Reply Obj. 3:  Though charity surpasses science and prudence, yet prudence depends on charity, as stated:  and consequently so do all the infused moral virtues. ________________________

THIRD ARTICLE [I-II, Q. 65, Art. 3]

Whether Charity Can Be Without Moral Virtue?

Objection 1:  It would seem possible to have charity without the moral virtues.  For when one thing suffices for a certain purpose, it is superfluous to employ others.  Now charity alone suffices for the fulfilment of all the works of virtue, as is clear from 1 Cor. 13:4, seqq.:  “Charity is patient, is kind,” etc.  Therefore it seems that if one has charity, other virtues are superfluous.

Obj. 2:  Further, he that has a habit of virtue easily performs the works of that virtue, and those works are pleasing to him for their own sake:  hence “pleasure taken in a work is a sign of habit” (Ethic. ii, 3).  Now many have charity, being free from mortal sin, and yet they find it difficult to do works of virtue; nor are these works pleasing to them for their own sake, but only for the sake of charity.  Therefore many have charity without the other virtues.

Obj. 3:  Further, charity is to be found in every saint:  and yet there are some saints who are without certain virtues.  For Bede says (on Luke 17:10) that the saints are more humbled on account of their not having certain virtues, than rejoiced at the virtues they have.  Therefore, if a man has charity, it does not follow of necessity that he has all the moral virtues.

On the contrary, The whole Law is fulfilled through charity, for it is written (Rom. 13:8):  “He that loveth his neighbor, hath fulfilled the Law.”  Now it is not possible to fulfil the whole Law, without having all the moral virtues:  since the law contains precepts about all acts of virtue, as stated in Ethic. v, 1, 2.  Therefore he that has charity, has all the moral virtues.  Moreover, Augustine says in a letter (Epis. clxvii) [Cf.  Serm. xxxix and xlvi de Temp.] that charity contains all the cardinal virtues.

I answer that, All the moral virtues are infused together with charity.  The reason for this is that God operates no less perfectly in works of grace than in works of nature.  Now, in the works of nature, we find that whenever a thing contains a principle of certain works, it has also whatever is necessary for their execution:  thus animals are provided with organs whereby to perform the actions that their souls empower them to do.  Now it is evident that charity, inasmuch as it directs man to his last end, is the principle of all the good works that are referable to his last end.  Wherefore all the moral virtues must needs be infused together with charity, since it is through them that man performs each different kind of good work.

It is therefore clear that the infused moral virtues are connected, not only through prudence, but also on account of charity:  and, again, that whoever loses charity through mortal sin, forfeits all the infused moral virtues.