r
venial, is remitted. Hence the comparison fails.
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QUESTION 88

OF THE RETURN OF SINS WHICH HAVE BEEN TAKEN AWAY BY PENANCE
(In Four Articles)

We must now consider the return of sins which have been taken away by
Penance: under which head there are four points of inquiry:

(1) Whether sins which have been taken away by Penance return simply
through a subsequent sin?

(2) Whether more specially as regards certain sins they return, in a
way, on account of ingratitude?

(3) Whether the debt of punishment remains the same for sins thus
returned?

(4) Whether this ingratitude, on account of which sins return, is a
special sin?
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FIRST ARTICLE [III, Q. 88, Art. 1]

Whether Sins Once Forgiven Return Through a Subsequent Sin?

Objection 1: It would seem that sins once forgiven return through a
subsequent sin. For Augustine says (De Bapt. contra Donat. i, 12):
"Our Lord teaches most explicitly in the Gospel that sins which have
been forgiven return, when fraternal charity ceases, in the example
of the servant from whom his master exacted the payment of the debt
already forgiven, because he had refused to forgive the debt of his
fellow-servant." Now fraternal charity is destroyed through each
mortal sin. Therefore sins already taken away through Penance, return
through each subsequent mortal sin.

Obj. 2: Further, on Luke 11:24, "I will return into my house, whence
I came out," Bede says: "This verse should make us tremble, we should
not endeavor to explain it away lest through carelessness we give
place to the sin which we thought to have been taken away, and become
its slave once more." Now this would not be so unless it returned.
Therefore a sin returns after once being taken away by Penance.

Obj. 3: Further, the Lord said (Ezech. 18:24): "If the just man turn
himself away from his justice, and do iniquity . . . all his justices
which he hath done, shall not be remembered." Now among the other
"justices" which he had done, is also his previous penance, since it
was said above (Q. 85, A. 3) that penance is a part of justice.
Therefore when one who has done penance, sins, his previous penance,
whereby he received forgiveness of his sins, is not imputed to him.
Therefore his sins return.

Obj. 4: Further, past sins are covered by grace, as the Apostle
declares (Rom. 4:7) where he quotes Ps. 31:1: "Blessed are they whose
iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins a