Whether the Contemplative Life Consists in the Mere Contemplation of
God, or Also in the Consideration of Any Truth Whatever?
Objection 1: It would seem that the contemplative life consists not
only in the contemplation of God, but also in the consideration of
any truth. For it is written (Ps. 138:14): "Wonderful are Thy works,
and my soul knoweth right well." Now the knowledge of God's works is
effected by any contemplation of the truth. Therefore it would seem
that it pertains to the contemplative life to contemplate not only
the divine truth, but also any other.
Obj. 2: Further, Bernard says (De Consid. v, 14) that "contemplation
consists in admiration first of God's majesty, secondly of His
judgments, thirdly of His benefits, fourthly of His promises." Now of
these four the first alone regards the divine truth, and the other
three pertain to His effects. Therefore the contemplative life
consists not only in the contemplation of the divine truth, but also
in the consideration of truth regarding the divine effects.
Obj. 3: Further, Richard of St. Victor [*De Grat. Contempl. i, 6]
distinguishes six species of contemplation. The first belongs to "the
imagination alone," and consists in thinking of corporeal things. The
second is in "the imagination guided by reason," and consists in
considering the order and disposition of sensible objects. The third
is in "the reason based on the imagination"; when, to wit, from the
consideration of the visible we rise to the invisible. The fourth is
in "the reason and conducted by the reason," when the mind is intent
on things invisible of which the imagination has no cognizance. The
fifth is "above the reason," but not contrary to reason, when by
divine revelation we become cognizant of things that cannot be
comprehended by the human reason. The sixth is "above reason and
contrary to reason"; when, to wit, by the divine enlightening we know
things that seem contrary to human reason, such as the doctrine of
the mystery of the Trinity. Now only the last of these would seem to
pertain to the divine truth. Therefore the contemplation of truth
regards not only the divine truth, but also that which is considered
in creatures.
Obj. 4: Further, in the contemplative life the contemplation of truth
is sought as being the perfection of man. Now any truth is a
perfection of the human intellect. Therefore the contemplative life
consists in the contemplation of any truth.
_On the contrary,_ Gregory says (Moral. vi, 37) that "in
contemplation we seek the principle which is God."
_I answer that,_ As stated above (A. 2), a thing may belong to the
contemplative life in two ways: principally, and secondarily, or
dispositively. That which belongs principally to the contemplative
life is the contemplation of the divine truth, because this
contemplation is the end of the whole human life. Hence Augustine
says (De Trin. i, 8) that "the contemplation of God is promised us as
being the goal of all our actions and the everlasting perfection of
our joys." This contemplation will be perfect in the life to come,
when we shall see God face to face, wherefore it will make us
perfectly happy: whereas now the contemplation of the divine truth is
competent to us imperfectly, namely "through a glass" and "in a dark
manner" (1 Cor. 13:12). Hence it bestows on us a certain inchoate
beatitude, which begins now and will be continued in the life to
come; wherefore the Philosopher (Ethic. x, 7) places man's ultimate
happiness in the contemplation of the supreme intelligible good.
Since, however, God's effects show us the way to the contemplation
of God Himself, according to Rom. 1:20, "The invisible things of
God . . . are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are
made," it follows that the contemplation of the divine effects also
belongs to the contemplative life, inasmuch as man is guided thereby
to the knowledge of God. Hence Augustine says (De Vera Relig. xxix)
that "in the study of creatures we must not exercise an empty and
futile curiosity, but should make them the stepping-stone to things
unperishable and everlasting."
Accordingly it is clear from what has been said (AA. 1, 2, 3) that
four things pertain, in a certain order, to the contemplative life;
first, the moral virtues; secondly, other acts exclusive of
contemplation; thirdly, contemplation of the divine effects;
fourthly, the complement of all which is the contemplation of the
divine truth itself.
Reply Obj. 1: David sought the knowledge of God's works, so that he
might be led by them to God; wherefore he says elsewhere (Ps. 142:5,
6): "I meditated on all Thy works: I meditated upon the works of Thy
hands: I stretched forth my hands to Thee."
Reply Obj. 2: By considering the divine judgments man is guided to
the consideration of the divine justice; and by considering the
divine benefits and promises, man is led to the knowledge of God's
mercy or goodness, as by effects already manifested or yet to be
vouchsafed.
Reply Obj. 3: These six denote the steps whereby we ascend by means
of creatures to the contemplation of God. For the first step consists
in the mere consideration of sensible objects; the second step
consists in going forward from sensible to intelligible objects; the
third step is to judge of sensible objects according to intelligible
things; the fourth is the absolute consideration of the intelligible
objects to which one has attained by means of sensibles; the fifth is
the contemplation of those intelligible objects that are unattainable
by means of sensibles, but which the reason is able to grasp; the
sixth step is the consideration of such intelligible things as the
reason can neither discover nor grasp, which pertain to the sublime
contemplation of divine truth, wherein contemplation is ultimately
perfected.
Reply Obj. 4: The ultimate perfection of the human intellect is the
divine truth: and other truths perfect the intellect in relation to
the divine truth.
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