Tractatus de Gratia Divina Actuali

I. By this division no other author of grace is indicated, since God is the author of every supernatural grace, but there is indicated one and another relation of grace to the diverse states of the rational creature, namely the state of integrity and of lapse: 2) the special relation of grace to its principle is indicated; for the grace which is given to fallen men is referred to Christ the Redeemer, as meritorious cause, the merit of which Redeemer has no place in the other state. Since, therefore, with respect to the state of lapse grace has this as proper to itself, that it depends on the merits of Christ the Redeemer, for that reason it is called by its proper name the Grace of Christ, the common appellation grace of God being retained for signifying that grace which regards the other state. The grace of Christ is also called the Grace of God through Jesus Christ. Cf. Aug. De Gratia Christi c. 17. For it is established that God elevated human nature in the first parent to the gratuitous supernatural order (De Deo Creant Th. XLVIII. seqq.), and it is established that fallen human nature is not restored and recalled to its pristine state except through Christ, who by the offering of himself on the cross took away the sin of the world and brought salvation to all who had perished. Whence in the state of fallen nature Christ the Redeemer is the meritorious cause of every supernatural gift.

II. Now indeed, having regard to this twofold state, the grace which regards both is deservedly distinguished. For grace is deservedly distinguished, according to the very notion of a gratuitous gift, between the grace which is conferred merely upon one not worthy and the grace which is conferred upon one positively unworthy: between the grace which proceeds from benevolence alone and the grace which issues from benevolence and mercy at the same time: between the grace which is conferred simply to elevate and the grace which is conferred to heal and elevate at the same time: between the grace which is conferred simply gratuitously and the grace which is so conferred gratuitously to others that it is conferred also on account of merits another has acquired. But the former is the grace conferred upon integral nature and is called the grace of God; the latter is the grace conferred upon fallen nature and is called the grace of Christ. For the grace of Christ is conferred upon sinful nature, and therefore positively unworthy nature, to which nature, miserable on account of sin, assistance is given through mercy, which sinful nature, when it is freed from sin and its effects, is moreover restored to health, and these things are granted to it by God on account of the merits of Christ the Redeemer. But because sin was lacking in integral nature, when it was enriched with gratuitous gifts, the grace conferred upon it lacked these special characters. Hence to the grace of God pertains not only the grace conferred upon Adam, but also the grace conferred upon the Angels.

III. The grace of God is called elevating grace, but the grace of Christ is called healing grace, medicinal grace, not because this accomplishes only that, but because it alone does that. For human nature, changed for the worse in body and soul, as the Council of Trent says, now needs a physician, because it is not healthy, which indeed in the state of elevation it did not need. But it must be noted that healing and medicinal grace is not for that reason alone so called, because it heals some weakness which, in fallen nature, would not have been in integral nature; but generally because it repairs nature collapsed and changed for the worse in soul and body. For healing and medicinal grace according to Augustine (De natura et gratia. cc. 2. et 3.) is not only that by which the weakness of concupiscence is healed, but that by which infants and those of advanced age are saved, namely that by which all men are freed from sin and justified; which indeed is done through grace simply supernatural and elevating. To remember this will help in what follows. That, however, does not prevent that, when the double effect of this same grace of Christ is distinguished, the same grace be also distinguished and one be called elevating grace, the other be specially called healing and medicinal, which heals the wounds of nature in the very order of nature. Furthermore, Augustine treats of the grace of Christ especially against the Pelagians.

The testimonies Eph. IV, 23. 24. Coloss. III, 8. 10. Gen. I, 26. Eecli. XVII. 1 (Vulg.), compared with the interpretation of the Fathers (De Deo Creant. Th. XLII.), set forth the grace of God.

The testimonies 1. Cor. XV, 10. Ephes. I, 3. 2. Tim. 1, 9. etc. refer to the grace of Christ.

Nota. If anyone should contend that all grace, even that conferred upon Adam and the Angels, was conferred from the merits of Christ, about which matter we do not now wish to dispute; yet the distinction between the grace of God and the grace of Christ would remain, both on account of the diverse relation to the diverse states, and because the merits of Christ for nature not fallen would not be the merits of a Redeemer, whereas they are the merits of a Redeemer for fallen nature.