Articulus 1 Article 1 Utrum sit conveniens definitio aeternitatis: aeternitas est interminabilis vitae tota simul et perfecta possessio Whether this is a good definition of eternity: "eternity is the simultaneously-whole and perfect possession of interminable life"? Ad primum sic proceditur. Videtur quod non sit conveniens definitio aeternitatis, quam Boetius ponit V de consolatione, dicens quod aeternitas est interminabilis vitae tota simul et perfecta possessio. Interminabile enim negative dicitur. Sed negatio non est de ratione nisi eorum quae sunt deficientia, quod aeternitati non competit. Ergo in definitione aeternitatis non debet poni interminabile. Objection 1: It seems that the definition of eternity given by Boethius (De Consol. v) is not a good one: Eternity is the simultaneously-whole and perfect possession of interminable life. For the word interminable is a negative one. But negation only belongs to what is defective, and this does not belong to eternity. Therefore in the definition of eternity the word interminable ought not to be found. Praeterea, aeternitas durationem quandam significat. Duratio autem magis respicit esse quam vitam. Ergo non debuit poni in definitione aeternitatis vita, sed magis esse. Obj. 2: Further, eternity signifies a certain kind of duration. But duration regards existence rather than life. Therefore the word life ought not to come into the definition of eternity; but rather the word existence. Praeterea, totum dicitur quod habet partes. Hoc autem aeternitati non convenit, cum sit simplex. Ergo inconvenienter dicitur tota. Obj. 3: Further, a whole is what has parts. But this is alien to eternity which is simple. Therefore it is improperly said to be whole. Praeterea, plures dies non possunt esse simul, nec plura tempora. Sed in aeternitate pluraliter dicuntur dies et tempora, dicitur enim Micheae V, egressus eius ab initio, a diebus aeternitatis; et ad Rom., XVI cap., secundum revelationem mysterii temporibus aeternis taciti. Ergo aeternitas non est tota simul. Obj. 4: Many days cannot occur together, nor can many times exist all at once. But in eternity, days and times are in the plural, for it is said, His going forth is from the beginning, from the days of eternity (Mic 5:2); and also it is said, According to the revelation of the mystery hidden from eternity (Rom 16:25). Therefore eternity is not omni-simultaneous. Praeterea, totum et perfectum sunt idem. Posito igitur quod sit tota, superflue additur quod sit perfecta. Obj. 5: Further, the whole and the perfect are the same thing. Supposing, therefore, that it is whole, it is superfluously described as perfect. Praeterea, possessio ad durationem non pertinet. Aeternitas autem quaedam duratio est. Ergo aeternitas non est possessio. Obj. 6: Further, duration does not imply possession. But eternity is a kind of duration. Therefore eternity is not possession. Respondeo dicendum quod, sicut in cognitionem simplicium oportet nos venire per composita, ita in cognitionem aeternitatis oportet nos venire per tempus; quod nihil aliud est quam numerus motus secundum prius et posterius. Cum enim in quolibet motu sit successio, et una pars post alteram, ex hoc quod numeramus prius et posterius in motu, apprehendimus tempus; quod nihil aliud est quam numerus prioris et posterioris in motu. In eo autem quod caret motu, et semper eodem modo se habet, non est accipere prius et posterius. Sicut igitur ratio temporis consistit in numeratione prioris et posterioris in motu, ita in apprehensione uniformitatis eius quod est omnino extra motum, consistit ratio aeternitatis. I answer that, As we attain to the knowledge of simple things by way of compound things, so must we reach to the knowledge of eternity by means of time, which is nothing but the numbering of movement by before and after. For since succession occurs in every movement, and one part comes after another, the fact that we reckon before and after in movement, makes us apprehend time, which is nothing else but the measure of before and after in movement. Now in a thing bereft of movement, which is always the same, there is no before or after. As therefore the idea of time consists in the numbering of before and after in movement; so likewise in the apprehension of the uniformity of what is outside of movement, consists the idea of eternity. Item, ea dicuntur tempore mensurari, quae principium et finem habent in tempore, ut dicitur in IV Physic., et hoc ideo, quia in omni eo quod movetur est accipere aliquod principium et aliquem finem. Quod vero est omnino immutabile, sicut nec successionem, ita nec principium aut finem habere potest. Further, those things are said to be measured by time which have a beginning and an end in time, because in everything which is moved there is a beginning, and there is an end. But as whatever is wholly immutable can have no succession, so it has no beginning, and no end. Sic ergo ex duobus notificatur aeternitas. Primo, ex hoc quod id quod est in aeternitate, est interminabile, idest principio et fine carens (ut terminus ad utrumque referatur). Secundo, per hoc quod ipsa aeternitas successione caret, tota simul existens. Thus eternity is known from two sources: first, because what is eternal is interminable—that is, has no beginning nor end (that is, no term either way); second, because eternity has no