Whether Grace Implies Anything in the Soul?
Objection 1: It would seem that grace does not imply anything in the
soul. For man is said to have the grace of God even as the grace of
man. Hence it is written (Gen. 39:21) that the Lord gave to Joseph
"grace [Douay: 'favor'] in the sight of the chief keeper of the
prison." Now when we say that a man has the favor of another, nothing
is implied in him who has the favor of the other, but an acceptance
is implied in him whose favor he has. Hence when we say that a man
has the grace of God, nothing is implied in his soul; but we merely
signify the Divine acceptance.
Obj. 2: Further, as the soul quickens the body so does God quicken
the soul; hence it is written (Deut. 30:20): "He is thy life." Now
the soul quickens the body immediately. Therefore nothing can come as
a medium between God and the soul. Hence grace implies nothing
created in the soul.
Obj. 3: Further, on Rom. 1:7, "Grace to you and peace," the gloss
says: "Grace, i.e. the remission of sins." Now the remission of sin
implies nothing in the soul, but only in God, Who does not impute the
sin, according to Ps. 31:2: "Blessed is the man to whom the Lord hath
not imputed sin." Hence neither does grace imply anything in the soul.
_On the contrary,_ Light implies something in what is enlightened.
But grace is a light of the soul; hence Augustine says (De Natura et
Gratia xxii): "The light of truth rightly deserts the prevaricator of
the law, and those who have been thus deserted become blind."
Therefore grace implies something in the soul.
_I answer that,_ According to the common manner of speech, grace is
usually taken in three ways. First, for anyone's love, as we are
accustomed to say that the soldier is in the good graces of the king,
i.e. the king looks on him with favor. Secondly, it is taken for any
gift freely bestowed, as we are accustomed to say: I do you this act
of grace. Thirdly, it is taken for the recompense of a gift given
"gratis," inasmuch as we are said to be "grateful" for benefits. Of
these three the second depends on the first, since one bestows
something on another "gratis" from the love wherewith he receives him
into his good "graces." And from the second proceeds the third, since
from benefits bestowed "gratis" arises "gratitude."
Now as regards the last two, it is clear that grace implies something
in him who receives grace: first, the gift given gratis; secondly,
the acknowledgment of the gift. But as regards the first, a
difference must be noted between the grace of God and the grace of
man; for since the creature's good springs from the Divine will, some
good in the creature flows from God's love, whereby He wishes the
good of the creature. On the other hand, the will of man is moved by
the good pre-existing in things; and hence man's love does not wholly
cause the good of the thing, but pre-supposes it either in part or
wholly. Therefore it is clear that every love of God is followed at
some time by a good caused in the creature, but not co-eternal with
the eternal love. And according to this difference of good the love
of God to the creature is looked at differently. For one is common,
whereby He loves "all things that are" (Wis. 11:25), and thereby
gives things their natural being. But the second is a special love,
whereby He draws the rational creature above the condition of its
nature to a participation of the Divine good; and according to this
love He is said to love anyone simply, since it is by this love that
God simply wishes the eternal good, which is Himself, for the
creature.
Accordingly when a man is said to have the grace of God, there is
signified something bestowed on man by God. Nevertheless the grace of
God sometimes signifies God's eternal love, as we say the grace of
predestination, inasmuch as God gratuitously and not from merits
predestines or elects some; for it is written (Eph. 1:5): "He hath
predestinated us into the adoption of children . . . unto the praise
of the glory of His grace."
Reply Obj. 1: Even when a man is said to be in another's good graces,
it is understood that there is something in him pleasing to the
other; even as anyone is said to have God's grace--with this
difference, that what is pleasing to a man in another is presupposed
to his love, but whatever is pleasing to God in a man is caused by
the Divine love, as was said above.
Reply Obj. 2: God is the life of the soul after the manner of an
efficient cause; but the soul is the life of the body after the
manner of a formal cause. Now there is no medium between form and
matter, since the form, of itself, _informs_ the matter or subject;
whereas the agent _informs_ the subject, not by its substance, but by
the form, which it causes in the matter.
Reply Obj. 3: Augustine says (Retract. i, 25): "When I said that
grace was for the remission of sins, and peace for our reconciliation
with God, you must not take it to mean that peace and reconciliation
do not pertain to general peace, but that the special name of grace
signifies the remission of sins." Not only grace, therefore, but many
other of God's gifts pertain to grace. And hence the remission of
sins does not take place without some effect divinely caused in us,
as will appear later (Q. 113, A. 2).
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