Chapter 1 — Connection of the foregoing with the sequel

I meditated on all your operations: I meditated upon the works of your hands.

Psalm 143(142):5

It is impossible to know a thing perfectly unless we know its operation, since from the mode and species of its operation we gauge the measure and quality of its power, and the power of a thing shows forth its nature (because a thing has naturally an aptitude for work according as it actually has such and such a nature).

Now the operation of a thing is twofold, as the Philosopher teaches in Metaphysics 9: (Aristotle, Metaphysics 9.8.) one that abides in the very worker and is a perfection of the worker himself, such as to sense, to understand, and to will; and another that passes into an outward thing, and is a perfection of the thing made that results from it, such as to heat, to cut, and to build.

Now both of the aforesaid operations are competent to God: the former, in that he understands, wills, rejoices, and loves; the latter, in that he brings forth things into being, preserves them, and rules them. Since, however, the former operation is a perfection of the operator, while the latter is a perfection of the thing made, and since the agent is naturally prior to the thing made and is its cause, it follows that the first of the aforesaid operations is the reason of the second, and naturally precedes it, as a cause precedes its effect. This is, in fact, clearly seen in human affairs: for the thought and will of the craftsman is the origin and reason of the work of building.

Accordingly, the first of the aforesaid operations, as a simple perfection of the operator, claims for itself the name of operation, or again of action: while the second, as being a perfection of the thing made, takes the name of work. (Factionis—that is, fashioning.) Hence things which a craftsman brings into being by an action of this kind are said to be his handiwork.

Of the former operation of God we have already spoken in the foregoing book, where we treated of the divine knowledge and will. (Cc. 44–102.) Therefore, in order to complete our treatise of the divine truth, it remains for us to treat of the latter operation, namely, that whereby things are made and governed by God.

We may gather this order from the words quoted above (Ps 143[142]2:5). For first he speaks of meditation on the first kind of operation, when he says: I meditated on all your operations, so that we refer operation to the divine intelligence and will. Then he refers to meditation on God’s works when he says, and I meditated on the works (Operibus . . . Factis. The Douay version renders both words by works.) of your hands, so that by the works of his hands we understand heaven and earth, and all that is brought into being by God, as the handiwork produced by a craftsman.