succession, being simultaneously whole. Ad primum ergo dicendum quod simplicia consueverunt per negationem definiri, sicut punctus est cuius pars non est. Quod non ideo est, quod negatio sit de essentia eorum, sed quia intellectus noster, qui primo apprehendit composita, in cognitionem simplicium pervenire non potest, nisi per remotionem compositionis. Reply Obj. 1: Simple things are usually defined by way of negation; as a point is that which has no parts. Yet this is not to be taken as if the negation belonged to their essence, but because our intellect which first apprehends compound things, cannot attain to the knowledge of simple things except by removing the opposite. Ad secundum dicendum quod illud quod est vere aeternum, non solum est ens, sed vivens, et ipsum vivere se extendit quodammodo ad operationem, non autem esse. Protensio autem durationis videtur attendi secundum operationem, magis quam secundum esse, unde et tempus est numerus motus. Reply Obj. 2: What is truly eternal, is not only being, but also living; and life extends to operation, which is not true of being. Now the protraction of duration seems to belong to operation rather than to being; hence time is the numbering of movement. Ad tertium dicendum quod aeternitas dicitur tota, non quia habet partes, sed inquantum nihil ei deest. Reply Obj. 3: Eternity is called whole, not because it has parts, but because it is wanting in nothing. Ad quartum dicendum quod, sicut Deus, cum sit incorporeus, nominibus rerum corporalium metaphorice in Scripturis nominatur, sic aeternitas, tota simul existens, nominibus temporalibus successivis. Reply Obj. 4: As God, although incorporeal, is named in Scripture metaphorically by corporeal names, so eternity though simultaneously whole, is called by names implying time and succession. Ad quintum dicendum quod in tempore est duo considerare, scilicet ipsum tempus, quod est successivum; et nunc temporis, quod est imperfectum. Dicit ergo tota simul, ad removendum tempus, et perfecta, ad excludendum nunc temporis. Reply Obj. 5: Two things are to be considered in time: time itself, which is successive; and the now of time, which is imperfect. Hence the expression simultaneously-whole is used to remove the idea of time, and the word perfect is used to exclude the now of time. Ad sextum dicendum quod illud quod possidetur, firmiter et quiete habetur. Ad designandam ergo immutabilitatem et indeficientiam aeternitatis, usus est nomine possessionis. Reply Obj. 6: Whatever is possessed, is held firmly and quietly; therefore to designate the immutability and permanence of eternity, we use the word possession. Articulus 2 Article 2 Utrum Deus sit aeternus Whether God is eternal? Ad secundum sic proceditur. Videtur quod Deus non sit aeternus. Nihil enim factum potest dici de Deo. Sed aeternitas est aliquid factum, dicit enim Boetius quod nunc fluens facit tempus, nunc stans facit aeternitatem; et Augustinus dicit, in libro octoginta trium quaest., quod Deus est auctor aeternitatis. Ergo Deus non est aeternus. Objection 1: It seems that God is not eternal. For nothing made can be predicated of God; for Boethius says (De Trin. iv) that, The now that flows away makes time, the now that stands still makes eternity; and Augustine says (Octog. Tri. Quaest. qu. 28) that God is the author of eternity. Therefore God is not eternal. Praeterea, quod est ante aeternitatem et post aeternitatem, non mensuratur aeternitate. Sed Deus est ante aeternitatem, ut dicitur in libro de causis, et post aeternitatem; dicitur enim Exod. XV, quod dominus regnabit in aeternum et ultra. Ergo esse aeternum non convenit Deo. Obj. 2: Further, what is before eternity, and after eternity, is not measured by eternity. But, as Aristotle says (De Causis), God is before eternity and He is after eternity: for it is written that the Lord shall reign for eternity, and beyond (Exod 15:18). Therefore to be eternal does not belong to God. Praeterea, aeternitas mensura quaedam est. Sed Deo non convenit esse mensuratum. Ergo non competit ei esse aeternum. Obj. 3: Further, eternity is a kind of measure. But to be measured belongs not to God. Therefore it does not belong to Him to be eternal. Praeterea, in aeternitate non est praesens, praeteritum vel futurum cum sit tota simul, ut dictum est. Sed de Deo dicuntur in Scripturis verba praesentis temporis, praeteriti vel futuri. Ergo Deus non est aeternus. Obj. 4: Further, in eternity, there is no present, past or future, since it is simultaneously whole; as was said in the preceding article. But words denoting present, past and future time are applied to God in Scripture. Therefore God is not eternal. Sed contra est quod dicit Athanasius, aeternus pater, aeternus filius, aeternus Spiritus Sanctus. On the contrary, Athanasius says in his Creed: The Father is eternal, the Son is eternal, the Holy Spirit is eternal. Respondeo dicendum quod ratio aeternitatis consequitur immutabilitatem, sicut ratio temporis consequitur motum, ut ex dictis patet. Unde, cum Deus sit maxime immutabilis, sibi maxime competit esse aeternum. Nec solum est aeternus, sed est sua aeternitas, cum tamen nulla alia res sit sua duratio, quia non est suum esse. Deus autem est suum esse uniforme, unde, sicut est sua essentia, ita est sua aeternitas. I answer that, The idea of eternity follows immutability, as the idea of time