ccore/rhetoric-saint-thomas-aquinas · Datasets at Hugging Face

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meant the incomprehensibility of His essence; by length, the
procession of His all-pervading power; by breadth, His overspreading
all things, inasmuch as all things lie under His protection.

Reply Objection 2: Man is said to be after the image of God, not as
regards his body, but as regards that whereby he excels other animals.
Hence, when it is said, "Let us make man to our image and likeness",
it is added, "And let him have dominion over the fishes of the sea"
(Gen. 1:26). Now man excels all animals by his reason and intelligence;
hence it is according to his intelligence and reason, which are
incorporeal, that man is said to be according to the image of God.

Reply Objection 3: Corporeal parts are attributed to God in
Scripture on account of His actions, and this is owing to a certain
parallel. For instance the act of the eye is to see; hence the eye
attributed to God signifies His power of seeing intellectually, not
sensibly; and so on with the other parts.

Reply Objection 4: Whatever pertains to posture, also, is only
attributed to God by some sort of parallel. He is spoken of as
sitting, on account of His unchangeableness and dominion; and as
standing, on account of His power of overcoming whatever withstands
Him.

Reply Objection 5: We draw near to God by no corporeal steps, since
He is everywhere, but by the affections of our soul, and by the
actions of that same soul do we withdraw from Him; thus, to draw near
to or to withdraw signifies merely spiritual actions based on the
metaphor of local motion.
_______________________

SECOND ARTICLE [I, Q. 3, Art. 2]

Whether God Is Composed of Matter and Form?

Objection 1: It seems that God is composed of matter and form. For
whatever has a soul is composed of matter and form; since the soul is
the form of the body. But Scripture attributes a soul to God; for it
is mentioned in Hebrews (Heb. 10:38), where God says: "But My just man
liveth by faith; but if he withdraw himself, he shall not please My
soul." Therefore God is composed of matter and form.

Objection 2: Further, anger, joy and the like are passions of the
composite. But these are attributed to God in Scripture: "The Lord was
exceeding angry with His people" (Ps. 105:40). Therefore God is
composed of matter and form.

Objection 3: Further, matter is the principle of individualization.
But God seems to be individual, for He cannot be predicated of many.
Therefore He is composed of matter and form.

Contrary: Whatever is composed of matter and form is a body;
for dimensive quantity is the first property of matter. But God is not
a body as proved in the preceding Article; therefore He is not
composed of matter and form.

Response: It is impossible that matter should exist in God.
First, because matter is in potentiality. But we have shown (Q. 2, A. 3)
that God is pure act, without any potentiality. Hence it is
impossible that God should be composed of matter and form. Secondly,
because everything composed of matter and form owes its perfection and
goodness to its form; therefore its goodness is participated, inasmuch
as matter participates the form. Now the first good and the
best--viz. God--is not a participated good, because the essential
good is prior to the participated good. Hence it is impossible that
God should be composed of matter and form. Thirdly, because every
agent acts by its form; hence the manner in which it has its form is
the manner in which it is an agent. Therefore whatever is primarily
and essentially an agent must be primarily and essentially form. Now
God is the first agent, since He is the first efficient cause. He is
therefore of His essence a form; and not composed of matter and form.

Reply Objection 1: A soul is attributed to God because His acts
resemble the acts of a soul; for, that we will anything, is due to our
soul. Hence what is pleasing to His will is said to be pleasing to His
soul.

Reply Objection 2: Anger and the like are attributed to God on
account of a similitude of effect. Thus, because to punish is properly
the act of an angry man, God's punishment is metaphorically spoken of
as His anger.

Reply Objection 3: Forms which can be received in matter are
individualized by matter, which cannot be in another as in a subject
since it is the first underlying subject; although form of itself,
unless something else prevents it, can be received by many. But that
form which cannot be received in matter, but is self-subsisting, is
individualized precisely because it cannot be received in a subject;
and such a form is God. Hence it does not follow that matter exists in
God.
_______________________

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

Whether God is the Same as His Essence or Nature?

