Whether Man Possessed of Grace Needs the Help of Grace in Order to
Persevere?
Objection 1: It would seem that man possessed of grace needs no help
to persevere. For perseverance is something less than virtue, even as
continence is, as is clear from the Philosopher (Ethic. vii, 7, 9).
Now since man is justified by grace, he needs no further help of
grace in order to have the virtues. Much less, therefore, does he
need the help of grace to have perseverance.
Obj. 2: Further, all the virtues are infused at once. But
perseverance is put down as a virtue. Hence it seems that, together
with grace, perseverance is given to the other infused virtues.
Obj. 3: Further, as the Apostle says (Rom. 5:20) more was restored to
man by Christ's gift, than he had lost by Adam's sin. But Adam
received what enabled him to persevere; and thus man does not need
grace in order to persevere.
_On the contrary,_ Augustine says (De Persev. ii): "Why is
perseverance besought of God, if it is not bestowed by God? For is it
not a mocking request to seek what we know He does not give, and what
is in our power without His giving it?" Now perseverance is besought
by even those who are hallowed by grace; and this is seen, when we
say "Hallowed be Thy name," which Augustine confirms by the words of
Cyprian (De Correp. et Grat. xii). Hence man, even when possessed of
grace, needs perseverance to be given to him by God.
_I answer that,_ Perseverance is taken in three ways. First, to
signify a habit of the mind whereby a man stands steadfastly, lest he
be moved by the assault of sadness from what is virtuous. And thus
perseverance is to sadness as continence is to concupiscence and
pleasure, as the Philosopher says (Ethic. vii, 7). Secondly,
perseverance may be called a habit, whereby a man has the purpose of
persevering in good unto the end. And in both these ways perseverance
is infused together with grace, even as continence and the other
virtues are. Thirdly, perseverance is called the abiding in good to
the end of life. And in order to have this perseverance man does not,
indeed, need another habitual grace, but he needs the Divine
assistance guiding and guarding him against the attacks of the
passions, as appears from the preceding article. And hence after
anyone has been justified by grace, he still needs to beseech God for
the aforesaid gift of perseverance, that he may be kept from evil
till the end of his life. For to many grace is given to whom
perseverance in grace is not given.
Reply Obj. 1: This objection regards the first mode of perseverance,
as the second objection regards the second.
Hence the solution of the second objection is clear.
Reply Obj. 3: As Augustine says (De Natura et Gratia xliii) [*Cf. De
Correp. et Grat. xii]: "in the original state man received a gift
whereby he could persevere, but to persevere was not given him. But
now, by the grace of Christ, many receive both the gift of grace
whereby they may persevere, and the further gift of persevering," and
thus Christ's gift is greater than Adam's fault. Nevertheless it was
easier for man to persevere, with the gift of grace in the state of
innocence in which the flesh was not rebellious against the spirit,
than it is now. For the restoration by Christ's grace, although it is
already begun in the mind, is not yet completed in the flesh, as it
will be in heaven, where man will not merely be able to persevere but
will be unable to sin.
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