Articulus 3 Article 3 Utrum homo in gratia constitutus possit mereri vitam aeternam ex condigno Whether a man in grace can merit eternal life condignly? Ad tertium sic proceditur. Videtur quod homo in gratia constitutus non possit mereri vitam aeternam ex condigno. Dicit enim apostolus, ad Rom. VIII, non sunt condignae passiones huius temporis ad futuram gloriam quae revelabitur in nobis. Sed inter alia opera meritoria maxime videntur esse meritoriae sanctorum passiones. Ergo nulla opera hominum sunt meritoria vitae aeternae ex condigno. Objection 1: It would seem that a man in grace cannot merit eternal life condignly, for the Apostle says (Rom 8:18): The sufferings of this time are not worthy to be compared with the glory to come, that shall be revealed in us. But of all meritorious works, the sufferings of the saints would seem the most meritorious. Therefore no works of men are meritorious of eternal life condignly. Praeterea, super illud Rom. VI, gratia Dei vita aeterna, dicit Glossa, posset recte dicere, stipendium iustitiae vita aeterna, sed maluit dicere, gratia Dei vita aeterna, ut intelligeremus Deum ad aeternam vitam pro sua miseratione nos perducere, non meritis nostris. Sed id quod ex condigno quis meretur, non ex miseratione, sed ex merito accipit. Ergo videtur quod homo non possit per gratiam mereri vitam aeternam ex condigno. Obj. 2: Further, on Rm. 6:23, The grace of God, life everlasting, a gloss says: He might have truly said: ‘The wages of justice, life everlasting’; but He preferred to say ‘The grace of God, life everlasting,’ that we may know that God leads us to life everlasting of His own mercy and not by our merits. Now when anyone merits something condignly he receives it not from mercy, but from merit. Hence it would seem that a man with grace cannot merit life everlasting condignly. Praeterea, illud meritum videtur esse condignum quod aequatur mercedi. Sed nullus actus praesentis vitae potest aequari vitae aeternae, quae cognitionem et desiderium nostrum excedit. Excedit etiam caritatem vel dilectionem viae, sicut et excedit naturam. Ergo homo non potest per gratiam mereri vitam aeternam ex condigno. Obj. 3: Further, merit that equals the reward, would seem to be condign. Now no act of the present life can equal everlasting life, which surpasses our knowledge and our desire, and moreover, surpasses the charity or love of the wayfarer, even as it exceeds nature. Therefore with grace a man cannot merit eternal life condignly. Sed contra, id quod redditur secundum iustum iudicium, videtur esse merces condigna. Sed vita aeterna redditur a Deo secundum iudicium iustitiae; secundum illud II ad Tim. IV, in reliquo reposita est mihi corona iustitiae, quam reddet mihi dominus in illa die, iustus iudex. Ergo homo meretur vitam aeternam ex condigno. On the contrary, What is granted in accordance with a fair judgment, would seem a condign reward. But life everlasting is granted by God, in accordance with the judgment of justice, according to 2 Tim. 4:8: As to the rest, there is laid up for me a crown of justice, which the Lord, the just judge, will render to me in that day. Therefore man merits everlasting life condignly. Respondeo dicendum quod opus meritorium hominis dupliciter considerari potest, uno modo, secundum quod procedit ex libero arbitrio; alio modo, secundum quod procedit ex gratia spiritus sancti. Si consideretur secundum substantiam operis, et secundum quod procedit ex libero arbitrio, sic non potest ibi esse condignitas, propter maximam inaequalitatem. Sed est ibi congruitas, propter quandam aequalitatem proportionis, videtur enim congruum ut homini operanti secundum suam virtutem, Deus recompenset secundum excellentiam suae virtutis. I answer that, Man’s meritorious work may be considered in two ways: first, as it proceeds from free-will; second, as it proceeds from the grace of the Holy Spirit. If it is considered as regards the substance of the work, and inasmuch as it springs from the free-will, there can be no condignity because of the very great inequality. But there is congruity, on account of an equality of proportion: for it would seem congruous that, if a man does what he can, God should reward him according to the excellence of his power. Si autem loquamur de opere meritorio secundum quod procedit ex gratia spiritus sancti, sic est meritorium vitae aeternae ex condigno. Sic enim valor meriti attenditur secundum virtutem spiritus sancti moventis nos in vitam