Click *H for Haydock Commentary. *Footnote for footnote etc.
Click any word in Latin Greek or Hebrew to activate the parser. Then click on the display to expand the parser.
*H Silver hath beginnings of its veins, and gold hath a place wherein it is melted.
Ver. 1. Silver. Heb. "Surely there is a vein, or mine, for silver." H. — The sagacity of man has discovered all these things. Wonderful also is the instinct of animals, v. 7. Yet wisdom comes from God alone; and those act rashly, who pretend to dive into his counsels in punishing his creatures and ruling the world. C.
*H Iron is taken out of the earth, and stone melted with heat is turned into brass.
Ver. 2. Stone. Prot. "and brass is molten out of the stone." H. — "When brass comes out of the mine it resembles stone, and being mixed with earth is refined in the fire." Pliny xxxvi. 27. M. — All this process would require much ingenuity and time. Tubalcain was a great artist before the deluge; (Gen. iv. 22.) but we cannot tell who were the inventors of these things, though (C.) the Greeks have specified the names of some who introduced these metals into their respective countries. Pliny vii. 56. H.
*H He hath set a time for darkness, and the end of all things he considereth, the stone also that is in the dark and the shadow of death.
Ver. 3. He (God) hath, &c. H. — Darkness, before which these inventions could not be made; (M.) or, man has been able to measure the hours of day and night by the shadow of the sun, and by other means. He always strives to perfect his works, and examines with care the mines which lay concealed in the most profound obscurity. C. — Precious stones and metals lie the deepest. M. — From the consideration of these beautiful works, men ought to raise their minds to the Creator, and wisely rest in him alone. W.
*H The flood divideth from the people that are on their journey, those whom the food of the needy man hath forgotten, and who cannot be come at.
Ver. 4. At. Nations are separated by waters from each other. C. — Some, like the Chinese, keep all strangers at a distance. H. — But the industry of man breaketh through all barriers. Heb. "a river separates a foreign nation forgotten by travellers; but these waters cannot stop man: they flow away." C. — "The flood breaketh out from the inhabitants, even the waters; forgotten of the foot, they are dried up; they are gone away from men." Prot. "Sand cuts off a torrent: but those who forget the way of justice, have become infirm, and have been instable among mortals." Sept. H. — Travellers are sometimes parted by a swelling torrent; (Sa.) and waters, bursting forth suddenly, change the roads of men. W.
*H The land, out of which bread grew in its place, hath been overturned with fire.
Ver. 5. In its, &c. Heb. and Sept. "and under it is turned up as it were fire," which lies in it. H. — Fire, like Sodom; to which event Job alludes, C. xxii. 20. C. — The furnaces to melt various metals have taken the place of corn, and occupy the land. M. — Men have extracted bitumen, &c. even from the lake of Sodom. Pliny vii. 15. — Nothing escapes them. C.
*H The stones of it are the place of sapphires, and the clods of it are gold.
Ver. 6. Sapphires. The best are found in Media, in the country of the Taphyri, (Ptol.) or Raspires. Herod. iii. 94. — Gold. This precious metal, like all others, is found in the bowels of the earth, (H.) and in the bed of rivers, in Ophir, Peru, &c. C.
*H The bird hath not known the path, neither hath the eye of the vulture beheld it.
Ver. 7. Path of these metals, (M.) or a path in general. H. — They fly, as beasts roam about, without keeping the high road; yet never miss their way, or fail to return to their own place, though they may have crossed the sea or woods, and been absent many months. This instinct is one of the wonders of nature. C.
*H The children of the merchants have not trodden it, neither hath the lioness passed by it.
Ver. 8. Merchants, who go the shortest road. H. — Heb. "of lions," which find their deans without asking for the path. C.
*H He hath stretched forth his hand to the flint, he hath overturned mountains from the roots.
Ver. 9. Roots, in quest of precious metals. M. — "Imus in viscera terræ et in sede Marium opes quærimus." Pliny xxxiii. pref.
*H In the rocks he hath cut out rivers, and his eye hath seen every precious thing.
Ver. 10. Rivers. Or, the waters lodged in the mines. M. — He hath even cut canals through the hardest rocks, (H.) and sunk wells. C.
*H The depths also of rivers he hath searched, and hidden things he hath brought forth to light.
Ver. 11. Searched, by diving; (C.) or, Heb. "he bindeth the rivers from flowing;" diverting their course by dams, &c. This is another proof of the power of man. C. —Labor omnia vincit. Hor.
