Articulus 1 Article 1 Utrum homines praedestinentur a Deo Whether men are predestined by God? Ad primum sic proceditur. Videtur quod homines non praedestinentur a Deo. Dicit enim Damascenus, in II libro, oportet cognoscere quod omnia quidem praecognoscit Deus, non autem omnia praedeterminat. Praecognoscit enim ea quae in nobis sunt; non autem praedeterminat ea. Sed merita et demerita humana sunt in nobis, inquantum sumus nostrorum actuum domini per liberum arbitrium. Ea ergo quae pertinent ad meritum vel demeritum, non praedestinantur a Deo. Et sic hominum praedestinatio tollitur. Objection 1: It seems that men are not predestined by God, for Damascene says (De Fide Orth. ii, 30): It must be borne in mind that God foreknows but does not predetermine everything, since He foreknows all that is in us, but does not predetermine it all. But human merit and demerit are in us, forasmuch as we are the masters of our own acts by free will. All that pertains therefore to merit or demerit is not predestined by God; and thus man’s predestination is done away. Praeterea, omnes creaturae ordinantur ad suos fines per divinam providentiam, ut supra dictum est. Sed aliae creaturae non dicuntur praedestinari a Deo. Ergo nec homines. Obj. 2: Further, all creatures are directed to their end by divine providence, as was said above (Q. 22, AA. 1, 2). But other creatures are not said to be predestined by God. Therefore neither are men. Praeterea, Angeli sunt capaces beatitudinis, sicut et homines. Sed angelis non competit praedestinari, ut videtur, cum in eis nunquam fuerit miseria; praedestinatio autem est propositum miserendi, ut dicit Augustinus. Ergo homines non praedestinantur. Obj. 3: Further, the angels are capable of beatitude, as well as men. But predestination is not suitable to angels, since in them there never was any unhappiness; for predestination, as Augustine says (De praedest. sanct. 17), is the purpose to take pity. Therefore men are not predestined. Praeterea, beneficia hominibus a Deo collata, per spiritum sanctum viris sanctis revelantur, secundum illud Apostoli, I Cor. II, nos autem non spiritum huius mundi accepimus, sed spiritum qui ex Deo est, ut sciamus quae a Deo donata sunt nobis. Si ergo homines praedestinarentur a Deo, cum praedestinatio sit Dei beneficium, esset praedestinatis nota sua praedestinatio. Quod patet esse falsum. Obj. 4: Further, the benefits God confers upon men are revealed by the Holy Spirit to holy men according to the saying of the Apostle (1 Cor 2:12): Now we have received not the spirit of this world, but the Spirit that is of God: that we may know the things that are given us from God. Therefore if man were predestined by God, since predestination is a benefit from God, his predestination would be made known to each predestined; which is clearly false. Sed contra est quod dicitur Rom. VIII, quos praedestinavit, hos et vocavit. On the contrary, It is written (Rom 8:30): Whom He predestined, them He also called. Respondeo dicendum quod Deo conveniens est homines praedestinare. Omnia enim divinae providentiae subiacent, ut supra ostensum est. Ad providentiam autem pertinet res in finem ordinare, ut dictum est. Finis autem ad quem res creatae ordinantur a Deo, est duplex. Unus, qui excedit proportionem naturae creatae et facultatem, et hic finis est vita aeterna, quae in divina visione consistit, quae est supra naturam cuiuslibet creaturae, ut supra habitum est. Alius autem finis est naturae creatae proportionatus, quem scilicet res creata potest attingere secundum virtutem suae naturae. Ad illud autem ad quod non potest aliquid virtute suae naturae pervenire, oportet quod ab alio transmittatur; sicut sagitta a sagittante mittitur ad signum. Unde, proprie loquendo, rationalis creatura, quae est capax vitae aeternae, perducitur in ipsam quasi a Deo transmissa. I answer that, It is fitting that God should predestine men. For all things are subject to His providence, as was shown above (Q. 22, A. 2). Now it belongs to providence to direct things towards their end, as was also said (Q. 22, AA. 1, 2). The end towards which created things are directed by God is twofold; one which exceeds all proportion and faculty of created nature; and this end is life eternal, that consists in seeing God which is above the nature of every creature, as shown above (Q. 12, A. 4). The other end, however, is proportionate to created nature, to which end created being can attain according to the power of its nature. Now if a thing cannot attain to something by the power of its nature, it must be directed thereto by another; thus, an arrow is directed by the archer towards a mark. Hence, properly speaking, a rational creature, capable of eternal life, is led towards it, directed, as