Hence, if honor is not the highest good, much less is glory. Other articles where Summa contra gentiles is discussed: St. Thomas Aquinas: the Summa theologiae and the Summa contra gentiles, for the classical systematization of Latin theology, and, as a poet, he wrote some of the most gravely beautiful eucharistic hymns in the church’s liturgy. And since an infinite process is impossible, it must stop somewhere. First, as regards those intellectual beings who are led by Him to their ultimate end, which is Himself, he uses this expression: “For the Lord will not cast off His people.” Next, in regard to corruptible beings which are not removed from the power of the First Ruler, even if they go astray sometimes in their own actions, handsays: “For in His hands are all the ends of the earth.” Then, in regard to celestial bodies which exist above all the highest parts of the earth (that is, of corruptible bodies) and which always observe the right order of the divine rule, he says: “and the heights of the mountains are His.” [9] Furthermore, that which is capable of being loved only for the sake of some other object exists for the sake of that other thing which is lovable simply on its own account. 5 n. 1, [23521] Contra Gentiles, lib. If nature bad intended this at the beginning, that the inclination would come to rest, it would not have given such an inclination; instead, it gives it so that, by this means, the thing may tend to a proper place. But the aforesaid vision which makes men happy is especially loved by its possessors, since it is the most lovable and desirable of objects. [4] Besides, since man is man by virtue of his possession of reason, his proper good which is felicity should be in accord with what is appropriate to reason. Cum enim Simonides quidam homini praetermittendam divinam cognitionem persuaderet et humanis rebus ingenium applicandum, oportere inquiens humana sapere hominem et mortalia mortalem; contra eum philosophus dicit quod homo debet se ad immortalia et divina trahere quantum potest. In fact, there is no point in going on without end in the working of natural appetite, since natural desire would then be futile, because it is impossible to get to the end of an endless series. A moral fault must be voluntary, not necessitated. Again, in the kind of cause which is formal, there is the fact that a privation of another form is always the adjunct of the presence of a given form. But, if the action be a changing of external matter, it is obvious that the mover intends to bring about some perfection in the thing that is moved. Ut ergo ab hac praesumptione humanus animus liberatus ad modestam inquisitionem veritatis perveniat, necessarium fuit homini proponi quaedam divinitus quae omnino intellectum eius excederent. Thus, when color and light are present in a diaphanous body as their subject, one of them, namely, light, must be like the form of the other, namely, color. So, in this strict meaning of privation, there is always the rational character of evil. But there is in everything a proximate and immediate effect of God Himself. [8] Besides, a per sc cause is prior to one which is accidental. Now, the mode of acting p6culiar to each thing results from its form, which is the source of action. 9 n. 6 Deinde, ut a manifestioribus ad minus manifesta fiat processus, ad illius veritatis manifestationem procedemus quae rationem excedit, solventes rationes adversariorum et rationibus probabilibus et auctoritatibus, quantum Deus dederit, veritatem fidei declarantes. [4] Moreover, it appears inappropriate and irrational for the time of generation of a thing to be long, while the time of its maturity is short. Now, the blessed are made men of renown by this vision, not according to the opinion of men, who can deceive and be deceived, but in accord with the truest knowledge, both of God and of all the blessed. [4] Now, since man possesses intellect, sense, and bodily power, these are interrelated within him by a mutual order, according to the disposition of divine providence, in a likeness to the order which is found in the universe. Therefore, it is impossible for the intellectual substance that sees God ever to will to be without that vision. Now, man’s ultimate felicity does not lie in acts of the moral virtues, nor, then, in the act of prudence. [7] Again, for every motion that is from a nature, as an active principle, if its approach to something be natural, then its removal from that objective must be unnatural and against nature. Moreover, since the higher a substance is the more universal is its power, but the power of an intellectual substance is more universal than the power of a body, the higher intellectual substances, then, have powers incapable of functioning through bodily power, and so they are not united with bodies. So, evil does not seem to happen apart from intention. Since the possible intellect, according to his theory, is a separate substance, it understands the agent intellect and the other separate substances, and also the first objects of speculative understanding. But, just as one naturally desires felicity, so also does he naturally desire everlasting felicity; for, since he is everlasting in his substance, he desires to possess forever that object which is desired for its own sake and not because of something else. In fact, to make these actually understood does not depend on the habitual intellect, through which things that we know from study are made to be actually understood; rather, these first intelligibles are the starting point of the habitual intellect. 1 cap. For, when one thing is corrupted, another comes into being. Yet, it cannot be the form of another thing in its natural being, for the result of this would be that, once joined to another thing, it would make up one nature. Summa Theologiae. But the order of caused things, according to the distinction of their natures and levels, proceeds from divine Wisdom, as we showed in Book Two. Therefore, the highest good which is God is the cause of the goodness in all good things. Now, that is more appropriate to reason which reason has within itself than which it produces in another thing. For, the more closely and definitely we know the effect of a cause, the more evident does it become that its cause exists. 