Vol 3 Q 21 A 5 Thes p 23
ARTICLE V ††*

In the Fifth Article We Ask: IS A CREATED GOOD GOOD BY ITS ESSENCE?

Vol 3 Q 21 A 5 Obj 1 p 23
Difficulties:

It seems that it is, for

1. That without which a thing cannot be seems to be essential to it. But a creature cannot be without goodness, because nothing can be created by God which is not good. A creature is therefore good by its essence.

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2. To be and to be good are had by the creature from the same source, because from the mere fact of having being it is good, as has previously been shown.

5 But the substantial goodness of a thing is not decreased by sin. The formal character of good therefore does not consist universally in those three notes.

Vol 3 Q 21 A 6 Obj 10 p 29
10. Whatever is essential to good does not have evil predicated of it. But measure, species, and order can have evil predicated of them, according to Augustine;††6 for he speaks of "a bad measure," "a bad species," etc. The character of good therefore does not consist in those three notes.

Vol 3 Q 21 A 6 Obj 11 p 29
11. Ambrose says: "The nature of light does not consist in number, weight, and dimension like any other creature."††7 But according to Augustine ††8 species, measure, and order are constituted by these three. Since, therefore, light is good, the character of good does not include species, measure, and order.

Vol 3 Q 21 A 6 Obj 12 p 29
12. According to Bernard ††9 the measure of charity is not to have any measure; and yet charity is good. It does not, then, require the three notes mentioned.

Vol 3 Q 21 A 6 OTC 1 p 29
To the Contrary:

1'. Augustine says: "Where these three are great, the good is great; where they are small, it is small; where they are not at all, it is not at all."††10 The essence of the good therefore consists in measure, species, and order.