Whether the Eternal Law Is a Sovereign Type [*Ratio] Existing in God?
Objection 1: It would seem that the eternal law is not a sovereign
type existing in God. For there is only one eternal law. But there
are many types of things in the Divine mind; for Augustine says (Qq.
lxxxiii, qu. 46) that God "made each thing according to its type."
Therefore the eternal law does not seem to be a type existing in the
Divine mind.
Obj. 2: Further, it is essential to a law that it be promulgated by
word, as stated above (Q. 90, A. 4). But Word is a Personal name in
God, as stated in the First Part (Q. 34, A. 1): whereas type refers
to the Essence. Therefore the eternal law is not the same as a Divine
type.
Obj. 3: Further, Augustine says (De Vera Relig. xxx): "We see a law
above our minds, which is called truth." But the law which is above
our minds is the eternal law. Therefore truth is the eternal law. But
the idea of truth is not the same as the idea of a type. Therefore
the eternal law is not the same as the sovereign type.
_On the contrary,_ Augustine says (De Lib. Arb. i, 6) that "the
eternal law is the sovereign type, to which we must always conform."
_I answer that,_ Just as in every artificer there pre-exists a type
of the things that are made by his art, so too in every governor
there must pre-exist the type of the order of those things that are
to be done by those who are subject to his government. And just as
the type of the things yet to be made by an art is called the art or
exemplar of the products of that art, so too the type in him who
governs the acts of his subjects, bears the character of a law,
provided the other conditions be present which we have mentioned
above (Q. 90). Now God, by His wisdom, is the Creator of all things
in relation to which He stands as the artificer to the products of
his art, as stated in the First Part (Q. 14, A. 8). Moreover He
governs all the acts and movements that are to be found in each
single creature, as was also stated in the First Part (Q. 103, A. 5).
Wherefore as the type of the Divine Wisdom, inasmuch as by It all
things are created, has the character of art, exemplar or idea; so
the type of Divine Wisdom, as moving all things to their due end,
bears the character of law. Accordingly the eternal law is nothing
else than the type of Divine Wisdom, as directing all actions and
movements.
Reply Obj. 1: Augustine is speaking in that passage of the ideal
types which regard the proper nature of each single thing; and
consequently in them there is a certain distinction and plurality,
according to their different relations to things, as stated in the
First Part (Q. 15, A. 2). But law is said to direct human acts by
ordaining them to the common good, as stated above (Q. 90, A. 2). And
things, which are in themselves different, may be considered as one,
according as they are ordained to one common thing. Wherefore the
eternal law is one since it is the type of this order.
Reply Obj. 2: With regard to any sort of word, two points may be
considered: viz. the word itself, and that which is expressed by the
word. For the spoken word is something uttered by the mouth of man,
and expresses that which is signified by the human word. The same
applies to the human mental word, which is nothing else than
something conceived by the mind, by which man expresses his thoughts
mentally. So then in God the Word conceived by the intellect of the
Father is the name of a Person: but all things that are in the
Father's knowledge, whether they refer to the Essence or to the
Persons, or to the works of God, are expressed by this Word, as
Augustine declares (De Trin. xv, 14). And among other things
expressed by this Word, the eternal law itself is expressed thereby.
Nor does it follow that the eternal law is a Personal name in God:
yet it is appropriated to the Son, on account of the kinship between
type and word.
Reply Obj. 3: The types of the Divine intellect do not stand in the
same relation to things, as the types of the human intellect. For the
human intellect is measured by things, so that a human concept is not
true by reason of itself, but by reason of its being consonant with
things, since "an opinion is true or false according as it answers to
the reality." But the Divine intellect is the measure of things:
since each thing has so far truth in it, as it represents the Divine
intellect, as was stated in the First Part (Q. 16, A. 1).
Consequently the Divine intellect is true in itself; and its type is
truth itself.
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