Dist. 17, Part 1, Art. 2, Q. 2
Book IV: On the Sacraments · Distinction 17
Quaestio II. Utrum expulsio culpae necessario praecedat contritionem.
Secundo quaeritur, utrum expulsio culpae necessario praecedat contritionem. Et quod sic, videtur:
1. Quia motus contritionis est motus formatus1; sed gratia prius naturaliter informat subiectum quam actum: ergo prius naturaliter est homo gratus quam contritus. Sed esse gratificatum sequitur peccati expulsionem: ergo et contritio, quae provenit ab anima gratificata.
2. Item, contritio est motus meritorius; sed omnis motus meritorius procedit a radice mundata2: ergo cum radix mundetur per peccati expulsionem, patet, quod expulsio peccati praecedit contritionem.
3. Item, contritio est opus bonum; sed opus bonum praecedit habitus bonus3: ergo prius naturaliter anima habilitatur, quam conteratur. Sed impossibile est intelligere animam habilem ad bonum, nisi expulsa culpa: ergo etc.
4. Item, motus liberi arbitrii praecedit; sed impossibile est, animam simul moveri diversis motibus secundum partem superiorem4; sed in eodem instanti est remissio culpae et motus liberi arbitrii: non ergo contritio.
Contra: 1. Si contritio sequeretur culpae remissionem; cum, remissa culpa, necessario sit homo iustus, ergo etiam si non sequeretur contritio, esset iustus; sed hoc est falsum: ergo non necessario praecedit5.
2. Item, si remissio culpae esset omnino a libero arbitrio, tunc constat, quod actus detestationis eam praecederet; sed sicut praecedit rem quod est tota causa, ita et quod est adiuvativum: ergo si contritio est motus a libero arbitrio, adiuvans gratiam et faciens viam ad culpam delendam6; patet, quod est prior.
3. Item, si lumen non posset introduci in aerem, nisi aere ad hoc operante; non solum luminis inductio praecederet expulsionem tenebrae, sed etiam actus aeris; sed sic est in proposito7: ergo cum iustificatio non introducatur, nisi adiuvante libero arbitrio; patet, quod non solum infusio gratiae, sed etiam actus liberi arbitrii praecedit ipsam naturaliter.
4. Item, cum anima non possit sanari nisi operans; si non posset operari nisi sanata, esset ei via praeclusa8: ergo necesse est, quod illa operatio, per quam sanatur, praecedat sanationem, ergo peccati remissionem.
Conclusio
> Contritio remissionem culpae praecedit secundum ordinem naturae.
Respondeo: Dicendum, quod aliquorum opinio fuit, quod remissio culpae antecederet contritionem, secundum quod remissio culpae dicitur quantum ad maculae ablationem; sed quantum ad poenam, vel sequelam sequitur. — Sed sicut supra9 dictum est, contritio necessaria est in ipsius gratiae infusione; unde et praecedit peccati expulsionem natura.
Et hoc patet sic: quia anima per detestationem peccati se disponit ad gratiam dispositione, quanta potest; gratia vero adveniens in animam, quia illa detestatio erat quasi dispositio media ad introducendam gratiam, per naturam prius respicit illam et per illam culpam delendam; sed10 ex comparatione vel respectu gratiae ad illam detestationem est contritio, ex respectu ad culpam est remissio: ideo contritio praecedit remissionem per naturam. — Et concedendae sunt rationes ad hoc.
Exemplum autem huius videri potest sic. Intelligamus aerem obtenebratum per praesentiam nubium et nebularum, et quod nubes illae non possint expelli eatenus, qua obtenebrant, nisi per motum aeris et irradiationem luminis. Tunc ad hoc, p. 429 quod aer reciperet primam illuminationem, oporteret, simul cum irradiatione solis concurrere ventum, et post ad perfectam restitutionem luminis oporteret adhuc ventum sequi, qui nebulas expelleret. Per hunc modum est intelligere de contritione et gratiae infusione, ipsi tamen causalitas activa attribuatur ut irradiationi, secundum illud Psalmi11: Prae fulgore in conspectu eius nubes transierunt etc.