*H But where is wisdom to be found, and where is the place of understanding?
Ver. 12. Understanding, of supernatural things, which teaches us to love God, and to comprehend his counsels. This is very different from the human sagacity of which he has been speaking; and this is the gift of God alone. C.
*H Man knoweth not the price thereof, neither is it found in the land of them that live in delights.
Ver. 13. Price. It has none, like other precious things. Bar. iii. 15. — In delights is not expressed in Heb. or Sept. C. — But to live in misery is hardly to be accounted living, (H.) and the addition restrains the proposition, as some men possess this treasure, though not those who take no pains (C.) to mortify corrupt nature. H. — Chal. "it is not found in the land of the proud, whose life is spent in sin." C. — True wisdom is found, not in natural, but in supernatural, things. W.
*H The finest gold shall not purchase it, neither shall silver be weighed in exchange for it.
Ver. 15. Finest, obrizum, which has the colour of fire. Pliny xxiii. 3. The old Vulg. and Sept. read "locked-up gold," aurum conclusum, (C.) and the Heb. Segor, (H.) "that which is shut up," like things of value: gold is sometimes specified, 3 K. vi. 20.
*H It shall not be compared with the dyed colours of India, or with the most precious stone sardonyx, or the sapphire.
Ver. 16. Dyed, &c. Heb. cethem ophir, (H.) "the shut up" (gold, though the Vulg. Sept. &c. vary in the interpretation) "of Ophir." This country was famous for its gold. C. — Its situation is not clearly ascertained. S. Jerom seems to have placed it in India, with Josephus, "in the golden country," now Malacca. — Stone. Prot. onyx. Heb. shoham (H.) means, probably, the emerald. Gen. ii. 12. C. — But these names are very indeterminate. Theodotion, from whom great part of this chapter is inserted in the Sept. has "the gold of Ophir, and the precious onyx and sapphire." H.
*H Gold or crystal cannot equal it, neither shall any vessels of gold be changed for it.
Ver. 17. Gold. This is the third time it has been mentioned, according to its different degrees of excellence. Hence it is called by the most common name, (C.) zahab. H. — Crystal was formerly more "transparent" than we have it at present. C. — Zecucith (H.) denotes something of this kind. C.
* Summa
*S Part 1, Ques 57, Article 4
[I, Q. 57, Art. 4]
Whether Angels Know Secret Thoughts?
Objection 1: It would seem that the angels know secret thoughts. For Gregory (Moral. xviii), explaining Job 28:17: "Gold or crystal cannot equal it," says that "then," namely in the bliss of those rising from the dead, "one shall be as evident to another as he is to himself, and when once the mind of each is seen, his conscience will at the same time be penetrated." But those who rise shall be like the angels, as is stated (Matt. 22:30). Therefore an angel can see what is in another's conscience.
Obj. 2: Further, intelligible species bear the same relation to the intellect as shapes do to bodies. But when the body is seen its shape is seen. Therefore, when an intellectual substance is seen, the intelligible species within it is also seen. Consequently, when one angel beholds another, or even a soul, it seems that he can see the thoughts of both.
Obj. 3: Further, the ideas of our intellect resemble the angel more than do the images in our imagination; because the former are actually understood, while the latter are understood only potentially. But the images in our imagination can be known by an angel as corporeal things are known: because the imagination is a corporeal faculty. Therefore it seems that an angel can know the thoughts of the intellect.
_On the contrary,_ What is proper to God does not belong to the angels. But it is proper to God to read the secrets of hearts, according to Jer. 17:9: "The heart is perverse above all things, and unsearchable; who can know it? I am the Lord, Who search the heart." Therefore angels do not know the secrets of hearts.
_I answer that,_ A secret thought can be known in two ways: first, in its effect. In this way it can be known not only by an angel, but also by man; and with so much the greater subtlety according as the effect is the more hidden. For thought is sometimes discovered not merely by outward act, but also by change of countenance; and doctors can tell some passions of the soul by the mere pulse. Much more then can angels, or even demons, the more deeply they penetrate those occult bodily modifications. Hence Augustine says (De divin. daemon.) that demons "sometimes with the greatest faculty learn man's dispositions, not only when expressed by speech, but even when conceived in thought, when the soul expresses them by certain signs in the body"; although (Retract. ii, 30) he says "it cannot be asserted how this is done."
