§ 1. On the Acquisition of Virtues

414. One mode belongs to acquiring natural virtues, another to acquiring supernatural virtues.

I. Virtues of the natural order are acquired through frequency of acts. For in any man there are certain seeds of virtues (namely the principles of the natural law in the intellect, and inclination to honest good in the will), by force of which man is able to exercise many honest acts. But from repeated acts of this kind, the habit of virtue is obtained, insofar, namely, as from reason there is derived into the will and into the sensitive appetite a certain habitual impression, inclining and facilitating the repetition of the same acts.² As can be seen in the hand, which, because it writes as moved by the intellect and the will, with art directing it, is therefore receptive of a certain impression derived from those principles moving it, by which it becomes better fitted for writing (1.2, q. 51, a. 2).

But let it be noted that such is the law of nature that moral virtue is acquired only by frequency of acts and assiduous care; by difference from science, which can be begotten from one act, of itself. The reason is that the intellective power is determined to one thing, that is, to truth, as soon as this is demonstrated; while the appetitive power, as free, has itself toward various things, nor does it tend to a determinate good except according as it is moved into it by reason. But when reason inclines the appetitive power to some one thing, thence there is generated in the appetite a certain stable disposition, so that he who earlier was bent toward pursuing good in an ordered way only extrinsically and with difficulty, after that new disposition has been contracted, tends into it easily, pleasantly, and strongly. And this is the sign of a generated habit (St. Thom., Quodl. de Virt., q. 1, a. 9, ad 11; Goudin, Philosoph., P. III, q. 5).

415. II. Supernatural virtues and the gifts of the Holy Spirit are produced in us, with sanctifying grace, through divine infusion. The cause ought to be proportioned to the effect; therefore divine virtue is caused by a divine act, for example in the reception of some sacrament. It is namely a virtue which God works in us without us, that is, without us effecting it, although not without us adult persons consenting (1.2, q. 55, a. 4, ad 6; q. 63, a. 3; q. 68, a. 4).

We said with sanctifying grace: this is certain from Trent, Sess. 6, c. 7, as regards the theological virtues; but the same reason holds for the gifts and other infused virtues.

Note. The INCREASE of virtues is made by the same cause as their acquisition or production. Hence, through daily exercise of good works, acquired virtues grow, insofar as their acts are exercised more readily and more intensely; infused virtues are indirectly increased, because into a subject better disposed, placing a lesser obstacle and meriting more, God infuses greater grace. But as often as the just, whether by receiving the sacraments or by placing supernatural works, grow in the justice received, so often in them the infused virtues receive an intrinsic increase (Mazzella, de Virt. infus., n. 150).

We said: by placing supernatural works, that is, works honest in themselves, which proceed from a supernatural motive (of faith, hope, etc.), and which are referred to God by at least a virtual intention. For these three things, as St. Alphonsus teaches with Suarez and Silvius, suffice for the increase of merit, and consequently for the increase of grace and of the infused virtues.³