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Objection 1: It seems that a character can be blotted out from the
soul. Because the more perfect an accident is, the more firmly does
it adhere to its subject. But grace is more perfect than a character;
because a character is ordained unto grace as to a further end. Now
grace is lost through sin. Much more, therefore, is a character so
lost.
Objection 2: Further, by a character a man is deputed to the
Divine worship, as stated above (Articles 3,4). But some pass
from the worship of God to a contrary worship by apostasy from the
faith. It seems, therefore, that such lose the sacramental
character.
Objection 3: Further, when the end ceases, the means to the end
should cease also: thus after the resurrection there will be no
marriage, because begetting will cease, which is the purpose of
marriage. Now the exterior worship to which a character is ordained,
will not endure in heaven, where there will be no shadows, but all
will be truth without a veil. Therefore the sacramental character does
not last in the soul for ever: and consequently it can be blotted out.
On the contrary, Augustine says (Contra Parmen. ii): "The
Christian sacraments are not less lasting than the bodily mark" of
military service. But the character of military service is not
repeated, but is "recognized and approved" in the man who obtains the
emperor's forgiveness after offending him. Therefore neither can the
sacramental character be blotted out.
I answer that, As stated above (Article 3), in a sacramental
character Christ's faithful have a share in His Priesthood; in the
sense that as Christ has the full power of a spiritual priesthood, so
His faithful are likened to Him by sharing a certain spiritual power
with regard to the sacraments and to things pertaining to the Divine
worship. For this reason it is unbecoming that Christ should have a
character: but His Priesthood is compared to a character, as that
which is complete and perfect is compared to some participation of
itself. Now Christ's Priesthood is eternal, according to Ps.
109:4: "Thou art a priest for ever, according to the order of
Melchisedech." Consequently, every sanctification wrought by His
Priesthood, is perpetual, enduring as long as the thing sanctified
endures. This is clear even in inanimate things; for the consecration
of a church or an altar lasts for ever unless they be destroyed.
Since, therefore, the subject of a character is the soul as to its
intellective part, where faith resides, as stated above (Article
4, ad 3); it is clear that, the intellect being perpetual and
incorruptible, a character cannot be blotted out from the soul.
Reply to Objection 1: Both grace and character are in the soul,
but in different ways. For grace is in the soul, as a form having
complete existence therein: whereas a character is in the soul, as an
instrumental power, as stated above (Article 2). Now a complete
form is in its subject according to the condition of the subject. And
since the soul as long as it is a wayfarer is changeable in respect of
the free-will, it results that grace is in the soul in a changeable
manner. But an instrumental power follows rather the condition of the
principal agent: and consequently a character exists in the soul in an
indelible manner, not from any perfection of its own, but from the
perfection of Christ's Priesthood, from which the character flows
like an instrumental power.
Reply to Objection 2: As Augustine says (Contra Parmen. ii),
"even apostates are not deprived of their baptism, for when they
repent and return to the fold they do not receive it again; whence we
conclude that it cannot be lost." The reason of this is that a
character is an instrumental power, as stated above (ad 1), and the
nature of an instrument as such is to be moved by another, but not to
move itself; this belongs to the will. Consequently, however much
the will be moved in the contrary direction, the character is not
removed, by reason of the immobility of the principal mover.
Reply to Objection 3: Although external worship does not last after
this life, yet its end remains. Consequently, after this life the
character remains, both in the good as adding to their glory, and in
the wicked as increasing their shame: just as the character of the
military service remains in the soldiers after the victory, as the
boast of the conquerors, and the disgrace of the conquered.
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