Objection 1: It seems that God is not the same as His essence or
nature. For nothing can be in itself. But the substance or nature of
God--i.e. the Godhead--is said to be in God. Therefore it seems that
God is not the same as His essence or nature.

meant the incomprehensibility of His essence; by length, the

procession of His all-pervading power; by breadth, His overspreading

all things, inasmuch as all things lie under His protection.

Reply Objection 2: Man is said to be after the image of God, not as

regards his body, but as regards that whereby he excels other animals.

Hence, when it is said, "Let us make man to our image and likeness",

it is added, "And let him have dominion over the fishes of the sea"

(Gen. 1:26). Now man excels all animals by his reason and intelligence;

hence it is according to his intelligence and reason, which are

incorporeal, that man is said to be according to the image of God.

Reply Objection 3: Corporeal parts are attributed to God in

Scripture on account of His actions, and this is owing to a certain

parallel. For instance the act of the eye is to see; hence the eye

attributed to God signifies His power of seeing intellectually, not

sensibly; and so on with the other parts.

Reply Objection 4: Whatever pertains to posture, also, is only

attributed to God by some sort of parallel. He is spoken of as

sitting, on account of His unchangeableness and dominion; and as

standing, on account of His power of overcoming whatever withstands

Him.

Reply Objection 5: We draw near to God by no corporeal steps, since

He is everywhere, but by the affections of our soul, and by the

actions of that same soul do we withdraw from Him; thus, to draw near

to or to withdraw signifies merely spiritual actions based on the

metaphor of local motion.

_______________________

SECOND ARTICLE [I, Q. 3, Art. 2]

Whether God Is Composed of Matter and Form?

Objection 1: It seems that God is composed of matter and form. For

whatever has a soul is composed of matter and form; since the soul is

the form of the body. But Scripture attributes a soul to God; for it

is mentioned in Hebrews (Heb. 10:38), where God says: "But My just man

liveth by faith; but if he withdraw himself, he shall not please My

soul." Therefore God is composed of matter and form.

Objection 2: Further, anger, joy and the like are passions of the

composite. But these are attributed to God in Scripture: "The Lord was

exceeding angry with His people" (Ps. 105:40). Therefore God is

composed of matter and form.

Objection 3: Further, matter is the principle of individualization.

But God seems to be individual, for He cannot be predicated of many.

Therefore He is composed of matter and form.

Contrary: Whatever is composed of matter and form is a body;

for dimensive quantity is the first property of matter. But God is not

a body as proved in the preceding Article; therefore He is not

composed of matter and form.

Response: It is impossible that matter should exist in God.

First, because matter is in potentiality. But we have shown (Q. 2, A. 3)

that God is pure act, without any potentiality. Hence it is

impossible that God should be composed of matter and form. Secondly,

because everything composed of matter and form owes its perfection and

goodness to its form; therefore its goodness is participated, inasmuch

as matter participates the form. Now the first good and the

best--viz. God--is not a participated good, because the essential

good is prior to the participated good. Hence it is impossible that

God should be composed of matter and form. Thirdly, because every

agent acts by its form; hence the manner in which it has its form is

the manner in which it is an agent. Therefore whatever is primarily

and essentially an agent must be primarily and essentially form. Now

God is the first agent, since He is the first efficient cause. He is

therefore of His essence a form; and not composed of matter and form.

Reply Objection 1: A soul is attributed to God because His acts

resemble the acts of a soul; for, that we will anything, is due to our

soul. Hence what is pleasing to His will is said to be pleasing to His

soul.

Reply Objection 2: Anger and the like are attributed to God on

account of a similitude of effect. Thus, because to punish is properly

the act of an angry man, God's punishment is metaphorically spoken of

as His anger.

Reply Objection 3: Forms which can be received in matter are

individualized by matter, which cannot be in another as in a subject

since it is the first underlying subject; although form of itself,

unless something else prevents it, can be received by many. But that

form which cannot be received in matter, but is self-subsisting, is

individualized precisely because it cannot be received in a subject;

and such a form is God. Hence it does not follow that matter exists in

God.

_______________________

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

Whether God is the Same as His Essence or Nature?

Objection 1: It seems that God is not the same as His essence or

nature. For nothing can be in itself. But the substance or nature of

God--i.e. the Godhead--is said to be in God. Therefore it seems that

God is not the same as His essence or nature.