ix): "He Who created thee without thyself, will not justify
thee without thyself." Therefore no grace ought to be called simply
operating.

Obj. 3: Further, to cooperate seems to pertain to the inferior agent,
and not to the principal agent. But grace works in us more than
free-will, according to Rom. 9:16: "It is not of him that willeth,
nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy." Therefore no
grace ought to be called cooperating.

Obj. 4: Further, division ought to rest on opposition. But to operate
and to cooperate are not opposed; for one and the same thing can both
operate and cooperate. Therefore grace is not fittingly divided into
operating and cooperating.

_On the contrary,_ Augustine says (De Gratia et Lib. Arbit. xvii):
"God by cooperating with us, perfects what He began by operating in
us, since He who perfects by cooperation with such as are willing,
begins by operating that they may will." But the operations of God
whereby He moves us to good pertain to grace. Therefore grace is
fittingly divided into operating and cooperating.

_I answer that,_ As stated above (Q. 110, A. 2) grace may be taken in
two ways; first, as a Divine help, whereby God moves us to will and
to act; secondly, as a habitual gift divinely bestowed on us.

Now in both these ways grace is fittingly divided into operating and
cooperating. For the operation of an effect is not attributed to the
thing moved but to the mover. Hence in that effect in which our mind
is moved and does not move, but in which God is the sole mover, the
operation is attributed to God, and it is with reference to this that
we speak of "operating grace." But in that effect in which our mind
both moves and is moved, the operation is not only attributed to God,
but also to the soul; and it is with reference to this that we speak
of "cooperating grace." Now there is a double act in us. First, there
is the interior act of the will, and with regard to this act the will
is a thing moved, and God is the mover; and especially when the will,
which hitherto willed evil, begins to will good. And hence, inasmuch
as God moves the human mind to this act, we speak of operating grace.
But there is another, exterior act; and since it is commanded by the
will, as was shown above (Q. 17, A. 9) the operation of this act is
attributed to the will. And because God assists us in this act, both
by strengthening our will interiorly so as to attain to the act, and
by grant