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Objection 1: It seems that no one may be blotted out of the book of
life. For Augustine says (De Civ. Dei xx, 15): "God's
foreknowledge, which cannot be deceived, is the book of life." But
nothing can be taken away from the foreknowledge of God, nor from
predestination. Therefore neither can anyone be blotted out from the
book of life.
Objection 2: Further, whatever is in a thing is in it according to
the disposition of that thing. But the book of life is something
eternal and immutable. Therefore whatsoever is written therein, is
there not in a temporary way, but immovably, and indelibly.
Objection 3: Further, blotting out is the contrary to inscription.
But nobody can be written a second time in the book of life. Neither
therefore can he be blotted out.
On the contrary, It is said, "Let them be blotted out from the
book of the living" (Ps. 68:29).
I answer that, Some have said that none could be blotted out of the
book of life as a matter of fact, but only in the opinion of men. For
it is customary in the Scriptures to say that something is done when it
becomes known. Thus some are said to be written in the book of life,
inasmuch as men think they are written therein, on account of the
present righteousness they see in them; but when it becomes evident,
either in this world or in the next, that they have fallen from that
state of righteousness, they are then said to be blotted out. And
thus a gloss explains the passage: "Let them be blotted out of the
book of the living." But because not to be blotted out of the book of
life is placed among the rewards of the just, according to the text,
"He that shall overcome, shall thus be clothed in white garments,
and I will not blot his name out of the book of life" (Apoc.
3:5) (and what is promised to holy men, is not merely something in
the opinion of men), it can therefore be said that to be blotted out,
and not blotted out, of the book of life is not only to be referred to
the opinion of man, but to the reality of the fact. For the book of
life is the inscription of those ordained to eternal life, to which one
is directed from two sources; namely, from predestination, which
direction never fails, and from grace; for whoever has grace, by this
very fact becomes fitted for eternal life. This direction fails
sometimes; because some are directed by possessing grace, to obtain
eternal life, yet they fail to obtain it through mortal sin.
Therefore those who are ordained to possess eternal life through divine
predestination are written down in the book of life simply, because
they are written therein to have eternal life in reality; such are
never blotted out from the book of life. Those, however, who are
ordained to eternal life, not through divine predestination, but
through grace, are said to be written in the book of life not simply,
but relatively, for they are written therein not to have eternal life
in itself, but in its cause only. Yet though these latter can be said
to be blotted out of the book of life, this blotting out must not be
referred to God, as if God foreknew a thing, and afterwards knew it
not; but to the thing known, namely, because God knows one is first
ordained to eternal life, and afterwards not ordained when he falls
from grace.
Reply to Objection 1: The act of blotting out does not refer to the
book of life as regards God's foreknowledge, as if in God there were
any change; but as regards things foreknown, which can change.
Reply to Objection 2: Although things are immutably in God, yet
in themselves they are subject to change. To this it is that the
blotting out of the book of life refers.
Reply to Objection 3: The way in which one is said to be blotted
out of the book of life is that in which one is said to be written
therein anew; either in the opinion of men, or because he begins again
to have relation towards eternal life through grace; which also is
included in the knowledge of God, although not anew.
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