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Dist. 1, Part 1, Art. 1, Q. 6

Book IV: On the Sacraments · Distinction 1

Textus Latinus
p. 27

QUAESTIO VI.

De gratia in Sacramentis collata.

Sexto et ultimo quaeritur de gratia sacramentali, utrum sit eadem per essentiam cum gratia virtutum. Et quod eadem sit, videtur:

Argg. pro parte affirmativa.

1. Quia Sacramentorum gratia est gratum faciens, quia facit dignum vita aeterna, ut patet in baptismo; sed in una anima una est gratia gratum faciens1: ergo etc.

2. Item, « tantum unum uni opponitur2 »; sed gratia in virtutibus opponitur peccatis, similiter et gratia in Sacramentis: ergo est una.

3. Item, baptizatus baptismo flaminis, si accedit ad Sacramentum, non recipit aliam gratiam, ut dicit Magister3: ergo non est alia gratia in Sacramentis quam in virtutibus, quia iste non habebat nisi gratiam virtutum.

4. Item, idem est quod dirigit separando a termino et inclinando ad terminum4; sed Sacramenta sunt complentia animam separando a malo, virtutes ad terminum ordinando: ergo etc.

Contra:

Pro parte negativa.

1. Omnis qui non accedit ficte, habet gratiam virtutum; qui autem accedit ficte, nullam gratiam recipit in Sacramento5: ergo aut alia gratia datur ei quam gratia virtutum, aut Sacramenta nihil dant omnino.

2. Item, quae habent diversas differentias essentialiter sunt essentialiter diversa6; sed talia sunt gratia in Sacramentis et virtutibus et donis et beatitudinibus: ergo etc.

3. Item, dona et virtutes et beatitudines essent, si nunquam esset peccatura, non autem gratia Sacramentorum7: ergo etc.

4. Item, connexio est in virtutibus8, non autem in Sacramentis: ergo etc.

Conclusio. Gratia sacramentalis est eadem per essentiam cum gratia virtutum, licet gratia sacramentalis plures connotet effectus.

Respondeo: (Opinio 1.) Quidam voluerunt dicere, quod in his et in illis est omnino eadem gratia, differens sola comparatione9 vel modo participandi. Illa enim gratia, quae facit virtutes et dona esse in anima, sacramentalis dicitur, secundum quod per Sacramentum datur, aut augetur, vel recuperatur; nec instituta sunt Sacramenta ad aliam gratiam, sed ad illam quaerendam et recuperandam.

(Opinio 2.) Alia positio est, quod10 differens est per essentiam, sicut probant istae rationes; et sicut in uno homine plures sunt gratiae gratis datae, ita et plures gratum facientes, propter hoc quod ordinant ad diversa. Virtutes enim et dona ordinant ad opera bona, sed Sacramenta curant vitia nec ordinant ad opera bona nisi ex consequenti; unde secundum quod multa sunt vitia, multae sunt gratiae sacramentales.

p. 28

(Opinio 3.) Tertia positio est probabilior et melior, quod gratia gratum faciens una est; et huius signum est, quia tollitur uno peccato tota. Sed attendendum, quod cum dico gratiam virtutum, dico gratiam gratum facientem et habitum substratum; et gratia gratum faciens una est, sed habitus substratus alius et alius11. Similiter cum dico gratiam sacramentalem, non tantum dico gratiam, sed etiam effectum curationis; et gratia quidem una est, sed effectus curationis plures sunt. Distinguitur ergo gratia in Sacramentis, donis et virtutibus concernendo effectus et habitus substratos. Unde sacramentalis gratia supra gratiam virtutum propter peccatum addit aliquem effectum.

Corollarium. Exemplum in eo qui gratus est et baptizatus: datur illi gratiae effectus, quia non tantum absolvitur12 a culpa, sed etiam a poena; sicut et in aliis virtutibus et donis et beatitudinibus est differentia penes habitus substratos, qui differunt propter differentiam in actibus, ad quos ordinant. Nam virtutes ordinant ad opera prima, dona ad media, beatitudines ad perfecta, ut alibi13 patet; Sacramenta vero addunt remedium curationis. — Et rationes procedunt secundum has duas vias14.

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English Translation

QUESTION VI.