In another way thoughts can be known as they are in the mind, and affections as they are in the will: and thus God alone can know the thoughts of hearts and affections of wills. The reason of this is, because the rational creature is subject to God only, and He alone can work in it Who is its principal object and last end: this will be developed later (Q. 63, A. 1; Q. 105, A. 5). Consequently all that is in the will, and all things that depend only on the will, are known to God alone. Now it is evident that it depends entirely on the will for anyone actually to consider anything; because a man who has a habit of knowledge, or any intelligible species, uses them at will. Hence the Apostle says (1 Cor. 2:11): "For what man knoweth the things of a man, but the spirit of a man that is in him?"
Reply Obj. 1: In the present life one man's thought is not known by another owing to a twofold hindrance; namely, on account of the grossness of the body, and because the will shuts up its secrets. The first obstacle will be removed at the Resurrection, and does not exist at all in the angels; while the second will remain, and is in the angels now. Nevertheless the brightness of the body will show forth the quality of the soul; as to its amount of grace and of glory. In this way one will be able to see the mind of another.
Reply Obj. 2: Although one angel sees the intelligible species of another, by the fact that the species are proportioned to the rank of these substances according to greater or lesser universality, yet it does not follow that one knows how far another makes use of them by actual consideration.
Reply Obj. 3: The appetite of the brute does not control its act, but follows the impression of some other corporeal or spiritual cause. Since, therefore, the angels know corporeal things and their dispositions, they can thereby know what is passing in the appetite or in the imaginative apprehension of the brute beasts, and even of man, in so far as the sensitive appetite sometimes, through following some bodily impression, influences his conduct, as always happens in brutes. Yet the angels do not necessarily know the movement of the sensitive appetite and the imaginative apprehension of man in so far as these are moved by the will and reason; because, even the lower part of the soul has some share of reason, as obeying its ruler, as is said in _Ethics_ iii, 12. But it does not follow that, if the angel knows what is passing through man's sensitive appetite or imagination, he knows what is in the thought or will: because the intellect or will is not subject to the sensitive appetite or the imagination, but can make various uses of them. _______________________
FIFTH
*S Part 4, Ques 7, Article 11
[III, Q. 7, Art. 11]
Whether the Grace of Christ Is Infinite?
Objection 1: It would seem that Christ's grace is infinite. For everything immeasurable is infinite. But the grace of Christ is immeasurable; since it is written (John 3:34): "For God doth not give the Spirit by measure to His Son [*'To His Son' is lacking in the Vulgate], namely Christ." Therefore the grace of Christ is infinite.
Obj. 2: Further, an infinite effect betokens an infinite power which can only spring from an infinite essence. But the effect of Christ's grace is infinite, since it extends to the salvation of the whole human race; for He is the propitiation for our sins . . . and for those of the whole world, as is said (1 John 2:2). Therefore the grace of Christ is infinite.
Obj. 3: Further, every finite thing by addition can attain to the quantity of any other finite thing. Therefore if the grace of Christ is finite the grace of any other man could increase to such an extent as to reach to an equality with Christ's grace, against what is written (Job 28:17): "Gold nor crystal cannot equal it," as Gregory expounds it (Moral. xviii). Therefore the grace of Christ is infinite.
_On the contrary,_ Grace is something created in the soul. But every created thing is finite, according to Wis. 11:21: "Thou hast ordered all things in measure and number and weight." Therefore the grace of Christ is not infinite.
_I answer that,_ As was made clear above (Q. 2, A. 10), a twofold grace may be considered in Christ; the first being the grace of union, which, as was said (Q. 6, A. 6), is for Him to be personally united to the Son of God, which union has been bestowed gratis on the human nature; and it is clear that this grace is infinite, as the Person of God is infinite. The second is habitual grace; which may be taken in two ways: first as a being, and in this way it must be a finite being, since it is in the soul of Christ, as in a subject, and Christ's soul is a creature having a finite capacity; hence the being of grace cannot be infinite, since it cannot exceed its subject. Secondly it may be viewed in its specific nature of grace; and thus the grace of Christ can be termed infinite, since it is not limited, i.e. it has whatsoever can pertain to the nature of grace, and what pertains to the nature of grace is not bestowed on Him in a fixed measure; seeing that "according to the purpose" of God to Whom it pertains to measure grace, it is bestowed on Christ's soul as on a universal principle for bestowing grace on human nature, according to Eph. 1:5, 6, "He hath graced us in His beloved Son"; thus we might say that the light of the sun is infinite, not indeed in being, but in the nature of light, as having whatever can pertain to the nature of light.
