Whether a man may merit restoration after a fall?

❌ Objection 1 : It would seem that anyone may merit for himself restoration after a fall. For what a man may justly ask of God, he may justly merit. Now nothing may more justly be besought of God than to be restored after a fall, as Augustine says [*Cf. Ennar. i super Ps. lxx.], according to Ps. 70:9: "When my strength shall fail, do not Thou forsake me." Hence a man may merit to be restored after a fall.

❌ Objection 2 : Further, a man's works benefit himself more than another. Now a man may, to some extent, merit for another his restoration after a fall, even as his first grace. Much more, therefore, may he merit for himself restoration after a fall.

❌ Objection 3 : Further, when a man is once in grace he merits life everlasting by the good works he does, as was shown above (Article [2]; Question [109], Article [5]). Now no one can attain life everlasting unless he is restored by grace. Hence it would seem that he merits for himself restoration.