Question Two: On the Analysis of the Act of Faith

St. Thomas, in III Sent., d. 23, q. 2, a. 2, qc. 2.

692. Analysis or resolution of an act is its reduction to principles, both objective and subjective, that is, to the motive and efficient causes which concur for its production. Moreover divine faith, like human faith, includes several acts, for the act itself of faith presupposes two others: for it is an assent of the intellect commanded by the will, whence it supposes the motion and command of the will; but the will cannot move the intellect to assent and command the assent of the intellect, unless the intellect itself previously judge that such an assent is to be rendered, whence it presupposes a judgment of credibility on the part of the intellect. Hence:

1. a threefold act is required for believing: a) the judgment of credibility by which we judge this or that truth, for example, the Incarnation, to be worthy of belief; b) the pious affection of credulity by which we will to believe that truth; c) the act itself of faith by which we properly believe, that is, we adhere to that truth and judge it to be true;

2. consequently the question why we believe can be understood in a threefold sense, namely, a) dispositively: why do we judge some truth to be worthy of belief? - b) affectively: why do we command assent to that truth? - c) formally: why do we adhere to it? Therefore the analysis of this threefold act must be undertaken.