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sin, does not work unto the good of all those who love God, which is
evident in the case of those who fall and never rise again, or who
rise and fall yet again; but only to the good of "such as according
to His purpose are called to be saints," viz. the predestined, who,
however often they may fall, yet rise again finally. Consequently
good comes of their falling, not that they always rise again to
greater grace, but that they rise to more abiding grace, not indeed
on the part of grace itself, because the greater the grace, the more
abiding it is, but on the part of man, who, the more careful and
humble he is, abides the more steadfastly in grace. Hence the same
gloss adds that "their fall conduces to their good, because they rise
more humble and more enlightened."

Reply Objection 2: Penance, considered in itself, has the power to bring
all defects back to perfection, and even to advance man to a higher
state; but this is sometimes hindered on the part of man, whose
movement towards God and in detestation of sin is too remiss, just as
in Baptism adults receive a greater or a lesser grace, according to
the various ways in which they prepare themselves.

Reply Objection 3: This comparison of the two graces to the evening and
morning light is made on account of a likeness of order, since the
darkness of night follows after the evening light, and the light of
day after the light of morning, but not on account of a likeness of
greater or lesser quantity. Again, this saying of the Apostle refers
to the grace of Christ, which abounds more than any number of man's
sins. Nor is it true of all, that the more their sins abound, the
more abundant grace they receive, if we measure habitual grace by the
quantity. Grace is, however, more abundant, as regards the very
notion of grace, because to him who sins more a more _gratuitous_
favor is vouchsafed by his pardon; although sometimes those whose
sins abound, abound also in sorrow, so that they receive a more
abundant habit of grace and virtue, as was the case with Magdalen.

To the argument advanced in the contrary sense it must be replied
that in one and the same man proficient grace is greater than
incipient grace, but this is not necessarily the case in different
men, for one begins with a greater grace than another has in the
state of proficiency: thus Gregory says (Dial. ii, 1): "Let all, both
now and hereafter, acknowledge how perfectly the boy Benedict turned
to the life of grace from the very beginning."
_______________________

THIRD ARTICLE [III, Q. 89, Art. 3]

Whether, by Penance, Man Is Restored to His Former Dignity?

Objection 1: It would seem that man is not restored by Penance to his
former dignity: because a gloss on Amos 5:2, "The virgin of Israel is
cast down," observes: "It is not said that she cannot rise up, but
that the virgin of Israel shall not rise; because the sheep that has
once strayed, although the shepherd bring it back on his shoulder,
has not the same glory as if it had never strayed." Therefore man
does not, through Penance, recover his former dignity.

Objection 2: Further, Jerome says: "Whoever fail to preserve the dignity
of the sacred order, must be content with saving their souls; for it
is a difficult thing to return to their former degree." Again, Pope
Innocent I says (Ep. vi ad Agapit.) that "the canons framed at the
council of Nicaea exclude penitents from even the lowest orders of
clerics." Therefore man does not, through Penance, recover his former
dignity.

Objection 3: Further, before sinning a man can advance to a higher sacred
order. But this is not permitted to a penitent after his sin, for it
is written (Ezech. 44:10, 13): "The Levites that went away . . . from
Me . . . shall never [Vulg.: 'not'] come near to Me, to do the office
of priest": and as laid down in the Decretals (Dist. 1, ch. 52), and
taken from the council of Lerida: "If those who serve at the Holy
Altar fall suddenly into some deplorable weakness of the flesh, and
by God's mercy do proper penance, let them return to their duties,
yet so as not to receive further promotion." Therefore Penance does
not restore man to his former dignity.

Contrary: As we read in the same Distinction, Gregory
writing to Secundinus (Regist. vii) says: "We consider that when a
man has made proper satisfaction, he may return to his honorable
position": and moreover we read in the acts of the council of Agde:
"Contumacious clerics, so far as their position allows, should be
corrected by their bishops, so that when Penance has reformed them,
they may recover their degree and dignity."

Response: By sin, man loses a twofold dignity, one in respect
of God, the other in respect of the Church. In respect of God he
again loses a twofold dignity. One is his principal dignity, whereby
he was counted among the children of God, and this he recovers by
Penance, which is signified (Luke 15) in the prodigal son, for when
he repented, his father commanded that the first garment should be
restored to him, together with a ring and shoes. The other is his
secondary dignity, viz. innocence, of which, as we read in the same
chapter, the elder son boasted saying (Luke 15:29): "Behold, for so
many years do I serve thee, and I have never transgressed thy
commandments": and this dignity the penitent cannot recover.
Nevertheless he recovers something greater sometimes; because as
Gregory says (Hom. de centum Ovibus, 34 in Evang.), "those who
acknowledge themselves to have strayed away from God, make up for
their past losses, by subsequent gains: so that there is more joy in
heaven on their account, even as in battle, the commanding officer
thinks more of the soldier who, after running away, returns and
bravely attacks the foe, than of one who has never turned his back,

sin, does not work unto the good of all those who love God, which is

evident in the case of those who fall and never rise again, or who

rise and fall yet again; but only to the good of "such as according

to His purpose are called to be saints," viz. the predestined, who,

however often they may fall, yet rise again finally. Consequently

good comes of their falling, not that they always rise again to

greater grace, but that they rise to more abiding grace, not indeed

on the part of grace itself, because the greater the grace, the more

abiding it is, but on the part of man, who, the more careful and

humble he is, abides the more steadfastly in grace. Hence the same

gloss adds that "their fall conduces to their good, because they rise

more humble and more enlightened."

