Question XIX: Whether faith is perfected by charity, as by its form

All Theologians in 3. dist. 23. together with the Master there, this having been stated, agree that Faith and the other Virtues are formed by charity; not indeed so that charity is the form of faith, either essential, as the soul is to man; or accidental, as whiteness to the Swan; for this is false, as the Saintly Doctor notes, argument 4. p. 1. with the solution added. For from things of different genera one thing does not come to be one by essence: but Faith and Charity are distinct virtues, as the Apostle has it, first Corinthians 13. Faith, Hope, Charity, these three remain. Therefore charity cannot inform Faith essentially: Nor accidentally, as the Saintly Doctor shows, ad 5. for faith, even unformed, is a virtue, abstracted even from charity, and although upon the arrival of charity and grace it is adorned, like colors by light (as the Saintly Doctor says in the body of the text), nevertheless it does not inhere in faith itself, which is not the subject of accidents, since it is a mere accident, and carries with it its potencies, and virtues, and accidents; but it comes to grace, like rain upon dry ground. Therefore charity is called the form of faith only metaphorically. See also Valencia disp. 1. question 4. p. 3. I shall treat this question again disp. 8. question 8.

I assert that faith is formed by charity, that is, perfected in ordination toward merit. For it directs its act rightly toward the ultimate end.

It is proved by St. Bonaventure first in 2. dist. 27. question 2. from first Corinthians 13. If I should have all faith, but have not charity, I am nothing.

Then in 3. dist. 23. dub. 2. and art. 2. question 1. ad the arguments, and dist. 24. art. 2. question 2. ad arg. from the second of James. Faith without works is dead. And Opusc. on the seven gifts. On the gift of Understanding, cap. 1. from that Galat. 5. In Christ Jesus, neither does Circumcision avail anything: but Faith, which works through charity.

It is proved secondly by the reasons of the Saintly Doctor. The first is. It is certain that faith is not lost through every mortal sin, as I shall show in the following question, as defined. Therefore there remains an unformed faith, that is, without that perfection by which faith was perfected for meriting: Therefore one restored to grace again has formed faith.

Second: Faith comes closer to grace, and charity, than nature does; But nature is perfected by grace; Therefore much more faith.

The third reason is: An infused habit agrees more with grace, which is infused, than acquired habits do; but acquired habits are informed by the arrival of grace, which is evident because in their use and exercise man merits: Therefore much more the habit of unformed faith is formed by grace itself supervening.

Fourth reason: Infused habits that remain in the sinner are no less vivified than merits are in justification: But these, having been deadened, revive: Therefore also THOSE.

Fifth reason: A habit is living is nothing other than that one can merit eternal life through it: but unformed faith, upon the arrival of charity, has everything necessary for merit: Therefore, if its act is meritorious unto eternal life, it is a sign that the habit has been formed. That it has everything necessary for merit is clear, since the work is of itself good, and right, and commanded by charity. Whence St. Augustine, 15. de Trinitate, cap. 18., speaking of charity, says: As much good as it is, without which no such good things lead anyone to eternal life — this is faith, and the others, of which Augustine asserted there, that they avail nothing without charity, as the Apostle says above.

Sixth reason: Everything that is said to be dead from mere defect, or from the mere absence of something, upon that thing supervening is vivified; but unformed faith is said to be dead on account of the mere defect of grace, and of fruitful operation: Therefore upon these supervening it revives: But, when it revives, it is formed: Therefore unformed faith can become formed; and this is what is found in the Gloss upon that text of James 2. Faith without works is dead. Faith revives from works: Therefore from works it has life, and form.

Therefore the formation of faith by grace, and charity, denotes a twofold perfection supervening. The first in ordination toward meritorious works to be done. The second, because the act of faith, by the command of charity, is referred to the ultimate end, that is, insofar as one believes on account of God, as the highest good, the act of faith pertains to the same species of rectitude to which charity itself pertains, and accordingly it is of the same species as charity itself, with this difference however, that this rectitude is essential to charity itself; but it comes to faith as an extrinsic perfection, just as light comes to colors, making them luminous and attractive, and adorned; and just as Light together with colors does not make one composite by essence, but by a certain ordination; so neither from unformed faith and grace is there made one per se, but by a certain ordination, and relation to God. This is St. Bonaventure's with St. Thomas, question 4. art. 3., whom Valencia explains, question 4. p. 3.

You will object first. Of opposites the same account holds: But vice, and sin cannot be formed: Therefore neither can the opposite virtue be unformed, and consequently neither be formed.

