto true justice; knowledge unto prudence; fortitude unto fortitude or patience; counsel unto hope; understanding unto faith; wisdom unto charity. Hence, just as « charity is the mother and the consummation of all the virtues », so is wisdom of the gifts, so that the Wise Man says truly7: All good things came to me together with her, and innumerable honor through her hands.

Fourth, for the setting free in suffering conformably to Christ the habits of the gifts are seven. Now what moved Christ to suffer was the Father's will, human necessity and the strenuousness of virtue. The divine8 will indeed moved him, as known through understanding, as loved through wisdom, as held in reverence through fear. There moved him also our necessity, for the knowing of which knowledge is necessary, and for the pitying of which piety is superadded. There moved him nonetheless the strenuousness of virtue, as provident in choosing through counsel, as vigorous in enduring through fortitude. And so the gifts must be seven.

Fifth, for the setting free in acting seven gifts are given by the Holy Spirit. For unto expeditious action9 we must needs be set free for turning away from evil, which is done through fear. We must needs also be set free for advancing in good, which is twofold: either of necessity, or of supererogation. As to the first we are set free through knowledge and piety, in such wise that the one is directing and the other executing; as to the second, through counsel directing and through fortitude executing. We must needs also rest in what is best, and this both as regards the understanding of the true and as regards the affection for the good; the first is done through the gift of understanding, the second through the gift of wisdom, in which there is rest.

Sixth, for the setting free in contemplating the gifts of the Holy Spirit are in the sevenfold number. For unto the hierarchic and contemplative life it is necessary that the soul be purged, illumined and perfected1. Now it must be purged of concupiscence, of malice, of ignorance, of infirmity or impotence; the first is effected by fear, the second by piety, the third by knowledge, the fourth by fortitude. And we need to be illumined in the works of reparation and of the primary founding; the first is given by counsel, the second by understanding. And we have to be perfected through access to the highest, which consists in one, and this through the gift of wisdom; and thus the secret place of contemplation, broad below, is brought to completion as it were in a cubit2.

Seventh and last, for the setting free in action and contemplation the gifts of the Holy Spirit must be seven. For the contemplative life, on account of its turning toward the Trinity, must have three gifts setting it free: as regards reverence for the majesty, fear; as regards the understanding of the truth, understanding; as regards the savor or taste of the goodness, wisdom3. But the active life, which is occupied with things to be done and things to be borne, must have four, namely piety for doing and fortitude for bearing; and, as directive of these two, knowledge and counsel. Hence, because for a setting free direction is necessary, therefore a combining of the gifts takes place; and more of the gifts pertain to the understanding, because the light of knowledge greatly avails to direct our feet into the right way4.