Ad argumenta: Ad 1, 2, 3. Ad illud quod obiicitur in contrarium, quod12 est actus formatus et meritorius et bonus; dicendum, quod actus formari potest a gratia dupliciter: uno modo a gratia ipsum motum secundum suam substantiam eliciente et imperante, ut cum gratia movet liberum arbitrium ad bonum opus; et tunc verum est, quod animae gratificatio et mundatio et habilitatio ad bonum talem actum praecedit. Alio modo actus formatur a gratia non imperante nec eliciente, sed adveniente, ut quando liberum arbitrium est in actu consono gratiae; tunc etiam13 adveniens et inveniens liberum arbitrium in actu utrumque simul tempore format, scilicet potentiam et actum, prius tamen natura actum quam potentiam, sicut dispositionem intermediam. Et de tali non est verum, quod sequatur mundationem vel informationem, immo praecedit et ordinatur ad remissionem culpae; quod quidem non facit aliquis actus a gratia elicitus, prout dicitur gratum faciens. Nam etiam ille actus, quo anima se disponit, est a gratia, secundum quod gratia dicit aliquid gratis datum; quia, secundum quod habitum est in secundo, liberum arbitrium non se disponit ad gratiam gratum facientem sine aliquo gratis dato. Et sic patent tria obiecta. Contritio vero, quae est post iustificationem, est per modum illum, quem dicit.
Ad 4. Ad illud quod obiicitur, quod anima non simul diversis motibus movetur; dicendum, quod verum est secundum eandem potentiam; sed secundum aliam et aliam potest esse et necesse est. Simul enim sunt cognitio rationis et appetitus voluntatis et delectatio, cum quis delectatur in videndo vel intelligendo aliquid. Sic in proposito: quia motus liberi arbitrii est fidei secundum actum rationis, sed contritio est potentiae voluntatis secundum irascibilem vim, et simul sunt tempore.
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Question II. Whether the expulsion of fault necessarily precedes contrition.
Secondly, it is asked whether the expulsion of fault necessarily precedes contrition. And that it does, it seems:
1. Because the motion of contrition is an informed motion1; but grace naturally informs the subject prior to the act: therefore a man is naturally graced before he is contrite. But to be made graced follows upon the expulsion of sin: therefore so also does contrition, which proceeds from a graced soul.
2. Likewise, contrition is a meritorious motion; but every meritorious motion proceeds from a purified root2: therefore since the root is purified through the expulsion of sin, it is clear that the expulsion of sin precedes contrition.
3. Likewise, contrition is a good work; but a good habit precedes a good work3: therefore the soul is naturally enabled before it is made contrite. But it is impossible to understand the soul as enabled for good unless fault has been expelled: therefore etc.
4. Likewise, the motion of free will precedes; but it is impossible for the soul to be moved at the same time by diverse motions according to the superior part4; but in the same instant there is the remission of fault and the motion of free will: therefore contrition is not [the same instant].
On the contrary: 1. If contrition followed upon the remission of fault, since, the fault being remitted, a man is necessarily just, then even if contrition did not follow, he would be just; but this is false: therefore it does not necessarily precede5.
2. Likewise, if the remission of fault were entirely from free will, then it is settled that the act of detestation would precede it; but as that which is the whole cause precedes the thing, so also does that which is auxiliary: therefore if contrition is a motion from free will, aiding grace and making the way for fault to be destroyed6; it is clear that it is prior.
3. Likewise, if light could not be introduced into the air unless the air worked toward this; not only would the introduction of light precede the expulsion of darkness, but so also would the act of the air; but so it is in the case at hand7: therefore since justification is not introduced except with free will aiding, it is clear that not only the infusion of grace, but also the act of free will, precedes it naturally.
4. Likewise, since the soul cannot be healed except by operating; if it could not operate unless healed, the way would be closed off to it8: therefore it is necessary that the operation by which it is healed precede the healing, therefore the remission of sin.
Conclusion
> Contrition precedes the remission of fault according to the order of nature.
I respond: It must be said that it was the opinion of some that the remission of fault antecedes contrition, insofar as the remission of fault is taken with respect to the removal of the stain; but with respect to the penalty, or the consequence, it follows. — But as was said above9, contrition is necessary in the very infusion of grace; whence it also precedes the expulsion of sin in nature.
And this is clear thus: because the soul, through the detestation of sin, disposes itself toward grace with as great a disposition as it can; but grace, coming into the soul, since that detestation was as it were a middle disposition for introducing grace, by nature first regards that detestation and through it the fault to be destroyed; but10 from the comparison or in respect of grace to that detestation there is contrition, while in respect of the fault there is remission: therefore contrition precedes remission by nature. — And the reasons for this are to be conceded.
