Whether a Man in Grace Can Merit Eternal Life Condignly?
Objection 1: It would seem that a man in grace cannot merit eternal
life condignly, for the Apostle says (Rom. 8:18): "The sufferings of
this time are not worthy (_condignae_) to be compared with the glory
to come, that shall be revealed in us." But of all meritorious works,
the sufferings of the saints would seem the most meritorious.
Therefore no works of men are meritorious of eternal life condignly.
Obj. 2: Further, on Rom. 6:23, "The grace of God, life everlasting,"
a gloss says: "He might have truly said: 'The wages of justice, life
everlasting'; but He preferred to say 'The grace of God, life
everlasting,' that we may know that God leads us to life everlasting
of His own mercy and not by our merits." Now when anyone merits
something condignly he receives it not from mercy, but from merit.
Hence it would seem that a man with grace cannot merit life
everlasting condignly.
Obj. 3: Further, merit that equals the reward, would seem to be
condign. Now no act of the present life can equal everlasting life,
which surpasses our knowledge and our desire, and moreover, surpasses
the charity or love of the wayfarer, even as it exceeds nature.
Therefore with grace a man cannot merit eternal life condignly.
_On the contrary,_ What is granted in accordance with a fair
judgment, would seem a condign reward. But life everlasting is
granted by God, in accordance with the judgment of justice, according
to 2 Tim. 4:8: "As to the rest, there is laid up for me a crown of
justice, which the Lord, the just judge, will render to me in that
day." Therefore man merits everlasting life condignly.
_I answer that,_ Man's meritorious work may be considered in two
ways: first, as it proceeds from free-will; secondly, as it proceeds
from the grace of the Holy Ghost. If it is considered as regards the
substance of the work, and inasmuch as it springs from the free-will,
there can be no condignity because of the very great inequality. But
there is congruity, on account of an equality of proportion: for it
would seem congruous that, if a man does what he can, God should
reward him according to the excellence of his power.
If, however, we speak of a meritorious work, inasmuch as it proceeds
from the grace of the Holy Ghost moving us to life everlasting, it is
meritorious of life everlasting condignly. For thus the value of its
merit depends upon the power of the Holy Ghost moving us to life
everlasting according to John 4:14: "Shall become in him a fount of
water springing up into life everlasting." And the worth of the work
depends on the dignity of grace, whereby a man, being made a partaker
of the Divine Nature, is adopted as a son of God, to whom the
inheritance is due by right of adoption, according to Rom. 8:17: "If
sons, heirs also."
Reply Obj. 1: The Apostle is speaking of the substance of these
sufferings.
Reply Obj. 2: This saying is to be understood of the first cause of
our reaching everlasting life, viz. God's mercy. But our merit is a
subsequent cause.
Reply Obj. 3: The grace of the Holy Ghost which we have at present,
although unequal to glory in act, is equal to it virtually as the
seed of a tree, wherein the whole tree is virtually. So likewise by
grace of the Holy Ghost dwells in man; and He is a sufficient cause
of life everlasting; hence, 2 Cor. 1:22, He is called the "pledge" of
our inheritance.
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