Whether the Debt of Punishment That Arises Through Ingratitude in
Respect of a Subsequent Sin Is As Great As That of the Sins
Previously Pardoned?
Objection 1: It would seem that the debt of punishment arising
through ingratitude in respect of a subsequent sin is as great as
that of the sins previously pardoned. Because the greatness of the
favor of the pardon of sins is according to the greatness of the sin
pardoned, and so too, in consequence, is the greatness of the
ingratitude whereby this favor is scorned. But the greatness of the
consequent debt of punishment is in accord with the greatness of the
ingratitude. Therefore the debt of punishment arising through
ingratitude in respect of a subsequent sin is as great as the debt of
punishment due for all the previous sins.
Obj. 2: Further, it is a greater sin to offend God than to offend
man. But a slave who is freed by his master returns to the same state
of slavery from which he was freed, or even to a worse state. Much
more therefore he that sins against God after being freed from sin,
returns to the debt of as great a punishment as he had incurred
before.
Obj. 3: Further, it is written (Matt. 18:34) that "his lord being
angry, delivered him" (whose sins returned to him on account of his
ingratitude) "to the torturers, until he paid all the debt." But this
would not be so unless the debt of punishment incurred through
ingratitude were as great as that incurred through all previous sins.
Therefore an equal debt of punishment returns through ingratitude.
_On the contrary,_ It is written (Deut. 25:2): "According to the
measure of the sin shall the measure also of the stripes be," whence
it is evident that a great debt of punishment does not arise from a
slight sin. But sometimes a subsequent mortal sin is much less
grievous than any one of those previously pardoned. Therefore the
debt of punishment incurred through subsequent sins is not equal to
that of sins previously forgiven.
_I answer that,_ Some have maintained that the debt of punishment
incurred through ingratitude in respect of a subsequent sin is equal
to that of the sins previously pardoned, in addition to the debt
proper to this subsequent sin. But there is no need for this,
because, as stated above (A. 1), the debt of punishment incurred by
previous sins does not return on account of a subsequent sin, as
resulting from the acts of the subsequent sin. Wherefore the amount
of the debt that returns must be according to the gravity of the
subsequent sin.
It is possible, however, for the gravity of the subsequent sin to
equal the gravity of all previous sins. But it need not always be so,
whether we speak of the gravity which a sin has from its species
(since the subsequent sin may be one of simple fornication, while the
previous sins were adulteries, murders, or sacrileges); or of the
gravity which it incurs through the ingratitude connected with it.
For it is not necessary that the measure of ingratitude should be
exactly equal to the measure of the favor received, which latter is
measured according to the greatness of the sins previously pardoned.
Because it may happen that in respect of the same favor, one man is
very ungrateful, either on account of the intensity of his scorn for
the favor received, or on account of the gravity of the offense
committed against the benefactor, while another man is slightly
ungrateful, either because his scorn is less intense, or because his
offense against the benefactor is less grave. But the measure of
ingratitude is proportionately equal to the measure of the favor
received: for supposing an equal contempt of the favor, or an equal
offense against the benefactor, the ingratitude will be so much the
greater, as the favor received is greater.
Hence it is evident that the debt of punishment incurred by a
subsequent sin need not always be equal to that of previous sins; but
it must be in proportion thereto, so that the more numerous or the
greater the sins previously pardoned, the greater must be the debt of
punishment incurred by any subsequent mortal sin whatever.
Reply Obj. 1: The favor of the pardon of sins takes its absolute
quantity from the quantity of the sins previously pardoned: but the
sin of ingratitude does not take its absolute quantity from the
measure of the favor bestowed, but from the measure of the contempt
or of the offense, as stated above: and so the objection does not
prove.
Reply Obj. 2: A slave who has been given his freedom is not brought
back to his previous state of slavery for any kind of ingratitude,
but only when this is grave.
Reply Obj. 3: He whose forgiven sins return to him on account of
subsequent ingratitude, incurs the debt for all, in so far as the
measure of his previous sins is contained proportionally in his
subsequent ingratitude, but not absolutely, as stated above.
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