Whether Sins That Have Been Forgiven, Return Through Ingratitude
Which Is Shown Especially in Four Kinds of Sin?
Objection 1: It would seem that sins do not return through
ingratitude, which is shown especially in four kinds of sin, viz.,
hatred of one's neighbor, apostasy from faith, contempt of confession
and regret for past repentance, and which have been expressed in the
following verse:
"Fratres odit, apostata fit, spernitque, fateri,
Poenituisse piget, pristina culpa redit."
For the more grievous the sin committed against God after one has
received the grace of pardon, the greater the ingratitude. But there
are sins more grievous than these, such as blasphemy against God, and
the sin against the Holy Ghost. Therefore it seems that sins already
pardoned do not return through ingratitude as manifested in these
sins, any more than as shown in other sins.
Obj. 2: Further, Rabanus says: "God delivered the wicked servant to
the torturers, until he should pay the whole debt, because a man will
be deemed punishable not only for the sins he commits after Baptism,
but also for original sin which was taken away when he was baptized."
Now venial sins are reckoned among our debts, since we pray in their
regard: "Forgive us our trespasses (_debita_)." Therefore they too
return through ingratitude; and, in like manner seemingly, sins
already pardoned return through venial sins, and not only through
those sins mentioned above.
Obj. 3: Further, ingratitude is all the greater, according as one
sins after receiving a greater favor. Now innocence whereby one
avoids sin is a Divine favor, for Augustine says (Confess. ii):
"Whatever sins I have avoided committing, I owe it to Thy grace." Now
innocence is a greater gift, than even the forgiveness of all sins.
Therefore the first sin committed after innocence is no less an
ingratitude to God, than a sin committed after repentance, so that
seemingly ingratitude in respect of the aforesaid sins is not the
chief cause of sins returning.
_On the contrary,_ Gregory says (Moral. xviii [*Cf. Dial. iv]): "It
is evident from the words of the Gospel that if we do not forgive
from our hearts the offenses committed against us, we become once
more accountable for what we rejoiced in as forgiven through
Penance": so that ingratitude implied in the hatred of one's brother
is a special cause of the return of sins already forgiven: and the
same seems to apply to the others.
_I answer that,_ As stated above (A. 1), sins pardoned through
Penance are said to return, in so far as their debt of punishment, by
reason of ingratitude, is virtually contained in the subsequent sin.
Now one may be guilty of ingratitude in two ways: first by doing
something against the favor received, and, in this way, man is
ungrateful to God in every mortal sin whereby he offends God Who
forgave his sins, so that by every subsequent mortal sin, the sins
previously pardoned return, on account of the ingratitude. Secondly,
one is guilty of ingratitude, by doing something not only against the
favor itself, but also against the form of the favor received. If
this form be considered on the part of the benefactor, it is the
remission of something due to him; wherefore he who does not forgive
his brother when he asks pardon, and persists in his hatred, acts
against this form. If, however, this form be taken in regard to the
penitent who receives this favor, we find on his part a twofold
movement of the free-will. The first is the movement of the free-will
towards God, and is an act of faith quickened by charity; and against
this a man acts by apostatizing from the faith. The second is a
movement of the free-will against sin, and is the act of penance.
This act consists first, as we have stated above (Q. 85, AA. 2, 5) in
man's detestation of his past sins; and against this a man acts when
he regrets having done penance. Secondly, the act of penance consists
in the penitent purposing to subject himself to the keys of the
Church by confession, according to Ps. 31:5: "I said: I will confess
against myself my injustice to the Lord: and Thou hast forgiven the
wickedness of my sin": and against this a man acts when he scorns to
confess as he had purposed to do.
Accordingly it is said that the ingratitude of sinners is a special
cause of the return of sins previously forgiven.
Reply Obj. 1: This is not said of these sins as though they were more
grievous than others, but because they are more directly opposed to
the favor of the forgiveness of sin.
Reply Obj. 2: Even venial sins and original sin return in the way
explained above, just as mortal sins do, in so far as the favor
conferred by God in forgiving those sins is despised. A man does not,
however, incur ingratitude by committing a venial sin, because by
sinning venially man does not act against God, but apart from Him,
wherefore venial sins nowise cause the return of sins already
forgiven.
Reply Obj. 3: A favor can be weighed in two ways. First by the
quantity of the favor itself, and in this way innocence is a greater
favor from God than penance, which is called the second plank after
shipwreck (cf. Q. 84, A. 6). Secondly, a favor may be weighed with
regard to the recipient, who is less worthy, wherefore a greater
favor is bestowed on him, so that he is the more ungrateful if he
scorns it. In this way the favor of the pardon of sins is greater
when bestowed on one who is altogether unworthy, so that the
ingratitude which follows is all the greater.
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