follows movement, as appears from the preceding article. Hence, as God is supremely immutable, it supremely belongs to Him to be eternal. Nor is He eternal only; but He is His own eternity; whereas, no other being is its own duration, as no other is its own being. Now God is His own uniform being; and hence as He is His own essence, so He is His own eternity. Ad primum ergo dicendum quod nunc stans dicitur facere aeternitatem, secundum nostram apprehensionem. Sicut enim causatur in nobis apprehensio temporis, eo quod apprehendimus fluxum ipsius nunc, ita causatur in nobis apprehensio aeternitatis, inquantum apprehendimus nunc stans. Quod autem dicit Augustinus, quod Deus est auctor aeternitatis, intelligitur de aeternitate participata, eo enim modo communicat Deus suam aeternitatem aliquibus, quo et suam immutabilitatem. Reply Obj. 1: The now that stands still, is said to make eternity according to our apprehension. As the apprehension of time is caused in us by the fact that we apprehend the flow of the now, so the apprehension of eternity is caused in us by our apprehending the now standing still. When Augustine says that God is the author of eternity, this is to be understood of participated eternity. For God communicates His eternity to some in the same way as He communicates His immutability. Et per hoc patet solutio ad secundum. Nam Deus dicitur esse ante aeternitatem, prout participatur a substantiis immaterialibus. Unde et ibidem dicitur, quod intelligentia parificatur aeternitati. Quod autem dicitur in Exodo, dominus regnabit in aeternum et ultra sciendum quod aeternum accipitur ibi pro saeculo, sicut habet alia translatio. Sic igitur dicitur quod regnabit ultra aeternum, quia durat ultra quodcumque saeculum, idest ultra quamcumque durationem datam, nihil est enim aliud saeculum quam periodus cuiuslibet rei, ut dicitur in libro I de caelo. Reply Obj. 2: From this appears the answer to the Second Objection. For God is said to be before eternity, according as it is shared by immaterial substances. Hence, also, in the same book, it is said that intelligence is equal to eternity. In the words of Exodus, The Lord shall reign for eternity, and beyond, eternity stands for age, as another rendering has it. Thus it is said that the Lord will reign beyond eternity, inasmuch as He endures beyond every age, i.e., beyond every kind of duration. For age is nothing more than the period of each thing, as is said in the book De Coelo i. Vel dicitur etiam ultra aeternum regnare, quia, si etiam aliquid aliud semper esset (ut motus caeli secundum quosdam philosophos), tamen Deus ultra regnat, inquantum eius regnum est totum simul. Or to reign beyond eternity can be taken to mean that if any other thing were conceived to exist for ever, as the movement of the heavens according to some philosophers, then God would still reign beyond, inasmuch as His reign is simultaneously whole. Ad tertium dicendum quod aeternitas non est aliud quam ipse Deus. Unde non dicitur Deus aeternus, quasi sit aliquo modo mensuratus, sed accipitur ibi ratio mensurae secundum apprehensionem nostram tantum. Reply Obj. 3: Eternity is nothing else but God Himself. Hence God is not called eternal, as if He were in any way measured; but the idea of measurement is there taken according to the apprehension of our mind alone. Ad quartum dicendum quod verba diversorum temporum attribuuntur Deo, inquantum eius aeternitas omnia tempora includit, non quod ipse varietur per praesens, praeteritum et futurum. Reply Obj. 4: Words denoting different times are applied to God, because His eternity includes all times; not as if He Himself were altered through present, past and future. Articulus 3 Article 3 Utrum esse aeternum sit soli Deo proprium Whether to be eternal belongs to God alone? Ad tertium sic proceditur. Videtur quod esse aeternum non sit soli Deo proprium. Dicitur enim Danielis XII, quod qui ad iustitiam erudiunt plurimos, erunt quasi stellae in perpetuas aeternitates. Non autem essent plures aeternitates, si solus Deus esset aeternus. Non igitur solus Deus est aeternus. Objection 1: It seems that it does not belong to God alone to be eternal. For it is written that those who instruct many to justice, shall be as stars unto perpetual eternities (Dan 12:3). Now if God alone were eternal, there could not be many eternities. Therefore God alone is not the only eternal. Praeterea, Matth. XXV dicitur, ite, maledicti, in ignem aeternum. Non igitur solus Deus est aeternus. Obj. 2: Further, it is written Depart, ye cursed into eternal fire (Matt 25:41). Therefore God is not the only eternal. Praeterea, omne necessarium est aeternum. Sed multa sunt necessaria; sicut omnia principia demonstrationis, et omnes propositiones demonstrativae. Ergo non solus Deus est aeternus. Obj. 3: Further, every necessary thing is eternal. But there are many necessary things; as, for instance, all principles of demonstration and all demonstrative propositions. Therefore God is not the only eternal. Sed contra est quod dicit Hieronymus, ad Marcellam, Deus solus est qui exordium non habet. Quidquid autem exordium habet, non est aeternum. Solus ergo Deus est aeternus. On the contrary, Jerome says (Ep. ad Damasum, xv) that God is the only one who has no beginning. Now whatever has a beginning, is not eternal. Therefore God is the only one eternal.