(E)
Can man know God in Himself?
No, man cannot know God in Himself by the natural force of his reason, for God is infinite above all things I sense, which alone are the objects proportionate to ti natural power of man's reason (LXXXVIII. 3).
Left then to his natural powers man can know God only imperfectly by his reason?
Yes.
Is it nevertheless a good thing for man to be able to know God only imperfectly by his reason?
Yes. Indeed it is a great perfection for man to know God by his reason however imperfect the knowledge be; because thereby man is lifted up in an eminent degree above the rest of creatures that are devoid of reason; it is moreover owing to the possibility of this knowledge that God has raised man to the sovereign dignity of being child of His grace; in this happy state man's reason flows God as He is in Himself, at first imperfectly by the light of faith, but at length perfectly by the light of glory (XII. 4, Obj. 3, 5, 8, 10, 13).
By the fact that man can be raised to the dignity of becoming a child of God by grace, is he placed on a level with the angels?
Yes. Raised to the dignity of a child of God by grace, man is in some sort on an equal footing with the angels; indeed he can even ascend higher than they in this order of grace, although in the order of nature he always remains inferior to them (CVIII. 8).
Next -The Catechism of the Summa - XVI. OF MAN'S POWERS OF LOVING: FREE WILL (A)
Pegues OP, R P Thomas. Catechism of the "Summa Theologica" of Saint Thomas Aquinas for the Use of the Faithful (pp. 72-73). Veritatis Splendor Publications. Kindle Edition.
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