The history of the great controversy between Thomism and Molinism can be studied in H. Serry, O. P., _Historia Congregationum de Auxiliis Divinae Gratiae_, Louvain 1700 and Antwerp 1709.—Livinus de Meyer, S. J., _Historia Controversiarum de Divinae Gratiae Auxiliis_, Antwerp 1705.—*Schneemann, S. J., _Entstehung der thomistisch-molinistischen Controverse_, Freiburg 1879.—*IDEM, _Weitere Entwicklung der thomistisch-molinistischen Controverse_, Freiburg 1880.—*IDEM, _Controversiarum de Divinae Gratiae Liberique Arbitrii Concordia Initia et Progressus_, Freiburg 1881.
The grace of justification, commonly called sanctifying grace, is related to actual grace as an end to its means. Actual grace introduces the state of sanctifying grace or preserves and augments it where it already exists.
This fact makes it advisable to consider the genesis of sanctifying grace before studying its nature and effects.
We shall therefore treat in three chapters: (1) of the Process of Justification (_iustificatio in fieri_); (2) of the State of Justification (_iustificatio in esse_), and (3) of the Fruits of Justification (_iustificatio in facto esse_), or the Merit of Good Works.
Chapter I. The Genesis Of Sanctifying Grace, Or The Process Of Justification
The justification of an adult human being does not take place suddenly, but runs through certain well-defined stages, which in their totality are called the process of justification.
Being a “regeneration in God,” justification bears a striking resemblance to the development of the fœtus in the maternal womb. Like physical birth, spiritual regeneration is preceded by travailing, _i.e._ fear and painful contrition.
The dogmatic teaching of the Catholic Church on justification is formally defined by the Tridentine Council, whose decrees(780) contain a masterly analysis of this most interesting of psychological processes. The holy Synod puts faith at the beginning. “Faith,” it says, “is the beginning of human salvation, the foundation and the root of all justification.”(781) The nature of faith and the part it plays in justification were the chief points in dispute between the Church and the so-called Reformers. Luther and his followers denatured the traditional Catholic teaching by basing justification solely on faith, which they falsely defined as mere confidence or trust in the mercy of God.
