Summa summae S. Thomae, Tomus II

On the other acts required for the justification of adults. Chapter 6 teaches that, besides faith, five other acts are required on the part of the sinner for his justification, namely, the act of fear, of hope, of the love of God, of contrition, and the resolve to receive the sacraments instituted for the remission of sins and to keep the divine commandments. Now these acts are deduced thus. Faith, enlightening the mind of the sinner, sets before him, on the one hand, the divine justice reserving punishments for him, on the other, the divine mercy offering him pardon. Thence there arises in his will the fear of divine justice, then hope or confidence of obtaining pardon. Hope is followed by the incipient love of God as of the fountain of all justice; for from this very fact that God, merciful, offers pardon to the sinner who fears punishment, not only is hope stirred up, but also love of so great a goodness, at least incipient, concerning whose necessity for justification, together with the sacrament of penance, there was a celebrated controversy to be settled in its place.

From faith, hope and incipient love of God is born the detestation of sin; because this very fact that the sinner knows that punishments are reserved for his sins, and from this fact that he begins to love God as prepared to forgive them to him, he is moved to hatred of sin, as harmful to himself and offensive to the divine goodness. This hatred is called contrition, perfect indeed, if sin displeases principally as offensive to God; imperfect, if sin displeases principally as harmful to the sinner.

This contrition has necessarily attached to it the resolve of beginning a new life and keeping the divine commandments; for there is not in anyone sincere sorrow for sins unless he sincerely wills henceforth to avoid them.

You will ask from what effective principle proceed the acts of contrition and charity which ultimately dispose to habitual grace.

I answer. Theologians differ among themselves in this part. Some say that these further dispositions toward habitual grace are effectively from the actual transient help communicated.

So, among the Thomists, John of St. Thomas, Sylvius, Contenson, with many outsiders. Some assert that they are effectively from habitual grace itself. So Gonet, Serra and others. The third opinion, which strives to reconcile both, holds that these acts ultimately disposing to justification are effectively from the infused virtue of charity and penance, communicated not permanently by way of habit, but transiently by way of actual help and motion. Whence grace by way of help precedes those acts, which grace by way of habit follows, although all these things take place in the same real instant. So Fr. Goudin. Whoever wishes to weigh the merits of these opinions should seek them in our Billuart, in his more ample Summa. Besides, it seems to matter little which appears preferable to each one.]