e.

Obj. 2: Further, man prepares himself for grace by doing what is in
him to do, since if man does what is in him to do, God will not deny
him grace, for it is written (Matt. 7:11) that God gives His good
Spirit "to them that ask Him." But what is in our power is in us to
do. Therefore it seems to be in our power to prepare ourselves for
grace.

Obj. 3: Further, if a man needs grace in order to prepare for grace,
with equal reason will he need grace to prepare himself for the first
grace; and thus to infinity, which is impossible. Hence it seems that
we must not go beyond what was said first, viz. that man, of himself
and without grace, can prepare himself for grace.

Obj. 4: Further, it is written (Prov. 16:1) that "it is the part of
man to prepare the soul." Now an action is said to be part of a man,
when he can do it by himself. Hence it seems that man by himself can
prepare himself for grace.

_On the contrary,_ It is written (John 6:44): "No man can come to Me
except the Father, Who hath sent Me, draw him." But if man could
prepare himself, he would not need to be drawn by another. Hence man
cannot prepare himself without the help of grace.

_I answer that,_ The preparation of the human will for good is
twofold: the first, whereby it is prepared to operate rightly and to
enjoy God; and this preparation of the will cannot take place without
the habitual gift of grace, which is the principle of meritorious
works, as stated above (A. 5). There is a second way in which the
human will may be taken to be prepared for the gift of habitual grace
itself. Now in order that man prepare himself to receive this gift,
it is not necessary to presuppose any further habitual gift in the
soul, otherwise we should go on to infinity. But we must presuppose a
gratuitous gift of God, Who moves the soul inwardly or inspires the
good wish. For in these two ways do we need the Divine assistance, as
stated above (AA. 2, 3). Now that we need the help of God to move us,
is manifest. For since every agent acts for an end, every cause must
direct is effect to its end, and hence since the order of ends is
according to the order of agents or movers, man must be directed to
the last end by the motion of the first mover, and to the proximate
end by the motion of any of the subordinate movers; as the spirit of
the soldier is bent towards seeking the victory by the motion of the
leader of the army--and towards following the standard of a regi