ICLE [I-II, Q. 113, Art. 3]

Whether for the Justification of the Ungodly Is Required a Movement
of the Free-will?

Objection 1: It would seem that no movement of the free-will is
required for the justification of the ungodly. For we see that by the
sacrament of Baptism, infants and sometimes adults are justified
without a movement of their free-will: hence Augustine says (Confess.
iv) that when one of his friends was taken with a fever, "he lay for
a long time senseless and in a deadly sweat, and when he was
despaired of, he was baptized without his knowing, and was
regenerated"; which is effected by sanctifying grace. Now God does
not confine His power to the sacraments. Hence He can justify a man
without the sacraments, and without any movement of the free-will.

Obj. 2: Further, a man has not the use of reason when asleep, and
without it there can be no movement of the free-will. But Solomon
received from God the gift of wisdom when asleep, as related in 3
Kings 3 and 2 Paral 1. Hence with equal reason the gift of
sanctifying grace is sometimes bestowed by God on man without the
movement of his free-will.

Obj. 3: Further, grace is preserved by the same cause as brings it
into being, for Augustine says (Gen. ad lit. viii, 12) that "so ought
man to turn to God as he is ever made just by Him." Now grace is
preserved in man without a movement of his free-will. Hence it can be
infused in the beginning without a movement of the free-will.

_On the contrary,_ It is written (John 6:45): "Every one that hath
heard of the Father, and hath learned, cometh to Me." Now to learn
cannot be without a movement of the free-will, since the learner
assents to the teacher. Hence, no one comes to the Father by
justifying grace without a movement of the free-will.

_I answer that,_ The justification of the ungodly is brought about by
God moving man to justice. For He it is "that justifieth the ungodly"
according to Rom. 4:5. Now God moves everything in its own manner,
just as we see that in natural things, what is heavy and what is
light are moved differently, on account of their diverse natures.
Hence He moves man to justice according to the condition of his human
nature. But it is man's proper nature to have free-will. Hence in him
who has the use of reason, God's motion to justice does not take
place without a movement of the free-will; but He so infuses the gift
of justifying grace that at the same time He moves the free-will