Whether the Soul of Man Is Carried Away to Things Divine?
Objection 1: It would seem that the soul of man is not carried away
to things divine. For some define rapture as "an uplifting by the
power of a higher nature, from that which is according to nature to
that which is above nature" [*Reference unknown; Cf. De Veritate
xiii, 1]. Now it is in accordance with man's nature that he be
uplifted to things divine; for Augustine says at the beginning of his
Confessions: "Thou madest us, Lord, for Thyself, and our heart is
restless, till it rest in Thee." Therefore man's soul is not carried
away to things divine.
Obj. 2: Further, Dionysius says (Div. Nom. viii) that "God's justice
is seen in this that He treats all things according to their mode and
dignity." But it is not in accordance with man's mode and worth that
he be raised above what he is according to nature. Therefore it would
seem that man's soul is not carried away to things divine.
Obj. 3: Further, rapture denotes violence of some kind. But God rules
us not by violence or force, as Damascene says [*De Fide Orth. ii,
30]. Therefore man's soul is not carried away to things divine.
_On the contrary,_ The Apostle says (2 Cor. 12:2): "I know a man in
Christ . . . rapt even to the third heaven." On which words a gloss
says: "Rapt, that is to say, uplifted contrary to nature."
_I answer that,_ Rapture denotes violence of a kind as stated above
(Obj. 3); and "the violent is that which has its principle without,
and in which he that suffers violence concurs not at all" (Ethic.
iii, 1). Now everything concurs in that to which it tends in
accordance with its proper inclination, whether voluntary or natural.
Wherefore he who is carried away by some external agent, must be
carried to something different from that to which his inclination
tends. This difference arises in two ways: in one way from the end of
the inclination--for instance a stone, which is naturally inclined to
be borne downwards, may be thrown upwards; in another way from the
manner of tending--for instance a stone may be thrown downwards with
greater velocity than consistent with its natural movement.
Accordingly man's soul also is said to be carried away, in a twofold
manner, to that which is contrary to its nature: in one way, as
regards the term of transport--as when it is carried away to
punishment, according to Ps. 49:22, "Lest He snatch you away, and
there be none to deliver you"; in another way, as regards the manner
connatural to man, which is that he should understand the truth
through sensible things. Hence when he is withdrawn from the
apprehension of sensibles, he is said to be carried away, even though
he be uplifted to things whereunto he is directed naturally: provided
this be not done intentionally, as when a man betakes himself to
sleep which is in accordance with nature, wherefore sleep cannot be
called rapture, properly speaking.
This withdrawal, whatever its term may be, may arise from a threefold
cause. First, from a bodily cause, as happens to those who suffer
abstraction from the senses through weakness: secondly, by the power
of the demons, as in those who are possessed: thirdly, by the power
of God. In this last sense we are now speaking of rapture, whereby a
man is uplifted by the spirit of God to things supernatural, and
withdrawn from his senses, according to Ezech. 8:3, "The spirit
lifted me up between the earth and the heaven, and brought me in the
vision of God into Jerusalem."
It must be observed, however, that sometimes a person is said to be
carried away, not only through being withdrawn from his senses, but
also through being withdrawn from the things to which he was
attending, as when a person's mind wanders contrary to his purpose.
But this is to use the expression in a less proper signification.
Reply Obj. 1: It is natural to man to tend to divine things through
the apprehension of things sensible, according to Rom. 1:20, "The
invisible things of God . . . are clearly seen, being understood by
the things that are made." But the mode, whereby a man is uplifted to
divine things and withdrawn from his senses, is not natural to man.
Reply Obj. 2: It belongs to man's mode and dignity that he be
uplifted to divine things, from the very fact that he is made to
God's image. And since a divine good infinitely surpasses the faculty
of man in order to attain that good, he needs the divine assistance
which is bestowed on him in every gift of grace. Hence it is not
contrary to nature, but above the faculty of nature that man's mind
be thus uplifted in rapture by God.
Reply Obj. 3: The saying of Damascene refers to those things which a
man does by himself. But as to those things which are beyond the
scope of the free-will, man needs to be uplifted by a stronger
operation, which in a certain respect may be called force if we
consider the mode of operation, but not if we consider its term to
which man is directed both by nature and by his intention.
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