aeternam; secundum illud Ioan. IV, fiet in eo fons aquae salientis in vitam aeternam. Attenditur etiam pretium operis secundum dignitatem gratiae, per quam homo, consors factus divinae naturae, adoptatur in filium Dei, cui debetur hereditas ex ipso iure adoptionis, secundum illud Rom. VIII, si filii, et heredes. If, however, we speak of a meritorious work, inasmuch as it proceeds from the grace of the Holy Spirit moving us to life everlasting, it is meritorious of life everlasting condignly. For thus the value of its merit depends upon the power of the Holy Spirit moving us to life everlasting according to Jn. 4:14: Shall become in him a fount of water springing up into life everlasting. And the worth of the work depends on the dignity of grace, whereby a man, being made a partaker of the Divine Nature, is adopted as a son of God, to whom the inheritance is due by right of adoption, according to Rm. 8:17: If sons, heirs also. Ad primum ergo dicendum quod apostolus loquitur de passionibus sanctorum secundum eorum substantiam. Reply Obj. 1: The Apostle is speaking of the substance of these sufferings. Ad secundum dicendum quod verbum Glossae intelligendum est quantum ad primam causam perveniendi ad vitam aeternam, quae est miseratio Dei. Meritum autem nostrum est causa subsequens. Reply Obj. 2: This saying is to be understood of the first cause of our reaching everlasting life, viz., God’s mercy. But our merit is a subsequent cause. Ad tertium dicendum quod gratia spiritus sancti quam in praesenti habemus, etsi non sit aequalis gloriae in actu, est tamen aequalis in virtute, sicut et semen arborum, in quo est virtus ad totam arborem. Et similiter per gratiam inhabitat hominem Spiritus Sanctus, qui est sufficiens causa vitae aeternae, unde et dicitur esse pignus hereditatis nostrae, II ad Cor. I. Reply Obj. 3: The grace of the Holy Spirit which we have at present, although unequal to glory in act, is equal to it virtually as the seed of a tree, wherein the whole tree is virtually. So likewise by grace the Holy Spirit dwells in man; and He is a sufficient cause of life everlasting; hence, 2 Cor. 1:22, He is called the pledge of our inheritance. Articulus 4 Article 4 Utrum gratia sit principium meriti principalius per caritatem quam per alias virtutes Whether grace is the principle of merit through charity rather than the other virtues? Ad quartum sic proceditur. Videtur quod gratia non sit principium meriti principalius per caritatem quam per alias virtutes. Merces enim operi debetur; secundum illud Matth. XX, voca operarios, et redde illis mercedem suam. Sed quaelibet virtus est principium alicuius operis, est enim virtus habitus operativus, ut supra habitum est. Ergo quaelibet virtus est aequaliter principium merendi. Objection 1: It would seem that grace is not the principle of merit through charity rather than the other virtues. For wages are due to work, according to Mt. 20:8: Call the laborers and pay them their hire. Now every virtue is a principle of some operation, since virtue is an operative habit, as stated above (Q55, A2). Hence every virtue is equally a principle of merit. Praeterea, apostolus dicit, I ad Cor. III, unusquisque propriam mercedem accipiet secundum proprium laborem. Sed caritas magis diminuit laborem quam augeat, quia sicut Augustinus dicit, in libro de verbis Dom., omnia saeva et immania, facilia et prope nulla facit amor. Ergo caritas non est principalius principium merendi quam alia virtus. Obj. 2: Further, the Apostle says (1 Cor 3:8): Every man shall receive his own reward according to his labor. Now charity lessens rather than increases the labor, because as Augustine says (De Verbis Dom., Serm. lxx), love makes all hard and repulsive tasks easy and next to nothing. Hence charity is no greater principle of merit than any other virtue. Praeterea, illa virtus videtur principalius esse principium merendi, cuius actus sunt maxime meritorii. Sed maxime meritorii videntur esse actus fidei et patientiae, sive fortitudinis, sicut patet in martyribus, qui pro fide patienter et fortiter usque ad mortem certaverunt. Ergo aliae virtutes principalius sunt principium merendi quam caritas. Obj. 3: Further, the greatest principle of merit would seem to be the one whose acts are most meritorious. But the acts of faith and patience or fortitude would seem to be the most meritorious, as appears in the martyrs, who strove for the faith patiently and bravely even till death. Hence other