Part I (Prima Pars) Part 45 (1/2)

Reply Obj. 1: This argument proves that beat.i.tude belongs to G.o.d; not that beat.i.tude pertains essentially to Him under the aspect of His essence; but rather under the aspect of His intellect.

Reply Obj. 2: Since beat.i.tude is a good, it is the object of the will; now the object is understood as prior to the act of a power.

Whence in our manner of understanding, divine beat.i.tude precedes the act of the will at rest in it. This cannot be other than the act of the intellect; and thus beat.i.tude is to be found in an act of the intellect.

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THIRD ARTICLE [I, Q. 26, Art. 3]

Whether G.o.d Is the Beat.i.tude of Each of the Blessed?

Objection 1: It seems that G.o.d is the beat.i.tude of each of the blessed. For G.o.d is the supreme good, as was said above (Q. 6, AA. 2, 4). But it is quite impossible that there should be many supreme goods, as also is clear from what has been said above (Q. 11, A. 3).

Therefore, since it is of the essence of beat.i.tude that it should be the supreme good, it seems that beat.i.tude is nothing else but G.o.d Himself.

Obj. 2: Further, beat.i.tude is the last end of the rational nature. But to be the last end of the rational nature belongs only to G.o.d. Therefore the beat.i.tude of every blessed is G.o.d alone.

_On the contrary,_ The beat.i.tude of one is greater than that of another, according to 1 Cor. 15:41: ”Star differeth from star in glory.” But nothing is greater than G.o.d. Therefore beat.i.tude is something different from G.o.d.

_I answer that,_ The beat.i.tude of an intellectual nature consists in an act of the intellect. In this we may consider two things, namely, the object of the act, which is the thing understood; and the act itself which is to understand. If, then, beat.i.tude be considered on the side of the object, G.o.d is the only beat.i.tude; for everyone is blessed from this sole fact, that he understands G.o.d, in accordance with the saying of Augustine (Confess. v, 4): ”Blessed is he who knoweth Thee, though he know nought else.” But as regards the act of understanding, beat.i.tude is a created thing in beatified creatures; but in G.o.d, even in this way, it is an uncreated thing.

Reply Obj. 1: Beat.i.tude, as regards its object, is the supreme good absolutely, but as regards its act, in beatified creatures it is their supreme good, not absolutely, but in that kind of goods which a creature can partic.i.p.ate.

Reply Obj. 2: End is twofold, namely, _objective_ and _subjective,_ as the Philosopher says (Greater Ethics i, 3), namely, the ”thing itself” and ”its use.” Thus to a miser the end is money, and its acquisition. Accordingly G.o.d is indeed the last end of a rational creature, as the thing itself; but created beat.i.tude is the end, as the use, or rather fruition, of the thing.

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FOURTH ARTICLE [I, Q. 26, Art. 4]

Whether All Other Beat.i.tude Is Included in the Beat.i.tude of G.o.d?

Objection 1: It seems that the divine beat.i.tude does not embrace all other beat.i.tudes. For there are some false beat.i.tudes. But nothing false can be in G.o.d. Therefore the divine beat.i.tude does not embrace all other beat.i.tudes.

Obj. 2: Further, a certain beat.i.tude, according to some, consists in things corporeal; as in pleasure, riches, and such like. Now none of these have to do with G.o.d, since He is incorporeal. Therefore His beat.i.tude does not embrace all other beat.i.tudes.

_On the contrary,_ Beat.i.tude is a certain perfection. But the divine perfection embraces all other perfection, as was shown above (Q. 4, A. 2). Therefore the divine beat.i.tude embraces all other beat.i.tudes.

_I answer that,_ Whatever is desirable in whatsoever beat.i.tude, whether true or false, pre-exists wholly and in a more eminent degree in the divine beat.i.tude. As to contemplative happiness, G.o.d possesses a continual and most certain contemplation of Himself and of all things else; and as to that which is active, He has the governance of the whole universe. As to earthly happiness, which consists in delight, riches, power, dignity, and fame, according to Boethius (De Consol.

iii, 10), He possesses joy in Himself and all things else for His delight; instead of riches He has that complete self-sufficiency, which is promised by riches; in place of power, He has omnipotence; for dignities, the government of all things; and in place of fame, He possesses the admiration of all creatures.

Reply Obj. 1: A particular kind of beat.i.tude is false according as it falls short of the idea of true beat.i.tude; and thus it is not in G.o.d.

But whatever semblance it has, howsoever slight, of beat.i.tude, the whole of it pre-exists in the divine beat.i.tude.

Reply Obj. 2: The good that exists in things corporeal in a corporeal manner, is also in G.o.d, but in a spiritual manner.

We have now spoken enough concerning what pertains to the unity of the divine essence.

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TREATISE ON THE MOST HOLY TRINITY (QQ. 27-43) _______________________

QUESTION 27

THE PROCESSION OF THE DIVINE PERSONS (In Five Articles)