Whether God Alone Is the Cause of Grace?
Objection 1: It would seem that God alone is not the cause of grace.
For it is written (John 1:17): "Grace and truth came by Jesus
Christ." Now, by the name of Jesus Christ is understood not merely
the Divine Nature assuming, but the created nature assumed. Therefore
a creature may be the cause of grace.
Obj. 2: Further, there is this difference between the sacraments of
the New Law and those of the Old, that the sacraments of the New Law
cause grace, whereas the sacraments of the Old Law merely signify it.
Now the sacraments of the New Law are certain visible elements.
Therefore God is not the only cause of grace.
Obj. 3: Further, according to Dionysius (Coel. Hier. iii, iv, vii,
viii), "Angels cleanse, enlighten, and perfect both lesser angels and
men." Now the rational creature is cleansed, enlightened, and
perfected by grace. Therefore God is not the only cause of grace.
_On the contrary,_ It is written (Ps. 83:12): "The Lord will give
grace and glory."
_I answer that,_ Nothing can act beyond its species, since the cause
must always be more powerful than its effect. Now the gift of grace
surpasses every capability of created nature, since it is nothing
short of a partaking of the Divine Nature, which exceeds every other
nature. And thus it is impossible that any creature should cause
grace. For it is as necessary that God alone should deify, bestowing
a partaking of the Divine Nature by a participated likeness, as it is
impossible that anything save fire should enkindle.
Reply Obj. 1: Christ's humanity is an "organ of His Godhead," as
Damascene says (De Fide Orth. iii, 19). Now an instrument does not
bring forth the action of the principal agent by its own power, but
in virtue of the principal agent. Hence Christ's humanity does not
cause grace by its own power, but by virtue of the Divine Nature
joined to it, whereby the actions of Christ's humanity are saving
actions.
Reply Obj. 2: As in the person of Christ the humanity causes our
salvation by grace, the Divine power being the principal agent, so
likewise in the sacraments of the New Law, which are derived from
Christ, grace is instrumentally caused by the sacraments, and
principally by the power of the Holy Ghost working in the sacraments,
according to John 3:5: "Unless a man be born again of water and the
Holy Ghost he cannot enter into the kingdom of God."
Reply Obj. 3: Angels cleanse, enlighten, and perfect angels or men,
by instruction, and not by justifying them through grace. Hence
Dionysius says (Coel. Hier. vii) that "this cleansing and
enlightenment and perfecting is nothing else than the assumption of
Divine knowledge."
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