Part II (Pars Prima Secundae) Part 185 (2/2)
the manifestation of His goodness; even as He seeks it also in His own works. Now nothing accrues to Him, but only to ourselves, by our wors.h.i.+p of Him. Hence we merit from G.o.d, not that by our works anything accrues to Him, but inasmuch as we work for His glory.
Reply Obj. 3: Since our action has the character of merit, only on the presupposition of the Divine ordination, it does not follow that G.o.d is made our debtor simply, but His own, inasmuch as it is right that His will should be carried out.
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SECOND ARTICLE [I-II, Q. 114, Art. 2]
Whether Anyone Without Grace Can Merit Eternal Life?
Objection 1: It would seem that without grace anyone can merit eternal life. For man merits from G.o.d what he is divinely ordained to, as stated above (A. 1). Now man by his nature is ordained to beat.i.tude as his end; hence, too, he naturally wishes to be blessed.
Hence man by his natural endowments and without grace can merit beat.i.tude which is eternal life.
Obj. 2: Further, the less a work is due, the more meritorious it is.
Now, less due is that work which is done by one who has received fewer benefits. Hence, since he who has only natural endowments has received fewer gifts from G.o.d, than he who has gratuitous gifts as well as nature, it would seem that his works are more meritorious with G.o.d. And thus if he who has grace can merit eternal life to some extent, much more may he who has no grace.
Obj. 3: Further, G.o.d's mercy and liberality infinitely surpa.s.s human mercy and liberality. Now a man may merit from another, even though he has not hitherto had his grace. Much more, therefore, would it seem that a man without grace may merit eternal life.
_On the contrary,_ The Apostle says (Rom. 6:23): ”The grace of G.o.d, life everlasting.”
_I answer that,_ Man without grace may be looked at in two states, as was said above (Q. 109, A. 2): the first, a state of perfect nature, in which Adam was before his sin; the second, a state of corrupt nature, in which we are before being restored by grace. Therefore, if we speak of man in the first state, there is only one reason why man cannot merit eternal life without grace, by his purely natural endowments, viz. because man's merit depends on the Divine pre-ordination. Now no act of anything whatsoever is divinely ordained to anything exceeding the proportion of the powers which are the principles of its act; for it is a law of Divine providence that nothing shall act beyond its powers. Now everlasting life is a good exceeding the proportion of created nature; since it exceeds its knowledge and desire, according to 1 Cor. 2:9: ”Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man.” And hence it is that no created nature is a sufficient principle of an act meritorious of eternal life, unless there is added a supernatural gift, which we call grace. But if we speak of man as existing in sin, a second reason is added to this, viz. the impediment of sin. For since sin is an offense against G.o.d, excluding us from eternal life, as is clear from what has been said above (Q. 71, A. 6; Q. 113, A.
2), no one existing in a state of mortal sin can merit eternal life unless first he be reconciled to G.o.d, through his sin being forgiven, which is brought about by grace. For the sinner deserves not life, but death, according to Rom. 6:23: ”The wages of sin is death.”
Reply Obj. 1: G.o.d ordained human nature to attain the end of eternal life, not by its own strength, but by the help of grace; and in this way its act can be meritorious of eternal life.
Reply Obj. 2: Without grace a man cannot have a work equal to a work proceeding from grace, since the more perfect the principle, the more perfect the action. But the objection would hold good, if we supposed the operations equal in both cases.
Reply Obj. 3: With regard to the first reason adduced, the case is different in G.o.d and in man. For a man receives all his power of well-doing from G.o.d, and not from man. Hence a man can merit nothing from G.o.d except by His gift, which the Apostle expresses aptly saying (Rom. 11:35): ”Who hath first given to Him, and recompense shall be made to him?” But man may merit from man, before he has received anything from him, by what he has received from G.o.d.
But as regards the second proof taken from the impediment of sin, the case is similar with man and G.o.d, since one man cannot merit from another whom he has offended, unless he makes satisfaction to him and is reconciled.
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THIRD ARTICLE [I-II, Q. 114, Art. 3]
Whether a Man in Grace Can Merit Eternal Life Condignly?
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 (_condignae_) 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.
Obj. 2: Further, on Rom. 6:23, ”The grace of G.o.d, life everlasting,”
a gloss says: ”He might have truly said: 'The wages of justice, life everlasting'; but He preferred to say 'The grace of G.o.d, life everlasting,' that we may know that G.o.d 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.
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 surpa.s.ses our knowledge and our desire, and moreover, surpa.s.ses the charity or love of the wayfarer, even as it exceeds nature.
Therefore with grace a man cannot merit eternal life condignly.
_On the contrary,_ What is granted in accordance with a fair judgment, would seem a condign reward. But life everlasting is granted by G.o.d, 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.
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