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The affirmative reply seems the more reasonable because in
the angel the movement of the will cannot be impeded or
retarded by an inordinate passion, and when there is
nothing to impede or retard it a nature. is moved
according to its entire power. Hence it seems reasonable
that the angels that have a better nature turned to God
with more power and more effectively.
On this point we have a certain analogy with men. "This
also occurs in men, because greater grace (habitual) and
glory is given to men according to the intensity of their
conversion to God." This does not imply any taint of
Pelagianism with regard to the angels, because the
angelic nature is not a disposition proportioned to a
purely gratuitous gift of grace. Moreover, just as the
grace is entirely from the will of God so also is the
nature of the angel.[1222] "Therefore it seems
that grace is given rather according to the degree of
nature than because of works."[1223] In man,
however, when he disposes himself under the influence of
actual grace for habitual grace, this habitual grace is
given not in proportion to his natural attempt but in
proportion to the supernatural disposition which comes from
prevenient grace.
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