Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae

Objection 1: It seems that the book of life is not the same thing as pre-destination. For it is said, "All things are the book of life" (Ecclus. 4:32)---i.e. the Old and New Testament according to a gloss. This, however, is not predestination. Therefore the book of life is not predestination.

Objection 2: Further, Augustine says (De Civ. Dei xx, 14) that "the book of life is a certain divine energy, by which it happens that to each one his good or evil works are recalled to memory." But divine energy belongs seemingly, not to predestination, but rather to divine power. Therefore the book of life is not the same thing as predestination.

Objection 3: Further, reprobation is opposed to predestination. So, if the book of life were the same as predestination, there should also be a book of death, as there is a book of life.

On the contrary, It is said in a gloss upon Ps. 68:29, "Let them be blotted out of the book of the living. This book is the knowledge of God, by which He hath predestined to life those whom He foreknew."

I answer that, The book of life is in God taken in a metaphorical sense, according to a comparison with human affairs. For it is usual among men that they who are chosen for any office should be inscribed in a book; as, for instance, soldiers, or counsellors, who formerly were called "conscript" fathers. Now it is clear from the preceding (Question 23, Article 4) that all the predestined are chosen by God to possess eternal life. This conscription, therefore, of the predestined is called the book of life. A thing is said metaphorically to be written upon the mind of anyone when it is firmly held in the memory, according to Prov. 3:3: "Forget not My Law, and let thy heart keep My commandments," and further on, "Write them in the tables of thy heart." For things are written down in material books to help the memory. Whence, the knowledge of God, by which He firmly remembers that He has predestined some to eternal life, is called the book of life. For as the writing in a book is the sign of things to be done, so the knowledge of God is a sign in Him of those who are to be brought to eternal life, according to 2 Tim. 11:19: "The sure foundation of God standeth firm, having this seal; the Lord knoweth who are His."

Reply to Objection 1: The book of life may be understood in two senses. In one sense as the inscription of those who are chosen to life; thus we now speak of the book of life. In another sense the inscription of those things which lead us to life may be called the book of life; and this also is twofold, either as of things to be done; and thus the Old and New Testament are called a book of life; or of things already done, and thus that divine energy by which it happens that to each one his deeds will be recalled to memory, is spoken of as the book of life. Thus that also may be called the book of war, whether it contains the names inscribed of those chosen for military service; or treats of the art of warfare, or relates the deeds of soldiers.

Hence the solution of the Second Objection.

Reply to Objection 3: It is the custom to inscribe, not those who are rejected, but those who are chosen. Whence there is no book of death corresponding to reprobation; as the book of life to predestination.

Reply to Objection 4: Predestination and the book of life are different aspects of the same thing. For this latter implies the knowledge of predestination; as also is made clear from the gloss quoted above.

Articulus 1

Argumentum 1

Ad primum sic proceditur. Videtur quod liber vitae non sit idem quod praedestinatio.

Dicitur enim Eccli. XXIV, haec omnia liber vitae; Glossa, idest novum et vetus testamentum.

Hoc autem non est praedestinatio.

Ergo liber vitae non est idem quod praedestinatio.

Argumentum 2

Praeterea, Augustinus, in libro XX de CIV. Dei, ait quod liber vitae est quaedam vis divina, qua fiet ut cuique opera sua bona vel mala in memoriam reducantur.

Sed vis divina non videtur pertinere ad praedestinationem, sed magis ad attributum potentiae.

Ergo liber vitae non est idem quod praedestinatio.

Argumentum 3

Praeterea, praedestinationi opponitur reprobatio. Si igitur liber vitae esset praedestinatio, inveniretur liber mortis, sicut liber vitae.

Sed Contra

Sed contra est quod dicitur in Glossa, super illud Psalmi LXVIII, deleantur de libro viventium, liber iste est notitia dei, qua praedestinavit ad vitam, quos praescivit.

Corpus

Respondeo dicendum quod liber vitae in deo dicitur metaphorice, secundum similitudinem a rebus humanis acceptam. Est enim consuetum apud homines, quod illi qui ad aliquid eliguntur, conscribuntur in libro; utpote milites vel consiliarii, qui olim dicebantur patres conscripti.

Patet autem ex praemissis quod omnes praedestinati eliguntur a deo ad habendum vitam aeternam.

Ipsa ergo praedestinatorum conscriptio dicitur liber vitae.

Dicitur autem metaphorice aliquid conscriptum in intellectu alicuius, quod firmiter in memoria tenet, secundum illud Prov. III, ne obliviscaris legis meae, et praecepta mea cor tuum custodiat; et post pauca sequitur, describe illa in tabulis cordis tui.

Nam et in libris materialibus aliquid conscribitur ad succurrendum memoriae. Unde ipsa dei notitia, qua firmiter retinet se aliquos praedestinasse ad vitam aeternam, dicitur liber vitae. Nam sicut Scriptura libri est signum eorum quae fienda sunt ita dei notitia est quoddam signum apud ipsum, eorum qui sunt perducendi ad vitam aeternam; secundum illud II Tim. II, firmum fundamentum dei stat, habens signaculum hoc, novit dominus qui sunt eius.

Ad 1

Ad primum ergo dicendum quod liber vitae potest dici dupliciter. Uno modo, conscriptio eorum qui sunt electi ad vitam, et sic loquimur nunc de libro vitae. Alio modo potest dici liber vitae, conscriptio eorum quae ducunt in vitam. Et hoc dupliciter.

Vel sicut agendorum, et sic novum et vetus testamentum dicitur liber vitae. Vel sicut iam factorum, et sic illa vis divina, qua fiet ut cuilibet in memoriam reducantur facta sua, dicitur liber vitae. Sicut etiam liber militiae potest dici, vel in quo scribuntur electi ad militiam, vel in quo traditur ars militaris, vel in quo recitantur facta militum.

Ad 2

Unde patet solutio ad secundum.

Ad 3

Ad tertium dicendum quod non est consuetum conscribi eos qui repudiantur, sed eos qui eliguntur. Unde reprobationi non respondet liber mortis, sicut praedestinationi liber vitae.

Ad 4

Ad quartum dicendum quod secundum rationem differt liber vitae a praedestinatione. Importat enim notitiam praedestinationis, sicut etiam ex Glossa inducta apparet.