7 n. 4 Adhuc. Of course, to each thing composed of matter some sort of form is due, for water cannot exist unless it have the form of water, nor can fire be unless it possess the form of fire. And this is its good. Indeed, forms and accidents cannot come into being from matter, since they do not have matter as one of their parts. [23512] Contra Gentiles, lib. [1] As a consequence, it is evident that there cannot be any highest evil which would be the first source of all evils. When Albertus was sent by his superiors to teach at the new studium generale at Col… Therefore, their natural desire tends toward the understanding of divine substance. Hi vero neutrum recipiunt. Hence it is said: “Let us make man to our own image and likeness,” namely, according as he has understanding, “and let him have dominion over the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the air, and the beasts of the earth” (Gen. 1:26). Chapter 3 Even sports activities, which appear to be carried on without any purpose, have a proper end, namely, so that after our minds have been somewhat relaxed through them we may be then better able to do serious jobs. Now, the agent comes later, in the process of moving, than does the end, since the agent does not move except for the sake of the end. 8 n. 3. But there are some things within us which are rendered actually understood in a natural way, not as a result of our effort or of the action of our will: such are the first intelligible things. Summa Contra Gentiles, 2: Book Two: Creation - Kindle edition by Aquinas, Thomas, Anderson, James F.. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. 1 cap. Indeed, in that case, when all its effects are known from itself, a principle is known in its entire capacity. Indeed, things that do not possess ultimate perfection in their substance must obtain such perfection through accidents, and the more of these there are, the farther are they from the simplicity of God. Contrariae autem opiniones simul eidem inesse non possunt. [7] In fact, some people derive an argument for this from the weakness of natural bodies in regard to acting. But in the second way there is one vision of both, since at the same time that the effect is seen the cause is also seen in it. However, this manifesting of the divine ordering stretches down by divine action to the last of the intellectual substances; as it is stated: “Is there any numbering of His soldiers? [11] And Dionysius, in chapter four of On the Divine Names says that “evil is not an existing thing,” that is, in itself; “nor is it something among things that have existence,” but it is a sort of accident, something like whiteness or blackness. [4] Besides, an act of virtue is praiseworthy in so far as it comes closer to felicity. Now, this defect in ordering is voluntary, for to will and not to will lie within the power of the will itself. For instance, we do not know anything by sight except according as it is colored. [2] Again, the higher a body is in place, the more formal is it found to be. 1 cap. [6] Furthermore, the highest good should be perfect, for it should satisfy the appetite. Now, evil cannot be either matter or form, for it has been shown that both being in act and being in potency are good. English. 13-9: ex parte cognoscimus. 1 cap. But this is proper to God only, as we showed in Book Two [15]. [4] Besides, delight seems to be so much an object of desire for its own sake that it is never desired for the sake of something else; indeed, it is foolish to ask a person why he wishes to be delighted. In this sense, then, nothing prevents there being a proportion of creature to God on the basis of a relation of one who understands to the thing understood, just as on the basis of the relation of effect to cause. [12] Nor does it make any difference, as far as our present purpose is concerned, whether a heavenly body is moved by a conjoined intellectual substance which is its soul, or by a separate substance; nor whether each celestial body is moved immediately by God, or whether none is so moved, because all are moved through intermediary, created, intellectual substances; nor whether the first body alone is immediately moved by God, and the others through the mediation of created substances—provided it is granted that celestial motion comes from intellectual substance. [2] Now, the aforementioned light is a certain principle of divine knowledge, because the created intellect is elevated by it to the seeing of the divine substance. Hence, our understanding is naturally equipped to know separate substance. So, there must be an ordering of their motions by some providence, and, consequently, of the motions and workings of all lower things that are controlled by their motions. 8 n. 3 Cui quidem sententiae auctoritas Hilarii concordat, qui sic dicit in libro de Trin., loquens de huiusmodi veritate: haec credendo incipe, procurre, persiste: etsi non perventurum sciam, gratulabor tamen profecturum. But being is divided into the contingent and the necessary, and this is an essential division of being. So, each thing intends, as its ultimate end, to be united with God as closely as is possible for it. Nor is the natural order entirely perverted by such disorder, for the dominion of fools is weak unless strengthened by the counsel of the wise. Now, none of them is an effect adequately representing the power of God, as we showed in Book Two [22ff]. For instance, the art of navigation, to which the end, that is the use, of a ship pertains, is architectonic and preceptive in relation to the art of shipbuilding. [4] Besides, if any two factors are to be mutually united, so that one of them is formal and the other material, their union must be completed through action coming from the side of the formal factor, and not through the action of the one that is material. Therefore, the action of the will seems to be nobler than the action of the intellect. 