On the grace conferred in the Sacraments.

Sixth and last, the question is asked concerning sacramental grace, whether it is the same in essence with the grace of the virtues. And that it is the same, it seems:

Arguments for the affirmative side.

1. Because the grace of the Sacraments is sanctifying grace, since it makes one worthy of eternal life, as is plain in baptism; but in one soul there is one sanctifying grace1: therefore etc.

2. Likewise, "only one thing is opposed to one thing2"; but the grace in the virtues is opposed to sins, and likewise the grace in the Sacraments: therefore it is one.

3. Likewise, one baptized by the baptism of the Spirit, if he comes to the Sacrament, does not receive another grace, as the Master says3: therefore there is not another grace in the Sacraments than in the virtues, for that man had nothing but the grace of the virtues.

4. Likewise, it is the same thing that directs by separating from a terminus and by inclining toward a terminus4; but the Sacraments are what complete the soul by separating it from evil, the virtues by ordering it toward the terminus: therefore etc.

On the contrary:

For the negative side.

1. Everyone who does not approach feignedly has the grace of the virtues; but one who approaches feignedly receives no grace in the Sacrament5: therefore either another grace is given to him than the grace of the virtues, or the Sacraments give nothing at all.

2. Likewise, things that have diverse differences are essentially diverse6; but such are the grace in the Sacraments and in the virtues and in the gifts and in the beatitudes: therefore etc.

3. Likewise, the gifts and virtues and beatitudes would exist even if [the soul] were never going to sin, but not the grace of the Sacraments7: therefore etc.

4. Likewise, there is a connection in the virtues8, but not in the Sacraments: therefore etc.

Conclusion. Sacramental grace is the same in essence with the grace of the virtues, although sacramental grace connotes more effects.

I respond: (Opinion 1.) Some have wished to say that in these and in those there is altogether the same grace, differing by relation alone9 or by mode of participation. For that grace which causes the virtues and gifts to be in the soul is called sacramental insofar as it is given, or increased, or recovered through the Sacrament; nor were the Sacraments instituted for another grace, but for the seeking and recovering of that one.

(Opinion 2.) Another position is that10 it differs in essence, as these reasons prove; and just as in one man there are many gratuitously given graces, so also many sanctifying graces, because they are ordered toward diverse things. For the virtues and gifts are ordered toward good works, but the Sacraments heal vices and are not ordered toward good works except consequently; whence, according as there are many vices, there are many sacramental graces.

(Opinion 3.) The third position is more probable and better, namely that sanctifying grace is one; and a sign of this is that it is wholly removed by one sin. But it must be noted that when I say "the grace of the virtues," I mean sanctifying grace and the underlying habit; and sanctifying grace is one, but the underlying habit is one and another11. Likewise, when I say "sacramental grace," I do not say grace only, but also the effect of healing; and the grace indeed is one, but the effects of healing are many. Grace is therefore distinguished in the Sacraments, gifts, and virtues with regard to the effects and the underlying habits. Whence sacramental grace adds, over and above the grace of the virtues, some effect on account of sin.

Corollary. An example is in one who is in grace and baptized: an effect of grace is given to him, because he is not only absolved12 from guilt, but also from punishment; just as also in the other virtues and gifts and beatitudes there is a difference with respect to the underlying habits, which differ on account of the difference in the acts toward which they are ordered. For the virtues are ordered toward first works, the gifts toward intermediate ones, the beatitudes toward perfect ones, as is plain elsewhere13; but the Sacraments add the remedy of healing. — And the reasons proceed according to these two ways14.

