Whether a Man, by Himself and Without the External Aid of Grace, Can
Prepare Himself for Grace?
Objection 1: It would seem that man, by himself and without the
external help of grace, can prepare himself for grace. For nothing
impossible is laid upon man, as stated above (A. 4, ad 1). But it is
written (Zech. 1:3): "Turn ye to Me . . . and I will turn to you."
Now to prepare for grace is nothing more than to turn to God.
Therefore it seems that man of himself, and without the external help
of grace, can prepare himself for grace.
Obj. 2: Further, man prepares himself for grace by doing what is in
him to do, since if man does what is in him to do, God will not deny
him grace, for it is written (Matt. 7:11) that God gives His good
Spirit "to them that ask Him." But what is in our power is in us to
do. Therefore it seems to be in our power to prepare ourselves for
grace.
Obj. 3: Further, if a man needs grace in order to prepare for grace,
with equal reason will he need grace to prepare himself for the first
grace; and thus to infinity, which is impossible. Hence it seems that
we must not go beyond what was said first, viz. that man, of himself
and without grace, can prepare himself for grace.
Obj. 4: Further, it is written (Prov. 16:1) that "it is the part of
man to prepare the soul." Now an action is said to be part of a man,
when he can do it by himself. Hence it seems that man by himself can
prepare himself for grace.
_On the contrary,_ It is written (John 6:44): "No man can come to Me
except the Father, Who hath sent Me, draw him." But if man could
prepare himself, he would not need to be drawn by another. Hence man
cannot prepare himself without the help of grace.
_I answer that,_ The preparation of the human will for good is
twofold: the first, whereby it is prepared to operate rightly and to
enjoy God; and this preparation of the will cannot take place without
the habitual gift of grace, which is the principle of meritorious
works, as stated above (A. 5). There is a second way in which the
human will may be taken to be prepared for the gift of habitual grace
itself. Now in order that man prepare himself to receive this gift,
it is not necessary to presuppose any further habitual gift in the
soul, otherwise we should go on to infinity. But we must presuppose a
gratuitous gift of God, Who moves the soul inwardly or inspires the
good wish. For in these two ways do we need the Divine assistance, as
stated above (AA. 2, 3). Now that we need the help of God to move us,
is manifest. For since every agent acts for an end, every cause must
direct is effect to its end, and hence since the order of ends is
according to the order of agents or movers, man must be directed to
the last end by the motion of the first mover, and to the proximate
end by the motion of any of the subordinate movers; as the spirit of
the soldier is bent towards seeking the victory by the motion of the
leader of the army--and towards following the standard of a regiment
by the motion of the standard-bearer. And thus since God is the First
Mover, simply, it is by His motion that everything seeks to be
likened to God in its own way. Hence Dionysius says (Div. Nom. iv)
that "God turns all to Himself." But He directs righteous men to
Himself as to a special end, which they seek, and to which they wish
to cling, according to Ps. 72:28, "it is good for Me to adhere to my
God." And that they are "turned" to God can only spring from God's
having "turned" them. Now to prepare oneself for grace is, as it were,
to be turned to God; just as, whoever has his eyes turned away from
the light of the sun, prepares himself to receive the sun's light, by
turning his eyes towards the sun. Hence it is clear that man cannot
prepare himself to receive the light of grace except by the
gratuitous help of God moving him inwardly.
Reply Obj. 1: Man's turning to God is by free-will; and thus man is
bidden to turn himself to God. But free-will can only be turned to
God, when God turns it, according to Jer. 31:18: "Convert me and I
shall be converted, for Thou art the Lord, my God"; and Lam. 5:21:
"Convert us, O Lord, to Thee, and we shall be converted."
Reply Obj. 2: Man can do nothing unless moved by God, according to
John 15:5: "Without Me, you can do nothing." Hence when a man is said
to do what is in him to do, this is said to be in his power according
as he is moved by God.
Reply Obj. 3: This objection regards habitual grace, for which some
preparation is required, since every form requires a disposition in
that which is to be its subject. But in order that man should be
moved by God, no further motion is presupposed since God is the First
Mover. Hence we need not go to infinity.
Reply Obj. 4: It is the part of man to prepare his soul, since he
does this by his free-will. And yet he does not do this without the
help of God moving him, and drawing him to Himself, as was said above.
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