8-16. And this or that particular good thing becomes an object of desire according as it is a likeness of prime goodness. Now, this is to govern. But this is impossible. In this way he avoided the foolish aspects of the preceding erroneous view. 1 cap. [7] So, it is evident that divine providence imposes order on all things; thus, what the Apostle says is certainly true: “the things which are of God are well ordered” (Rom. [1] Next after this we must show that every agent acts for a good. But God is the first cause in the order of final causes, since He is the highest in the order of goods. But, if evil were removed from some parts of the universe, much perfection would perish from the ‘universe, whose beauty arises from an ordered unification of evil and good things. [1] Now that we have shown that the created intellect, seeing the divine substance, understands all the species of things in God’s very substance, and that whatever things are seen by one species must be seen at once and by one vision, since a vision corresponds to the principle of the vision, it necessarily follows that the intellect which sees the divine substance contemplates all things at once and not in succession. Thus, a real man differs from a painting of a man by virtue of the things that constitute the substance of man. Non igitur a Deo esse potest. And in another text: "He shall not be moved for ever that dwells in Jerusalem" (Ps. This argument is touched upon in the text: Which (salvation) having begun to be uttered by the Lord, was confirmed by them that heard him even unto us, God joining in the testimony by signs and portents and various distributions of the Holy Spirit (Heb. [4] Moreover, whatever agent applies active power to the doing of something, it is said to be the cause of that action. So, too, those acquainted with the fact that something exists naturally desire to know what this thing is, and this is to understand its substance. [2] Now, since it is in potency toward all forms, matter is indeed originated to have all of them; however, a certain one of them is not necessarily due it, since without this certain one it can be actually perfect. OF GOD AS HE IS IN HIMSELF. [11] Again, every created thing attains its ultimate perfection through its proper operation, for the ultimate end and the perfection of a thing must be either its operation or the term or product of its operation. Yet, if we consider the matter carefully, we shall find the two orders similar from one point of view, and dissimilar from another. But an item of belief is not made perfectly present to the intellect by the knowledge of faith, since faith is of things absent, not of things present. Therefore, honor is not the highest good for man. [23518] Contra Gentiles, lib. But, when some objects of speculative understanding are actually in us, and some are potentially present, its connection with us is partly actual and partly potential. It has been shown above that the ultimate end of all things, to which they tend, is God. And thus, its process of generation must be completed at some time, unless there be an impediment, because no process of generation tends to an indefinite termination. [9] On this point we must also take into consideration the fact that the order of corporeal movements is somewhat contrary to that of spiritual movements. In fact, this statement has some truth, since it is impossible for a probable statement to be entirely false. THAT FELICITY DOES NOT CONSIST IN WORLDLY POWER Now, Alexander did not grant that the possible intellect or the habitual intellect understands separate substances; hence, it is not possible for us to understand separate substances through the agent intellect in the same way that we understand other things through an intelligible species. And so, the philosophers who were not able to get full knowledge of this ultimate happiness identified man’s ultimate happiness with the contemplation which is possible in this life. [23] Likewise, it is not necessary, because every action of lower bodies is done by active and passive qualities which are accidents, that only an accident be produced by their actions. [3] Besides, all power is relative to some other thing. So, it is better to become worthy of honor than to be honored. Sic ergo non nisi cum magno labore studii ad praedictae veritatis inquisitionem perveniri potest. Ex quo evidenter colligitur, quaecumque argumenta contra fidei documenta ponantur, haec ex principiis primis naturae inditis per se notis non recte procedere. [23542] Contra Gentiles, lib. A fault is never attributed to an agent, if the failure is related to something that is not the agent’s end. Now, this cannot be so unless one actual being is made from the substance of the agent intellect and the substance of man; indeed, it is impossible if they are two substances with different acts of being, for the operation of the one to be the operation of the other. The more a person knows, the more is be moved by the desire to know. 1 cap. THAT THE END OF EVERYTHING IS A GOOD Therefore, our intellect is able to reach, by way of resolution, the knowledge of a quiddity which has no further quiddity. [16] If one thing has another thing as its external end, then the operation whereby the first thing primarily attains the second will be called the ultimate end of the first thing. [23489] Contra Gentiles, lib. 94:4-5) Now, where there are many overseers, arranged one under the next, the order that is conceived by the higher one must be handed down to the lower one; just as a lower type of an receives its principles from a higher one. [23528] Contra Gentiles, lib. And, in this actual understanding, it becomes most like God by understanding God Himself, for God understands all things in the act of understanding Himself,’as we proved in Book One [49]. 1 cap. 9 n. 7 Intendentibus igitur nobis per viam rationis prosequi ea quae de Deo ratio humana investigare potest, primo, occurrit consideratio de his quae Deo secundum seipsum conveniunt; secundo, vero, de processu creaturarum ab ipso; tertio, autem, de ordine creaturarum in ipsum sicut in finem. 6 n. 4, [23532] Contra Gentiles, lib. These two things, then, man can do through an intellectual habit. But the highest good is not relative to something else. And because of this, they act in so far as they possess form, but they undergo action in so far as they possess matter. [1] It is also apparent from the foregoing that divine providence does not take away fortune and chance from things. And even in perfection: because it is brought back to its origin. 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