Whether charity is rightly distinguished into three degrees, beginning, progress, and perfection?

❌ Objection 1 : It would seem unfitting to distinguish three degrees of charity, beginning, progress, and perfection. For there are many degrees between the beginning of charity and its ultimate perfection. Therefore it is not right to put only one.

❌ Objection 2 : Further, charity begins to progress as soon as it begins to be. Therefore we ought not to distinguish between charity as progressing and as beginning.

❌ Objection 3 : Further, in this world, however perfect a man's charity may be, it can increase, as stated above (Article [7]). Now for charity to increase is to progress. Therefore perfect charity ought not to be distinguished from progressing charity: and so the aforesaid degrees are unsuitably assigned to charity.