In another way the state of mankind may change according as man stands in relation to one and the same law more or less perfectly.  And thus the state of the Old Law underwent frequent changes, since at times the laws were very well kept, and at other times were altogether unheeded.  Thus, too, the state of the New Law is subject to change with regard to various places, times, and persons, according as the grace of the Holy Ghost dwells in man more or less perfectly.  Nevertheless we are not to look forward to a state wherein man is to possess the grace of the Holy Ghost more perfectly than he has possessed it hitherto, especially the apostles who “received the firstfruits of the Spirit, i.e. sooner and more abundantly than others,” as a gloss expounds on Rom. 8:23.

Reply Obj. 1:  As Dionysius says (Eccl.  Hier. v), there is a threefold state of mankind; the first was under the Old Law; the second is that of the New Law; the third will take place not in this life, but in heaven.  But as the first state is figurative and imperfect in comparison with the state of the Gospel; so is the present state figurative and imperfect in comparison with the heavenly state, with the advent of which the present state will be done away as expressed in that very passage (1 Cor. 13:12):  “We see now through a glass in a dark manner; but then face to face.”

Reply Obj. 2:  As Augustine says (Contra Faust. xix, 31), Montanus and Priscilla pretended that Our Lord’s promise to give the Holy Ghost was fulfilled, not in the apostles, but in themselves.  In like manner the Manicheans maintained that it was fulfilled in Manes whom they held to be the Paraclete.  Hence none of the above received the Acts of the Apostles, where it is clearly shown that the aforesaid promise was fulfilled in the apostles:  just as Our Lord promised them a second time (Acts 1:5):  “You shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost, not many days hence”:  which we read as having been fulfilled in Acts 2.  However, these foolish notions are refuted by the statement (John 7:39) that “as yet the Spirit was not given, because Jesus was not yet glorified”; from which we gather that the Holy Ghost was given as soon as Christ was glorified in His Resurrection and Ascension.  Moreover, this puts out of court the senseless idea that the Holy Ghost is to be expected to come at some other time.

Now the Holy Ghost taught the apostles all truth in respect of matters necessary for salvation; those things, to wit, that we are bound to believe and to do.  But He did not teach them about all future events:  for this did not regard them according to Acts 1:7:  “It is not for you to know the times or moments which the Father hath put in His own power.”

Reply Obj. 3:  The Old Law corresponded not only to the Father, but also to the Son:  because Christ was foreshadowed in the Old Law.  Hence Our Lord said (John 5:46):  “If you did believe Moses, you would perhaps believe me also; for he wrote of Me.”  In like manner the New Law corresponds not only to Christ, but also to the Holy Ghost; according to Rom. 8:2:  “The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus,” etc.  Hence we are not to look forward to another law corresponding to the Holy Ghost.