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He merited for us all we had lost in Adam.[1841] Thus the
Evangelist says: "And of His fullness we have all received, and
grace for grace,"[1842] from the first grace to the last grace.
Hence He merited for us sanctifying grace, the infused virtues, and
the seven gifts, likewise all actual graces whereby we are prepared for
justification, by means of which we perform meritorious acts and
persevere. He likewise merited for us eternal life, or salvation,
and also final resurrection or the preternatural gifts that we lost
through Adam, namely, immunity from death, pain, concupiscence,
and error.
But Christ's passion is a universal cause that produces its effect
only if the fruits of Christ's merits are applied to us through the
instrumentality of the sacraments or without them, and frequently men,
because of concupiscence or pride, place obstacles in the way of their
application. Wherefore we said above[1843] in treating of
Christ's merit, that the efficacious graces which de facto are not
granted, such as the grace of a good death for Judas, these Christ
merited as offered to men in the sufficient grace, but not as here and
now bestowed or to be conferred. For God offers us the efficacious
grace in the sufficient grace, as the fruit is contained in the
flower, but if a person resists the sufficient grace, then the
efficacious grace is not conferred. For we must cooperate in our
salvation, wherefore St. Paul says: "And if sons, heirs also;
heirs indeed of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; yet so if we
suffer with Him that we may be also glorified with Him."[1844]
But Christ merited for the elect by His passion all the effects of
their predestination, namely, their calling, justification,
perseverance, and glorification.[1845]
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