Chapter 4 — That the philosopher and the theologian treat of creatures in different ways

Now it is evident from what has been said that the teaching of the Christian faith treats of creatures insofar as they reflect a certain likeness of God, and insofar as error concerning them leads to error about God. And so they are viewed from a different point by the aforesaid teaching and by human philosophy. For human philosophy considers them as such; therefore, we find that the different parts of philosophy correspond to the different genera of things. But the Christian faith does not consider them as such—for instance, it considers fire not as such, but as representing the sublimity of God, and as being directed to him in any way whatever. For as it is stated: full of the glory of the Lord is his work. Hath not the Lord made the saints to declare all his wonderful works? (Sir 42:16–17).

Hence also the philosopher and the believer consider different matters about creatures. For the philosopher considers such things as belong to them by their own nature (for instance, that fire tends upwards). But the believer only considers about creatures such things as belong to them in respect of their relation to God (for instance, that they are created by God, are subject to God, and so forth).

Thus it does not argue imperfection in the teaching of faith if it overlooks many properties of things, such as the shape of the heavens, and the quality of its movement. For neither does the physicist consider the same characters of a line as the geometrician, but only such as are accidental to it, as the term of a natural body.

Any matters, however, that the philosopher and the believer consider in common about creatures are delivered through different principles in each. For the philosopher takes his argument from the proper causes of things, whereas the believer has recourse to the first cause (for instance, because it has been thus delivered by God, or because it conduces to God’s glory, or because God’s power is infinite).

Hence (the teaching of faith) should be called the greatest wisdom, since it considers the highest cause, according to the saying of Deuteronomy 4:6: this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples.

Therefore, human philosophy is a handmaid to her as mistress. For this reason sometimes divine wisdom argues from the principles of human philosophy, since also among philosophers the first philosophy makes use of the teachings of all sciences in order to establish its purpose.

Hence again both teachings do not follow the same order. For in the teaching of philosophy, which considers creatures in themselves and leads us from them to the knowledge of God, the first consideration is about creatures, and the last of God. In contrast, in the teaching of faith, which considers creatures only in their relation to God, the consideration about God takes the first place, and that about creatures the last. And thus it is more perfect as being more like God’s knowledge, for he beholds other things by knowing himself.

Therefore, according to this order, after what has been said in the first book about God in himself, it remains for us to treat of the things which proceed from him.