Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae

Objection 1: It seems that the number of the predestined is not certain. For a number to which an addition can be made is not certain. But there can be an addition to the number of the predestined as it seems; for it is written (Dt. 1:11): "The Lord God adds to this number many thousands," and a gloss adds, "fixed by God, who knows those who belong to Him." Therefore the number of the predestined is not certain.

Objection 2: Further, no reason can be assigned why God pre-ordains to salvation one number of men more than another. But nothing is arranged by God without a reason. Therefore the number to be saved pre-ordained by God cannot be certain.

Objection 3: Further, the operations of God are more perfect than those of nature. But in the works of nature, good is found in the majority of things; defect and evil in the minority. If, then, the number of the saved were fixed by God at a certain figure, there would be more saved than lost. Yet the contrary follows from Mt. 7:13,14: "For wide is the gate, and broad the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there are who go in thereat. How narrow is the gate, and strait is the way that leadeth to life; and few there are who find it!" Therefore the number of those pre-ordained by God to be saved is not certain.

On the contrary, Augustine says (De Corr. et Grat. 13): "The number of the predestined is certain, and can neither be increased nor diminished."

I answer that, The number of the predestined is certain. Some have said that it was formally, but not materially certain; as if we were to say that it was certain that a hundred or a thousand would be saved; not however these or those individuals. But this destroys the certainty of predestination; of which we spoke above (Article 6). Therefore we must say that to God the number of the predestined is certain, not only formally, but also materially. It must, however, be observed that the number of the predestined is said to be certain to God, not by reason of His knowledge, because, that is to say, He knows how many will be saved (for in this way the number of drops of rain and the sands of the sea are certain to God); but by reason of His deliberate choice and determination. For the further evidence of which we must remember that every agent intends to make something finite, as is clear from what has been said above when we treated of the infinite (Question 7, Articles 2,3). Now whosoever intends some definite measure in his effect thinks out some definite number in the essential parts, which are by their very nature required for the perfection of the whole. For of those things which are required not principally, but only on account of something else, he does not select any definite number "per se"; but he accepts and uses them in such numbers as are necessary on account of that other thing. For instance, a builder thinks out the definite measurements of a house, and also the definite number of rooms which he wishes to make in the house; and definite measurements of the walls and roof; he does not, however, select a definite number of stones, but accepts and uses just so many as are sufficient for the required measurements of the wall. So also must we consider concerning God in regard to the whole universe, which is His effect. For He pre-ordained the measurements of the whole of the universe, and what number would befit the essential parts of that universe---that is to say, which have in some way been ordained in perpetuity; how many spheres, how many stars, how many elements, and how many species. Individuals, however, which undergo corruption, are not ordained as it were chiefly for the good of the universe, but in a secondary way, inasmuch as the good of the species is preserved through them. Whence, although God knows the total number of individuals, the number of oxen, flies and such like, is not pre-ordained by God "per se"; but divine providence produces just so many as are sufficient for the preservation of the species. Now of all creatures the rational creature is chiefly ordained for the good of the universe, being as such incorruptible; more especially those who attain to eternal happiness, since they more immediately reach the ultimate end. Whence the number of the predestined is certain to God; not only by way of knowledge, but also by way of a principal pre-ordination.

It is not exactly the same thing in the case of the number of the reprobate, who would seem to be pre-ordained by God for the good of the elect, in whose regard "all things work together unto good" (Rm. 8:28). Concerning the number of all the predestined, some say that so many men will be saved as angels fell; some, so many as there were angels left; others, as many as the number of angels created by God. It is, however, better to say that, "to God alone is known the number for whom is reserved eternal happiness "

Reply to Objection 1: These words of Deuteronomy must be taken as applied to those who are marked out by God beforehand in respect to present righteousness. For their number is increased and diminished, but not the number of the predestined.

Reply to Objection 2: The reason of the quantity of any one part must be judged from the proportion of that part of the whole. Thus in God the reason why He has made so many stars, or so many species of things, or predestined so many, is according to the proportion of the principal parts to the good of the whole universe.

Reply to Objection 3: The good that is proportionate to the common state of nature is to be found in the majority; and is wanting in the minority. The good that exceeds the common state of nature is to be found in the minority, and is wanting in the majority. Thus it is clear that the majority of men have a sufficient knowledge for the guidance of life; and those who have not this knowledge are said to be half-witted or foolish; but they who attain to a profound knowledge of things intelligible are a very small minority in respect to the rest. Since their eternal happiness, consisting in the vision of God, exceeds the common state of nature, and especially in so far as this is deprived of grace through the corruption of original sin, those who are saved are in the minority. In this especially, however, appears the mercy of God, that He has chosen some for that salvation, from which very many in accordance with the common course and tendency of nature fall short.

Articulus 7

Argumentum 1

Ad septimum sic proceditur. Videtur quod numerus praedestinatorum non sit certus. Numerus enim cui potest fieri additio, non est certus. Sed numero praedestinatorum potest fieri additio, ut videtur, dicitur enim Deut. I, dominus deus noster addat ad hunc numerum multa millia; Glossa, idest definitum apud deum, qui novit qui sunt eius.

Ergo numerus praedestinatorum non est certus.

Argumentum 2

Praeterea, non potest assignari ratio quare magis in hoc numero quam in alio, deus homines praeordinet ad salutem.

Sed nihil a deo sine ratione disponitur. Ergo non est certus numerus salvandorum praeordinatus a deo.

Argumentum 3

Praeterea, operatio dei est perfectior quam operatio naturae.

