1 Objection 1: It seems that the book of life does not only regard the life of glory of the predestined. For the book of life is the knowledge of life. But God, through His own life, knows all other life. Therefore the book of life is so called in regard to divine life; and not only in regard to the life of the predestined.
1 Ad secundum sic proceditur. Videtur quod liber vitae non sit solum respectu vitae gloriae praedestinatorum. Liber enim vitae est notitia vitae. Sed Deus per vitam suam cognoscit omnem aliam vitam. Ergo liber vitae praecipue dicitur respectu vitae divinae; et non solum respectu vitae praedestinatorum.
2 Objection 2: Further, as the life of glory comes from God, so also does the life of nature. Therefore, if the knowledge of the life of glory is called the book of life; so also should the knowledge of the life of nature be so called.
2 Praeterea, sicut vita gloriae est a Deo, ita vita naturae. Si igitur notitia vitae gloriae dicitur liber vitae, etiam notitia vitae naturae dicetur liber vitae.
3 Objection 3: Further, some are chosen to the life of grace who are not chosen to the life of glory; as it is clear from what is said: Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? Jn. 6, 71). But the book of life is the inscription of the divine election, as stated above Article 1). Therefore it applies also to the life of grace.
3 Praeterea, aliqui eliguntur ad gratiam, qui non eliguntur ad vitam gloriae; ut patet per id quod dicitur Ioan. VI, nonne duodecim vos elegi, et unus ex vobis Diabolus est? Sed liber vitae est conscriptio electionis divinae, ut dictum est. Ergo etiam est respectu vitae gratiae.
4 On the contrary, The book of life is the knowledge of predestination, as stated above Article 1). But predestination does not regard the life of grace, except so far as it is directed to glory; for those are not predestined who have grace and yet fail to obtain glory. The book of life altogether is only so called in regard to the life of glory.
4 Sed contra est quod liber vitae est notitia praedestinationis, ut dictum est. Sed praedestinatio non respicit vitam gratiae, nisi secundum quod ordinatur ad gloriam, non enim sunt praedestinati, qui habent gratiam et deficiunt a gloria. Liber igitur vitae non dicitur nisi respectu gloriae.
5 I answer that, The book of life, as stated above Article 1), implies a conscription or a knowledge of those chosen to life. Now a man is chosen for something which does not belong to him by nature; and again that to which a man is chosen has the aspect of an end. For a soldier is not chosen or inscribed merely to put on armor, but to fight; since this is the proper duty to which military service is directed. But the life of glory is an end exceeding human nature, as said above Question 23, Article 1). Wherefore, strictly speaking, the book of life regards the life of glory.
5 Respondeo dicendum quod liber vitae, ut dictum est, importat conscriptionem quandam sive notitiam electorum ad vitam. Eligitur autem aliquis ad id quod non competit sibi secundum suam naturam. Et iterum, id ad quod eligitur aliquis, habet rationem finis, non enim miles eligitur aut conscribitur ad hoc quod armetur, sed ad hoc quod pugnet; hoc enim est proprium officium ad quod militia ordinatur. Finis autem supra naturam existens, est vita gloriae, ut supra dictum est. Unde proprie liber vitae respicit vitam gloriae.
6 Reply to Objection 1: The divine life, even considered as a life of glory, is natural to God; whence in His regard there is no election, and in consequence no book of life: for we do not say that anyone is chosen to possess the power of sense, or any of those things that are consequent on nature. From this we gather the Reply to the Second Objection. For there is no election, nor a book of life, as regards the life of nature.
6 Ad primum ergo dicendum quod vita divina, etiam prout est vita gloriosa, est Deo naturalis. Unde respectu eius non est electio, et per consequens neque liber vitae. Non enim dicimus quod aliquis homo eligatur ad habendum sensum, vel aliquid eorum quae consequuntur naturam. Unde per hoc etiam patet solutio ad secundum. Respectu enim vitae naturalis non est electio, neque liber vitae.
7 Reply to Objection 3: The life of grace has the aspect, not of an end, but of something directed towards an end. Hence nobody is said to be chosen to the life of grace, except so far as the life of grace is directed to glory. For this reason those who, possessing grace, fail to obtain glory, are not said to be chosen simply, but relatively. Likewise they are not said to be written in the book of life simply, but relatively; that is to say, that it is in the ordination and knowledge of God that they are to have some relation to eternal life, according to their participation in grace.
7 Ad tertium dicendum quod vita gratiae non habet rationem finis, sed rationem eius quod est ad finem. Unde ad vitam gratiae non dicitur aliquis eligi, nisi inquantum vita gratiae ordinatur ad gloriam. Et propter hoc, illi qui habent gratiam et excidunt a gloria, non dicuntur esse electi simpliciter, sed secundum quid. Et similiter non dicuntur esse scripti simpliciter in libro vitae sed secundum quid; prout scilicet de eis in ordinatione et notitia divina existit, quod sint habituri aliquem ordinem ad vitam aeternam, secundum participationem gratiae.