Quotes from Thomas Aquinas

Beware of the person of one book.

By the divine providence [animals] are intended for man's use... Hence it is not wrong for man to make use of them, either by killing or in any other way whatsoever.

If a man deliberately abstains from wine to such an extent that he does serious harm to his nature, he will not be free from blame.

Baptism is the Sacrament of Faith. Now, dead faith does not suffice for salvation .. .Therefore, the Sacrament of Baptism cannot give salvation to a man whose will ... expels the form of faith.

Anger and the like are attributed to God on account of a similitude of effect. Thus, because to punish is properly the act of an angry man, God's punishment is metaphorically spoken of as His anger.

All men are equal in nature, and also in original sin. It is in the merits and demerits of their actions that they differ.

Sloth is sluggishness of the mind which neglects to begin good...it is evil in its effect, if it so oppresses man as to draw him away entirely from good deeds.

It is a sin directly against one's neighbour, since one man cannot over-abound in external riches, without another man lacking them.

Whatever a man has in superabundance is owed, of natural right, to the poor for their sustenance.

Mercy without justice is the mother of dissolution; justice without mercy is cruelty.

Charity is the form, mover, mother and root of all the virtues.

If a thing can be done adequately by means of one, it is superfluous to do it by means of several; for we observe that nature does not employ two instruments [if] one suffices.

The only-begotten Son of God, wanting to make us sharers in His divinity, assumed our nature, so that He, made man, might make men gods.

Man is closer to God according to his existence in grace than he is according to his existence in nature.

True peace consists in not separating ourselves from the will of God.

Peace is the work of justice indirectly, in so far as justice removes the obstacles to peace; but it is the work of charity (love) directly, since charity, according to its very notion, causes peace.

In order for a war to be just, three things are necessary. First, the authority of the sovereign... Secondly, a just cause... Thirdly... a rightful intention.

First, I say that he draws near to those who make peace with him. For God is the One who brings about peace; and where else should peace dwell than in peace?

If the highest aim of a captain were to preserve his ship, he would keep it in port forever.

The Study of philosophy is not that we may know what men have thought, but what the truth of things is.

Wonder was the motive that led people to philosophy ... wonder is a kind of desire in knowledge. It is the cause of delight because it carries with it the hope of discovery.

Because philosophy arises from awe, a philosopher is bound in his way to be a lover of myths and poetic fables. Poets and philosophers are alike in being big with wonder.

A song is the exultation of the mind dwelling on eternal things, bursting forth in the voice.

Justice is a certain rectitude of mind whereby a man does what he ought to do in the circumstances confronting him.