it were, by God. Cuius quidem transmissionis ratio in Deo praeexistit; sicut et in eo est ratio ordinis omnium in finem, quam diximus esse providentiam. Ratio autem alicuius fiendi in mente actoris existens, est quaedam praeexistentia rei fiendae in eo. Unde ratio praedictae transmissionis creaturae rationalis in finem vitae aeternae, praedestinatio nominatur, nam destinare est mittere. Et sic patet quod praedestinatio, quantum ad obiecta, est quaedam pars providentiae. The reason of that direction pre-exists in God; as in Him is the type of the order of all things towards an end, which we proved above to be providence. Now the type in the mind of the doer of something to be done, is a kind of pre-existence in him of the thing to be done. Hence the type of the aforesaid direction of a rational creature towards the end of life eternal is called predestination. For to destine, is to direct or send. Thus it is clear that predestination, as regards its objects, is a part of providence. Ad primum ergo dicendum quod Damascenus nominat praedeterminationem impositionem necessitatis; sicut est in rebus naturalibus, quae sunt praedeterminatae ad unum. Quod patet ex eo quod subdit, non enim vult malitiam, neque compellit virtutem. Unde praedestinatio non excluditur. Reply Obj. 1: Damascene calls predestination an imposition of necessity, after the manner of natural things which are predetermined towards one end. This is clear from his adding: He does not will malice, nor does He compel virtue. Whence predestination is not excluded by Him. Ad secundum dicendum quod creaturae irrationales non sunt capaces illius finis qui facultatem humanae naturae excedit. Unde non proprie dicuntur praedestinari, etsi aliquando abusive praedestinatio nominetur respectu cuiuscumque alterius finis. Reply Obj. 2: Irrational creatures are not capable of that end which exceeds the faculty of human nature. Whence they cannot be properly said to be predestined; although improperly the term is used in respect of any other end. Ad tertium dicendum quod praedestinari convenit angelis, sicut et hominibus, licet nunquam fuerint miseri. Nam motus non accipit speciem a termino a quo, sed a termino ad quem, nihil enim refert, quantum ad rationem dealbationis, utrum ille qui dealbatur, fuerit niger aut pallidus vel rubeus. Et similiter nihil refert ad rationem praedestinationis, utrum aliquis praedestinetur in vitam aeternam a statu miseriae, vel non. Quamvis dici possit quod omnis collatio boni supra debitum eius cui confertur, ad misericordiam pertineat, ut supra dictum est. Reply Obj. 3: Predestination applies to angels, just as it does to men, although they have never been unhappy. For movement does not take its species from the term wherefrom but from the term whereto. Because it matters nothing, in respect of the notion of making white, whether he who is made white was before black, yellow or red. Likewise it matters nothing in respect of the notion of predestination whether one is predestined to life eternal from the state of misery or not. Although it may be said that every conferring of good above that which is due pertains to mercy; as was shown previously (Q. 21, AA. 3, 4). Ad quartum dicendum quod, etiam si aliquibus ex speciali privilegio sua praedestinatio reveletur, non tamen convenit ut reveletur omnibus, quia sic illi qui non sunt praedestinati, desperarent; et securitas in praedestinatis negligentiam pareret. Reply Obj. 4: Even if by a special privilege their predestination were revealed to some, it is not fitting that it should be revealed to everyone; because, if so, those who were not predestined would despair; and security would beget negligence in the predestined. Articulus 2 Article 2 Utrum praedestinatio ponat aliquid in praedestinato Whether predestination places anything in the predestined? Ad secundum sic proceditur. Videtur quod praedestinatio ponat aliquid in praedestinato. Omnis enim actio ex se passionem infert. Si ergo praedestinatio actio est in Deo, oportet quod praedestinatio passio sit in praedestinatis. Objection 1: It seems that predestination does place something in the predestined. For every action of itself causes passion. If therefore predestination is action in God, predestination must be passion in the predestined. Praeterea, Origenes dicit, super illud Rom. I, qui praedestinatus est etc., praedestinatio est eius qui non est, sed destinatio eius est qui est. Sed Augustinus dicit, in libro de praedestinatione sanctorum, quid est praedestinatio, nisi destinatio alicuius? Ergo praedestinatio non est nisi alicuius existentis. Et ita ponit aliquid in praedestinato. Obj. 2: Further, Origen says on the text, He who was predestined, etc. (Rom 1:4): Predestination is of one who is