Dist. 46, Art. 1, Q. 3
by St. Bonaventure
Source text: Public Domain Mark 1.0. English translation/apparatus/encoding: CC BY-NC 4.0, Wroot Press.
https://bonaventure.wrootpress.com/browse/4/d/46/q/bon-sent-IV-d46-a1-q3
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### Article I. *On the mitigation of the punishment of the damned.*
### Question III. *Whether God acts more mercifully with one than with another.*

Thirdly it is asked whether God acts more mercifully with one than with another. And that he does, seems [to be the case].

1. Romans, chapter nine: *He has mercy on whom he wills, and whom he wills he hardens:* if therefore he acts more mercifully with the one whom he calls back than with him whom he hardens: it is clear, etc.

2. Likewise, there is order and degree in the divine effects on account of wisdom, whose office it is to set in order; but the divine mercy does not show mercy except wisely and in an ordered way: therefore more to one than to another.

3. Likewise, mercy looks upon misery; but one man is more miserable than another: therefore God ought to have more mercy on the one than on the other.

4. Likewise, he has more mercy who takes away the whole misery than he who tempers it; but God takes away the whole misery from some, and mitigates it for others: therefore, etc.

**On the contrary:** 1. Acts and effects correspond in every case to the habit or the origin; but the divine mercy is supreme: therefore on whomever he has mercy, he has mercy in the supreme degree.

2. Likewise, mercy looks upon misery: therefore if he has more mercy on someone, therefore on one more miserable; but in the future the one who has sinned more is more miserable: therefore he has more mercy on him who has sinned more. But this is unfitting: therefore, etc.

3. Likewise, because God is most wise, therefore he does most wisely whatever he does: therefore, since he is most merciful, he bears himself most mercifully toward everyone: therefore, etc.

> **Conclusion.** With respect to the effect, that is, to the relieving from misery, God acts more mercifully with one than with another, both in the present and in the future, but in different ways.

**I respond:** It must be said that *to have more mercy* can be understood in three ways: either by a greater *habit*, or by a greater *act*, or by a greater *effect*. In the first way and in the second it is impossible; but in the third way, namely as regards the effect, which is the relieving from misery, it is true both in the *present* and in the *future*; but otherwise *now*, otherwise *then*: because now the effects of *mercy* are the principal ones, and the effects of *justice* are annexed; but then the effects of justice will be the principal ones, and those of mercy will be annexed. For *then God will render to each one according to his works*, but *now* according to his own kindness. And therefore, simply speaking, in the *present* he has more mercy on him whom he loves more, in the *future* more on him who is more in need; whence to the more miserable he will remit more according to the *absolute* quantity, yet not according to the *relative* quantity, as will appear later.

*To 1.* To that, therefore, which is objected, that the effect corresponds to the habit; it must be said that this is true in a lower agent, which does everything it can; it is not so in God.

*To 2.* To that which is objected, that the sinner carries off an advantage; it must be said that this is false, because a greater punishment always remains for him.

*To 3.* To that which is objected concerning wisdom, it must be said that the case is not alike: because wisdom connotes order, not an *absolute effect*, as mercy does.

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