virtues are a greater principle of merit than charity. Sed contra est quod dominus, Ioan. XIV, dicit, si quis diligit me, diligetur a patre meo, et ego diligam eum, et manifestabo ei meipsum. Sed in manifesta Dei cognitione consistit vita aeterna; secundum illud Ioan. XVII, haec est vita aeterna, ut cognoscant te solum Deum verum et vivum. Ergo meritum vitae aeternae maxime residet penes caritatem. On the contrary, Our Lord said (John 14:21): He that loveth Me, shall be loved of My Father; and I will love him and will manifest Myself to him. Now everlasting life consists in the manifest knowledge of God, according to Jn. 17:3: This is eternal life: that they may know Thee, the only true and living God. Hence the merit of eternal life rests chiefly with charity. Respondeo dicendum quod, sicut ex dictis accipi potest, humanus actus habet rationem merendi ex duobus, primo quidem et principaliter, ex divina ordinatione, secundum quod actus dicitur esse meritorius illius boni ad quod homo divinitus ordinatur; secundo vero, ex parte liberi arbitrii, inquantum scilicet homo habet prae ceteris creaturis ut per se agat, voluntarie agens. Et quantum ad utrumque, principalitas meriti penes caritatem consistit. Primo enim considerandum est quod vita aeterna in Dei fruitione consistit. Motus autem humanae mentis ad fruitionem divini boni, est proprius actus caritatis, per quem omnes actus aliarum virtutum ordinantur in hunc finem, secundum quod aliae virtutes imperantur a caritate. Et ideo meritum vitae aeternae primo pertinet ad caritatem, ad alias autem virtutes secundario, secundum quod eorum actus a caritate imperantur. Similiter etiam manifestum est quod id quod ex amore facimus, maxime voluntarie facimus. Unde etiam secundum quod ad rationem meriti requiritur quod sit voluntarium, principaliter meritum caritati attribuitur. I answer that, As we may gather from what has been stated above (A1), human acts have the nature of merit from two causes: first and chiefly from the Divine ordination, inasmuch as acts are said to merit that good to which man is divinely ordained. Second, on the part of free-will, inasmuch as man, more than other creatures, has the power of voluntary acts by acting by himself. And in both these ways does merit chiefly rest with charity. For we must bear in mind that everlasting life consists in the enjoyment of God. Now the human mind’s movement to the fruition of the Divine good is the proper act of charity, whereby all the acts of the other virtues are ordained to this end, since all the other virtues are commanded by charity. Hence the merit of life everlasting pertains first to charity, and second, to the other virtues, inasmuch as their acts are commanded by charity. So, likewise, is it manifest that what we do out of love we do most willingly. Hence, even inasmuch as merit depends on voluntariness, merit is chiefly attributed to charity. Ad primum ergo dicendum quod caritas, inquantum habet ultimum finem pro obiecto, movet alias virtutes ad operandum. Semper enim habitus ad quem pertinet finis, imperat habitibus ad quos pertinent ea quae sunt ad finem; ut ex supradictis patet. Reply Obj. 1: Charity, inasmuch as it has the last end for object, moves the other virtues to act. For the habit to which the end pertains always commands the habits to which the means pertain, as was said above (Q9, A1). Ad secundum dicendum quod opus aliquod potest esse laboriosum et difficile dupliciter. Uno modo, ex magnitudine operis. Et sic magnitudo laboris pertinet ad augmentum meriti. Et sic caritas non diminuit laborem, immo facit aggredi opera maxima; magna enim operatur, si est, ut Gregorius dicit in quadam homilia. Alio modo ex defectu ipsius operantis, unicuique enim est laboriosum et difficile quod non prompta voluntate facit. Et talis labor diminuit meritum, et a caritate tollitur. Reply Obj. 2: A work can be toilsome and difficult in two ways: first, from the greatness of the work, and thus the greatness of the work pertains to the increase of merit; and thus charity does not lessen the toil—rather, it makes us undertake the greatest toils, for it does great things, if it exists, as Gregory says (Hom. in Evang. xxx). Second, from the defect of the operator; for what is not done with a ready will is hard and difficult to all of us, and this toil lessens merit and is removed by charity. Ad tertium dicendum quod fidei actus non est meritorius nisi fides per dilectionem operetur, ut dicitur ad