Reply Obj. 1: When it is said that the Father "doth not give the Spirit by measure," it may be expounded of the gift which God the Father from all eternity gave the Son, viz. the Divine Nature, which is an infinite gift. Hence the comment of a certain gloss: "So that the Son may be as great as the Father is." Or again, it may be referred to the gift which is given the human nature, to be united to the Divine Person, and this also is an infinite gift. Hence a gloss says on this text: "As the Father begot a full and perfect Word, it is united thus full and perfect to human nature." Thirdly, it may be referred to habitual grace, inasmuch as the grace of Christ extends to whatever belongs to grace. Hence Augustine expounding this (Tract. xiv in Joan.) says: "The division of the gifts is a measurement. For to one indeed by the Spirit is given the word of wisdom, to another the word of knowledge." But Christ the giver does not receive by measure.
Reply Obj. 2: The grace of Christ has an infinite effect, both because of the aforesaid infinity of grace, and because of the unity [*Perhaps we should read 'infinity'--Ed.] of the Divine Person, to Whom Christ's soul is united.
Reply Obj. 3: The lesser can attain by augment to the quantity of the greater, when both have the same kind of quantity. But the grace of any man is compared to the grace of Christ as a particular to a universal power; hence as the force of fire, no matter how much it increases, can never equal the sun's strength, so the grace of a man, no matter how much it increases, can never equal the grace of Christ. _______________________
TWELFTH
*H High and eminent things shall not be mentioned in comparison of it: but wisdom is drawn out of secret places.
Ver. 18. Things. Heb. Ramoth and Gabish (H.) are terms much controverted. The first may denote the unicorns, (Deut. xxxiii. 17.) and the latter the thunderbolt, or ceraunia, which were in high request. Pliny xxxvii. 9. Ezechiel (xiii. 11. and xxvii. 16.) mentions the former as carried by merchants to Tyre. These stones, which fell from the sky, were used by the Parthian magi, &c. for secret purposes. They have given rise to many fabulous accounts. Those which are to be seen, are by no means beautiful. C. — Yet if the people esteemed them, Job might well include them among other things of most value. Prot. "No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls, for the price of wisdom is above rubies." H. — The latter part of the verse would be rather, "the fishing for wisdom would be more difficult than that for pearls;" (C.) or, "the extraction of wisdom is above the drawing forth of peninim." H. — The pinna is a kind of fish which is fastened to the bottom of the sea, by roots, of which the byssus was made. 1 Par. xv. 27. Pearls were commonly found in the Persian Gulf, near Idumea. The art of diving for them, and extracting them from the fish, was very difficult, but nothing in comparison with the labour requisite to discover wisdom. The ancients describe some pearls of a reddish gold colour. Athen. iii. 13. Jer. Lam. iv. 7. — Adam, which is interpreted red, in Jeremias, means also any thing very shining; in which sense the word purpureus is used. Hor. vi. Ode 1. Bochart, Anim. p. 2, b. v. vi. (C.) and t. iii. 681. 91. The opinion of this author seems preferable to that of Hutchinson and Cooke, who would translate peninim (H.) by "loadstones or magnets," which the former says are like "reddish clay," though they are really of a dusky iron grey, sometimes tinged with brown or red. This complexion would not be very beautiful. Yet the Nazarites are compared to peninim, (Lam. iv.) and to snow, (Parkhurst) as they were of a most fair red and white, like pearls. H. — Though the ancients seem to have been acquainted with the loadstone or magnetic needle, particularly the Phenicians (Odys. viii. 556.) and Chinese, for many ages, yet it was never so common as to form a popular comparison. Aquila renders the word in question, περιβλεπτα, "conspicuous things;" and pearls were certainly highly valued by the Jews, &c. Parkhurst, in pone. — Theodotion, in the Sept. "draw forth wisdom before the inmost things." — Both these versions agree with the Vulg. as the most precious goods are kept out of sight. H. — Yet the deepest mines of gold do not require so much diligence and sagacity for us to discover and possess them, as wisdom does; but, in return, it will abundantly recompense the man who finds such a treasure. Eccli. vi. 19. and 24. Pineda.
*H The topaz of Ethiopia shall not be equal to it, neither shall it be compared to the cleanest dyeing.
Ver. 19. Ethiopia, on the east of the Red Sea. Pliny (vi. 29.) mentions the isle of Chuthis, which was also famous for the topaz. — Dying. Heb. cethem, (H.) which we have observed relates to gold, v. 16.
