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Objection 1: It would seem that we ought to observe some mode in
loving God. For the notion of good consists in mode, species and
order, as Augustine states (De Nat. Boni iii, iv). Now the
love of God is the best thing in man, according to Col. 3:14:
"Above all . . . things, have charity." Therefore there ought
to be a mode of the love of God.
Objection 2: Further, Augustine says (De Morib. Eccl.
viii): "Prithee, tell me which is the mode of love. For I fear
lest I burn with the desire and love of my Lord, more or less than I
ought." But it would be useless to seek the mode of the Divine
love, unless there were one. Therefore there is a mode of the love of
God.
Objection 3: Further, as Augustine says (Gen. ad lit. iv,
3), "the measure which nature appoints to a thing, is its mode."
Now the measure of the human will, as also of external action, is the
reason. Therefore just as it is necessary for the reason to appoint a
mode to the exterior effect of charity, according to Rm. 12:1:
"Your reasonable service," so also the interior love of God
requires a mode.
On the contrary, Bernard says (De Dilig. Deum 1) that "God
is the cause of our loving God; the measure is to love Him without
measure."
I answer that, As appears from the words of Augustine quoted above
(OBJ 3) mode signifies a determination of measure; which
determination is to be found both in the measure and in the thing
measured, but not in the same way. For it is found in the measure
essentially, because a measure is of itself the determining and
modifying rule of other things; whereas in the things measured, it is
found relatively, that is in so far as they attain to the measure.
Hence there can be nothing unmodified in the measure whereas the thing
measured is unmodified if it fails to attain to the measure, whether by
deficiency or by excess.
Now in all matters of appetite and action the measure is the end,
because the proper reason for all that we desire or do should be taken
from the end, as the Philosopher proves (Phys. ii, 9).
Therefore the end has a mode by itself, while the means take their
mode from being proportionate to the end. Hence, according to the
Philosopher (Polit. i, 3), "in every art, the desire for the
end is endless and unlimited," whereas there is a limit to the means:
thus the physician does not put limits to health, but makes it as
perfect as he possibly can; but he puts a limit to medicine, for he
does not give as much medicine as he can, but according as health
demands so that if he give too much or too little, the medicine would
be immoderate.
Again, the end of all human actions and affections is the love of
God, whereby principally we attain to our last end, as stated above
(Question 23, Article 6), wherefore the mode in the love of
God, must not be taken as in a thing measured where we find too much
or too little, but as in the measure itself, where there cannot be
excess, and where the more the rule is attained the better it is, so
that the more we love God the better our love is.
Reply to Objection 1: That which is so by its essence takes
precedence of that which is so through another, wherefore the goodness
of the measure which has the mode essentially, takes precedence of the
goodness of the thing measured, which has its mode through something
else; and so too, charity, which has a mode as a measure has, stands
before the other virtues, which have a mode through being measured .
Reply to Objection 2: As Augustine adds in the same passage,
"the measure of our love for God is to love Him with our whole
heart," that is to love Him as much as He can be loved, and this
belongs to the mode which is proper to the measure.
Reply to Objection 3: An affection, whose object is subject to
reason's judgment, should be measured by reason. But the object of
the Divine love which is God surpasses the judgment of reason,
wherefore it is not measured by reason but transcends it. Nor is there
parity between the interior act and external acts of charity. For the
interior act of charity has the character of an end, since man's
ultimate good consists in his soul cleaving to God, according to Ps.
72:28: "It is good for me to adhere to my God"; whereas the
exterior acts are as means to the end, and so have to be measured both
according to charity and according to reason.
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