Perfect perseverance is the preservation of baptismal innocence, or, in a less strict sense, of the state of grace, until death. Imperfect perseverance is a temporary continuance in grace, _e.g._ for a month or a year, until the next mortal sin. Imperfect perseverance, according to the Tridentine Council, requires no special divine assistance (_speciale auxilium_).(387)
Final perseverance is either passive or active, according as the justified dies in the state of grace irrespective of his will (as baptized children and insane adults),(388) or actively coöperates with grace whenever the state of grace is imperilled by grievous temptation. The Council of Trent has especially this latter case in view when it speaks of the necessity of a _speciale auxilium_, because the special help extended by God presupposes coöperation with grace, and man cannot strictly speaking coöperate in a happy death. The Council purposely speaks of an _auxilium_, not a _privilegium_, because a privilege is by its very nature granted to but few, while the special help of grace extends to all the elect. This _auxilium_ is designated as _speciale_, because final perseverance is not conferred with sanctifying grace, nor is it a result of the mere power of perseverance (_posse perseverare_). The state of sanctifying grace simply confers a claim to ordinary graces, while the power of perseverance of itself by no means insures actual perseverance (_actu perseverare_). The power of perseverance is assured by those merely sufficient graces which are constantly at the command of the righteous. Actual perseverance, on the other hand, implies a series of efficacious graces. God is under no obligation to bestow more than sufficient grace on any man; consequently, final perseverance is a special grace, or, more correctly, a continuous series of efficacious graces. The Council of Trent is therefore justified in speaking of it as “a great gift.”(389)
a) Sacred Scripture represents final perseverance as the fruit of prayer and as a special gift not included in the bare notion of justification.
α) Our Divine Saviour Himself says in His prayer for His disciples, John XVII, 11: “Holy Father, keep them in thy name whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we also are.”(390) St. Paul teaches in his Epistle to the Colossians: “Epaphras saluteth you ... who is always solicitous for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and full in all the will of God.”(391) Hence the necessity of constantly watching and praying: “Watch ye and pray that ye enter not into temptation.”(392)