*H Destruction and death have said: With our ears we have heard the fame thereof.
Ver. 22. Destruction. Heb. abaddon, which is before (C. xxvi. 6.) used to signify the bottomless abyss. There, too late! the dead become acquainted with the value and nature of wisdom. H. — But their knowledge is imperfect, and of no use to us. C.
*H Who made a weight for the winds, and weighed the waters by measure.
Ver. 25. Measure. He regulates the winds, and knows the drops of water, (H.) which to man is impossible. Prov. xvi. 2.
*H When he gave a law for the rain, and a way for the sounding storms.
Ver. 26. Storms; or Heb. "for the lightning, which attends thunder." C.
*H Then he saw it, and declared, and prepared, and searched it.
Ver. 27. It. All the works of God proclaim his wisdom. H. — He never made an acquisition of it, but possessed it from all eternity. Prov. viii. 23.
*H And he said to man: Behold the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom: and to depart from evil, is understanding.
Ver. 28. Understanding. This is the duty of man, and a thing of the utmost importance. This teaches us to adore God's judgments (C.) in silence. H. — It is the most important instruction of the whole book. Pineda. — Man must consider God's works to fear Him; and by avoiding evil, and doing good, (W.) to shew true wisdom. H.
* Summa
*S Part 3, Ques 19, Article 7
[II-II, Q. 19, Art. 6]
Whether Fear Is the Beginning of Wisdom?
Objection 1: It would seem that fear is not the beginning of wisdom. For the beginning of a thing is a part thereof. But fear is not a part of wisdom, since fear is seated in the appetitive faculty, while wisdom is in the intellect. Therefore it seems that fear is not the beginning of wisdom.
Obj. 2: Further, nothing is the beginning of itself. "Now fear of the Lord, that is wisdom," according to Job 28:28. Therefore it seems that fear of God is not the beginning of wisdom.
Obj. 3: Further, nothing is prior to the beginning. But something is prior to fear, since faith precedes fear. Therefore it seems that fear is not the beginning of wisdom.
_On the contrary,_ It is written in the Ps. 110:10: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom."
_I answer that,_ A thing may be called the beginning of wisdom in two ways: in one way because it is the beginning of wisdom itself as to its essence; in another way, as to its effect. Thus the beginning of an art as to its essence consists in the principles from which that art proceeds, while the beginning of an art as to its effect is that wherefrom it begins to operate: for instance we might say that the beginning of the art of building is the foundation because that is where the builder begins his work.
Now, since wisdom is the knowledge of Divine things, as we shall state further on (Q. 45, A. 1), it is considered by us in one way, and in another way by philosophers. For, seeing that our life is ordained to the enjoyment of God, and is directed thereto according to a participation of the Divine Nature, conferred on us through grace, wisdom, as we look at it, is considered not only as being cognizant of God, as it is with the philosophers, but also as directing human conduct; since this is directed not only by the human law, but also by the Divine law, as Augustine shows (De Trin. xii, 14). Accordingly the beginning of wisdom as to its essence consists in the first principles of wisdom, i.e. the articles of faith, and in this sense faith is said to be the beginning of wisdom. But as regards the effect, the beginning of wisdom is the point where wisdom begins to work, and in this way fear is the beginning of wisdom, yet servile fear in one way, and filial fear, in another. For servile fear is like a principle disposing a man to wisdom from without, in so far as he refrains from sin through fear of punishment, and is thus fashioned for the effect of wisdom, according to Ecclus. 1:27, "The fear of the Lord driveth out sin." On the other hand, chaste or filial fear is the beginning of wisdom, as being the first effect of wisdom. For since the regulation of human conduct by the Divine law belongs to wisdom, in order to make a beginning, man must first of all fear God and submit himself to Him: for the result will be that in all things he will be ruled by God.
Reply Obj. 1: This argument proves that fear is not the beginning of wisdom as to the essence of wisdom.
Reply Obj. 2: The fear of God is compared to a man's whole life that is ruled by God's wisdom, as the root to the tree: hence it is written (Ecclus. 1:25): "The root of wisdom is to fear the Lord, for [Vulg.: 'and'] the branches thereof are longlived." Consequently, as the root is said to be virtually the tree, so the fear of God is said to be wisdom.
