Reply Obj. 5:  Wisdom directs both the intellect and the affections of man.  Hence two gifts are set down as corresponding to wisdom as their directing principle; on the part of the intellect, the gift of understanding; on the part of the affections, the gift of fear.  Because the principal reason for fearing God is taken from a consideration of the Divine excellence, which wisdom considers. ________________________

FIFTH ARTICLE [I-II, Q. 68, Art. 5]

Whether the Gifts of the Holy Ghost Are Connected?

Objection 1:  It would seem that the gifts are not connected, for the Apostle says (1 Cor. 12:8):  “To one . . . by the Spirit, is given the word of wisdom, and to another, the word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit.”  Now wisdom and knowledge are reckoned among the gifts of the Holy Ghost.  Therefore the gifts of the Holy Ghost are given to divers men, and are not connected together in the same man.

Obj. 2:  Further, Augustine says (De Trin. xiv, 1) that “many of the faithful have not knowledge, though they have faith.”  But some of the gifts, at least the gift of fear, accompany faith.  Therefore it seems that the gifts are not necessarily connected together in one and the same man.

Obj. 3:  Further, Gregory says (Moral. i) that wisdom “is of small account if it lack understanding, and understanding is wholly useless if it be not based upon wisdom . . .  Counsel is worthless, when the strength of fortitude is lacking thereto . . . and fortitude is very weak if it be not supported by counsel . . .  Knowledge is nought if it hath not the use of piety . . . and piety is very useless if it lack the discernment of knowledge . . . and assuredly, unless it has these virtues with it, fear itself rises up to the doing of no good action”:  from which it seems that it is possible to have one gift without another.  Therefore the gifts of the Holy Ghost are not connected.

On the contrary, Gregory prefaces the passage above quoted, with the following remark:  “It is worthy of note in this feast of Job’s sons, that by turns they fed one another.”  Now the sons of Job, of whom he is speaking, denote the gifts of the Holy Ghost.  Therefore the gifts of the Holy Ghost are connected together by strengthening one another.

I answer that, The true answer to this question is easily gathered from what has been already set down.  For it has been stated (A. 3) that as the powers of the appetite are disposed by the moral virtues as regards the governance of reason, so all the powers of the soul are disposed by the gifts as regards the motion of the Holy Ghost.  Now the Holy Ghost dwells in us by charity, according to Rom. 5:5:  “The charity of God is poured forth in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, Who is given to us,” even as our reason is perfected by prudence.  Wherefore, just as the moral virtues are united together in prudence, so the gifts of the Holy Ghost are connected together in charity:  so that whoever has charity has all the gifts of the Holy Ghost, none of which can one possess without charity.