Introduction
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Divisio (see above) 1) First part: he who acts materially on something seeks to make it similar to himself (reference to Aristotle), so God made the human being similar to himself in his creation, justification and glorification. 1) In creation: God is one and triune, and the human being has one soul and three powers (intellect, memory and will); 2) In justification: God wanted to create the human being similar to his Son in grace; 3) In glorification: God wanted to create the human being similar to Himself in taking part in the glory. 2) Second part: “God and nature do nothing in vain” (reference to Aristotle's De Caelo; therefore, since the human being was made to obtain eternal life, God wouldn’t have created him if he couldn’t obtain it by doing good deeds. Quaestio: even if good deeds are performed, how can a human being obtain eternal life if his soul is finite? The soul in Paradise will see God in a finite way even though He is infinite, and will understand Him as much as it can (reference to Bonaventure): the human soul sees God in four degrees; the Angel sees Him in five degrees, the Archangel in six, the Seraphim in seven, but all still see him in a finite way. 3) Third part: Christ became man, therefore human beings are bound to Christ by a bond of affinity; consequently, human beings must not doubt that they can obtain eternal life by doing good deeds, because “where the head of Christians is, there the members will go” (reference to Ephesians). 4) Fourth part: God is the righteous judge of all persons; therefore, it is necessary that those who have done good deeds in life should receive righteous reward - that is, eternal life - after death; on the contrary, those who have done evil will receive eternal damnation (Qui bona egerunt ibunt in vitam eternam, qui vero mala in ignem eternum [quote from Athanasian Creed]).
Conclusion Exhortation to religious, that they may persevere in the observance of the rule; to married women, that they may persevere in the purity and honesty of marriage; to virgins, that they may persevere in fear, vigils, fasts, almsgiving, contemplation and prayer.