Sed in operibus naturae bonum invenitur ut in pluribus, defectus autem et malum ut in paucioribus. Si igitur a deo institueretur numerus salvandorum, plures essent salvandi quam damnandi.

Cuius contrarium ostenditur Matt. VII, ubi dicitur, lata et spatiosa est via quae ducit ad perditionem, et multi sunt qui intrant per eam, angusta est porta, et arcta via, quae ducit ad vitam, et pauci sunt qui inveniunt eam.

Non ergo est praeordinatus a deo numerus salvandorum.

Sed Contra

Sed contra est quod Augustinus dicit, in libro de correptione et gratia, certus est praedestinatorum numerus, qui neque augeri potest, neque minui.

Corpus

Respondeo dicendum quod numerus praedestinatorum est certus.

Sed quidam dixerunt eum esse certum formaliter, sed non materialiter, ut puta si diceremus certum esse quod centum vel mille salventur, non autem quod hi vel illi. Sed hoc tollit certitudinem praedestinationis, de qua iam diximus.

Et ideo oportet dicere quod numerus praedestinatorum sit certus deo non solum formaliter, sed etiam materialiter. Sed advertendum est quod numerus praedestinatorum certus deo dicitur, non solum ratione cognitionis, quia scilicet scit quot sunt salvandi (sic enim deo certus est etiam numerus guttarum pluviae, et arenae maris); sed ratione electionis et definitionis cuiusdam.

Ad cuius evidentiam, est sciendum quod omne agens intendit facere aliquid finitum, ut ex supradictis de infinito apparet.

Quicumque autem intendit aliquam determinatam mensuram in suo effectu, excogitat aliquem numerum in partibus essentialibus eius, quae per se requiruntur ad perfectionem totius. Non enim per se eligit aliquem numerum in his quae non principaliter requiruntur, sed solum propter aliud, sed in tanto numero accipit huiusmodi, inquantum sunt necessaria propter aliud. Sicut aedificator excogitat determinatam mensuram domus, et etiam determinatum numerum mansionum quas vult facere in domo, et determinatum numerum mensurarum parietis vel tecti, non autem eligit determinatum numerum lapidum, sed accipit tot, quot sufficiunt ad explendam tantam mensuram parietis.

Sic igitur considerandum est in deo, respectu totius universitatis quae est eius effectus. Praeordinavit enim in qua mensura deberet esse totum universum, et quis numerus esset conveniens essentialibus partibus universi, quae scilicet habent aliquo modo ordinem ad perpetuitatem; quot scilicet sphaerae, quot stellae, quot elementa, quot species rerum. Individua vero corruptibilia non ordinantur ad bonum universi quasi principaliter, sed quasi secundario, inquantum in eis salvatur bonum speciei. Unde, licet deus sciat numerum omnium individuorum, non tamen numerus vel boum vel culicum, vel aliorum huiusmodi, est per se praeordinatus a deo, sed tot ex huiusmodi divina providentia produxit, quot sufficiunt ad specierum conservationem.

Inter omnes autem creaturas, principalius ordinantur ad bonum universi creaturae rationales, quae, inquantum huiusmodi, incorruptibiles sunt; et potissime illae quae beatitudinem consequuntur, quae immediatius attingunt ultimum finem. Unde certus est deo numerus praedestinatorum, non solum per modum cognitionis, sed etiam per modum cuiusdam principalis praefinitionis. Non sic autem omnino est de numero reproborum; qui videntur esse praeordinati a deo in bonum electorum, quibus omnia cooperantur in bonum. De numero autem omnium praedestinatorum hominum, quis sit, dicunt quidam quod tot ex hominibus salvabuntur, quot Angeli ceciderunt.

Quidam vero, quod tot salvabuntur, quot Angeli remanserunt.

Quidam vero, quod tot ex hominibus salvabuntur, quot Angeli ceciderunt, et insuper tot, quot fuerunt Angeli creati.

Sed melius dicitur quod soli deo est cognitus numerus electorum in superna felicitate locandus.

Ad 1

Ad primum ergo dicendum quod verbum illud deuteronomii est intelligendum de illis qui sunt praenotati a deo respectu praesentis iustitiae. Horum enim numerus et augetur et minuitur, et non numerus praedestinatorum.

Ad 2

Ad secundum dicendum quod ratio quantitatis alicuius partis, accipienda est ex proportione illius partis ad totum. Sic enim est apud deum ratio quare tot stellas fecerit, vel tot rerum species, et quare tot praedestinavit, ex proportione partium principalium ad bonum universi.

Ad 3

Ad tertium dicendum quod bonum proportionatum communi statui naturae, accidit ut in pluribus; et defectus ab hoc bono, ut in paucioribus. Sed bonum quod excedit communem statum naturae, invenitur ut in paucioribus; et defectus ab hoc bono, ut in pluribus. Sicut patet quod plures homines sunt qui habent sufficientem scientiam ad regimen vitae suae, pauciores autem qui hac scientia carent, qui moriones vel stulti dicuntur, sed paucissimi sunt, respectu aliorum, qui attingunt ad habendam profundam scientiam intelligibilium rerum. Cum igitur beatitudo aeterna, in visione dei consistens, excedat communem statum naturae, et praecipue secundum quod est gratia destituta per corruptionem originalis peccati, pauciores sunt qui salvantur.

Et in hoc etiam maxime misericordia dei apparet, quod aliquos in illam salutem erigit, a qua plurimi deficiunt secundum communem cursum et inclinationem naturae.