Chapter VII.
On the perfection of merit in its effect.
Concerning the fullness of the merit of Christ, this must be held: that in Christ the Lord there was every perfection and fullness of merit: first, with respect to him who was meriting, because he was not only man, but also God. — Second, with respect to the time in which he was meriting, because from the instant of conception up to the hour of death.
Third, with respect to that through which he was meriting, because through the most perfect habit of charity and the most perfect exercise of virtue in praying, in acting, and in suffering.
Fourth, with respect to him for whom he was meriting, because not only for himself, but also for us, indeed for all the just.
Fifth, with respect to that which he was meriting for us, because not only glory, but also grace and pardon, not only the glory of the spirit, but also the robe of the flesh and the opening of the heavenly gate.
Sixth, with respect to that which he was meriting for himself, because, although he did not merit the glorification of the mind, which he already possessed, he nevertheless merited the glorification of the body and the hastening of the resurrection and the glorification of his name and the dignity of judicial power.
Seventh, with respect to the manner in which he was meriting. For since someone is said to merit in three ways — either by making what is unowed into something owed, or by making what is owed into something more owed, or by making what is owed in one way into something owed in another way — by all these ways he merited for us, but only by the third way did he merit for himself, the fullness of the grace of the Holy Spirit bringing this about, through which Christ was at once blessed and in the state of meriting, so that upon his merit all our merits must be founded.
Now the reason for understanding the aforesaid is this: because, since in the restorative principle, namely Christ our Lord, there was necessarily the fullness of grace and wisdom, which are for us the origin of living rightly and holily, it is necessary that in Christ there was the fullness and perfection of all merit according to every mode of fullness. For because in Christ there was the fullness of the grace of union, through which he was God from the instant of conception, possessing the glory of comprehension and the movement of free will: hence it is that necessarily there was in Christ the perfection of merit both with respect to the most excellent dignity of the one meriting and with respect to the swiftest opportunity of time.
Again, because there was in him the fullness of the grace of a singular person, through which he possessed the most steadfast charity and all virtues perfected with respect to both habits and exercises, it was necessary that in him there should be the fullness of merit with respect to that through which it befalls one to merit, which is the root of charity and acts of manifold nobility.
Furthermore, because there was in him the fullness of the grace of the Head, through which he had the most complete influence upon his members: hence it is that he had the fullness of merit not only with respect to himself, but also with respect to us, for whom, just as he bestows all the spiritual goods that we possess by reason of his Divinity, so he merited by reason of his assumed humanity, whether these be the goods of the present state or of eternal happiness.
Finally, because the fullness of such great charisms necessarily placed in Christ the highest and perfect happiness according to the superior part of himself, although by dispensation for our sake he was in the state of wayfaring: hence it is that he had perfection of merit with regard to what he merited for himself, because not the glory and beatitude concreated with the soul, which in him naturally preceded all merit, but only those things with which the state of wayfaring could not coexist, such as the robe of the flesh together with the glorification of his most excellent dignity.
Hence it is also that he had perfection of merit with regard to the mode of meriting. For since in him from the instant of conception there was the most perfect fullness, he immediately merited all things that he could merit with respect to himself; and through this he could make what was owed in one way owed in another way: but to make the unowed into the owed, or the owed into the more owed, he could not do for himself, because in no way could he advance in holiness, since from the beginning he was most holy. He did this, however, for us, who by his merit are justified through grace, advance in justice, and are crowned with eternal glory.
And through this, all our merits are rooted in the merit of Christ, whether satisfactory for punishment or meritorious of eternal life, because we are worthy neither to be absolved from offense against the highest good, nor to gain the immensity of the eternal reward, which is God, except through the merit of the God-man, to whom we can and ought to say: All our works you have wrought in us, O Lord . He, I say, is the Lord, to whom the Prophet says: I said to the Lord: You are my God, for you have no need of my goods.