Reply Objection 2: Penance, considered in itself, has the power to bring

all defects back to perfection, and even to advance man to a higher

state; but this is sometimes hindered on the part of man, whose

movement towards God and in detestation of sin is too remiss, just as

in Baptism adults receive a greater or a lesser grace, according to

the various ways in which they prepare themselves.

Reply Objection 3: This comparison of the two graces to the evening and

morning light is made on account of a likeness of order, since the

darkness of night follows after the evening light, and the light of

day after the light of morning, but not on account of a likeness of

greater or lesser quantity. Again, this saying of the Apostle refers

to the grace of Christ, which abounds more than any number of man's

sins. Nor is it true of all, that the more their sins abound, the

more abundant grace they receive, if we measure habitual grace by the

quantity. Grace is, however, more abundant, as regards the very

notion of grace, because to him who sins more a more _gratuitous_

favor is vouchsafed by his pardon; although sometimes those whose

sins abound, abound also in sorrow, so that they receive a more

abundant habit of grace and virtue, as was the case with Magdalen.

To the argument advanced in the contrary sense it must be replied

that in one and the same man proficient grace is greater than

incipient grace, but this is not necessarily the case in different

men, for one begins with a greater grace than another has in the

state of proficiency: thus Gregory says (Dial. ii, 1): "Let all, both

now and hereafter, acknowledge how perfectly the boy Benedict turned

to the life of grace from the very beginning."

_______________________

THIRD ARTICLE [III, Q. 89, Art. 3]

Whether, by Penance, Man Is Restored to His Former Dignity?

Objection 1: It would seem that man is not restored by Penance to his

former dignity: because a gloss on Amos 5:2, "The virgin of Israel is

cast down," observes: "It is not said that she cannot rise up, but

that the virgin of Israel shall not rise; because the sheep that has

once strayed, although the shepherd bring it back on his shoulder,

has not the same glory as if it had never strayed." Therefore man

does not, through Penance, recover his former dignity.

Objection 2: Further, Jerome says: "Whoever fail to preserve the dignity

of the sacred order, must be content with saving their souls; for it

is a difficult thing to return to their former degree." Again, Pope

Innocent I says (Ep. vi ad Agapit.) that "the canons framed at the

council of Nicaea exclude penitents from even the lowest orders of

clerics." Therefore man does not, through Penance, recover his former

dignity.

Objection 3: Further, before sinning a man can advance to a higher sacred

order. But this is not permitted to a penitent after his sin, for it

is written (Ezech. 44:10, 13): "The Levites that went away . . . from

Me . . . shall never [Vulg.: 'not'] come near to Me, to do the office

of priest": and as laid down in the Decretals (Dist. 1, ch. 52), and

taken from the council of Lerida: "If those who serve at the Holy

Altar fall suddenly into some deplorable weakness of the flesh, and

by God's mercy do proper penance, let them return to their duties,

yet so as not to receive further promotion." Therefore Penance does

not restore man to his former dignity.

Contrary: As we read in the same Distinction, Gregory

writing to Secundinus (Regist. vii) says: "We consider that when a

man has made proper satisfaction, he may return to his honorable

position": and moreover we read in the acts of the council of Agde:

"Contumacious clerics, so far as their position allows, should be

corrected by their bishops, so that when Penance has reformed them,

they may recover their degree and dignity."

Response: By sin, man loses a twofold dignity, one in respect

of God, the other in respect of the Church. In respect of God he

again loses a twofold dignity. One is his principal dignity, whereby

he was counted among the children of God, and this he recovers by

Penance, which is signified (Luke 15) in the prodigal son, for when

he repented, his father commanded that the first garment should be

restored to him, together with a ring and shoes. The other is his

secondary dignity, viz. innocence, of which, as we read in the same

chapter, the elder son boasted saying (Luke 15:29): "Behold, for so

many years do I serve thee, and I have never transgressed thy

commandments": and this dignity the penitent cannot recover.

Nevertheless he recovers something greater sometimes; because as

Gregory says (Hom. de centum Ovibus, 34 in Evang.), "those who

acknowledge themselves to have strayed away from God, make up for

their past losses, by subsequent gains: so that there is more joy in

heaven on their account, even as in battle, the commanding officer

thinks more of the soldier who, after running away, returns and

bravely attacks the foe, than of one who has never turned his back,