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QUESTION 89

OF THE RECOVERY OF VIRTUE BY MEANS OF PENANCE
(In Six Articles)

We must now consider the recovery of virtues by means of Penance,
under which head there are six points of inquiry:

(1) Whether virtues are restored through Penance?

(2) Whether they are restored in equal measure?

(3) Whether equal dignity is restored to the penitent?

(4) Whether works of virtue are deadened by subsequent sin?

(5) Whether works deadened by sin revive through Penance?

(6) Whether dead works, i.e. works that are done without charity, are
quickened by Penance?
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FIRST ARTICLE [III, Q. 89, Art. 1]

Whether the Virtues Are Restored Through Penance?

Objection 1: It would seem that the virtues are not restored through
penance. Because lost virtue cannot be restored by penance, unless
penance be the cause of virtue. But, since penance is itself a
virtue, it cannot be the cause of all the virtues, and all the more,
since some virtues naturally precede penance, viz., faith, hope, and
charity, as stated above (Q. 85, A. 6). Therefore the virtues are not
restored through penance.

Obj. 2: Further, Penance consists in certain acts of the penitent.
But the gratuitous virtues are not caused through any act of ours:
for Augustine says (De Lib. Arb. ii, 18: In Ps. 118) that "God forms
the virtues in us without us." Therefore it seems that the virtues
are not restored through Penance.

Obj. 3: Further, he that has virtue performs works of virtue with
ease and pleasure: wherefore the Philosopher says (Ethic. i, 8) that
"a man is not just if he does not rejoice in just deeds." Now many
penitents find difficulty in performing deeds of virtue. Therefore
the virtues are not restored through Penance.

_On the contrary,_ We read (Luke 15:22) that the father commanded his
penitent son to be clothed in "the first robe," which, according to
Ambrose (Expos. in Luc. vii), is the "mantle of wisdom," from which
all the virtues flow together, according to Wis. 8:7: "She teacheth
temperance, and prudence, and justice, and fortitude, which are such
things as men can have nothing more profitable in life." Therefore
all the virtues are restored through Penance.

_I answer that,_ Sins are pardoned through Penance, as stated above
(Q. 86, A. 1). But there can be no remission of sins except through
the infusion of grace. Wherefore it follows that grace is infused
into man through Penance.