not; destination, of one who is. And Augustine says (De Praed. Sanct.): What is predestination but the destination of one who is? Therefore predestination is only of one who actually exists; and it thus places something in the predestined. Praeterea, praeparatio est aliquid in praeparato. Sed praedestinatio est praeparatio beneficiorum Dei, ut dicit Augustinus, in libro de Praedest. Sanct. Ergo praedestinatio est aliquid in praedestinatis. Obj. 3: Further, preparation is something in the thing prepared. But predestination is the preparation of God’s benefits, as Augustine says (De Praed. Sanct. ii, 14). Therefore predestination is something in the predestined. Praeterea, temporale non ponitur in definitione aeterni. Sed gratia, quae est aliquid temporale, ponitur in definitione praedestinationis, nam praedestinatio dicitur esse praeparatio gratiae in praesenti, et gloriae in futuro. Ergo praedestinatio non est aliquid aeternum. Et ita oportet quod non sit in Deo, sed in praedestinatis, nam quidquid est in Deo, est aeternum. Obj. 4: Further, nothing temporal enters into the definition of eternity. But grace, which is something temporal, is found in the definition of predestination. For predestination is the preparation of grace in the present; and of glory in the future. Therefore predestination is not anything eternal. So it must needs be that it is in the predestined, and not in God; for whatever is in Him is eternal. Sed contra est quod Augustinus dicit, quod praedestinatio est praescientia beneficiorum Dei. Sed praescientia non est in praescitis, sed in praesciente. Ergo nec praedestinatio est in praedestinatis, sed in praedestinante. On the contrary, Augustine says (De Praed. Sanct. ii, 14) that predestination is the foreknowledge of God’s benefits. But foreknowledge is not in the things foreknown, but in the person who foreknows them. Therefore, predestination is in the one who predestines, and not in the predestined. Respondeo dicendum quod praedestinatio non est aliquid in praedestinatis, sed in praedestinante tantum. Dictum est enim quod praedestinatio est quaedam pars providentiae, providentia autem non est in rebus provisis; sed est quaedam ratio in intellectu provisoris, ut supra dictum est. I answer that, Predestination is not anything in the predestined; but only in the person who predestines. We have said above that predestination is a part of providence. Now providence is not anything in the things provided for; but is a type in the mind of the provider, as was proved above (Q. 22, A. 1). Sed executio providentiae, quae gubernatio dicitur, passive quidem est in gubernatis; active autem est in gubernante. Unde manifestum est quod praedestinatio est quaedam ratio ordinis aliquorum in salutem aeternam, in mente divina existens. Executio autem huius ordinis est passive quidem in praedestinatis; active autem est in Deo. Est autem executio praedestinationis vocatio et magnificatio, secundum illud Apostoli, ad Rom. VIII, quos praedestinavit, hos et vocavit; et quos vocavit, hos et magnificavit. But the execution of providence which is called government, is in a passive way in the thing governed, and in an active way in the governor. Whence it is clear that predestination is a kind of type of the ordering of some persons towards eternal salvation, existing in the divine mind. The execution, however, of this order is in a passive way in the predestined, but actively in God. The execution of predestination is the calling and magnification; according to the Apostle (Rom 8:30): Whom He predestined, them He also called and whom He called, them He also magnified. Ad primum ergo dicendum quod actiones in exteriorem materiam transeuntes, inferunt ex se passionem, ut calefactio et secatio, non autem actiones in agente manentes, ut sunt intelligere et velle, ut supra dictum est. Et talis actio est praedestinatio. Unde praedestinatio non ponit aliquid in praedestinato. Sed executio eius, quae transit in exteriores res, ponit in eis aliquem effectum. Reply Obj. 1: Actions passing out to external matter imply of themselves passion—for example, the actions of warming and cutting; but not so actions remaining in the agent, as understanding and willing, as said above (Q. 14, A. 2; Q. 18, A. 3, ad 1). Predestination is an action of this latter class. Wherefore, it does not put anything in the predestined. But its execution, which passes out to external things, has an effect in them. Ad secundum dicendum quod destinatio aliquando sumitur pro reali missione alicuius ad aliquem terminum, et sic destinatio non est nisi eius quod est. Alio modo sumitur destinatio pro missione quam aliquis mente concipit, secundum quod dicimur destinare, quod mente firmiter proponimus, et hoc secundo modo