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Apparatus Criticus
  1. 2
    Cap. 11, 2. et 3. — De hoc cap. vide III. Sent. d. 34. et 35.
    Chapter 11, [verses] 2 and 3. — On this chapter see III Sent., d. 34 and 35.
  2. 3
    Scil. accidentium, quae morbum vitiorum sequuntur, sive sequelae morbi vitiorum. Cfr. tom. III. pag. 736, nota 7.
    Namely, of the accidents which follow upon the disease of the vices, or the sequelae of the disease of the vices. Cf. tom. III, p. 736, note 7.
  3. 4
    Iram, ut ait Cicero, IV. Disp. Tusc. c. 23, « bene Ennius initium dixit insaniae ». — Inferius pro bona K M O P bonum.
    Anger — as Cicero says, IV Tusculan Disputations, c. 23 — « Ennius well called the beginning of madness ». — Below, for bona K M O P have bonum.
  4. 5
    Phil. 2, 15. Cfr. III. Sent. lit. Magistri, d. XXXV. c. 1.
    Phil. 2, 15. Cf. III Sent., the Master's text, d. XXXV, c. 1.
  5. 6
    Edd., 2 excepta, addunt: unde: Confige timore tuo carnes meas [Ps. 118, 120.].
    The editions, 2 excepted, add: hence: Pierce thou my flesh with thy fear [Ps. 118, 120].
  6. 7
    Sap. 7, 11. — Praecedens sententia de caritate est Hieron., Epist. 82. (alias 62.) n. 11. Vide III. Sent. lit. Magistri, d. XXIII. c. 3, ubi ipsa attribuitur Ambrosio. — Voci donorum edd., excepta 2, praemittunt omnium.
    Wisd. 7, 11. — The preceding sentence on charity is Jerome, Epistle 82 (alias 62), n. 11. See III Sent., the Master's text, d. XXIII, c. 3, where it is attributed to Ambrose. — Before the word donorum the editions, 2 excepted, prefix omnium.
  7. 8
    Vat., 1 et 3 Paterna.
    Vat., 1 and 3 have Paterna.
  8. 9
    Edd. expediendam.
    The editions have expediendam.
  9. 1
    Cfr. supra pag. 225, nota 6. — De seq. propositione vide supra pag. 234, nota 4. in fine.
    Cf. above, p. 225, note 6. — On the following proposition see above, p. 234, note 4, at the end.
  10. 2
    Respicitur Gen. 6, 15. et 16, ubi agitur de structura arcae. Vide supra pag. 195, nota 7. — Origen., Homil. 2. in Gen. n. 5: Ad unum autem totius constructionis numerum summa revocatur, quia unus Deus Pater, ex quo omnia [I. Cor. 8, 6.], et unus Dominus, et una Ecclesiae fides est, unum baptisma, unum corpus et unus spiritus [Eph. 4, 4. seq.], et ad unum perfectionis Dei finem cuncta festinant. Hugo a S. Vict., I. Allegor. in vetus testam. c. 13: Arca deorsum lata erat, quia multi sunt vocati; sursum stricta, quia pauci electi… Deorsum lata, quia multi sunt activi; sursum stricta, quia pauci contemplativi. Deorsum lata, quia multi imperfecti; sursum stricta, quia pauci perfecti. Cfr. Gregor., II. Homil. in Ezech. homil. 4. n. 16. seq. — Pro a lato, quod I K L M O V omittunt, 1 perperam ab alto, quae etiam cum Vat. et 3 cubico pro cubito (contra Vulgatam).
    Reference is made to Gen. 6, 15 and 16, where the structure of the ark is treated. See above, p. 195, note 7. — Origen, Homily 2 on Genesis, n. 5: But the sum of the whole construction is brought back to one number, because there is one God the Father, from whom are all things [I Cor. 8, 6], and one Lord, and one faith of the Church, one baptism, one body and one Spirit [Eph. 4, 4 and following], and all things hasten toward the one end of God's perfection. Hugh of St. Victor, I Allegories on the Old Testament, c. 13: The ark was broad below, because many are called; narrow above, because few are chosen… Broad below, because many are active; narrow above, because few are contemplative. Broad below, because many are imperfect; narrow above, because few are perfect. Cf. Gregory, II Homilies on Ezekiel, homily 4, n. 16 and following. — For a lato, which I K L M O V omit, edition 1 wrongly has ab alto, and it also, with Vat. and 3, has cubico for cubito (against the Vulgate).
  11. 3
    Cfr. supra pag. 210, nota 5. — Substituimus ex B saporem seu (quod P omittit) pro pristina, sed incongrua lectione sapientiam sive.
    Cf. above, p. 210, note 5. — We have substituted from B saporem seu (which P omits) for the earlier but incongruous reading sapientiam sive.
  12. 4
    Luc. 1, 79: Ad dirigendos pedes nostros [ita et I K] in viam pacis [ita et P, edd. rectam et pacis]. — Superius posuimus harum duarum fide plurium codd., inter quos L M, pro horum duorum; ac subinde ex A Q plura pro plurima.
    Luke 1, 79: To direct our feet [so also I K] into the way of peace [so also P; the editions have rectam et pacis]. — Above we have put harum duarum on the faith of several codices, among them L M, for horum duorum; and thereupon, from A Q, plura for plurima. ---
Cited by

1 place in the Opera Omnia citesthis question. Derived from Quaracchi’s own apparatus, never tagged by hand.

Whether the gifts and the virtues differ among themselves
Book III: On the Incarnation of the Word · Distinction 34
Breviloq. p. V. c. 5
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