Rules 1-5 on life of God; vital faculties
II. But concerning these second-genus attributes, and so concerning the life of God, RULES are to be held. 1. When second-genus attributes are painted in God, they are to be measured to the norm and form of first-genus attributes, so that they are attributed to Him infinitely, most perfectly, most simply, immutably. So God is called living infinitely and most perfectly, because nothing of His life is wanting and He lacks every bound extensively and intensively; simply, because His life is entirely without composition and is His very active essence; immutably, because as God never began to live, so neither will He cease.
2. Whatever like and analogous to these attributes is found in created things is finite, imperfect, mixed, subject to turns of motion and change, and finally accidental and adventitious. 3. From attributes of this genus it is understood especially that God is the first true cause of all — whence He can be called the first living. 4. By His life the true God is distinguished from idols — Joshua 3:10; Jeremiah 2:13; 10:9-10; Daniel 6:26; 1 Thessalonians 1:9. 5. Because of His life God is to be worshiped — fear, Deuteronomy 6:13; honor and adoration, Hebrews 9:14; Revelation 4:9; oath, Jeremiah 4:2; hope, 1 Timothy 6:17.
III. The life of God consists in an intellect penetrating all things, a will wholly free, and a ready power of acting which none can resist. These are as it were God's vital faculties, to which we refer all attributes.
Latin
II. Sunt autem de his secundi generis attributis, adeoque vita Dei, tenendae REGULAE. 1. Attributa secundi generis in Deo cum pictantur, ad normam et formam attributorum primi generis sunt exigenda, ut ei tribuantur infinite, perfectissime, simplicissime, immutabiliter. Sic Deus vivus dicitur infinite perfectissimeque, quia nihil vitae illius deest et omni termino ac limite caret extensive et intensive; simplicissime, quia vita illius est prorsus incomposita et ipsissima Dei essentia actuosa; immutabiliter, quia ut Deus non coepit unquam vivere, ita nec definet. 2. Quicquid his attributis simile et analogum in rebus creatis deprehenditur, id finitum, imperfectum, mixtum ac motus mutationisque vicibus obnoxium, accidentarium denique et adventitium est. 3. Ex hujus generis attributis Deum primam omnium veram causam esse vel maxime intelligitur — unde primum vivens appellari potest. 4. Vita sua Deus verus distinguitur ab idolis — Jos. III.10; Jer. II.13; X.9-10; Dan. VI.26; I Thess. I.9. 5. Propter vitam suam Deus colendus est — timor, Deut. VI.13; honor et adoratio, Hebr. IX.14; Apoc. IV.9; jusjurandum, Jer. IV.2; spes, I Tim. VI.17. III. Vita Dei consistit in intellectu omnia penetrante, voluntate prorsus libera, agendique potentia prompta cui non est resistere. Hae sunt quasi facultates Dei vitales, ad quas omnia attributa referimus.