dicitur II Machab. cap. VI, Eleazarus destinavit non admittere illicita propter vitae amorem. Et sic destinatio potest esse eius quod non est. Tamen praedestinatio, ratione antecessionis quam importat, potest esse eius quod non est, qualitercumque destinatio sumatur. Reply Obj. 2: Destination sometimes denotes a real mission of someone to a given end; thus, destination can only be said of someone actually existing. It is taken, however, in another sense for a mission which a person conceives in the mind; and in this manner we are said to destine a thing which we firmly propose in our mind. In this latter way it is said that Eleazar determined not to do any unlawful things for the love of life (2 Macc 6:20). Thus destination can be of a thing which does not exist. Predestination, however, by reason of the antecedent nature it implies, can be attributed to a thing which does not actually exist; in whatsoever way destination is accepted. Ad tertium dicendum quod duplex est praeparatio. Quaedam patientis, ut patiatur, et haec praeparatio est in praeparato. Quaedam alia est agentis, ut agat, et haec est in agente. Et talis praeparatio est praedestinatio; prout aliquod agens per intellectum dicitur se praeparare ad agendum, inquantum praeconcipit rationem operis fiendi. Et sic Deus ab aeterno praeparavit praedestinando, concipiens rationem ordinis aliquorum in salutem. Reply Obj. 3: Preparation is twofold: of the patient in respect to passion, and this is in the thing prepared; and of the agent to action, and this is in the agent. Such a preparation is predestination, and as an agent by intellect is said to prepare itself to act, accordingly as it preconceives the idea of what is to be done. Thus, God from all eternity prepared by predestination, conceiving the idea of the order of some towards salvation. Ad quartum dicendum quod gratia non ponitur in definitione praedestinationis, quasi aliquid existens de essentia eius, sed inquantum praedestinatio importat respectum ad gratiam, ut causae ad effectum, et actus ad obiectum. Unde non sequitur quod praedestinatio sit aliquid temporale. Reply Obj. 4: Grace does not come into the definition of predestination, as something belonging to its essence, but inasmuch as predestination implies a relation to grace, as of cause to effect, and of act to its object. Whence it does not follow that predestination is anything temporal. Articulus 3 Article 3 Utrum Deus aliquod hominem reprobet Whether God reprobates any man? Ad tertium sic proceditur. Videtur quod Deus nullum hominem reprobet. Nullus enim reprobat quem diligit. Sed Deus omnem hominem diligit, secundum illud Sap. XI, diligis omnia quae sunt, et nihil odisti eorum quae fecisti. Ergo Deus nullum hominem reprobat. Objection 1: It seems that God reprobates no man. For nobody reprobates what he loves. But God loves every man, according to (Wis 11:25): Thou lovest all things that are, and Thou hatest none of the things Thou hast made. Therefore God reprobates no man. Praeterea, si Deus aliquem hominem reprobat, oportet quod sic se habeat reprobatio ad reprobatos, sicut praedestinatio ad praedestinatos. Sed praedestinatio est causa salutis praedestinatorum. Ergo reprobatio erit causa perditionis reproborum. Hoc autem est falsum, dicitur enim Osee XIII, perditio tua, Israel, ex te est; tantummodo ex me auxilium tuum. Non ergo Deus aliquem reprobat. Obj. 2: Further, if God reprobates any man, it would be necessary for reprobation to have the same relation to the reprobates as predestination has to the predestined. But predestination is the cause of the salvation of the predestined. Therefore reprobation will likewise be the cause of the loss of the reprobate. But this false. For it is said (Hos 13:9): Destruction is thy own, O Israel; Thy help is only in Me. God does not, then, reprobate any man. Praeterea, nulli debet imputari quod vitare non potest. Sed si Deus aliquem reprobat, non potest vitare quin ipse pereat, dicitur enim Eccle. VII, considera opera Dei, quod nemo possit corrigere quem ipse despexerit. Ergo non esset hominibus imputandum quod pereunt. Hoc autem est falsum. Non ergo Deus aliquem reprobat. Obj. 3: Further, to no one ought anything be imputed which he cannot avoid. But if God reprobates anyone, that one must perish. For it is said (Eccl 7:14): Consider the works of God, that no man can correct whom He hath despised. Therefore it could not be imputed to any man, were he to perish. But this is false. Therefore God does not reprobate anyone. Sed contra est quod dicitur Malach. I, Iacob dilexi, Esau autem odio habui. On the contrary, It is said (Mal 1:2,3): I have loved Jacob, but have hated Esau. Respondeo dicendum quod Deus aliquos reprobat. Dictum enim est supra quod praedestinatio