The Saintly Doctor answers first, that the opposition is not equal in this case; for formation is a good that needs more in order to come to be than deformation, which is an imperfection. Therefore it does not follow that, if sin cannot be formed, neither can the virtue fail, and be made unformed.

He answers secondly, that sin is taken in two ways: abstractly, and concretely. If it is taken abstractly, it is impossible that it can be formed, since it is mere malice; but if it is taken concretely, so that some act of virtue is said to be deformed from the end — as when, for example, someone abstains on account of vain glory, the abstinence itself is a fault in him — and in this way, by reason of the underlying act, or habit, it can be rectified by grace, if he abstains on account of God. In this way we say that a formed virtue becomes unformed, namely by reason of the underlying habit, since it is indifferent to the state of fault, and of grace; indeed, if it is an act of abstinence, it is good by its nature, and zealous.

You will object secondly. No dead work can become living; faith without grace is dead, from 2. James: Therefore. The major is proved; for a work done in sin is not vivified by grace.

The Saintly Doctor answers, that a dead act is not capable of life, because it has already passed away, nor does it remain in any root; but faith remains in the sinner, although unformed; therefore it can be vivified, beautified, and adorned by grace arriving; just as merits that have been deadened return unto a reward.

You will object thirdly. No accident can be altered: unformed faith is an accident: Therefore it cannot be altered; but that which is formed from unformed is altered: Therefore.

The Saintly Doctor answers, that the accident is not altered formally, but the subject is altered, and by reason of the subject also the accident; as when color is illuminated upon a wall.

You will object fourthly. From things diverse in genus one thing per essence cannot come to be; but formed faith denotes one habit per essence: Therefore it is impossible that it consist also of sanctifying grace, which is diverse in genus.

The Saintly Doctor answers, that from faith and grace there is not made one formal thing, but by ordination; just as when I say "illuminated color," I say two things, yet in the manner of one, because of this, that it is ordained to one act, namely to moving Sight; so also faith and grace denote one thing, insofar as they are ordained to a meritorious work.

You will object fifthly. Unformed faith is transmuted by the arrival of grace only accidentally: therefore if by the arrival of grace it is made formed, it accrues to faith, as it were accidentally, that it be formed; If therefore no genus accrues to the species; faith is not a species of virtue properly so called: But this is false: Therefore also that from which it follows, namely, that the habit of unformed faith is formed by the arrival of grace.

The Saintly Doctor answers, that an accidental transmutation in the genus of nature can be essential in the genus of morals, as is evident in acts, which by the mutation of some accidental circumstance change the moral being of virtue, or vice. Therefore also for faith, although it accrues to it, as it is a habit, to be formed by grace, or without it; nevertheless it is necessary and intrinsic to it in ordination toward acquiring merit, or, as it is the principle of merit: Moreover, unformed faith itself, even with grace set aside, is a habit of virtue, therefore it cannot be inferred that faith is not under its own genus of virtue.

You will object sixthly. As the soul is infused into the body; so also grace into the soul; but the soul, arriving, carries with it its potencies: therefore also grace its habits of the virtues: therefore also formed faith: Therefore formed faith is not the same as that which was previously in the soul: therefore no faith that pre-exists unformed is informed.

The Saintly Doctor answers, by denying the parity; for the virtues are not Potencies of grace, through which it operates, but they differ really, as he shows in 2. dist. 27. question 2. nor does grace come into the soul as the soul into the body with its potencies; for then, grace receding, the virtues would also recede, which is heretical. Furthermore the Saintly Doctor gives another, more fitting similitude. As rain watering the earth makes the herb germinate, but when it dries in the heat, the rain returning again does not make that herb germinate; but makes the germinated one grow green; so also grace carries with it the Virtues, but when these have dried up in the heat of mortal sin, the rain of grace returning again does not reproduce the infused virtues; but bathes them in verdure. That however the Seminaries of the virtues are in the soul, the Saintly Doctor proves from St. Augustine and Bernard. Therefore charity adorns the virtues, and gives them verdure for bearing fruit. For faith is thus called living, because it flowers, and yields the fruits of merit, and without charity it is without flowers, and buds, and thus is called dead, even if it be green in the root, in the manner in which plants in winter are said to be dead, as St. Bonaventure teaches, whom Caspens imitates, disp. 4 sect. 2. St. Gregory uses the same similitude, 6. Moral. cap. 8. cited in St. Bonaventure, sermon 3. Dom. 23. after Pentecost.