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Summa Theologiae · I-II, q. 114

Question 114. Of Merit

Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae, First Part of the Second Part. 10 articles.

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Text: Summa Theologiae, Project Gutenberg #17897, First Part of the Second Part (Prima Secundae), translated by the Fathers of the English Dominican Province. The First Part of the Second Part of the Summa in the English Dominican translation (first printed 1911 to 1925; second and revised edition from 1920). A sample check on 2026-11-09 against pre-1931 printings at the Internet Archive (first printings of 1915 and 1916 and the second and revised edition of the 1920s) found that the article text matches, with no 1947 introduction, synopsis, or index. The phrase “From the Complete American Edition” in Gutenberg's catalog title is a provenance note only. Question and article numbers were added by the transcriber. Rights: Public domain (US)

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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?

Articles

  1. Whether a Man May Merit Anything from God?
  2. Whether Anyone Without Grace Can Merit Eternal Life?
  3. Whether a Man in Grace Can Merit Eternal Life Condignly?
  4. Whether Grace Is the Principle of Merit Through Charity Rather Than the Other Virtues?
  5. Whether a Man May Merit for Himself the First Grace?
  6. Whether a Man Can Merit the First Grace for Another?
  7. Whether a Man May Merit Restoration After a Fall?
  8. Whether a Man May Merit the Increase of Grace or Charity?
  9. Whether a Man May Merit Perseverance?
  10. Whether Temporal Goods Fall Under Merit?

Also online, linked only: the same translation at New Advent and the Latin text at Corpus Thomisticum. Neither is copied here.

Source: Thomas Aquinas. Summa Theologica, First Part of the Second Part. Project Gutenberg #17897. Project Gutenberg record. Public domain in the USA. Outside the U.S., check local copyright rules. Project Gutenberg notices retained. The full Project Gutenberg license is kept in the hosted text.