Reply Obj. 3: As stated above, faith is the beginning of wisdom in one way, and fear, in another. Hence it is written (Ecclus. 25:16): "The fear of God is the beginning of love: and the beginning of faith is to be fast joined to it." _______________________
SEVENTH
*S Part 3, Ques 45, Article 1
[II-II, Q. 45, Art. 1]
Whether Wisdom Should Be Reckoned Among the Gifts of the Holy Ghost?
Objection 1: It would seem that wisdom ought not to be reckoned among the gifts of the Holy Ghost. For the gifts are more perfect than the virtues, as stated above (I-II, Q. 68, A. 8). Now virtue is directed to the good alone, wherefore Augustine says (De Lib. Arb. ii, 19) that "no man makes bad use of the virtues." Much more therefore are the gifts of the Holy Ghost directed to the good alone. But wisdom is directed to evil also, for it is written (James 3:15) that a certain wisdom is "earthly, sensual, devilish." Therefore wisdom should not be reckoned among the gifts of the Holy Ghost.
Obj. 2: Further, according to Augustine (De Trin. xii, 14) "wisdom is the knowledge of Divine things." Now that knowledge of Divine things which man can acquire by his natural endowments, belongs to the wisdom which is an intellectual virtue, while the supernatural knowledge of Divine things belongs to faith which is a theological virtue, as explained above (Q. 4, A. 5; I-II, Q. 62, A. 3). Therefore wisdom should be called a virtue rather than a gift.
Obj. 3: Further, it is written (Job 28:28): "Behold the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil, that is understanding." And in this passage according to the rendering of the Septuagint which Augustine follows (De Trin. xii, 14; xiv, 1) we read: "Behold piety, that is wisdom." Now both fear and piety are gifts of the Holy Ghost. Therefore wisdom should not be reckoned among the gifts of the Holy Ghost, as though it were distinct from the others.
_On the contrary,_ It is written (Isa. 11:2): "The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him; the spirit of wisdom and of understanding."
_I answer that,_ According to the Philosopher (Metaph. i: 2), it belongs to wisdom to consider the highest cause. By means of that cause we are able to form a most certain judgment about other causes, and according thereto all things should be set in order. Now the highest cause may be understood in two ways, either simply or in some particular genus. Accordingly he that knows the highest cause in any particular genus, and by its means is able to judge and set in order all the things that belong to that genus, is said to be wise in that genus, for instance in medicine or architecture, according to 1 Cor. 3:10: "As a wise architect, I have laid a foundation." On the other hand, he who knows the cause that is simply the highest, which is God, is said to be wise simply, because he is able to judge and set in order all things according to Divine rules.
Now man obtains this judgment through the Holy Ghost, according to 1 Cor. 2:15: "The spiritual man judgeth all things," because as stated in the same chapter (1 Cor. 2:10), "the Spirit searcheth all things, yea the deep things of God." Wherefore it is evident that wisdom is a gift of the Holy Ghost.
Reply Obj. 1: A thing is said to be good in two senses: first in the sense that it is truly good and simply perfect, secondly, by a kind of likeness, being perfect in wickedness; thus we speak of a good or a perfect thief, as the Philosopher observes (Metaph. v, text. 21). And just as with regard to those things which are truly good, we find a highest cause, namely the sovereign good which is the last end, by knowing which, man is said to be truly wise, so too in evil things something is to be found to which all others are to be referred as to a last end, by knowing which, man is said to be wise unto evil doing, according to Jer. 4:22: "They are wise to do evils, but to do good they have no knowledge." Now whoever turns away from his due end, must needs fix on some undue end, since every agent acts for an end. Wherefore, if he fixes his end in external earthly things, his "wisdom" is called "earthly," if in the goods of the body, it is called "sensual wisdom," if in some excellence, it is called "devilish wisdom" because it imitates the devil's pride, of which it is written (Job 41:25): "He is king over all the children of pride."
Reply Obj. 2: The wisdom which is called a gift of the Holy Ghost, differs from that which is an acquired intellectual virtue, for the latter is attained by human effort, whereas the latter is "descending from above" (James 3:15). In like manner it differs from faith, since faith assents to the Divine truth in itself, whereas it belongs to the gift of wisdom to judge according to the Divine truth. Hence the gift of wisdom presupposes faith, because "a man judges well what he knows" (Ethic. i, 3).
Reply Obj. 3: Just as piety which pertains to the worship of God is a manifestation of faith, in so far as we make profession of faith by worshipping God, so too, piety manifests wisdom. For this reason piety is stated to be wisdom, and so is fear, for the same reason, because if a man fear and worship God, this shows that he has a right judgment about Divine things. _______________________
SECOND