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Objection 1: It would seem that sinners impetrate nothing from God
by their prayers. It is written (Jn. 9:31): "We know that
God doth not hear sinners"; and this agrees with the saying of
Prov. 28:9, "He that turneth away his ears from hearing the
law, his prayer shall be an abomination." Now an abominable prayer
impetrates nothing from God. Therefore sinners impetrate nothing from
God.
Objection 2: Further, the just impetrate from God what they
merit, as stated above (Article 15, ad 2). But sinners cannot
merit anything since they lack grace and charity which is the "power of
godliness," according to a gloss on 2 Tim. 3:5, "Having an
appearance indeed of godliness, but denying the power thereof." and
so their prayer is impious, and yet piety it required in order that
prayer may be impetrative, as stated above (Article 15, ad 2).
Therefore sinners impetrate nothing by their prayers.
Objection 3: Further, Chrysostom [Hom. xiv in the Opus
Imperfectum] says: "The Father is unwilling to hear the prayer
which the Son has not inspired." Now in the prayer inspired by
Christ we say: "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that
trespass against us": and sinners do not fulfil this. Therefore
either they lie in saying this, and so are unworthy to be heard, or,
if they do not say it, they are not heard, because they do not observe
the form of prayer instituted by Christ.
On the contrary, Augustine says (Tract. xliv, super Joan.):
"If God were not to hear sinners, the publican would have vainly
said: Lord, be merciful to me a sinner"; and Chrysostom [Hom.
xviii of the same Opus Imperfectum] says: "Everyone that asketh
shall receive, that is to say whether he be righteous or sinful."
I answer that, In the sinner, two things are to be considered: his
nature which God loves, and the sin which He hates. Accordingly
when a sinner prays for something as sinner, i.e. in accordance with
a sinful desire, God hears him not through mercy but sometimes through
vengeance when He allows the sinner to fall yet deeper into sin. For
"God refuses in mercy what He grants in anger," as Augustine
declares (Tract. lxxiii in Joan.). On the other hand God hears
the sinner's prayer if it proceed from a good natural desire, not out
of justice, because the sinner does not merit to be heard, but out of
pure mercy [Article 15, ad 1], provided however he fulfil the
four conditions given above, namely, that he beseech for himself
things necessary for salvation, piously and perseveringly.
Reply to Objection 1: As Augustine states (Tract. xliv super
Joan.), these words were spoken by the blind man before being
anointed, i.e. perfectly enlightened, and consequently lack
authority. And yet there is truth in the saying if it refers to a
sinner as such, in which sense also the sinner's prayer is said to be
an abomination.
Reply to Objection 2: There can be no godliness in the sinner's
prayer as though his prayer were quickened by a habit of virtue: and
yet his prayer may be godly in so far as he asks for something
pertaining to godliness. Even so a man who has not the habit of
justice is able to will something just, as stated above (Question
59, Article 2). And though his prayer is not meritorious, it
can be impetrative, because merit depends on justice, whereas
impetration rests on grace.
Reply to Objection 3: As stated above (Article 7, ad 1) the
Lord's Prayer is pronounced in the common person of the whole
Church: and so if anyone say the Lord's Prayer while unwilling to
forgive his neighbor's trespasses, he lies not, although his words do
not apply to him personally: for they are true as referred to the
person of the Church, from which he is excluded by merit, and
consequently he is deprived of the fruit of his prayer. Sometimes,
however, a sinner is prepared to forgive those who have trespassed
against him, wherefore his prayers are heard, according to Ecclus.
28:2, "Forgive thy neighbor if he hath hurt thee, and then shall
thy sins be forgiven to thee when thou prayest."
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