, neither as to the quantity of
the thing offered, as this sacrament does, nor as to personal
devotion; from which it comes to pass that even here the whole
punishment is not taken away.

Reply Obj. 3: If part of the punishment and not the whole be taken
away by this sacrament, it is due to a defect not on the part of
Christ's power, but on the part of man's devotion.
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SIXTH ARTICLE [III, Q. 79, Art. 6]

Whether Man Is Preserved by This Sacrament from Future Sins?

Objection 1: It seems that man is not preserved by this sacrament
from future sins. For there are many that receive this sacrament
worthily, who afterwards fall into sin. Now this would not happen if
this sacrament were to preserve them from future sins. Consequently,
it is not an effect of this sacrament to preserve from future sins.

Obj. 2: Further, the Eucharist is the sacrament of charity, as stated
above (A. 4). But charity does not seem to preserve from future sins,
because it can be lost through sin after one has possessed it, as was
stated in the Second Part (II-II, Q. 24, A. 11). Therefore it seems
that this sacrament does not preserve man from sin.

Obj. 3: Further, the origin of sin within us is "the law of sin,
which is in our members," as declared by the Apostle (Rom. 7:23). But
the lessening of the fomes, which is the law of sin, is set down as
an effect not of this sacrament, but rather of Baptism. Therefore
preservation from sin is not an effect of this sacrament.

_On the contrary,_ our Lord said (John 6:50): "This is the bread
which cometh down from heaven; that if any man eat of it, he may not
die": which manifestly is not to be understood of the death of the
body. Therefore it is to be understood that this sacrament preserves
from spiritual death, which is through sin.

_I answer that,_ Sin is the spiritual death of the soul. Hence man is
preserved from future sin in the same way as the body is preserved
from future death of the body: and this happens in two ways. First of
all, in so far as man's nature is strengthened inwardly against inner
decay, and so by means of food and medicine he is preserved from
death. Secondly, by being guarded against outward assaults; and thus
he is protected by means of arms by which he defends his body.

Now this sacrament preserves man from sin in both of these ways. For,
first of all, by uniting man with Christ through grace, it
strengthens his spiritual life, as spiritu