Part II (Pars Prima Secundae) Part 182 (1/2)
_I answer that,_ There are three ways of knowing a thing: first, by revelation, and thus anyone may know that he has grace, for G.o.d by a special privilege reveals this at times to some, in order that the joy of safety may begin in them even in this life, and that they may carry on toilsome works with greater trust and greater energy, and may bear the evils of this present life, as when it was said to Paul (2 Cor. 12:9): ”My grace is sufficient for thee.”
Secondly, a man may, of himself, know something, and with certainty; and in this way no one can know that he has grace. For cert.i.tude about a thing can only be had when we may judge of it by its proper principle. Thus it is by undemonstrable universal principles that cert.i.tude is obtained concerning demonstrative conclusions. Now no one can know he has the knowledge of a conclusion if he does not know its principle. But the principle of grace and its object is G.o.d, Who by reason of His very excellence is unknown to us, according to Job 36:26: ”Behold G.o.d is great, exceeding our knowledge.” And hence His presence in us and His absence cannot be known with certainty, according to Job 9:11: ”If He come to me, I shall not see Him; if He depart I shall not understand.” And hence man cannot judge with certainty that he has grace, according to 1 Cor. 4:3, 4: ”But neither do I judge my own self ... but He that judgeth me is the Lord.”
Thirdly, things are known conjecturally by signs; and thus anyone may know he has grace, when he is conscious of delighting in G.o.d, and of despising worldly things, and inasmuch as a man is not conscious of any mortal sin. And thus it is written (Apoc. 2:17): ”To him that overcometh I will give the hidden manna ... which no man knoweth, but he that receiveth it,” because whoever receives it knows, by experiencing a certain sweetness, which he who does not receive it, does not experience. Yet this knowledge is imperfect; hence the Apostle says (1 Cor. 4:4): ”I am not conscious to myself of anything, yet am I not hereby justified,” since, according to Ps. 18:13: ”Who can understand sins? From my secret ones cleanse me, O Lord, and from those of others spare Thy servant.”
Reply Obj. 1: Those things which are in the soul by their physical reality, are known through experimental knowledge; in so far as through acts man has experience of their inward principles: thus when we wish, we perceive that we have a will; and when we exercise the functions of life, we observe that there is life in us.
Reply Obj. 2: It is an essential condition of knowledge that a man should have cert.i.tude of the objects of knowledge; and again, it is an essential condition of faith that a man should be certain of the things of faith, and this, because cert.i.tude belongs to the perfection of the intellect, wherein these gifts exist. Hence, whoever has knowledge or faith is certain that he has them. But it is otherwise with grace and charity and such like, which perfect the appet.i.tive faculty.
Reply Obj. 3: Sin has for its princ.i.p.al object commutable good, which is known to us. But the object or end of grace is unknown to us on account of the greatness of its light, according to 1 Tim. 6:16: ”Who ... inhabiteth light inaccessible.”
Reply Obj. 4: The Apostle is here speaking of the gifts of glory, which have been given to us in hope, and these we know most certainly by faith, although we do not know for certain that we have grace to enable us to merit them. Or it may be said that he is speaking of the privileged knowledge, which comes of revelation. Hence he adds (1 Cor. 2:10): ”But to us G.o.d hath revealed them by His Spirit.”
Reply Obj. 5: What was said to Abraham may refer to experimental knowledge which springs from deeds of which we are cognizant. For in the deed that Abraham had just wrought, he could know experimentally that he had the fear of G.o.d. Or it may refer to a revelation.
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QUESTION 113
OF THE EFFECTS OF GRACE (In Ten Articles)
We have now to consider the effect of grace; (1) the justification of the unG.o.dly, which is the effect of operating grace; and (2) merit, which is the effect of cooperating grace. Under the first head there are ten points of inquiry:
(1) What is the justification of the unG.o.dly?
(2) Whether grace is required for it?
(3) Whether any movement of the free-will is required?
(4) Whether a movement of faith is required?
(5) Whether a movement of the free-will against sin is required?
(6) Whether the remission of sins is to be reckoned with the foregoing?
(7) Whether the justification of the unG.o.dly is a work of time or is sudden?
(8) Of the natural order of the things concurring to justification;
(9) Whether the justification of the unG.o.dly is G.o.d's greatest work?
(10) Whether the justification of the unG.o.dly is miraculous?
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FIRST ARTICLE [I-II, Q. 113, Art. 1]
Whether the Justification of the UnG.o.dly Is the Remission of Sins?
Objection 1: It would seem that the justification of the unG.o.dly is not the remission of sins. For sin is opposed not only to justice, but to all the other virtues, as stated above (Q. 71, A. 1). Now justification signifies a certain movement towards justice. Therefore not even remission of sin is justification, since movement is from one contrary to the other.
Obj. 2: Further, everything ought to be named from what is predominant in it, according to _De Anima_ ii, text. 49. Now the remission of sins is brought about chiefly by faith, according to Acts 15:9: ”Purifying their hearts by faith”; and by charity, according to Prov. 10:12: ”Charity covereth all sins.” Therefore the remission of sins ought to be named after faith or charity rather than justice.
Obj. 3: Further, the remission of sins seems to be the same as being called, for whoever is called is afar off, and we are afar off from G.o.d by sin. But one is called before being justified according to Rom. 8:30: ”And whom He called, them He also justified.” Therefore justification is not the remission of sins.