Part I (Prima Pars) Part 44 (2/2)

Reply Obj. 4: The humanity of Christ, from the fact that it is united to the G.o.dhead; and created happiness from the fact that it is the fruition of G.o.d; and the Blessed Virgin from the fact that she is the mother of G.o.d; have all a certain infinite dignity from the infinite good, which is G.o.d. And on this account there cannot be anything better than these; just as there cannot be anything better than G.o.d.

_______________________

QUESTION 26

OF THE DIVINE BEAt.i.tUDE (In Four Articles)

After considering all that pertains to the unity of the divine essence, we come to treat of the divine beat.i.tude. Concerning this, there are four points of inquiry:

(1) Whether beat.i.tude belongs to G.o.d?

(2) In regard to what is G.o.d called blessed; does this regard His act of intellect?

(3) Whether He is essentially the beat.i.tude of each of the blessed?

(4) Whether all other beat.i.tude is included in the divine beat.i.tude?

_______________________

FIRST ARTICLE [I, Q. 26, Art. 1]

Whether Beat.i.tude Belongs to G.o.d?

Objection 1: It seems that beat.i.tude does not belong to G.o.d. For beat.i.tude according to Boethius (De Consol. iv) ”is a state made perfect by the aggregation of all good things.” But the aggregation of goods has no place in G.o.d; nor has composition. Therefore beat.i.tude does not belong to G.o.d.

Obj. 2: Further, beat.i.tude or happiness is the reward of virtue, according to the Philosopher (Ethic. i, 9). But reward does not apply to G.o.d; as neither does merit. Therefore neither does beat.i.tude.

_On the contrary,_ The Apostle says: ”Which in His times He shall show, who is the Blessed and only Almighty, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.” (1 Tim. 6:15).

_I answer that,_ Beat.i.tude belongs to G.o.d in a very special manner.

For nothing else is understood to be meant by the term beat.i.tude than the perfect good of an intellectual nature; which is capable of knowing that it has a sufficiency of the good which it possesses, to which it is competent that good or ill may befall, and which can control its own actions. All of these things belong in a most excellent manner to G.o.d, namely, to be perfect, and to possess intelligence. Whence beat.i.tude belongs to G.o.d in the highest degree.

Reply Obj. 1: Aggregation of good is in G.o.d, after the manner not of composition, but of simplicity; for those things which in creatures is manifold, pre-exist in G.o.d, as was said above (Q. 4, A. 2; Q. 13, A. 4), in simplicity and unity.

Reply Obj. 2: It belongs as an accident to beat.i.tude or happiness to be the reward of virtue, so far as anyone attains to beat.i.tude; even as to be the term of generation belongs accidentally to a being, so far as it pa.s.ses from potentiality to act. As, then, G.o.d has being, though not begotten; so He has beat.i.tude, although not acquired by merit.

_______________________

SECOND ARTICLE [I, Q. 26, Art. 2]

Whether G.o.d Is Called Blessed in Respect of His Intellect?

Objection 1: It seems that G.o.d is not called blessed in respect to His intellect. For beat.i.tude is the highest good. But good is said to be in G.o.d in regard to His essence, because good has reference to being which is according to essence, according to Boethius (De Hebdom.). Therefore beat.i.tude also is said to be in G.o.d in regard to His essence, and not to His intellect.

Obj. 2: Further, Beat.i.tude implies the notion of end. Now the end is the object of the will, as also is the good. Therefore beat.i.tude is said to be in G.o.d with reference to His will, and not with reference to His intellect.

_On the contrary,_ Gregory says (Moral. x.x.xii, 7): ”He is in glory, Who whilst He rejoices in Himself, needs not further praise.” To be in glory, however, is the same as to be blessed. Therefore, since we enjoy G.o.d in respect to our intellect, because ”vision is the whole of the reward,” as Augustine says (De Civ. Dei xxii), it would seem that beat.i.tude is said to be in G.o.d in respect of His intellect. it would seem that beat.i.tude is said to be in G.o.d in respect of His intellect.

_I answer that,_ Beat.i.tude, as stated above (A. 1), is the perfect good of an intellectual nature. Thus it is that, as everything desires the perfection of its nature, intellectual nature desires naturally to be happy. Now that which is most perfect in any intellectual nature is the intellectual operation, by which in some sense it grasps everything. Whence the beat.i.tude of every intellectual nature consists in understanding. Now in G.o.d, to be and to understand are one and the same thing; differing only in the manner of our understanding them.

Beat.i.tude must therefore be a.s.signed to G.o.d in respect of His intellect; as also to the blessed, who are called blessed [beati] by reason of the a.s.similation to His beat.i.tude.

<script>