Gal. V. Similiter etiam actus patientiae et fortitudinis non est meritorius nisi aliquis ex caritate haec operetur; secundum illud I ad Cor. XIII, si tradidero corpus meum ita ut ardeam, caritatem autem non habuero, nihil mihi prodest. Reply Obj. 3: The act of faith is not meritorious unless faith . . . worketh by charity (Gal 5:6). So, too, the acts of patience and fortitude are not meritorious unless a man does them out of charity, according to 1 Cor. 13:3: If I should deliver my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Articulus 5 Article 5 Utrum homo possit sibi mereri primam gratiam Whether a man may merit for himself the first grace? Ad quintum sic proceditur. Videtur quod homo possit sibi mereri primam gratiam. Quia ut Augustinus dicit, fides meretur iustificationem. Iustificatur autem homo per primam gratiam. Ergo homo potest sibi mereri primam gratiam. Objection 1: It would seem that a man may merit for himself the first grace, because, as Augustine says (Ep. clxxxvi), faith merits justification. Now a man is justified by the first grace. Therefore a man may merit the first grace. Praeterea, Deus non dat gratiam nisi dignis. Sed non dicitur aliquis dignus aliquo dono, nisi qui ipsum promeruit ex condigno. Ergo aliquis ex condigno potest mereri primam gratiam. Obj. 2: Further, God gives grace only to the worthy. Now, no one is said to be worthy of some good, unless he has merited it condignly. Therefore we may merit the first grace condignly. Praeterea, apud homines aliquis potest promereri donum iam acceptum, sicut qui accepit equum a domino, meretur ipsum bene utendo eo in servitio domini. Sed Deus est liberalior quam homo. Ergo multo magis primam gratiam iam susceptam potest homo promereri a Deo per subsequentia opera. Obj. 3: Further, with men we may merit a gift already received. Thus if a man receives a horse from his master, he merits it by a good use of it in his master’s service. Now God is much more bountiful than man. Much more, therefore, may a man, by subsequent works, merit the first grace already received from God. Sed contra est quod ratio gratiae repugnat mercedi operum; secundum illud Rom. IV, ei qui operatur, merces non imputatur secundum gratiam, sed secundum debitum. Sed illud meretur homo quod imputatur quasi merces operis eius. Ergo primam gratiam non potest homo mereri. On the contrary, The nature of grace is repugnant to reward of works, according to Rm. 4:4: Now to him that worketh, the reward is not reckoned according to grace but according to debt. Now a man merits what is reckoned to him according to debt, as the reward of his works. Hence a man may not merit the first grace. Respondeo dicendum quod donum gratiae considerari potest dupliciter. Uno modo, secundum rationem gratuiti doni. Et sic manifestum est quod omne meritum repugnat gratiae, quia ut ad Rom. XI apostolus dicit, si ex operibus, iam non ex gratia. Alio modo potest considerari secundum naturam ipsius rei quae donatur. Et sic etiam non potest cadere sub merito non habentis gratiam, tum quia excedit proportionem naturae; tum etiam quia ante gratiam, in statu peccati, homo habet impedimentum promerendi gratiam, scilicet ipsum peccatum. Postquam autem iam aliquis habet gratiam, non potest gratia iam habita sub merito cadere, quia merces est terminus operis, gratia vero est principium cuiuslibet boni operis in nobis, ut supra dictum est. Si vero aliud donum gratuitum aliquis mereatur virtute gratiae praecedentis, iam non erit prima. Unde manifestum est quod nullus potest sibi mereri primam gratiam. I answer that, The gift of grace may be considered in two ways: first in the nature of a gratuitous gift, and thus it is manifest that all merit is repugnant to grace, since as the Apostle says (Rom 11:6), if by grace, it is not now by works. Second, it may be considered as regards the nature of the thing given, and thus, also, it cannot come under the merit of him who has not grace, both because it exceeds the proportion of nature, and because previous to grace a man in the state of sin has an obstacle to his meriting grace, viz., sin. But when anyone has grace, the grace already possessed cannot come under merit, since reward is the term of the work, but grace is the principle of all our good works, as stated above (Q109). But if anyone merits a further gratuitous gift by virtue of the preceding grace, it would not be the first grace. Hence it is manifest that no one can merit for himself the first