Summa Theologica, Part I (Prima Pars) - From the Complete American Edition by Saint Thomas Aquinas
page 64 of 1797 (03%)
page 64 of 1797 (03%)
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(2) Whether God is perfect universally, as having in Himself the
perfections of all things? (3) Whether creatures can be said to be like God? _______________________ FIRST ARTICLE [I, Q. 4, Art. 1] Whether God is Perfect? Objection 1: It seems that perfection does not belong to God. For we say a thing is perfect if it is completely made. But it does not befit God to be made. Therefore He is not perfect. Obj. 2: Further, God is the first beginning of things. But the beginnings of things seem to be imperfect, as seed is the beginning of animal and vegetable life. Therefore God is imperfect. Obj. 3: Further, as shown above (Q. 3, A. 4), God's essence is existence. But existence seems most imperfect, since it is most universal and receptive of all modification. Therefore God is imperfect. _On the contrary,_ It is written: "Be you perfect as also your heavenly Father is perfect" (Matt. 5:48). _I answer that,_ As the Philosopher relates (Metaph. xii), some ancient philosophers, namely, the Pythagoreans and Leucippus, did not predicate "best" and "most perfect" of the first principle. The reason was that the ancient philosophers considered only a material |
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