ccore/rhetoric-saint-thomas-aquinas · Datasets at Hugging Face

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(Prov. 10:12), "charity covereth all sins." Therefore it seems that
deeds done in charity cannot be deadened by a subsequent mortal sin.

Contrary: It is written (Ezech. 18:24): "If the just man
turn himself away from his justice . . . all his justices which he
hath done shall not be remembered."

Response: A living thing, by dying, ceases to have vital
operations: for which reason, by a kind of metaphor, a thing is said
to be deadened when it is hindered from producing its proper effect
or operation.

Now the effect of virtuous works, which are done in charity, is to
bring man to eternal life; and this is hindered by a subsequent
mortal sin, inasmuch as it takes away grace. Wherefore deeds done in
charity are said to be deadened by a subsequent mortal sin.

Reply Objection 1: Just as sinful deeds pass as to the act but remain as
to guilt, so deeds done in charity, after passing, as to the act,
remain as to merit, in so far as they are acceptable to God. It is in
this respect that they are deadened, inasmuch as man is hindered from
receiving his reward.

Reply Objection 2: There is no injustice in withdrawing the reward from
him who has deserved it, if he has made himself unworthy by his
subsequent fault, since at times a man justly forfeits through his
own fault, even that which he has already received.

Reply Objection 3: It is not on account of the strength of sinful deeds
that deeds, previously done in charity, are deadened, but on account
of the freedom of the will which can be turned away from good to evil.
_______________________

FIFTH ARTICLE [III, Q. 86, Art. 5]

Whether Deeds Deadened by Sin, Are Revived by Penance?

Objection 1: It would seem that deeds deadened by sin are not revived
by Penance. Because just as past sins are remitted by subsequent
Penance, so are deeds previously done in charity, deadened by
subsequent sin. But sins remitted by Penance do not return, as stated
above (Q. 88, AA. 1, 2). Therefore it seems that neither are dead
deeds revived by charity.

Objection 2: Further, deeds are said to be deadened by comparison with
animals who die, as stated above (A. 4). But a dead animal cannot be
revived. Therefore neither can dead works be revived by Penance.

Objection 3: Further, deeds done in charity are deserving of glory
according to the quantity of grace or charity. But sometimes man
arises through Penance to lesser grace or charity. Therefore he does
not receive glory according to the merit of his previous works; so
that it seems that deeds deadened by sin are not revived.

Contrary: on Joel 2:25, "I will restore to you the years,
which the locust . . . hath eaten," a gloss says: "I will not suffer
to perish the fruit which you lost when your soul was disturbed." But
this fruit is the merit of good works which was lost through sin.
Therefore meritorious deeds done before are revived by Penance.

Response: Some have said that meritorious works deadened by
subsequent sin are not revived by the ensuing Penance, because they
deemed such works to have passed away, so that they could not be
revived. But that is no reason why they should not be revived:
because they are conducive to eternal life (wherein their life
consists) not only as actually existing, but also after they cease to
exist actually, and as abiding in the Divine acceptance. Now, they
abide thus, so far as they are concerned, even after they have been
deadened by sin, because those works, according as they were done,
will ever be acceptable to God and give joy to the saints, according
to Apoc. 3:11: "Hold fast that which thou hast, that no man take thy
crown." That they fail in their efficacy to bring the man, who did
them, to eternal life, is due to the impediment of the supervening
sin whereby he is become unworthy of eternal life. But this
impediment is removed by Penance, inasmuch as sins are taken away
thereby. Hence it follows that deeds previously deadened, recover,
through Penance, their efficacy in bringing him, who did them, to
eternal life, and, in other words, they are revived. It is therefore
evident that deadened works are revived by Penance.

Reply Objection 1: The very works themselves of sin are removed by
Penance, so that, by God's mercy, no further stain or debt of
punishment is incurred on their account: on the other hand, works
done in charity are not removed by God, since they abide in His
acceptance, but they are hindered on the part of the man who does
them; wherefore if this hindrance, on the part of the man who does
those works, be removed, God on His side fulfills what those works
deserved.

Reply Objection 2: Deeds done in charity are not in themselves deadened,
as explained above, but only with regard to a supervening impediment
on the part of the man who does them. On the other hand, an animal
dies in itself, through being deprived of the principle of life: so
that the comparison fails.

Reply Objection 3: He who, through Penance, arises to lesser charity, will
receive the essential reward according to the degree of charity in
which he is found. Yet he will have greater joy for the works he had
done in his former charity, than for those which he did in his
subsequent charity: and this joy belongs to the accidental reward.