grace. Ad primum ergo dicendum quod, sicut Augustinus dicit in libro Retract., ipse aliquando in hoc fuit deceptus, quod credidit initium fidei esse ex nobis, sed consummationem nobis dari ex Deo, quod ipse ibidem retractat. Et ad hunc sensum videtur pertinere quod fides iustificationem mereatur. Sed si supponamus, sicut fidei veritas habet, quod initium fidei sit in nobis a Deo; iam etiam ipse actus fidei consequitur primam gratiam, et ita non potest esse meritorius primae gratiae. Per fidem igitur iustificatur homo, non quasi homo credendo mereatur iustificationem, sed quia, dum iustificatur, credit; eo quod motus fidei requiritur ad iustificationem impii, ut supra dictum est. Reply Obj. 1: As Augustine says (Retract. i, 23), he was deceived on this point for a time, believing the beginning of faith to be from us, and its consummation to be granted us by God; and this he here retracts. And seemingly it is in this sense that he speaks of faith as meriting justification. But if we suppose, as indeed it is a truth of faith, that the beginning of faith is in us from God, the first act must flow from grace; and thus it cannot be meritorious of the first grace. Therefore man is justified by faith, not as though man, by believing, were to merit justification, but that, he believes, whilst he is being justified; inasmuch as a movement of faith is required for the justification of the ungodly, as stated above (Q113, A4). Ad secundum dicendum quod Deus non dat gratiam nisi dignis. Non tamen ita quod prius digni fuerint, sed quia ipse per gratiam eos facit dignos, qui solus potest facere mundum de immundo conceptum semine. Reply Obj. 2: God gives grace to none but to the worthy, not that they were previously worthy, but that by His grace He makes them worthy, Who alone can make him clean that is conceived of unclean seed (Job 14:4). Ad tertium dicendum quod omne bonum opus hominis procedit a prima gratia sicut a principio. Non autem procedit a quocumque humano dono. Et ideo non est similis ratio de dono gratiae et de dono humano. Reply Obj. 3: Man’s every good work proceeds from the first grace as from its principle; but not from any gift of man. Consequently, there is no comparison between gifts of grace and gifts of men. Articulus 6 Article 6 Utrum homo possit alteri mereri primam gratiam Whether a man can merit the first grace for another? Ad sextum sic proceditur. Videtur quod homo possit alteri mereri primam gratiam. Quia Matth. IX, super illud, videns Iesus fidem illorum etc., dicit Glossa, quantum valet apud Deum fides propria, apud quem sic valuit aliena ut intus et extra sanaret hominem. Sed interior sanatio hominis est per primam gratiam. Ergo homo potest alteri mereri primam gratiam. Objection 1: It would seem that a man can merit the first grace for another. Because on Mt. 9:2: Jesus seeing their faith, etc. a gloss says: How much is our personal faith worth with God, Who set such a price on another’s faith, as to heal the man both inwardly and outwardly! Now inward healing is brought about by grace. Hence a man can merit the first grace for another. Praeterea, orationes iustorum non sunt vacuae, sed efficaces; secundum illud Iac. ult., multum valet deprecatio iusti assidua. Sed ibidem praemittitur, orate pro invicem ut salvemini. Cum igitur salus hominis non possit esse nisi per gratiam, videtur quod unus homo possit alteri mereri primam gratiam. Obj. 2: Further, the prayers of the just are not void, but efficacious, according to James 5:16: The continued prayer of a just man availeth much. Now he had previously said: Pray one for another, that you may be saved. Hence, since man’s salvation can only be brought about by grace, it seems that one man may merit for another his first grace. Praeterea, Luc. XVI dicitur, facite vobis amicos de mammona iniquitatis, ut cum defeceritis, recipiant vos in aeterna tabernacula. Sed nullus recipitur in aeterna tabernacula nisi per gratiam, per quam solam aliquis meretur vitam aeternam, ut supra dictum est. Ergo unus homo potest alteri acquirere, merendo, primam gratiam. Obj. 3: Further, it is written (Luke 16:9): Make unto you friends of the mammon of iniquity, that when you shall fail they may receive you into everlasting dwellings. Now it is through grace alone that anyone is received into everlasting dwellings, for by it alone does anyone merit everlasting life as stated above (A2; Q109, A5). Hence one man may by merit obtain for another his first grace.