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Objection 1: It seems that God is the beatitude of each of the
blessed. For God is the supreme good, as was said above (Question
6, Articles 2,4). But it is quite impossible that there should
be many supreme goods, as also is clear from what has been said above
(Question 11, Article 3). Therefore, since it is of the
essence of beatitude that it should be the supreme good, it seems that
beatitude is nothing else but God Himself.
Objection 2: Further, beatitude is the last end of the rational
nature. But to be the last end of the rational nature belongs only to
God. Therefore the beatitude of every blessed is God alone.
On the contrary, The beatitude of one is greater than that of
another, according to 1 Cor. 15:41: "Star differeth from
star in glory." But nothing is greater than God. Therefore
beatitude is something different from God.
I answer that, The beatitude of an intellectual nature consists in an
act of the intellect. In this we may consider two things, namely,
the object of the act, which is the thing understood; and the act
itself which is to understand. If, then, beatitude be considered on
the side of the object, God is the only beatitude; for everyone is
blessed from this sole fact, that he understands God, in accordance
with the saying of Augustine (Confess. v, 4): "Blessed is he
who knoweth Thee, though he know nought else." But as regards the
act of understanding, beatitude is a created thing in beatified
creatures; but in God, even in this way, it is an uncreated thing.
Reply to Objection 1: Beatitude, as regards its object, is the
supreme good absolutely, but as regards its act, in beatified
creatures it is their supreme good, not absolutely, but in that kind
of goods which a creature can participate.
Reply to Objection 2: End is twofold, namely, "objective" and
"subjective," as the Philosopher says (Greater Ethics i, 3),
namely, the "thing itself" and "its use." Thus to a miser the end
is money, and its acquisition. Accordingly God is indeed the last
end of a rational creature, as the thing itself; but created beatitude
is the end, as the use, or rather fruition, of the thing.
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