Chapter 40 — That God is the good of every good

That God is the good of every good (ST I.6.4.)

It is also proved from the foregoing that God is the good of every good. (Augustine, On the Trinity, bk. 8, ch. 3.)

For the goodness of a thing is its perfection, as we have stated. (Ch. 37.) Now, since God is simply perfect, he contains in his perfection the perfections of all things, as we have shown. (Ch. 28.) Therefore, his goodness contains all goodnesses, and consequently he is the good of every good.

Again. A thing is not said to have a quality by participation, except insofar as it bears some resemblance to that which is said to have that quality essentially. Thus iron is said to be “fiery” insofar as it partakes of a resemblance to fire. Now, God is good essentially, while everything else is good by participation, as we have proved. (Ch. 38.) Therefore, nothing is said to be good except insofar as it bears some resemblance to the divine goodness. Therefore, he is the good of every good.

Further. Since a thing is desirable for the sake of an end, and the aspect of good consists in its being desirable, (Ch. 37.) it follows that a thing is said to be good either because it is an end, or because it is directed to an end. Therefore, the last end is that from which all things take the aspect of good. Now this is God, as we shall prove further on. (Bk. 3, ch. 17.) Therefore, God is the good of every good.

Hence the Lord, in promising Moses that he should see him, said: I will make all my goodness pass before you (Exod 33:19). And it is said of divine wisdom: all good things came to me along with her (Wis 7:11).