Mozley: A Treatise on the Augustinian Doctrine of

CHAP. ix. of Necessity. 235
formed the great text book of the Church for centuries.
But it is not an argumentative exposition ; it does not ex
pand and develop by statement and reasoning theological
ideas. Aquinas, however, supplies the deficiencies of Lom
bard, and, taking up the scheme and ground-plan which the
older commentator furnishes, applies the argumentative
and philosophical talent to it, and fills it out with thought ;
enriching it at the same time with large additions from
the stores of heathen philosophy. Aquinas is accordingly
the great representative of mediaeval August inianism
might say,
I
of mediaeval theology. He reflects the mind
he embodies the ideas and sentiments of the mediaeval
Church. In him, as in a mirror, we see the great assump
tions, the ruling arguments of the theological world ; the
mode of inference which was considered legitimate ; the
way of solving difficulties which was thought satisfactory.
In his large and capacious mind we see the collective
theological thought and philosophy of the middle ages.
He fails, indeed, in a power which it was reserved for a
modern age to call forth from the human mind the
analytical one. He does not turn his mind inward upon
itself to examine its own thoughts and ideas, and compare
received and current truths with the original type from
which they are copied. In this sense he does not appre
hend and realise truths : because he does not put his mind
into that attitude in which it has alone the power of seeing
its own processes, ideas, and modes of entertaining truth
the attitude of reflection and turning inward of the
mind upon itself. No one can see a thing but by looking
at it ; the mediaeval mind did not look within, or examine
itself ; it could not, therefore, see itself i.e. get such
knowledge as has been since proved to be attainable of its
own operations and ideas. It was left for a later age to
call attention to this world of internal discovery, and force
the human mind back upon itself ; changing that progres
sive habit, in which it had so long exclusively indulged,
of following up and arguing interminably upon truths,
into the stationary one of examining
the truths them
selves. Aquinas accepts the received statements and posi-