Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae

Objection 1: It would seem that the grace of Christ could increase. For to every finite thing addition can be made. But the grace of Christ was finite. Therefore it could increase.

Objection 2: Further, it is by Divine power that grace is increased, according to 2 Cor. 9:8: "And God is able to make all grace abound in you." But the Divine power, being infinite, is confined by no limits. Therefore it seems that the grace of Christ could have been greater.

Objection 3: Further, it is written (Lk. 2:52) that the child "Jesus advanced in wisdom and age and grace with God and men." Therefore the grace of Christ could increase.

On the contrary, It is written (Jn. 1:14): "We saw Him as it were . . . the Only-begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." But nothing can be or can be thought greater than that anyone should be the Only-begotten of the Father. Therefore no greater grace can be or can be thought than that of which Christ was full.

I answer that, For a form to be incapable of increase happens in two ways: First on the part of the subject; secondly, on the part of the form itself. On the part of the subject, indeed, when the subject reaches the utmost limit wherein it partakes of this form, after its own manner, e.g. if we say that air cannot increase in heat, when it has reached the utmost limit of heat which can exist in the nature of air, although there may be greater heat in actual existence, viz. the heat of fire. But on the part of the form, the possibility of increase is excluded when a subject reaches the utmost perfection which this form can have by nature, e.g. if we say the heat of fire cannot be increased because there cannot be a more perfect grade of heat than that to which fire attains. Now the proper measure of grace, like that of other forms, is determined by the Divine wisdom, according to Wis. 11:21: "Thou hast ordered all things in number, weight and measure." And it is with reference to its end that a measure is set to every form. as there is no greater gravity than that of the earth, because there is no lower place than that of the earth. Now the end of grace is the union of the rational creature with God. But there can neither be nor be thought a greater union of the rational creature with God than that which is in the Person. And hence the grace of Christ reached the highest measure of grace. Hence it is clear that the grace of Christ cannot be increased on the part of grace. But neither can it be increased on the part of the subject, since Christ as man was a true and full comprehensor from the first instant of His conception. Hence there could have been no increase of grace in Him, as there could be none in the rest of the blessed, whose grace could not increase, seeing that they have reached their last end. But as regards men who are wholly wayfarers, their grace can be increased not merely on the part of the form, since they have not attained the highest degree of grace, but also on the part of the subject, since they have not yet attained their end.

Reply to Objection 1: If we speak of mathematical quantity, addition can be made to any finite quantity, since there is nothing on the part of finite quantity which is repugnant to addition. But if we speak of natural quantity, there may be repugnance on the part of the form to which a determined quantity is due, even as other accidents are determined. Hence the Philosopher says (De Anima ii, 41) that "there is naturally a term of all things, and a fixed limit of magnitude and increase." And hence to the quantity of the whole there can be no addition. And still more must we suppose a term in the forms themselves, beyond which they may not go. Hence it is not necessary that addition should be capable of being made to Christ's grace, although it is finite in its essence.

Reply to Objection 2: Although the Divine power can make something greater and better than the habitual grace of Christ, yet it could not make it to be ordained to anything greater than the personal union with the Only-begotten Son of the Father; and to this union, by the purpose of the Divine wisdom, the measure of grace is sufficient.

Reply to Objection 3: Anyone may increase in wisdom and grace in two ways. First inasmuch as the very habits of wisdom and grace are increased; and in this way Christ did not increase. Secondly, as regards the effects, i.e. inasmuch as they do wiser and greater works; and in this way Christ increased in wisdom and grace even as in age, since in the course of time He did more perfect works, to prove Himself true man, both in the things of God, and in the things of man.

Articulus 12

Argumentum 1

Ad duodecimum sic proceditur. Videtur quod gratia christi potuerit augeri. Omni enim finito potest fieri additio. Sed gratia christi finita fuit, ut dictum est.

Ergo potuit augeri.

Argumentum 2

Praeterea, augmentum gratiae fit per virtutem divinam, secundum illud II Cor. IX, potens est deus omnem gratiam abundare facere in vobis.

Sed virtus divina, cum sit infinita, nullo termino coarctatur.

Ergo videtur quod gratia christi potuerit esse maior.

