Whether the Goodness of the Will Depends on Its Conformity to the
Divine Will?
Objection 1: It would seem that the goodness of the human will does
not depend on its conformity to the Divine will. Because it is
impossible for man's will to be conformed to the Divine will; as
appears from the word of Isa. 55:9: "As the heavens are exalted above
the earth, so are My ways exalted above your ways, and My thoughts
above your thoughts." If therefore goodness of the will depended on
its conformity to the Divine will, it would follow that it is
impossible for man's will to be good. Which is inadmissible.
Obj. 2: Further, just as our wills arise from the Divine will, so
does our knowledge flow from the Divine knowledge. But our knowledge
does not require to be conformed to God's knowledge; since God knows
many things that we know not. Therefore there is no need for our will
to be conformed to the Divine will.
Obj. 3: Further, the will is a principle of action. But our action
cannot be conformed to God's. Therefore neither can our will be
conformed to His.
_On the contrary,_ It is written (Matt. 26:39): "Not as I will, but
as Thou wilt": which words He said, because "He wishes man to be
upright and to tend to God," as Augustine expounds in the Enchiridion
[*Enarr. in Ps. 32, serm. i.]. But the rectitude of the will is its
goodness. Therefore the goodness of the will depends on its
conformity to the Divine will.
_I answer that,_ As stated above (A. 7), the goodness of the will
depends on the intention of the end. Now the last end of the human
will is the Sovereign Good, namely, God, as stated above (Q. 1, A. 8;
Q. 3, A. 1). Therefore the goodness of the human will requires it to
be ordained to the Sovereign Good, that is, to God.
Now this Good is primarily and essentially compared to the Divine
will, as its proper object. Again, that which is first in any genus
is the measure and rule of all that belongs to that genus. Moreover,
everything attains to rectitude and goodness, in so far as it is in
accord with its proper measure. Therefore, in order that man's will
be good it needs to be conformed to the Divine will.
Reply Obj. 1: The human will cannot be conformed to the will of God
so as to equal it, but only so as to imitate it. In like manner human
knowledge is conformed to the Divine knowledge, in so far as it knows
truth: and human action is conformed to the Divine, in so far as it
is becoming to the agent: and this by way of imitation, not by way of
equality.
From the above may be gathered the replies to the Second and Third
Objections.
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