Part I (Prima Pars) Part 37 (1/2)
Therefore G.o.d does not always love more the better things.
Obj. 5: Further, the just man who is foreknown is better than the predestined sinner. Now G.o.d loves more the predestined sinner, since He wills for him a greater good, life eternal. Therefore G.o.d does not always love more the better things.
_On the contrary,_ Everything loves what is like it, as appears from (Ecclus. 13:19): ”Every beast loveth its like.” Now the better a thing is, the more like is it to G.o.d. Therefore the better things are more loved by G.o.d.
_I answer that,_ It must needs be, according to what has been said before, that G.o.d loves more the better things. For it has been shown (AA. 2, 3), that G.o.d's loving one thing more than another is nothing else than His willing for that thing a greater good: because G.o.d's will is the cause of goodness in things; and the reason why some things are better than others, is that G.o.d wills for them a greater good. Hence it follows that He loves more the better things.
Reply Obj. 1: G.o.d loves Christ not only more than He loves the whole human race, but more than He loves the entire created universe: because He willed for Him the greater good in giving Him ”a name that is above all names,” in so far as He was true G.o.d. Nor did anything of His excellence diminish when G.o.d delivered Him up to death for the salvation of the human race; rather did He become thereby a glorious conqueror: ”The government was placed upon His shoulder,” according to Isa. 9:6.
Reply Obj. 2: G.o.d loves the human nature a.s.sumed by the Word of G.o.d in the person of Christ more than He loves all the angels; for that nature is better, especially on the ground of the union with the G.o.dhead. But speaking of human nature in general, and comparing it with the angelic, the two are found equal, in the order of grace and of glory: since according to Rev 21:17, the measure of a man and of an angel is the same. Yet so that, in this respect, some angels are found n.o.bler than some men, and some men n.o.bler than some angels. But as to natural condition an angel is better than a man. G.o.d therefore did not a.s.sume human nature because He loved man, absolutely speaking, more; but because the needs of man were greater; just as the master of a house may give some costly delicacy to a sick servant, that he does not give to his own son in sound health.
Reply Obj. 3: This doubt concerning Peter and John has been solved in various ways. Augustine interprets it mystically, and says that the active life, signified by Peter, loves G.o.d more than the contemplative signified by John, because the former is more conscious of the miseries of this present life, and therefore the more ardently desires to be freed from them, and depart to G.o.d. G.o.d, he says, loves more the contemplative life, since He preserves it longer. For it does not end, as the active life does, with the life of the body.
Some say that Peter loved Christ more in His members, and therefore was loved more by Christ also, for which reason He gave him the care of the Church; but that John loved Christ more in Himself, and so was loved more by Him; on which account Christ commended His mother to his care. Others say that it is uncertain which of them loved Christ more with the love of charity, and uncertain also which of them G.o.d loved more and ordained to a greater degree of glory in eternal life. Peter is said to have loved more, in regard to a certain promptness and fervor; but John to have been more loved, with respect to certain marks of familiarity which Christ showed to him rather than to others, on account of his youth and purity. While others say that Christ loved Peter more, from his more excellent gift of charity; but John more, from his gifts of intellect. Hence, absolutely speaking, Peter was the better and more beloved; but, in a certain sense, John was the better, and was loved the more. However, it may seem presumptuous to pa.s.s judgment on these matters; since ”the Lord” and no other ”is the weigher of spirits” (Prov. 16:2).
Reply Obj. 4: The penitent and the innocent are related as exceeding and exceeded. For whether innocent or penitent, those are the better and better loved who have most grace. Other things being equal, innocence is the n.o.bler thing and the more beloved. G.o.d is said to rejoice more over the penitent than over the innocent, because often penitents rise from sin more cautious, humble, and fervent. Hence Gregory commenting on these words (Hom. 34 in Ev.) says that, ”In battle the general loves the soldier who after flight returns and bravely pursues the enemy, more than him who has never fled, but has never done a brave deed.”
Or it may be answered that gifts of grace, equal in themselves, are more as conferred on the penitent, who deserved punishment, than as conferred on the innocent, to whom no punishment was due; just as a hundred pounds [marcoe] are a greater gift to a poor man than to a king.
Reply Obj. 5: Since G.o.d's will is the cause of goodness in things, the goodness of one who is loved by G.o.d is to be reckoned according to the time when some good is to be given to him by divine goodness.
According therefore to the time, when there is to be given by the divine will to the predestined sinner a greater good, the sinner is better; although according to some other time he is the worse; because even according to some time he is neither good nor bad.
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QUESTION 21
THE JUSTICE AND MERCY OF G.o.d (In Four Articles)
After considering the divine love, we must treat of G.o.d's justice and mercy. Under this head there are four points of inquiry:
(1) Whether there is justice in G.o.d?
(2) Whether His justice can be called truth?
(3) Whether there is mercy in G.o.d?
(4) Whether in every work of G.o.d there are justice and mercy?
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FIRST ARTICLE [I, Q. 21, Art. 1]
Whether There Is Justice in G.o.d?
Objection 1: It seems that there is not justice in G.o.d. For justice is divided against temperance. But temperance does not exist in G.o.d: neither therefore does justice.
Obj. 2: Further, he who does whatsoever he wills and pleases does not work according to justice. But, as the Apostle says: ”G.o.d worketh all things according to the counsel of His will” (Eph. 1:11).
Therefore justice cannot be attributed to Him.
Obj. 3: Further, the act of justice is to pay what is due. But G.o.d is no man's debtor. Therefore justice does not belong to G.o.d.
Obj. 4: Further, whatever is in G.o.d, is His essence. But justice cannot belong to this. For Boethius says (De Hebdom.): ”Good regards the essence; justice the act.” Therefore justice does not belong to G.o.d.
_On the contrary,_ It is said (Ps. 10:8): ”The Lord is just, and hath loved justice.”