Reply Obj. 1:  Gregory solves this objection (Moral. ii, 27) by saying that “by those gifts without which one cannot obtain life, the Holy Ghost ever abides in all the elect, but not by His other gifts.”  Now the seven gifts are necessary for salvation, as stated above (A. 2).  Therefore, with regard to them, the Holy Ghost ever abides in holy men.

Reply Obj. 2:  This argument holds, in the case of an instrument which has no faculty of action, but only of being acted upon.  But man is not an instrument of that kind; for he is so acted upon, by the Holy Ghost, that he also acts himself, in so far as he has a free-will.  Therefore he needs a habit.

Reply Obj. 3:  Prophecy is one of those gifts which are for the manifestation of the Spirit, not for the necessity of salvation:  hence the comparison fails. ________________________

FOURTH ARTICLE [I-II, Q. 68, Art. 4]

Whether the Seven Gifts of the Holy Ghost Are Suitably Enumerated?

Objection 1:  It would seem that seven gifts of the Holy Ghost are unsuitably enumerated.  For in that enumeration four are set down corresponding to the intellectual virtues, viz. wisdom, understanding, knowledge, and counsel, which corresponds to prudence; whereas nothing is set down corresponding to art, which is the fifth intellectual virtue.  Moreover, something is included corresponding to justice, viz. piety, and something corresponding to fortitude, viz. the gift of fortitude; while there is nothing to correspond to temperance.  Therefore the gifts are enumerated insufficiently.

Obj. 2:  Further, piety is a part of justice.  But no part of fortitude is assigned to correspond thereto, but fortitude itself.  Therefore justice itself, and not piety, ought to have been set down.

Obj. 3:  Further, the theological virtues, more than any, direct us to God.  Since, then, the gifts perfect man according as he is moved by God, it seems that some gifts, corresponding to the theological virtues, should have been included.

Obj. 4:  Further, even as God is an object of fear, so is He of love, of hope, and of joy.  Now love, hope, and joy are passions condivided with fear.  Therefore, as fear is set down as a gift, so ought the other three.

Obj. 5:  Further, wisdom is added in order to direct understanding; counsel, to direct fortitude; knowledge, to direct piety.  Therefore, some gift should have been added for the purpose of directing fear.  Therefore the seven gifts of the Holy Ghost are unsuitably enumerated.

On the contrary, stands the authority of Holy Writ (Isa. 11:2, 3).

I answer that, As stated above (A. 3), the gifts are habits perfecting man so that he is ready to follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost, even as the moral virtues perfect the appetitive powers so that they obey the reason.  Now just as it is natural for the appetitive powers to be moved by the command of reason, so it is natural for all the forces in man to be moved by the instinct of God, as by a superior power.  Therefore whatever powers in man can be the principles of human actions, can also be the subjects of gifts, even as they are virtues; and such powers are the reason and appetite.