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Apparatus Criticus
  1. 1
    Ut monstratum est II. Sent. d. 27. a. 1. q. 1.
    As was shown in II Sent., d. 27, a. 1, q. 1.
  2. 2
    Aristot., X. Metaph. text. 17. (IX. c. 3.), et I. de Caelo et mundo, text. 10. (c. 2.).
    Aristotle, Metaphysics X, text 17 (IX, c. 3), and On the Heavens and the World I, text 10 (c. 2).
  3. 3
    Infra d. IV. c. 3.
    Below, d. IV, c. 3.
  4. 4
    Cfr. tom. III. pag. 370, nota 1. — Inferius pro ad terminum codd. F H I ad Deum, cod. Z legit ad terminum, id est Deum.
    Cf. vol. III, p. 370, note 1. — Below, for ad terminum ("toward the terminus") codices F H I read ad Deum ("toward God"); codex Z reads ad terminum, that is, [toward] God.
  5. 5
    Vide infra lit. Magistri, d. IV. c. 2, et ibid. Comment. p. I. a. 2. q. 2.
    See below, the text of the Master, d. IV, c. 2, and the Commentary thereon, p. I, a. 2, q. 2.
  6. 6
    Aristot., I. Topic. c. 13: Eorundem eaedem differentiae. — De minori vide III. Sent. d. 34. p. I. a. 1. q. 1.
    Aristotle, Topics I, c. 13: "The differences of the same things are the same." — On the minor [premise] see III Sent., d. 34, p. I, a. 1, q. 1.
  7. 7
    Cfr. II. Sent. d. 29. a. 2. q. 1, et a. 3. q. 1. seq.
    Cf. II Sent., d. 29, a. 2, q. 1, and a. 3, q. 1 ff.
  8. 8
    De quo vide III. Sent. d. 36. q. 1. et 3.
    On which see III Sent., d. 36, q. 1 and 3.
  9. 9
    Codd. E L M R S V W pro comparatione, codd. A K bb per comparationem, cod. F solum per comparationem. Mox pro participandi cod. H comparandi. Inferius post in anima Vat. prosequitur dicitur esse virtutum, sacramentalis vero dicitur.
    Codices E L M R S V W [read] for comparatione ("by relation"), codices A K bb per comparationem, codex F solum per comparationem. Shortly after, for participandi ("of participating") codex H [reads] comparandi. Below, after in anima ("in the soul") the Vatican edition continues: dicitur esse virtutum, sacramentalis vero dicitur ("is said to be [the grace] of the virtues, while it is called sacramental").
  10. 10
    In edd. additur in his et in illis gratia.
    In the editions there is added in his et in illis gratia ("in these and in those a grace").
  11. 11
    Vide III. Sent. d. 33. q. 5. scholion. — Vat. cum aliquot codd. habitus substrati alii et alii.
    See III Sent., d. 33, q. 5, scholion. — The Vatican edition with some codices [reads] habitus substrati alii et alii ("underlying habits, one and another").
  12. 12
    Codd. A E F H I K V W bb non male absolvit. Inferius substituimus maioris claritatis causa ex cod. H sicut pro sic; ex codd. F H P Q (H a secunda manu) supplevimus est differentia, pro quo edd. tantum est. Mutavimus etiam omnino interpunctionem.
    Codices A E F H I K V W bb not badly [read] absolvit. Below, for the sake of greater clarity we substituted from codex H sicut for sic; from codices F H P Q (H in a second hand) we supplied est differentia ("there is a difference"), for which the editions have only est ("there is"). We also altered the punctuation throughout.
  13. 13
    Libr. III. Sent. d. 34. p. I. a. 1. q. 1.
    Book III Sent., d. 34, p. I, a. 1, q. 1.
  14. 14
    Vide scholion ad praecedentem quaest.
    See the scholion to the preceding question.
Cited by

6 places in the Opera Omnia citethis question. Derived from Quaracchi’s own apparatus, never tagged by hand.

Whether penance is a virtue
Book IV: On the Sacraments · Distinction 14 · 2×
supra d. 1. p. I. q. 6.
Doubts concerning the text of the Master (Dist. XIV, Part I)
Book IV: On the Sacraments · Distinction 14
supra d. 1. p. I. q. 6.
Doubts concerning the text of the Master (Dist. XVII, Part I)
Book IV: On the Sacraments · Distinction 17
supra d. 1. p. I. q. 6.
Whether virginity is a virtue
Book IV: On the Sacraments · Distinction 33
supra d. 1. q. 6.
Whether confirmation confers sanctifying grace
Book IV: On the Sacraments · Distinction 7
supra d. 1. p. I. q. 6.
Whether the same grace is conferred in baptism and in confirmation
Book IV: On the Sacraments · Distinction 7
supra d. 1. p. 1. q. 6

2 further references address the article or printed page this question belongs to, rather than the question itself.

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