Argumentum 3

Praeterea, Luc. II dicitur quod puer iesus proficiebat aetate, sapientia et gratia apud deum et homines.

Ergo gratia christi potuit augeri.

Sed Contra

Sed contra est quod dicitur Ioan. I, vidimus eum, quasi unigenitum a patre, plenum gratiae et veritatis.

Sed nihil potest esse aut intelligi maius quam quod aliquis sit unigenitus a patre. Ergo non potest esse, vel etiam intelligi, maior gratia quam illa qua christus fuit plenus.

Corpus

Respondeo dicendum quod aliquam formam non posse augeri contingit dupliciter, uno modo, ex parte ipsius subiecti; alio modo, ex parte illius formae. Ex parte quidem subiecti, quando subiectum attingit ad ultimum in participatione ipsius formae secundum suum modum sicut si dicatur quod aer non potest crescere in caliditate, quando pertingit ad ultimum gradum caloris qui potest salvari in natura aeris; licet possit esse maior calor in rerum natura, qui est calor ignis. Ex parte autem formae excluditur possibilitas augmenti quando aliquod subiectum attingit ad ultimam perfectionem qua potest talis forma haberi, sicut si dicamus quod calor ignis non potest augeri, quia non potest esse perfectior gradus caloris quam ille ad quem pertingit ignis. Sicut autem aliarum formarum est ex divina sapientia determinata propria mensura, ita et gratiae, secundum illud Sap. XI, omnia in numero, pondere et mensura disposuisti.

Mensura autem unicuique formae praefigitur per comparationem ad suum finem, sicut non est maior gravitas quam gravitas terrae, quia non potest esse inferior locus loco terrae. Finis autem gratiae est unio creaturae rationalis ad deum. Non potest autem esse, nec intelligi, maior unio creaturae rationalis ad deum quam quae est in persona. Et ideo gratia christi pertingit usque ad summam mensuram gratiae. Sic ergo manifestum est quod gratia christi non potuit augeri ex parte ipsius gratiae. Sed neque ex parte ipsius subiecti. Quia christus, secundum quod homo, a primo instanti suae conceptionis fuit verus et plenus comprehensor.

Unde in eo non potuit esse gratiae augmentum, sicut nec in aliis beatis, quorum gratia augeri non potest, eo quod sunt in termino.

Hominum vero qui sunt pure viatores, gratia potest augeri et ex parte formae, quia non attingunt summum gratiae gradum, et ex parte subiecti, quia nondum pervenerunt ad terminum.

Ad 1

Ad primum ergo dicendum quod, si loquamur de quantitatibus mathematicae, cuilibet finitae quantitati potest fieri additio, quia ex parte quantitatis finitae non est aliquid quod repugnet additioni. Si vero loquamur de quantitate naturali, sic potest esse repugnantia ex parte formae, cui debetur determinata quantitas, sicut et alia accidentia determinata.

Unde philosophus dicit II de anima, quod omnium natura constantium est terminus et ratio magnitudinis et augmenti.

Et inde est quod quantitati totius caeli non potest fieri additio. Multo igitur magis in ipsis formis consideratur aliquis terminus, ultra quem non transgrediuntur. Et propter hoc, non oportuit quod gratiae christi posset fieri additio, quamvis sit finita secundum sui essentiam.

Ad 2

Ad secundum dicendum quod, licet virtus divina posset facere aliquid maius et melius quam sit habitualis gratia christi, non tamen posset facere quod ordinaretur ad aliquid maius quam sit unio personalis ad filium unigenitum a patre, cui unioni sufficienter correspondet talis mensura gratiae secundum definitionem divinae sapientiae.

Ad 3

Ad tertium dicendum quod in sapientia et gratia aliquis potest proficere dupliciter. Uno modo, secundum ipsos habitus sapientiae et gratiae augmentatos. Et sic christus in eis non proficiebat.

Alio modo, secundum effectus, inquantum scilicet aliquis sapientiora et virtuosiora opera facit. Et sic christus proficiebat sapientia et gratia, sicut et aetate, quia secundum processum aetatis perfectiora opera faciebat, ut se verum hominem demonstraret, et in his quae sunt ad deum et in his quae sunt ad homines.