Much better than Thomas' handling of 1 Timothy 4:10 in the Summa is Thomas' handling of the same text in his commentary on 1 Timothy (source)
Chapter 2, Lecture 1, "Prayers for All Men"
62. Also on the side of God, and acceptable in the sight of God: then you shall accept the sacrifices of justice (Ps 50:21), which could be offered only under charity. And he says, our Savior, because God alone saves: there is no savior besides me (Isa 43:11).
And he proves that it is acceptable, when he says, who wills that all men be saved: not willing that anyone should perish (2 Pet 3:9).
But something contrary to this is found in the Psalms: he has done all things whatsoever he would (Ps 113:11). Therefore, he saves everyone. But if you say that he does not, because man does not will it, then it seems that the omnipotent is frustrated by a will that is not omnipotent.
The answer is that willing refers sometimes to the will of his good pleasure and sometimes to the signified will. By his signified will he wills to save all, because he offers to all the precepts, counsels and remedies required for salvation.
As to the will of his causal utterance, this is explained in four ways. First, as when God is said to make something because he makes others do it: the Spirit asks for the saints (Rom 8:26), i.e., he causes them to ask. In this way God wills this, because he makes his saints will that all men be saved. This type of willing should be found in the saints, because they do not know who are predestined and who are not.
Second, when it is applied to a limited number, i.e., to all who are saved, because no one is saved except through his will; just as in one school the teacher teaches all the boys of this city, because no one is taught by anyone but he.
In a third way, when it is applied to the species of each individual but not to the individual of each species, i.e., no species of men are excepted from salvation; because formerly it was offered to the Jews only, but now to all men.
Fourth, according to Damascene, so that it is understood to be about his antecedent will, and not the consequent. For in God’s will, although there are no prior things and subsequent things, his will is nevertheless described as antecedent and consequent. Likewise, according to the order of things willed, according to which the will can be considered in two ways: namely, in general or absolutely, and according to certain circumstances, and in particular. Here the absolute and general consideration is considered prior to the particular and relative consideration. Then the absolute will is, as it were, antecedent, and the will of anything in particular is, as it were, consequent. For example, a merchant who absolutely wills to save all his goods, and this by his antecedent will; but if he considers the safety factor, he does not will all his goods to be saved, through comparison to others, namely, when the sinking of his ship follows the saving of all his goods. And this will is consequent. Similarly, in God’s case, the salvation of all men considered in itself has a reckoning so that is might be desirable; which is what the Apostle means here: therefore, he is speaking of his antecedent will. But if the good of justice is considered, and that sins be punished, thus he does not want; And this is his consequent will.
And he adds, and come to the knowledge of the truth, because salvation depends on knowing the truth: you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free (John 8:32).
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(Chapter 4) (Lecture 2) "Exercise Holiness"
164. He says, therefore: the saying that godliness has a promise is faithful.
Why? Because in this we labor, i.e., to reach eternal life: the farmer who labors must first partake of the fruits (2 Tim 2:6); and also to do good, even though we suffer evil; hence he says, we labor and are reviled: patience has a good work (Jas 1:4); patience works trial (Rom 5:4).
And we endure because of the hope of life: because we hope in the living God, who is the Savior of the present and of the future life;
and because of God’s work which is to save: for I am your Savior (Isa 43:2). This is God become incarnate and called Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins (Matt 1:21); Jesus is the same as Savior, because he saves with a bodily salvation that extends to all; hence he says, of all men, and with a spiritual salvation that extends only to the good; hence he says, especially of the faithful.
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