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Objection 1: It seems that God is composed of matter and form.
For whatever has a soul is composed of matter and form; since the soul
is the form of the body. But Scripture attributes a soul to God;
for it is mentioned in Hebrews (Heb. 10:38), where God
says: "But My just man liveth by faith; but if he withdraw
himself, he shall not please My soul." Therefore God is composed
of matter and form.
Objection 2: Further, anger, joy and the like are passions of the
composite. But these are attributed to God in Scripture: "The
Lord was exceeding angry with His people" (Ps. 105:40).
Therefore God is composed of matter and form.
Objection 3: Further, matter is the principle of
individualization. But God seems to be individual, for He cannot be
predicated of many. Therefore He is composed of matter and form.
On the contrary, Whatever is composed of matter and form is a body;
for dimensive quantity is the first property of matter. But God is
not a body as proved in the preceding Article; therefore He is not
composed of matter and form.
I answer that, It is impossible that matter should exist in God.
First, because matter is in potentiality. But we have shown
(Question 2, Article 3) that God is pure act, without any
potentiality. Hence it is impossible that God should be composed of
matter and form. Secondly, because everything composed of matter and
form owes its perfection and goodness to its form; therefore its
goodness is participated, inasmuch as matter participates the form.
Now the first good and the best---viz. God---is not a
participated good, because the essential good is prior to the
participated good. Hence it is impossible that God should be composed
of matter and form. Thirdly, because every agent acts by its form;
hence the manner in which it has its form is the manner in which it is
an agent. Therefore whatever is primarily and essentially an agent
must be primarily and essentially form. Now God is the first agent,
since He is the first efficient cause. He is therefore of His
essence a form; and not composed of matter and form.
Reply to Objection 1: A soul is attributed to God because His
acts resemble the acts of a soul; for, that we will anything, is due
to our soul. Hence what is pleasing to His will is said to be
pleasing to His soul.
Reply to Objection 2: Anger and the like are attributed to God on
account of a similitude of effect. Thus, because to punish is
properly the act of an angry man, God's punishment is metaphorically
spoken of as His anger.
Reply to Objection 3: Forms which can be received in matter are
individualized by matter, which cannot be in another as in a subject
since it is the first underlying subject; although form of itself,
unless something else prevents it, can be received by many. But that
form which cannot be received in matter, but is self-subsisting, is
individualized precisely because it cannot be received in a subject;
and such a form is God. Hence it does not follow that matter exists
in God.
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