Summa contra Gentiles3.142 Chapter CXLII. That punishments and rewards are not all equal

Since then divine justice demands that, for the maintenance of equality among things, punishments be dealt for sins, and rewards for good deeds; it follows that if, as we have shown, there are degrees in acts of virtue and in sins, there must also be degrees in rewards and punishments. For, otherwise, equality would not be observed, if he that sins more received not greater punishment, or he that performs better deeds, received not a greater reward: because, in requiting, there is the same reason, apparently, for discriminating between good and bad, as between good and better, or between bad and worse.

Moreover. The equality of distributive justice consists in giving unequal things to those who are unequal among themselves. Consequently the requital by punishments and rewards would not be just, were all rewards and punishments equal.

Again. Rewards and punishments are appointed by the lawgiver, that men may be drawn away from evil to good, as proved above. Now, not only do men need to be drawn to good things, and withdrawn from evil, but also good men need to be enticed to better, and wicked men withdrawn from worse things. But this would not be the case, were rewards and punishments equal. Therefore both punishments and rewards should be unequal.

Further. As a thing is disposed to its form by its natural dispositions, so is a man disposed to punishments and rewards by good and evil deeds. Now, the order which divine providence has established in things is such that things which are more disposed receive a more perfect form. Therefore, there must needs be a difference in punishments and rewards corresponding to the difference of good and evil deeds.

Besides. Excess occurs in good and evil deeds in two ways: first, in point of number, through one man doing more good or evil deeds than another: secondly, in point of the quality of the deed, through one man performing a better or a worse deed than another. Now, there ought to be an excess of rewards or punishments corresponding to the excess in number of deeds: else recompense would not be made in the divine judgement for all a man’s deeds, if some evil deeds were left unpunished, and some good deeds unrewarded. Equally, therefore, inequality in rewards and punishments corresponds to excess in regard to inequality of deeds.

Hence it is said (Deut. xxv. 2): According to the measure of the sin, shall the measure also of the stripes be: and (Isa. xxvii. 8): In measure against measure, when it shall be cast off I shall punish it.

Hereby we refute the error of some who say that, in the life to come, all rewards and punishments are equal.