QUESTION 114

OF MERIT
(In Ten Articles)

We must now consider merit, which is the effect of cooperating grace; and under this head there are ten points of inquiry: 

(1) Whether a man can merit anything from God?

(2) Whether without grace anyone can merit eternal life?

(3) Whether anyone with grace may merit eternal life condignly?

(4) Whether it is chiefly through the instrumentality of charity that grace is the principle of merit?

(5) Whether a man may merit the first grace for himself?

(6) Whether he may merit it for someone else?

(7) Whether anyone can merit restoration after sin?

(8) Whether he can merit for himself an increase of grace or charity?

(9) Whether he can merit final perseverance?

(10) Whether temporal goods fall under merit?
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FIRST ARTICLE [I-II, Q. 114, Art. 1]

Whether a Man May Merit Anything from God?

Objection 1:  It would seem that a man can merit nothing from God.  For no one, it would seem, merits by giving another his due.  But by all the good we do, we cannot make sufficient return to God, since yet more is His due, as also the Philosopher says (Ethic. viii, 14).  Hence it is written (Luke 17:10):  “When you have done all these things that are commanded you, say:  We are unprofitable servants; we have done that which we ought to do.”  Therefore a man can merit nothing from God.

Obj. 2:  Further, it would seem that a man merits nothing from God, by what profits himself only, and profits God nothing.  Now by acting well, a man profits himself or another man, but not God, for it is written (Job 35:7):  “If thou do justly, what shalt thou give Him, or what shall He receive of thy hand.”  Hence a man can merit nothing from God.

Obj. 3:  Further, whoever merits anything from another makes him his debtor; for a man’s wage is a debt due to him.  Now God is no one’s debtor; hence it is written (Rom. 11:35):  “Who hath first given to Him, and recompense shall be made to him?” Hence no one can merit anything from God.

On the contrary, It is written (Jer. 31:16):  “There is a reward for thy work.”  Now a reward means something bestowed by reason of merit.  Hence it would seem that a man may merit from God.

I answer that, Merit and reward refer to the same, for a reward means something given anyone in return for work or toil, as a price for it.  Hence, as it is an act of justice to give a just price for anything received from another, so also is it an act of justice to make a return for work or toil.  Now justice is a kind of equality, as is clear from the Philosopher (Ethic. v, 3), and hence justice is simply between those that are simply equal; but where there is no absolute equality between them, neither is there absolute justice, but there may be a certain