Theological Theses · §2567 · Louis Le Blanc de Beaulieu

Yet the one given efficacious aid receives far greater grace

Thesis CXXX. These theologians hold that the aid called efficacious does not differ from the aid called merely sufficient physically, in real entity or power to act, but only morally, or as they put it, in relation to the act to follow. Even so, they consider that whoever is given efficacious aid receives a far greater grace from God than one granted sufficient aid alone. This is because the worth and size of a gift or grace are to be measured chiefly by the intention of the giver and by the benefit and fruit that come to the receiver.

Efficacious aid is given by God with a settled purpose of converting the person; sufficient aid cannot be traced to any such purpose. Moreover, the conversion that efficacious aid brings about is the greatest good its recipient gains from it. Sufficient aid, however great in itself, is assumed not to suit or fit the disposition of the one who receives it, so it stays entirely useless to him; indeed, incidentally, it turns to his greater condemnation.

Latin

CXXX. Quanquam autem illi Theologi censeant auxilium quod dicitur efficax, non differre Physice & quoad entitatem realem, seu vim agendi, sed solum moraliter &, ut loquuntur, per ordinem ad secuturam operationem, ab eo quod solum sufficiens dicitur; nihilominus existimant illum qui efficaci auxilio donatur, longe majorem a Deo gratiam accipere, quam cui sufficiens duntaxat conceditur. Idque quoniam doni sive gratiae alicujus praestantia & magnitudo praecipue metienda est tum ex animo donantis, tum etiam ex utilitate & fructu qui redit ad accipientem. Jam autem auxilium efficax datur a Deo ex certo proposito hominem convertendi: sufficiens vero ad tale propositum referri non potest. Praeterea conversio quam operatur auxilium efficax, maximum est bonum quod inde redit ad eum cui Deus auxilium tale largitur. Auxilium vero sufficiens, quantumlibet in se magnum sit, cum tamen supponatur accommodatum & congruum non esse dispositioni illius qui accipit, ipsi manet prorsus inutile; quin per accidens ad majorem ejus damnationem cedit.

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