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

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things signified by words have themselves also a signification is
called the spiritual sense, which is based on the literal, and
presupposes it. Now this spiritual sense has a threefold division. For
as the Apostle says (Heb. 10:1) the Old Law is a figure of the New
Law, and Dionysius says (Coel. Hier. i) "the New Law itself is a
figure of future glory." Again, in the New Law, whatever our Head has
done is a type of what we ought to do. Therefore, so far as the things
of the Old Law signify the things of the New Law, there is the
allegorical sense; so far as the things done in Christ, or so far as
the things which signify Christ, are types of what we ought to do,
there is the moral sense. But so far as they signify what relates to
eternal glory, there is the anagogical sense. Since the literal sense
is that which the author intends, and since the author of Holy Writ is
God, Who by one act comprehends all things by His intellect, it is not
unfitting, as Augustine says (Confess. xii), if, even according to the
literal sense, one word in Holy Writ should have several senses.

Reply Objection 1: The multiplicity of these senses does not
produce equivocation or any other kind of multiplicity, seeing that
these senses are not multiplied because one word signifies several
things, but because the things signified by the words can be
themselves types of other things. Thus in Holy Writ no confusion
results, for all the senses are founded on one--the literal--from
which alone can any argument be drawn, and not from those intended in
allegory, as Augustine says (Epis. 48). Nevertheless, nothing of Holy
Scripture perishes on account of this, since nothing necessary to
faith is contained under the spiritual sense which is not elsewhere
put forward by the Scripture in its literal sense.

Reply Objection 2: These three--history, etiology, analogy--are
grouped under the literal sense. For it is called history, as
Augustine expounds (Epis. 48), whenever anything is simply related; it
is called etiology when its cause is assigned, as when Our Lord gave
the reason why Moses allowed the putting away of wives--namely, on
account of the hardness of men's hearts; it is called analogy whenever
the truth of one text of Scripture is shown not to contradict the
truth of another. Of these four, allegory alone stands for the three
spiritual senses. Thus Hugh of St. Victor (Sacram. iv, 4 Prolog.)
includes the anagogical under the allegorical sense, laying down three
senses only--the historical, the allegorical, and the tropological.

Reply Objection 3: The parabolical sense is contained in the
literal, for by words things are signified properly and figuratively.
Nor is the figure itself, but that which is figured, the literal
sense. When Scripture speaks of God's arm, the literal sense is not
that God has such a member, but only what is signified by this member,
namely operative power. Hence it is plain that nothing false can ever
underlie the literal sense of Holy Writ.
_______________________

QUESTION 2

THE EXISTENCE OF GOD
(In Three Articles)

Because the chief aim of sacred doctrine is to teach the knowledge of
God, not only as He is in Himself, but also as He is the beginning of
things and their last end, and especially of rational creatures, as is
clear from what has been already said, therefore, in our endeavor to
expound this science, we shall treat:

(1) Of God;

(2) Of the rational creature's advance towards God;

(3) Of Christ, Who as man, is our way to God.

In treating of God there will be a threefold division, for we shall
consider:

(1) Whatever concerns the Divine Essence;

(2) Whatever concerns the distinctions of Persons;

(3) Whatever concerns the procession of creatures from Him.

Concerning the Divine Essence, we must consider:

(1) Whether God exists?

(2) The manner of His existence, or, rather, what is _not_ the
manner of His existence;

(3) Whatever concerns His operations--namely, His knowledge, will,
power.

Concerning the first, there are three points of inquiry:

(1) Whether the proposition "God exists" is self-evident?

(2) Whether it is demonstrable?

(3) Whether God exists?
_______________________

FIRST ARTICLE [I, Q. 2, Art. 1]

Whether the Existence of God Is Self-Evident?

Objection 1: It seems that the existence of God is self-evident. Now

things signified by words have themselves also a signification is

called the spiritual sense, which is based on the literal, and

presupposes it. Now this spiritual sense has a threefold division. For

as the Apostle says (Heb. 10:1) the Old Law is a figure of the New

Law, and Dionysius says (Coel. Hier. i) "the New Law itself is a

figure of future glory." Again, in the New Law, whatever our Head has

done is a type of what we ought to do. Therefore, so far as the things

of the Old Law signify the things of the New Law, there is the

allegorical sense; so far as the things done in Christ, or so far as

the things which signify Christ, are types of what we ought to do,

there is the moral sense. But so far as they signify what relates to

eternal glory, there is the anagogical sense. Since the literal sense

is that which the author intends, and since the author of Holy Writ is

God, Who by one act comprehends all things by His intellect, it is not

unfitting, as Augustine says (Confess. xii), if, even according to the

literal sense, one word in Holy Writ should have several senses.

Reply Objection 1: The multiplicity of these senses does not

produce equivocation or any other kind of multiplicity, seeing that

these senses are not multiplied because one word signifies several

things, but because the things signified by the words can be

themselves types of other things. Thus in Holy Writ no confusion

results, for all the senses are founded on one--the literal--from

which alone can any argument be drawn, and not from those intended in

allegory, as Augustine says (Epis. 48). Nevertheless, nothing of Holy

Scripture perishes on account of this, since nothing necessary to

faith is contained under the spiritual sense which is not elsewhere

put forward by the Scripture in its literal sense.

Reply Objection 2: These three--history, etiology, analogy--are

grouped under the literal sense. For it is called history, as

Augustine expounds (Epis. 48), whenever anything is simply related; it

is called etiology when its cause is assigned, as when Our Lord gave

the reason why Moses allowed the putting away of wives--namely, on

account of the hardness of men's hearts; it is called analogy whenever

the truth of one text of Scripture is shown not to contradict the

truth of another. Of these four, allegory alone stands for the three

spiritual senses. Thus Hugh of St. Victor (Sacram. iv, 4 Prolog.)

includes the anagogical under the allegorical sense, laying down three

senses only--the historical, the allegorical, and the tropological.

Reply Objection 3: The parabolical sense is contained in the

literal, for by words things are signified properly and figuratively.

Nor is the figure itself, but that which is figured, the literal

sense. When Scripture speaks of God's arm, the literal sense is not

that God has such a member, but only what is signified by this member,

namely operative power. Hence it is plain that nothing false can ever

underlie the literal sense of Holy Writ.

_______________________

QUESTION 2

THE EXISTENCE OF GOD

(In Three Articles)

Because the chief aim of sacred doctrine is to teach the knowledge of

God, not only as He is in Himself, but also as He is the beginning of

things and their last end, and especially of rational creatures, as is

clear from what has been already said, therefore, in our endeavor to

expound this science, we shall treat:

(1) Of God;

(2) Of the rational creature's advance towards God;

(3) Of Christ, Who as man, is our way to God.

In treating of God there will be a threefold division, for we shall

consider:

(1) Whatever concerns the Divine Essence;

(2) Whatever concerns the distinctions of Persons;

(3) Whatever concerns the procession of creatures from Him.

Concerning the Divine Essence, we must consider:

(1) Whether God exists?

(2) The manner of His existence, or, rather, what is _not_ the

manner of His existence;

(3) Whatever concerns His operations--namely, His knowledge, will,

power.

Concerning the first, there are three points of inquiry:

(1) Whether the proposition "God exists" is self-evident?

(2) Whether it is demonstrable?

(3) Whether God exists?

_______________________

FIRST ARTICLE [I, Q. 2, Art. 1]

Whether the Existence of God Is Self-Evident?

Objection 1: It seems that the existence of God is self-evident. Now