Treatise I. On the Cultivation of the Theological Virtues

It is useful to set forth beforehand certain notions which recur repeatedly in the matters to be treated, namely concerning necessity of means and of precept, and concerning the modes of eliciting acts of the virtues.

I. Necessity of Means. 1. That is said to be necessary by necessity of means which both positively conduces to salvation, and as positively conducing is necessary for attaining salvation. It is said positively conduces, that is, by way of a cause, whether efficient or formal or disposing, etc.

2. What is necessary by necessity of means is distinguished in two ways, according as the necessity arises either from the nature of the thing or from the free ordination of God. The former is always absolute; thus, for example, the supernatural order being posited, sanctifying grace is absolutely necessary. The other is absolute or hypothetical, according as it has been freely established by God as unsuppleable or suppleable; suppleable, I say, through an extraordinary means instituted by God, which regards the ordinary means, that is, that which must be supplied, and obtains its effect dependently upon it. Thus, for example, baptism of water is the ordinary means of remitting original sin; in an adult this can be supplied through baptism of desire, that is, through an act of perfect contrition or charity. The sacrament of penance is the ordinary means of remitting sins committed after baptism; this can be supplied through perfect contrition or charity. In both cases the extraordinary means regards the ordinary means by desire, and to that extent also produces its effect dependently upon the ordinary means.

Corollary I. The absence of sin is not said to be necessary by necessity of means, because it does not positively conduce to salvation, but only involves the absence of a barrier or obstacle.

Corollary II. An act prescribed under grave obligation, although it positively conduces to salvation, is not called necessary by necessity of means, because insofar as it positively conduces to salvation, it is not necessary for attaining it.

Corollary III. From the fact that something is an ordinary means, it also follows that one who has used the extraordinary or supplying means is still bound, if he can, to use the ordinary or supplied means.

II. Necessity of Precept. That is said to be necessary by necessity of precept which is imposed by law.

Corollary. Everything which is necessary by necessity of means is also necessary by necessity of precept; but not conversely.

III. Modes of Eliciting Acts of the Virtues. Acts of the virtues can be elicited formally and virtually. They can be exercised formally either entirely explicitly, or in an act signified, or in a more confused mode, or in an act exercised. Thus, for example, an act of faith is elicited entirely explicitly if someone professes: I believe the presence of Christ in the Most Holy Eucharist. The same act is elicited in an act exercised by one who genuflects before the Most Holy Sacrament (St. Alphonsus, II, 7). They are elicited virtually if they are contained in the act of another virtue, as, for example, an act of sorrow for sin in an act of charity.