hat they always rise again to
greater grace, but that they rise to more abiding grace, not indeed
on the part of grace itself, because the greater the grace, the more
abiding it is, but on the part of man, who, the more careful and
humble he is, abides the more steadfastly in grace. Hence the same
gloss adds that "their fall conduces to their good, because they rise
more humble and more enlightened."

Reply Obj. 2: Penance, considered in itself, has the power to bring
all defects back to perfection, and even to advance man to a higher
state; but this is sometimes hindered on the part of man, whose
movement towards God and in detestation of sin is too remiss, just as
in Baptism adults receive a greater or a lesser grace, according to
the various ways in which they prepare themselves.

Reply Obj. 3: This comparison of the two graces to the evening and
morning light is made on account of a likeness of order, since the
darkness of night follows after the evening light, and the light of
day after the light of morning, but not on account of a likeness of
greater or lesser quantity. Again, this saying of the Apostle refers
to the grace of Christ, which abounds more than any number of man's
sins. Nor is it true of all, that the more their sins abound, the
more abundant grace they receive, if we measure habitual grace by the
quantity. Grace is, however, more abundant, as regards the very
notion of grace, because to him who sins more a more _gratuitous_
favor is vouchsafed by his pardon; although sometimes those whose
sins abound, abound also in sorrow, so that they receive a more
abundant habit of grace and virtue, as was the case with Magdalen.

To the argument advanced in the contrary sense it must be replied
that in one and the same man proficient grace is greater than
incipient grace, but this is not necessarily the case in different
men, for one begins with a greater grace than another has in the
state of proficiency: thus Gregory says (Dial. ii, 1): "Let all, both
now and hereafter, acknowledge how perfectly the boy Benedict turned
to the life of grace from the very beginning."
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THIRD ARTICLE [III, Q. 89, Art. 3]

Whether, by Penance, Man Is Restored to His Former Dignity?

Objection 1: It would seem that man is not restored by Penance to his
former dignity: because a gloss on Amos 5:2, "The virgin of Israel is
cast down," observes: "It is not said that she cannot rise up, but
that the virgi