Why did God create all things good and beautiful? So that, through them, we might arrive at a knowledge of Him and understand how good, how beautiful, how sweet, how lovely He is on the basis of the goodness of creatures.
Five Books on the Nature of God,
or
On the Divine Attributes
or
On the Divine Attributes
By Girolamo Zanchi
Translated by Patrick J. O'Banion
Book 1, Chapter 10, Quaestio 8, Part 3
Volume 1 is available for order now from Merchant Royal Press
To be sure, however, we must remember what we said previously: In names of this sort, which we contend are predicated analogically of God and of creatures, two things must be taken into account and distinguished from one another: the actual things signified by the names and the imposition of the names. As far as the things themselves are concerned, they are first predicated of God and then of creatures. And properly speaking, this is the relationship and correspondence which creatures have to God, and it is on account of this relationship [ordinis] that names are said to be predicated analogically of God and of created things. But rationally [secundum rationem] and as far as the imposition of names is concerned, creatures were named before God. Hence, when we say that names are predicated analogically of God and of creatures because they are first predicated of God and then of creatures, this must be understood with reference to a real analogy (or, as they say, according to reality [secundum rem]) but not according to meaning of the name [nominis secundum rationem].[1]
But you will ask: What is the point of this extremely meticulous explanation of analogical predication? One cannot see how great the utility and use of this explanation is until it is put into practice, namely, in the reading of the Holy Scriptures. When, for example’s sake, we read that whatever has been created is very good, then we must consequently think: How much better and how anterior is God, from whom all created things derive their goodness, than were (and are) those good things! For what is proclaimed, read, or heard concerning the goodness of creatures is actually proclaimed of God. How? Analogically.[2]
Hence, we ascend from creatures to loving and glorifying God, since He is the first and highest Good, whence come all other goods. For why did God create all things good and beautiful? So that, through them, we might arrive at a knowledge of Him and understand how good, how beautiful, how sweet, how lovely He is on the basis of the goodness of creatures. And for this same reason, as all things were created good, so are they also proclaimed to be good in the Scriptures. In what way are they made known? Analogically.[3] Unto what end and use? Unto our salvation. So that, from this analogy, we might be led unto (as has been said) knowledge, faith, love, and the invocation of God. Hence, this doctrine is more useful than appears at first blush. The final question remains to be explained.