Whether Grace Is Fittingly Divided into Prevenient and Subsequent
Grace?
Objection 1: It would seem that grace is not fittingly divided into
prevenient and subsequent. For grace is an effect of the Divine love.
But God's love is never subsequent, but always prevenient, according
to 1 John 4:10: "Not as though we had loved God, but because He hath
first loved us." Therefore grace ought not to be divided into
prevenient and subsequent.
Obj. 2: Further, there is but one sanctifying grace in man, since it
is sufficient, according to 2 Cor. 12:9: "My grace is sufficient for
thee." But the same thing cannot be before and after. Therefore grace
is not fittingly divided into prevenient and subsequent.
Obj. 3: Further, grace is known by its effects. Now there are an
infinite number of effects--one preceding another. Hence if with
regard to these, grace must be divided into prevenient and
subsequent, it would seem that there are infinite species of grace.
Now no art takes note of the infinite in number. Hence grace is not
fittingly divided into prevenient and subsequent.
_On the contrary,_ God's grace is the outcome of His mercy. Now both
are said in Ps. 58:11: "His mercy shall prevent me," and again, Ps.
22:6: "Thy mercy will follow me." Therefore grace is fittingly
divided into prevenient and subsequent.
_I answer that,_ As grace is divided into operating and cooperating,
with regard to its diverse effects, so also is it divided into
prevenient and subsequent, howsoever we consider grace. Now there are
five effects of grace in us: of these, the first is, to heal the
soul; the second, to desire good; the third, to carry into effect the
good proposed; the fourth, to persevere in good; the fifth, to reach
glory. And hence grace, inasmuch as it causes the first effect in us,
is called prevenient with respect to the second, and inasmuch as it
causes the second, it is called subsequent with respect to the first
effect. And as one effect is posterior to this effect, and prior to
that, so may grace be called prevenient and subsequent on account of
the same effect viewed relatively to divers others. And this is what
Augustine says (De Natura et Gratia xxxi): "It is prevenient,
inasmuch as it heals, and subsequent, inasmuch as, being healed, we
are strengthened; it is prevenient, inasmuch as we are called, and
subsequent, inasmuch as we are glorified."
Reply Obj. 1: God's love signifies something eternal; and hence can
never be called anything but prevenient. But grace signifies a
temporal effect, which can precede and follow another; and thus grace
may be both prevenient and subsequent.
Reply Obj. 2: The division into prevenient and subsequent grace does
not divide grace in its essence, but only in its effects, as was
already said of operating and cooperating grace. For subsequent
grace, inasmuch as it pertains to glory, is not numerically distinct
from prevenient grace whereby we are at present justified. For even
as the charity of the earth is not voided in heaven, so must the same
be said of the light of grace, since the notion of neither implies
imperfection.
Reply Obj. 3: Although the effects of grace may be infinite in
number, even as human acts are infinite, nevertheless all are reduced
to some of a determinate species, and moreover all coincide in
this--that one precedes another.
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