summa-contra-gentiles

no
THE SUMMA CONTRA GENTILES
not even God Himself has any other operation towards
Himself than these. Therefore it was necessary for the
greatest perfection of the universe that there should be
some intellectual creatures.
Further. In order that creatures might render perfectly
a representation of the divine goodness, it was necessary,
as above stated,^ that things should not only be made good,
but also that they should operate for the goodness of others.
Now a thing is perfectly likened to another in its operation,
when not only the action is of the same species, but also
the mode of acting
is the same. Hence it was necessary,
for the highest perfection of things, that there should be
some creatures who act in the same way as God. But it
has been proved above^ that God acts by intellect and will.
Therefore it was necessary for some creatures to have
intelligence and will.
Moreover. Likeness of the effect to its efficient cause is
considered on the part of the effect's form which pre-exists
in the agent for an agent produces : its like as regards the
form whereby
it acts. Now the form of the agent
is received
in the effect sometimes indeed according to the same mode
— of being as it has in the agent, thus the form of the fire
generated has the same mode of being as the form of the
generating fire,— and sometimes, according to another
mode — of being, thus the form of the house which exists
intelligibly in the craftsman's mind, is received in the house
that is outside the mind, according to a material manner :
and it is clear that the former likeness is more perfect than
the latter. Now, the perfection of the universe of creatures
consists in a likeness to God, just as the perfection of every
effect consists in a likeness to its efficient cause. Therefore
the highest perfection of the universe requires not only the
second likeness of the creature to God, but also the first, as
far as possible. But the form whereby God produces the
creature, is an intelligible form in Him, since He is an
agent by intellect, as proved above.'' Therefore the highest
perfection of the universe requires that there should be
*
Ch. xlv.
' Chs. xxiii., ixiv.
' Chs. xxiii., xiiv.