Part II (Pars Prima Secundae) Part 181 (1/2)

Obj. 3: Further, according to Dionysius (Coel. Hier. iii, iv, vii, viii), ”Angels cleanse, enlighten, and perfect both lesser angels and men.” Now the rational creature is cleansed, enlightened, and perfected by grace. Therefore G.o.d is not the only cause of grace.

_On the contrary,_ It is written (Ps. 83:12): ”The Lord will give grace and glory.”

_I answer that,_ Nothing can act beyond its species, since the cause must always be more powerful than its effect. Now the gift of grace surpa.s.ses every capability of created nature, since it is nothing short of a partaking of the Divine Nature, which exceeds every other nature. And thus it is impossible that any creature should cause grace. For it is as necessary that G.o.d alone should deify, bestowing a partaking of the Divine Nature by a partic.i.p.ated likeness, as it is impossible that anything save fire should enkindle.

Reply Obj. 1: Christ's humanity is an ”organ of His G.o.dhead,” as Damascene says (De Fide Orth. iii, 19). Now an instrument does not bring forth the action of the princ.i.p.al agent by its own power, but in virtue of the princ.i.p.al agent. Hence Christ's humanity does not cause grace by its own power, but by virtue of the Divine Nature joined to it, whereby the actions of Christ's humanity are saving actions.

Reply Obj. 2: As in the person of Christ the humanity causes our salvation by grace, the Divine power being the princ.i.p.al agent, so likewise in the sacraments of the New Law, which are derived from Christ, grace is instrumentally caused by the sacraments, and princ.i.p.ally by the power of the Holy Ghost working in the sacraments, according to John 3:5: ”Unless a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost he cannot enter into the kingdom of G.o.d.”

Reply Obj. 3: Angels cleanse, enlighten, and perfect angels or men, by instruction, and not by justifying them through grace. Hence Dionysius says (Coel. Hier. vii) that ”this cleansing and enlightenment and perfecting is nothing else than the a.s.sumption of Divine knowledge.”

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SECOND ARTICLE [I-II, Q. 112, Art. 2]

Whether Any Preparation and Disposition for Grace Is Required on Man's Part?

Objection 1: It would seem that no preparation or disposition for grace is required on man's part, since, as the Apostle says (Rom.

4:4), ”To him that worketh, the reward is not reckoned according to grace, but according to debt.” Now a man's preparation by free-will can only be through some operation. Hence it would do away with the notion of grace.

Obj. 2: Further, whoever is going on sinning, is not preparing himself to have grace. But to some who are going on sinning grace is given, as is clear in the case of Paul, who received grace whilst he was ”breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord” (Act 9:1). Hence no preparation for grace is required on man's part.

Obj. 3: Further, an agent of infinite power needs no disposition in matter, since it does not even require matter, as appears in creation, to which grace is compared, which is called ”a new creature” (Gal. 6:15). But only G.o.d, Who has infinite power, causes grace, as stated above (A. 1). Hence no preparation is required on man's part to obtain grace.

_On the contrary,_ It is written (Amos 4:12): ”Be prepared to meet thy G.o.d, O Israel,” and (1 Kings 7:3): ”Prepare your hearts unto the Lord.”

_I answer that,_ As stated above (Q. 111, A. 2), grace is taken in two ways: first, as a habitual gift of G.o.d. Secondly, as a help from G.o.d, Who moves the soul to good. Now taking grace in the first sense, a certain preparation of grace is required for it, since a form can only be in disposed matter. But if we speak of grace as it signifies a help from G.o.d to move us to good, no preparation is required on man's part, that, as it were, antic.i.p.ates the Divine help, but rather, every preparation in man must be by the help of G.o.d moving the soul to good. And thus even the good movement of the free-will, whereby anyone is prepared for receiving the gift of grace, is an act of the free-will moved by G.o.d. And thus man is said to prepare himself, according to Prov. 16:1: ”It is the part of man to prepare the soul”; yet it is princ.i.p.ally from G.o.d, Who moves the free-will.

Hence it is said that man's will is prepared by G.o.d, and that man's steps are guided by G.o.d.

Reply Obj. 1: A certain preparation of man for grace is simultaneous with the infusion of grace; and this operation is meritorious, not indeed of grace, which is already possessed--but of glory which is not yet possessed. But there is another imperfect preparation, which sometimes precedes the gift of sanctifying grace, and yet it is from G.o.d's motion. But it does not suffice for merit, since man is not yet justified by grace, and merit can only arise from grace, as will be seen further on (Q. 114, A. 2).

Reply Obj. 2: Since a man cannot prepare himself for grace unless G.o.d prevent and move him to good, it is of no account whether anyone arrive at perfect preparation instantaneously, or step by step. For it is written (Ecclus. 11:23): ”It is easy in the eyes of G.o.d on a sudden to make the poor man rich.” Now it sometimes happens that G.o.d moves a man to good, but not perfect good, and this preparation precedes grace. But He sometimes moves him suddenly and perfectly to good, and man receives grace suddenly, according to John 6:45: ”Every one that hath heard of the Father, and hath learned, cometh to Me.”

And thus it happened to Paul, since, suddenly when he was in the midst of sin, his heart was perfectly moved by G.o.d to hear, to learn, to come; and hence he received grace suddenly.

Reply Obj. 3: An agent of infinite power needs no matter or disposition of matter, brought about by the action of something else; and yet, looking to the condition of the thing caused, it must cause, in the thing caused, both the matter and the due disposition for the form. So likewise, when G.o.d infuses grace into a soul, no preparation is required which He Himself does not bring about.

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THIRD ARTICLE [I-II, Q. 112, Art. 3]

Whether Grace Is Necessarily Given to Whoever Prepares Himself for It, or to Whoever Does What He Can?

Objection 1: It would seem that grace is necessarily given to whoever prepares himself for grace, or to whoever does what he can, because, on Rom. 5:1, ”Being justified ... by faith, let us have peace,”

etc. the gloss says: ”G.o.d welcomes whoever flies to Him, otherwise there would be injustice with Him.” But it is impossible for injustice to be with G.o.d. Therefore it is impossible for G.o.d not to welcome whoever flies to Him. Hence he receives grace of necessity.

Obj. 2: Further, Anselm says (De Casu Diaboli. iii) that the reason why G.o.d does not bestow grace on the devil, is that he did not wish, nor was he prepared, to receive it. But if the cause be removed, the effect must needs be removed also. Therefore, if anyone is willing to receive grace it is bestowed on them of necessity.

Obj. 3: Further, good is diffusive of itself, as appears from Dionysius (Div. Nom. iv). Now the good of grace is better than the good of nature. Hence, since natural forms necessarily come to disposed matter, much more does it seem that grace is necessarily bestowed on whoever prepares himself for grace.

_On the contrary,_ Man is compared to G.o.d as clay to the potter, according to Jer. 18:6: ”As clay is in the hand of the potter, so are you in My hand.” But however much the clay is prepared, it does not necessarily receive its shape from the potter. Hence, however much a man prepares himself, he does not necessarily receive grace from G.o.d.