Scholastica commentaria in Primam Partem Summae Theologicae

Concerning this whole question it must be noted that in the Sacred Scriptures the book of life is taken in a manifold signification. Sometimes, so as to designate one's own conscience, in which all the deeds of a man, whether good or evil, are as it were signed, and will appear on the last day in such a way that each one may openly look into the conscience of another, as into a book, at whatever has been done by him. Thus is understood that text of Daniel, ch. 7: The judgment sat, and the books were opened. And Apoc. 20: And the books were opened. Second, it is taken for the divine cognition by which God knows all the works of men: and it is called a book by metaphor. For just as in a material book things are written with a certain firmness, so all things done by us are as it were held in a book in the divine cognition. To this acceptance is reduced that which St. Thomas gives in art. 1, ad 2: namely that the book is called a certain divine power through which all things will be manifested on the day of judgment, according to that text of 1 Corinth. 4, He will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, etc. And that of Ps. 138: In thy book all shall be written. There is another book, in which are written in a peculiar way the things which serve us for obtaining eternal life, and this is the Sacred Scripture, of which Ecclesiast. 24: All these things are the book of life, and the testament of the Most High. And Bar. 4: This is the book of the commandments of God, etc. There is another book, which is said to have been closed in the Sacred Scripture, of which Apoc. 5; and this book is nothing other than the hidden mystery of the Incarnation. Finally there is another book, which in the Sacred Scripture is called the book of life. And this is that in which the predestined to life are written. And this is the most firm cognition of God, in which are contained all who are predestined to most happy glory. Of this book mention is made most frequently in the Sacred Scriptures, as in Ps. 39: In the head of the book it is written of me. Which passage is understood literally of Christ the Lord, as Paul has it in Hebrews 9, who is said to be written in the head of the book, in that He was the head of all the predestined. And Daniel 12, and Apoc. 10 and 21, and Luke 10, where it is said, your names are written in heaven. And to the Philippians 4: Whose names are written in the book of life. Second, it must be noted that in the book of life, that is, of the predestined, always and absolutely only the predestined are written, and they will never be blotted out of this book, speaking without qualification. I said without qualification: because in a qualified sense they are said to be blotted out of this book when they sin mortally: but nevertheless they remain written without qualification, even when they sin: because according to the preordination of God they will at length attain eternal life. The reprobate, however, speaking without qualification, are not written in this book, but in a qualified sense, when they are in grace: because according to that present justice for the time being they have a right to glory; and when they sin mortally they are said to be blotted out of the book of life, but not without qualification, but only in a qualified sense, just as they are not written without qualification. See St. Thomas in the reply to 3, art. 1 and artic. 3. But there is an argument by which it is proved that the predestined are blotted out of the book of life, namely: Moses said in Exodus 32: «Either forgive them this trespass, or if thou do not, blot me out of thy book». From which it is argued thus: Moses asked of the Lord what can be done: therefore he understood that he could be blotted out. I answer first that the prophet's speech was hyperbolic, and it is no wonder that he could ask something impossible. Second, it is answered that that speech was conditional, whose sense was: if thou dost not blot me out of the book of life, forgive this trespass to the people.