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Objection 1: It seems that names are predicated primarily of
creatures rather than of God. For we name anything accordingly as we
know it, since "names", as the Philosopher says, "are signs of
ideas." But we know creatures before we know God. Therefore the
names imposed by us are predicated primarily of creatures rather than of
God.
Objection 2: Further, Dionysius says (Div. Nom. i): "We
name God from creatures." But names transferred from creatures to
God, are said primarily of creatures rather than of God, as
"lion," "stone," and the like. Therefore all names applied to
God and creatures are applied primarily to creatures rather than to
God.
Objection 3: Further, all names equally applied to God and
creatures, are applied to God as the cause of all creatures, as
Dionysius says (De Mystica Theol.). But what is applied to
anything through its cause, is applied to it secondarily, for
"healthy" is primarily predicated of animal rather than of medicine,
which is the cause of health. Therefore these names are said primarily
of creatures rather than of God.
On the contrary, It is written, "I bow my knees to the Father,
of our Lord Jesus Christ, of Whom all paternity in heaven and earth
is named" (Eph. 3:14,15); and the same applies to the other
names applied to God and creatures. Therefore these names are applied
primarily to God rather than to creatures.
I answer that, In names predicated of many in an analogical sense,
all are predicated because they have reference to some one thing; and
this one thing must be placed in the definition of them all. And since
that expressed by the name is the definition, as the Philosopher says
(Metaph. iv), such a name must be applied primarily to that which
is put in the definition of such other things, and secondarily to these
others according as they approach more or less to that first. Thus,
for instance, "healthy" applied to animals comes into the definition
of "healthy" applied to medicine, which is called healthy as being
the cause of health in the animal; and also into the definition of
"healthy" which is applied to urine, which is called healthy in so
far as it is the sign of the animal's health. Thus all names applied
metaphorically to God, are applied to creatures primarily rather than
to God, because when said of God they mean only similitudes to such
creatures. For as "smiling" applied to a field means only that the
field in the beauty of its flowering is like the beauty of the human
smile by proportionate likeness, so the name of "lion" applied to
God means only that God manifests strength in His works, as a lion
in his. Thus it is clear that applied to God the signification of
names can be defined only from what is said of creatures. But to other
names not applied to God in a metaphorical sense, the same rule would
apply if they were spoken of God as the cause only, as some have
supposed. For when it is said, "God is good," it would then only
mean "God is the cause of the creature's goodness"; thus the term
good applied to God would included in its meaning the creature's
goodness. Hence "good" would apply primarily to creatures rather
than to God. But as was shown above (Article 2), these names are
applied to God not as the cause only, but also essentially. For the
words, "God is good," or "wise," signify not only that He is
the cause of wisdom or goodness, but that these exist in Him in a more
excellent way. Hence as regards what the name signifies, these names
are applied primarily to God rather than to creatures, because these
perfections flow from God to creatures; but as regards the imposition
of the names, they are primarily applied by us to creatures which we
know first. Hence they have a mode of signification which belongs to
creatures, as said above (Article 3).
Reply to Objection 1: This objection refers to the imposition of
the name.
Reply to Objection 2: The same rule does not apply to metaphorical
and to other names, as said above.
Reply to Objection 3: This objection would be valid if these names
were applied to God only as cause, and not also essentially, for
instance as "healthy" is applied to medicine.
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