(Prov. 10:12), "charity covereth all sins." Therefore it seems that

deeds done in charity cannot be deadened by a subsequent mortal sin.

Contrary: It is written (Ezech. 18:24): "If the just man

turn himself away from his justice . . . all his justices which he

hath done shall not be remembered."

Response: A living thing, by dying, ceases to have vital

operations: for which reason, by a kind of metaphor, a thing is said

to be deadened when it is hindered from producing its proper effect

or operation.

Now the effect of virtuous works, which are done in charity, is to

bring man to eternal life; and this is hindered by a subsequent

mortal sin, inasmuch as it takes away grace. Wherefore deeds done in

charity are said to be deadened by a subsequent mortal sin.

Reply Objection 1: Just as sinful deeds pass as to the act but remain as

to guilt, so deeds done in charity, after passing, as to the act,

remain as to merit, in so far as they are acceptable to God. It is in

this respect that they are deadened, inasmuch as man is hindered from

receiving his reward.

Reply Objection 2: There is no injustice in withdrawing the reward from

him who has deserved it, if he has made himself unworthy by his

subsequent fault, since at times a man justly forfeits through his

own fault, even that which he has already received.

Reply Objection 3: It is not on account of the strength of sinful deeds

that deeds, previously done in charity, are deadened, but on account

of the freedom of the will which can be turned away from good to evil.

_______________________

FIFTH ARTICLE [III, Q. 86, Art. 5]

Whether Deeds Deadened by Sin, Are Revived by Penance?

Objection 1: It would seem that deeds deadened by sin are not revived

by Penance. Because just as past sins are remitted by subsequent

Penance, so are deeds previously done in charity, deadened by

subsequent sin. But sins remitted by Penance do not return, as stated

above (Q. 88, AA. 1, 2). Therefore it seems that neither are dead

deeds revived by charity.

Objection 2: Further, deeds are said to be deadened by comparison with

animals who die, as stated above (A. 4). But a dead animal cannot be

revived. Therefore neither can dead works be revived by Penance.

Objection 3: Further, deeds done in charity are deserving of glory

according to the quantity of grace or charity. But sometimes man

arises through Penance to lesser grace or charity. Therefore he does

not receive glory according to the merit of his previous works; so

that it seems that deeds deadened by sin are not revived.

Contrary: on Joel 2:25, "I will restore to you the years,

which the locust . . . hath eaten," a gloss says: "I will not suffer

to perish the fruit which you lost when your soul was disturbed." But

this fruit is the merit of good works which was lost through sin.

Therefore meritorious deeds done before are revived by Penance.

Response: Some have said that meritorious works deadened by

subsequent sin are not revived by the ensuing Penance, because they

deemed such works to have passed away, so that they could not be

revived. But that is no reason why they should not be revived:

because they are conducive to eternal life (wherein their life

consists) not only as actually existing, but also after they cease to

exist actually, and as abiding in the Divine acceptance. Now, they

abide thus, so far as they are concerned, even after they have been

deadened by sin, because those works, according as they were done,

will ever be acceptable to God and give joy to the saints, according

to Apoc. 3:11: "Hold fast that which thou hast, that no man take thy

crown." That they fail in their efficacy to bring the man, who did

them, to eternal life, is due to the impediment of the supervening

sin whereby he is become unworthy of eternal life. But this

impediment is removed by Penance, inasmuch as sins are taken away

thereby. Hence it follows that deeds previously deadened, recover,

through Penance, their efficacy in bringing him, who did them, to

eternal life, and, in other words, they are revived. It is therefore

evident that deadened works are revived by Penance.

Reply Objection 1: The very works themselves of sin are removed by

Penance, so that, by God's mercy, no further stain or debt of

punishment is incurred on their account: on the other hand, works

done in charity are not removed by God, since they abide in His

acceptance, but they are hindered on the part of the man who does

them; wherefore if this hindrance, on the part of the man who does

those works, be removed, God on His side fulfills what those works

deserved.

Reply Objection 2: Deeds done in charity are not in themselves deadened,

as explained above, but only with regard to a supervening impediment

on the part of the man who does them. On the other hand, an animal

dies in itself, through being deprived of the principle of life: so

that the comparison fails.

Reply Objection 3: He who, through Penance, arises to lesser charity, will

receive the essential reward according to the degree of charity in

which he is found. Yet he will have greater joy for the works he had

done in his former charity, than for those which he did in his

subsequent charity: and this joy belongs to the accidental reward.