est pars providentiae. Ad providentiam autem pertinet permittere aliquem defectum in rebus quae providentiae subduntur, ut supra dictum est. Unde, cum per divinam providentiam homines in vitam aeternam ordinentur, pertinet etiam ad divinam providentiam, ut permittat aliquos ab isto fine deficere. Et hoc dicitur reprobare. Sic igitur, sicut praedestinatio est pars providentiae respectu eorum qui divinitus ordinantur in aeternam salutem; ita reprobatio est pars providentiae respectu illorum qui ab hoc fine decidunt. Unde reprobatio non nominat praescientiam tantum, sed aliquid addit secundum rationem, sicut et providentia, ut supra dictum est. Sicut enim praedestinatio includit voluntatem conferendi gratiam et gloriam, ita reprobatio includit voluntatem permittendi aliquem cadere in culpam, et inferendi damnationis poenam pro culpa. I answer that, God does reprobate some. For it was said above (A. 1) that predestination is a part of providence. To providence, however, it belongs to permit certain defects in those things which are subject to providence, as was said above (Q. 22, A. 2). Thus, as men are ordained to eternal life through the providence of God, it likewise is part of that providence to permit some to fall away from that end; this is called reprobation. Thus, as predestination is a part of providence, in regard to those ordained to eternal salvation, so reprobation is a part of providence in regard to those who turn aside from that end. Hence reprobation implies not only foreknowledge, but also something more, as does providence, as was said above (Q. 22, A. 1). Therefore, as predestination includes the will to confer grace and glory; so also reprobation includes the will to permit a person to fall into sin, and to impose the punishment of damnation on account of that sin. Ad primum ergo dicendum quod Deus omnes homines diligit, et etiam omnes creaturas, inquantum omnibus vult aliquod bonum, non tamen quodcumque bonum vult omnibus. Inquantum igitur quibusdam non vult hoc bonum quod est vita aeterna, dicitur eos habere odio, vel reprobare. Reply Obj. 1: God loves all men and all creatures, inasmuch as He wishes them all some good; but He does not wish every good to them all. So far, therefore, as He does not wish this particular good—namely, eternal life—He is said to hate or reprobate them. Ad secundum dicendum quod aliter se habet reprobatio in causando, quam praedestinatio. Nam praedestinatio est causa et eius quod expectatur in futura vita a praedestinatis, scilicet gloriae; et eius quod percipitur in praesenti, scilicet gratiae. Reprobatio vero non est causa eius quod est in praesenti, scilicet culpae; sed est causa derelictionis a Deo. Est tamen causa eius quod redditur in futuro, scilicet poenae aeternae. Sed culpa provenit ex libero arbitrio eius qui reprobatur et a gratia deseritur. Et secundum hoc verificatur dictum prophetae, scilicet, perditio tua, Israel, ex te. Reply Obj. 2: Reprobation differs in its causality from predestination. This latter is the cause both of what is expected in the future life by the predestined—namely, glory—and of what is received in this life—namely, grace. Reprobation, however, is not the cause of what is in the present—namely, sin; but it is the cause of abandonment by God. It is the cause, however, of what is assigned in the future—namely, eternal punishment. But guilt proceeds from the free-will of the person who is reprobated and deserted by grace. In this way, the word of the prophet is true—namely, Destruction is thy own, O Israel. Ad tertium dicendum quod reprobatio Dei non subtrahit aliquid de potentia reprobati. Unde, cum dicitur quod reprobatus non potest gratiam adipisci, non est hoc intelligendum secundum impossibilitatem absolutam, sed secundum impossibilitatem conditionatam, sicut supra dictum est quod praedestinatum necesse est salvari, necessitate conditionata, quae non tollit libertatem arbitrii. Unde, licet aliquis non possit gratiam adipisci qui reprobatur a Deo, tamen quod in hoc peccatum vel illud labatur, ex eius libero arbitrio contingit. Unde et merito sibi imputatur in culpam. Reply Obj. 3: Reprobation by God does not take anything away from the power of the person reprobated. Hence, when it is said that the reprobated cannot obtain grace, this must not be understood as implying absolute impossibility: but only conditional impossibility: as was said above (Q. 19, A. 3), that the predestined must necessarily be saved; yet a conditional necessity, which does not do away with the liberty of choice. Whence, although anyone reprobated by God cannot acquire grace, nevertheless that he falls into this or that particular sin comes from the use of his free-will. Hence it is rightly imputed to him as guilt.