An example of this can be seen thus. Let us understand the air darkened by the presence of clouds and mists, and that those clouds cannot be expelled insofar as they darken, except by the motion of the air and the irradiation of light. Then, in order p. 429 that the air might receive the first illumination, it would be necessary that, together with the irradiation of the sun, a wind concur, and afterward, for the perfect restoration of the light, it would still be necessary that a wind follow which would expel the clouds. In this manner is contrition and the infusion of grace to be understood, though the active causality be attributed to the irradiation, according to that of the Psalm11: At the brightness in his sight the clouds passed away, etc.
To the arguments: To 1, 2, 3. To that which is objected to the contrary, that it12 is an informed and meritorious and good act; it must be said that an act can be informed by grace in two ways: in one way, by grace eliciting and commanding the motion itself according to its substance, as when grace moves free will to a good work; and then it is true that the soul's gratification and purification and enabling for good precedes such an act. In another way, an act is informed by grace not commanding nor eliciting, but coming, as when free will is in an act consonant with grace; then also13, coming and finding free will in act, it forms both at the same time in time, namely the potency and the act, yet the act prior in nature to the potency, as an intermediate disposition. And concerning such an act it is not true that it follows purification or information, rather it precedes and is ordered to the remission of fault; which indeed some act elicited by grace does not do, insofar as it is called grace-making [gratum faciens]. For even that act by which the soul disposes itself is from grace, insofar as grace signifies something freely given; because, as was held in the second [book], free will does not dispose itself toward grace-making grace without something freely given. And so the three objections are clear. But the contrition which is after justification is by that mode which it states.
To 4. To that which is objected, that the soul is not moved by diverse motions at the same time; it must be said that this is true according to the same potency; but according to one potency and another it can be, and is necessary. For there are simultaneously the cognition of reason and the appetite of the will and delight, when someone delights in seeing or understanding something. So in the case at hand: because the motion of free will is of faith according to the act of reason, but contrition is of the potency of the will according to the irascible power, and they are simultaneous in time.
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- 1Scil. a gratia.That is, from grace.
- 2August., de Spiritu et lit. c. 14. n. 26: Non enim fructus est bonus, qui de caritatis radice non surgit.Augustine, On the Spirit and the Letter c. 14, n. 26: For that fruit is not good which does not spring from the root of charity.
- 3Ut insinuat Aristot. supra pag. 352, nota 10. allegatus.As Aristotle suggests, cited above on p. 352, note 10.
- 4Cfr. supra pag. 342, nota 13. — Maior probata est supra a. 1. q. 2. et intelligitur de motu fidei.Cf. above, p. 342, note 13. — The major was proved above in a. 1, q. 2, and is understood of the motion of faith.
- 5Scil. remissio culpae. Edd. cum pluribus codd. omittunt non, in qua lectione supplendum contritio.That is, the remission of fault. The editions, with many codices, omit non, in which reading contritio must be supplied.
- 6Vide supra a. 1. q. 3.See above, a. 1, q. 3.
- 7Ut ostensum est supra a. 1. q. 2. ad 3. — Pro sic est ed. 1 cum pluribus codd. hoc est. Inferius pro infusio gratiae, quod praebet cod. M, alii codd. et ed. 1 expulsio culpae (sed de hac quaeritur), Vat. iustificatio sive infusio gratiae praecedit expulsionem culpae.As was shown above in a. 1, q. 2, ad 3. — For sic est, edition 1 with many codices reads hoc est. Below, for infusio gratiae, which codex M provides, the other codices and edition 1 read expulsio culpae (but this is the very thing in question), the Vatican edition: justification or the infusion of grace precedes the expulsion of fault.
- 8Supple: salutis vel sanationis.Supply: of salvation or of healing.
- 9Art. praeced. q. 3. et d. 16. p. 1. a. 1. q. 2. ad 2.The preceding article, q. 3, and d. 16, p. 1, a. 1, q. 2, ad 2.
- 10Ita codd. F G U X, in aliis et edd. sic.Thus codices F, G, U, X; in the others and the editions, sic.
- 11Psalm. 17, 13. — Superius pro est intelligere non pauci codd. intellige.Psalm 17:13. — Above, for est intelligere, not a few codices read intellige.
- 12Cod. X supplet contritio. Idem cod. inferius pro substantiam substituit speciem. Cfr. supra d. 14. p. 1. a. 1. q. 3. in corp.Codex X supplies contritio. The same codex, below, substitutes speciem for substantiam. Cf. above, d. 14, p. 1, a. 1, q. 3, in the body.
- 13Cod. U enim, Vat. gratia. Cfr. supra d. 16. p. 1. a. 1. q. 2. ad 2.Codex U reads enim, the Vatican edition gratia. Cf. above, d. 16, p. 1, a. 1, q. 2, ad 2.