C. A Doubt

49. There is a doubt here about the second member of the distinction, namely when ‘highest’ is expounded in the negative sense [sc. ‘highest’ as ‘what is not exceeded by anything else’, n.27]; the doubt is whether by God’s ordained power some other grace could be equal to this one [sc. the grace of Christ’s soul].

50. And it seems it could not:

For no other nature could be head of those who have grace, for there cannot be two heads, just as there cannot be two things that are highest in the same order.

51. Likewise, if the same amount of grace could be given to someone else, then this someone else could advance to the same extent in merit, which seems absurd.

52. Here one could say that although God could by his absolute power confer the same amount of grace on another nature, whether the nature was assumed or perhaps not assumed, yet he could not do so by ordained power because (according to the laws already set down by divine Wisdom) there will be only one head in the Church, from whom graces will flow to the members.