re covered." But a
subsequent mortal sin takes away grace. Therefore the sins committed
previously, become uncovered: and so, seemingly, they return.

_On the contrary,_ The Apostle says (Rom. 11:29): "The gifts and the
calling of God are without repentance." Now the penitent's sins are
taken away by a gift of God. Therefore the sins which have been taken
away do not return through a subsequent sin, as though God repented
His gift of forgiveness.

Moreover, Augustine says (Lib. Resp. Prosperi i [*Cf. Prosper,
Responsiones ad Capitula Gallorum ii]): "When he that turns away from
Christ, comes to the end of this life a stranger to grace, whither
does he go, except to perdition? Yet he does not fall back into that
which had been forgiven, nor will he be condemned for original sin."

_I answer that,_ As stated above (Q. 86, A. 4), mortal sin contains
two things, aversion from God and adherence to a created good. Now,
in mortal sin, whatever attaches to the aversion, is, considered in
itself, common to all mortal sins, since man turns away from God by
every mortal sin, so that, in consequence, the stain resulting from
the privation of grace, and the debt of everlasting punishment are
common to all mortal sins. This is what is meant by what is written
(James 2:10): "Whosoever . . . shall offend in one point, is become
guilty of all." On the other hand, as regards their adherence they
are different from, and sometimes contrary to one another. Hence it
is evident, that on the part of the adherence, a subsequent mortal
sin does not cause the return of mortal sins previously dispelled,
else it would follow that by a sin of wastefulness a man would be
brought back to the habit or disposition of avarice previously
dispelled, so that one contrary would be the cause of another, which
is impossible. But if in mortal sins we consider that which attaches
to the aversion absolutely, then a subsequent mortal sin [causes the
return of that which was comprised in the mortal sins before they
were pardoned, in so far as the subsequent mortal sin] [*The words in
brackets are omitted in the Leonine edition.] deprives man of grace,
and makes him deserving of everlasting punishment, just as he was
before. Nevertheless, since the aversion of mortal sin is [in a way,
caused by the adherence, those things which attach to the aversion
are*] diversified somewhat in relation to various adherences, as it
were to various causes, so that there will be