Part II (Pars Prima Secundae) Part 183 (1/2)
Obj. 3: Further, grace is preserved by the same cause as brings it into being, for Augustine says (Gen. ad lit. viii, 12) that ”so ought man to turn to G.o.d as he is ever made just by Him.” Now grace is preserved in man without a movement of his free-will. Hence it can be infused in the beginning without a movement of the free-will.
_On the contrary,_ It is written (John 6:45): ”Every one that hath heard of the Father, and hath learned, cometh to Me.” Now to learn cannot be without a movement of the free-will, since the learner a.s.sents to the teacher. Hence, no one comes to the Father by justifying grace without a movement of the free-will.
_I answer that,_ The justification of the unG.o.dly is brought about by G.o.d moving man to justice. For He it is ”that justifieth the unG.o.dly”
according to Rom. 4:5. Now G.o.d moves everything in its own manner, just as we see that in natural things, what is heavy and what is light are moved differently, on account of their diverse natures.
Hence He moves man to justice according to the condition of his human nature. But it is man's proper nature to have free-will. Hence in him who has the use of reason, G.o.d's motion to justice does not take place without a movement of the free-will; but He so infuses the gift of justifying grace that at the same time He moves the free-will to accept the gift of grace, in such as are capable of being moved thus.
Reply Obj. 1: Infants are not capable of the movement of their free-will; hence it is by the mere infusion of their souls that G.o.d moves them to justice. Now this cannot be brought about without a sacrament; because as original sin, from which they are justified, does not come to them from their own will, but by carnal generation, so also is grace given them by Christ through spiritual regeneration.
And the same reason holds good with madmen and idiots that have never had the use of their free-will. But in the case of one who has had the use of his free-will and afterwards has lost it either through sickness or sleep, he does not obtain justifying grace by the exterior rite of Baptism, or of any other sacrament, unless he intended to make use of this sacrament, and this can only be by the use of his free-will. And it was in this way that he of whom Augustine speaks was regenerated, because both previously and afterwards he a.s.sented to the Baptism.
Reply Obj. 2: Solomon neither merited nor received wisdom whilst asleep; but it was declared to him in his sleep that on account of his previous desire wisdom would be infused into him by G.o.d. Hence it is said in his person (Wis. 7:7): ”I wished, and understanding was given unto me.”
Or it may be said that his sleep was not natural, but was the sleep of prophecy, according to Num. 12:6: ”If there be among you a prophet of the Lord, I will appear to him in a vision, or I will speak to him in a dream.” In such cases the use of free-will remains.
And yet it must be observed that the comparison between the gift of wisdom and the gift of justifying grace does not hold. For the gift of justifying grace especially ordains a man to good, which is the object of the will; and hence a man is moved to it by a movement of the will which is a movement of free-will. But wisdom perfects the intellect which precedes the will; hence without any complete movement of the free-will, the intellect can be enlightened with the gift of wisdom, even as we see that things are revealed to men in sleep, according to Job 33:15, 16: ”When deep sleep falleth upon men and they are sleeping in their beds, then He openeth the ears of men, and teaching, instructeth them in what they are to learn.”
Reply Obj. 3: In the infusion of justifying grace there is a certain trans.m.u.tation of the human soul, and hence a proper movement of the human soul is required in order that the soul may be moved in its own manner. But the conservation of grace is without trans.m.u.tation: no movement on the part of the soul is required but only a continuation of the Divine influx.
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FOURTH ARTICLE [I-II, Q. 113, Art. 4]
Whether a Movement of Faith Is Required for the Justification of the UnG.o.dly?
Objection 1: It would seem that no movement of faith is required for the justification of the unG.o.dly. For as a man is justified by faith, so also by other things, viz. by fear, of which it is written (Ecclus. 1:27): ”The fear of the Lord driveth out sin, for he that is without fear cannot be justified”; and again by charity, according to Luke 7:47: ”Many sins are forgiven her because she hath loved much”; and again by humility, according to James 4:6: ”G.o.d resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble”; and again by mercy, according to Prov. 15:27: ”By mercy and faith sins are purged away.” Hence the movement of faith is no more required for the justification of the unG.o.dly, than the movements of the aforesaid virtues.
Obj. 2: Further, the act of faith is required for justification only inasmuch as a man knows G.o.d by faith. But a man may know G.o.d in other ways, viz. by natural knowledge, and by the gift of wisdom. Hence no act of faith is required for the justification of the unG.o.dly.
Obj. 3: Further, there are several articles of faith. Therefore if the act of faith is required for the justification of the unG.o.dly, it would seem that a man ought to think on every article of faith when he is first justified. But this seems inconvenient, since such thought would require a long delay of time. Hence it seems that an act of faith is not required for the justification of the unG.o.dly.
_On the contrary,_ It is written (Rom. 5:1): ”Being justified therefore by faith, let us have peace with G.o.d.”
_I answer that,_ As stated above (A. 3) a movement of free-will is required for the justification of the unG.o.dly, inasmuch as man's mind is moved by G.o.d. Now G.o.d moves man's soul by turning it to Himself according to Ps. 84:7 (Septuagint): ”Thou wilt turn us, O G.o.d, and bring us to life.” Hence for the justification of the unG.o.dly a movement of the mind is required, by which it is turned to G.o.d. Now the first turning to G.o.d is by faith, according to Heb. 11:6: ”He that cometh to G.o.d must believe that He is.” Hence a movement of faith is required for the justification of the unG.o.dly.
Reply Obj. 1: The movement of faith is not perfect unless it is quickened by charity; hence in the justification of the unG.o.dly, a movement of charity is infused together with the movement of faith.
Now free-will is moved to G.o.d by being subject to Him; hence an act of filial fear and an act of humility also concur. For it may happen that one and the same act of free-will springs from different virtues, when one commands and another is commanded, inasmuch as the act may be ordained to various ends. But the act of mercy counteracts sin either by way of satisfying for it, and thus it follows justification; or by way of preparation, inasmuch as the merciful obtain mercy; and thus it can either precede justification, or concur with the other virtues towards justification, inasmuch as mercy is included in the love of our neighbor.
Reply Obj. 2: By natural knowledge a man is not turned to G.o.d, according as He is the object of beat.i.tude and the cause of justification. Hence such knowledge does not suffice for justification. But the gift of wisdom presupposes the knowledge of faith, as stated above (Q. 68, A. 4, ad 3).
Reply Obj. 3: As the Apostle says (Rom. 4:5), ”to him that ...
believeth in Him that justifieth the unG.o.dly his faith is reputed to justice, according to the purpose of the grace of G.o.d.” Hence it is clear that in the justification of the unG.o.dly an act of faith is required in order that a man may believe that G.o.d justifies man through the mystery of Christ.
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FIFTH ARTICLE [I-II, Q. 113, Art. 5]
Whether for the Justification of the UnG.o.dly There Is Required a Movement of the Free-will Towards Sin?
Objection 1: It would seem that no movement of the free-will towards sin is required for the justification of the unG.o.dly. For charity alone suffices to take away sin, according to Prov. 10:12: ”Charity covereth all sins.” Now the object of charity is not sin. Therefore for this justification of the unG.o.dly no movement of the free-will towards sin is required.