Article — Merkelbach, Summa Theologiae Moralis
Article III: On the Equality of Infused Habits
St. Thomas, I-II, q. 66, a. 1, 2, 6; q. 68, a. 7 and 8; II-II, q. 23, a. 6; De Virt., q. 5, a. 3.
652. Principle I. According to species, theological virtues are more perfect than the others. - For as object they have God Himself, the supernatural end, and immediately attain the very primary rule of human acts, namely, God; and thus they are more perfect according to species than the other virtues, which attain only human reason. But among them charity is eminent, for faith and hope include distance from God and imperfection, since faith is concerning God not seen and hope concerning God not possessed, but charity is concerning God who already in some way is possessed through the love of friendship and will be fully possessed.1 Whence the Apostle, I Cor. XIII, 13: The greater of these is charity (q. 66, a. 6).
1 Another reason is handed down in the treatise on Charity. Cf. II-II, q. 23, a. 6.
Faith, entitatively as a habit, is more perfect than hope because it is in the intellect, whose object is nobler; but hope, as a virtue, is more perfect because it approaches more to God.
Infused moral virtues are less perfect than theological virtues, because they are immediately concerned only with means to the end; but they have a diverse grade of perfection in the way in which it was said concerning acquired virtues.
The gifts of the Holy Spirit are less perfect than the theological virtues, which are their principles and roots, and which immediately join one to God as ultimate end; while the gifts only perfect man so that he is subjected to God moving him: but to be united to God is more perfect than to be subjected to Him as mover. But they are more perfect than other virtues, which perfect either reason itself or dispose us to following the motion of reason, while by the gifts we are submitted to the nobler mover, the Holy Spirit. "But it is manifest that for a higher mover the movable thing must be disposed by a greater perfection" (q. 68, a. 8). - Among the gifts, those which are intellectual are more excellent than those which are in the appetite, and indeed 1. wisdom is more worthy, 2. understanding, 3. knowledge, 4. counsel, 5. piety, 6. fortitude, 7. fear, according to the order of the natural virtues2 (a. 7).
2 Thus the dignity of the gifts is considered simply, "by comparison to their proper acts, according as they proceed from their principles"; for in a qualified sense, namely, "by comparison to matter," "fortitude and counsel, because they have place in arduous things, are preferred to knowledge and piety, which have place in common things." Whence they are enumerated by Isaiah before knowledge and piety. And the order of the beatitudes inversely agrees with this order.
653. Principle II. According to extension and intensity, infused habits are equal. - Infused virtues - likewise the gifts of the Holy Spirit - cannot be increased extensively, but dispose to all corresponding supernatural acts; and therefore in all men and in the same man even at diverse times they are equal according to extension. Likewise, because, according to the formal element, they are connected and are infused at the same time, they are also equal according to intensity in the same man at the same time: thus all infused habits are equally ordered through charity to the supernatural end, just as moral virtues through infused prudence equally adhere to the good of reason and are conformed to reason. Hence if charity is increased, all are proportionally increased at the same time; just as, when prudence has been increased, all moral virtues are proportionally increased.