Articulus 1 Article 1 Utrum sit ponere plures personas in divinis Whether there are several persons in God? Ad primum sic proceditur. Videtur quod non sit ponere plures personas in divinis. Persona enim est rationalis naturae individua substantia. Si ergo sunt plures personae in divinis, sequitur quod sint plures substantiae, quod videtur haereticum. Objection 1: It would seem that there are not several persons in God. For person is the individual substance of a rational nature. If then there are several persons in God, there must be several substances; which appears to be heretical. Praeterea, pluralitas proprietatum absolutarum non facit distinctionem personarum, neque in Deo neque in nobis, multo igitur minus pluralitas relationum. Sed in Deo non est alia pluralitas nisi relationum, ut supra dictum est. Ergo non potest dici quod in Deo sint plures personae. Obj. 2: Further, plurality of absolute properties does not make a distinction of persons, either in God, or in ourselves. Much less therefore is this effected by a plurality of relations. But in God there is no plurality but of relations (Q. 28, A. 3). Therefore there cannot be several persons in God. Praeterea, Boetius dicit, de Deo loquens, quod hoc vere unum est, in quo nullus est numerus. Sed pluralitas importat numerum. Ergo non sunt plures personae in divinis. Obj. 3: Further, Boethius says of God (De Trin. i), that this is truly one which has no number. But plurality implies number. Therefore there are not several persons in God. Praeterea, ubicumque est numerus, ibi est totum et pars. Si igitur in Deo sit numerus personarum, erit in Deo ponere totum et partem, quod simplicitati divinae repugnat. Obj. 4: Further, where number is, there is whole and part. Thus, if in God there exist a number of persons, there must be whole and part in God; which is inconsistent with the divine simplicity. Sed contra est quod dicit Athanasius, alia est persona patris, alia filii, alia spiritus sancti. Ergo pater et filius et Spiritus Sanctus sunt plures personae. On the contrary, Athanasius says: One is the person of the Father, another of the Son, another of the Holy Spirit. Therefore the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit are several persons. Respondeo dicendum quod plures esse personas in divinis, sequitur ex praemissis. Ostensum est enim supra quod hoc nomen persona significat in divinis relationem, ut rem subsistentem in natura divina. Supra autem habitum est quod sunt plures relationes reales in divinis. Unde sequitur quod sint plures res subsistentes in divina natura. Et hoc est esse plures personas in divinis. I answer that, It follows from what precedes that there are several persons in God. For it was shown above (Q. 29, A. 4) that this word person signifies in God a relation as subsisting in the divine nature. It was also established (Q. 28, A. 1) that there are several real relations in God; and hence it follows that there are also several realities subsistent in the divine nature; which means that there are several persons in God. Ad primum ergo dicendum quod substantia non ponitur in definitione personae secundum quod significat essentiam, sed secundum quod significat suppositum, quod patet ex hoc quod additur individua. Ad significandum autem substantiam sic dictam, habent Graeci nomen hypostasis, unde sicut nos dicimus tres personas, ita ipsi dicunt tres hypostases. Nos autem non consuevimus dicere tres substantias, ne intelligerentur tres essentiae, propter nominis aequivocationem. Reply Obj. 1: The definition of person includes substance, not as meaning the essence, but the suppositum which is made clear by the addition of the term individual. To signify the substance thus understood, the Greeks use the name hypostasis. So, as we say, Three persons, they say Three hypostases. We are not, however, accustomed to say three substances, lest we be understood to mean three essences or natures, by reason of the equivocal signification of the term. Ad secundum dicendum quod proprietates absolutae in divinis, ut bonitas et sapientia, non opponuntur ad invicem, unde neque realiter distinguuntur. Quamvis ergo eis conveniat subsistere, non tamen sunt plures res subsistentes, quod est esse plures personas. Proprietates autem absolutae in rebus creatis non subsistunt, licet realiter ab invicem distinguantur, ut albedo et dulcedo. Sed proprietates relativae in Deo et subsistunt, et realiter ab invicem distinguuntur, ut supra dictum est. Unde pluralitas talium proprietatum sufficit ad pluralitatem personarum in divinis. Reply Obj. 2: The absolute properties in God, such as goodness and wisdom, are not mutually opposed; and hence, neither are they really distinguished from each other. Therefore, although they subsist, nevertheless they are not several subsistent realities—that is, several persons. But the absolute properties in creatures do not subsist, although they are really distinguished from each other, as whiteness and sweetness; on the other hand, the relative properties in God subsist, and are really distinguished from each other (Q. 28, A. 3). Hence the plurality of persons in God. Ad tertium dicendum quod a Deo, propter summam unitatem et simplicitatem, excluditur omnis pluralitas absolute dictorum; non autem pluralitas relationum. Quia relationes praedicantur de aliquo ut ad alterum; et sic compositionem in ipso de quo dicuntur non important, ut Boetius in eodem libro docet. Reply Obj. 3: The supreme unity and simplicity of God exclude every kind of plurality of absolute things, but not plurality of relations, because relations are predicated relatively; and thus the relations do not import composition in that of which they are predicated, as Boethius teaches in the same book. Ad quartum dicendum quod numerus est duplex, scilicet numerus simplex vel absolutus, ut duo et tria et quatuor; et numerus qui est in rebus numeratis, ut duo homines et duo equi. Si igitur in divinis accipiatur numerus absolute sive abstracte, nihil prohibet in eo esse totum et partem, et sic non est nisi in acceptione intellectus nostri; non enim numerus absolutus a rebus numeratis est nisi in intellectu. Si autem accipiamus numerum prout est in rebus numeratis, sic in rebus quidem creatis, unum est pars duorum, et duo trium, ut unus homo duorum, et duo trium, sed non est sic in Deo, quia tantus est pater quanta tota Trinitas, ut infra patebit. Reply Obj. 4: Number is twofold, simple or absolute, as two and three and four; and number as existing in things numbered, as two men and two horses. So, if number in God is taken absolutely or abstractedly, there is nothing to prevent whole and part from being in Him, and thus number in Him is only in our way of understanding; forasmuch as number regarded apart from things numbered exists only in the intellect. But if number be taken as it is in the things numbered, in that sense as existing in creatures, one is part of two, and two of three, as one man is part of two men, and two of three; but this does not apply to God, because the Father is of the same magnitude as the whole Trinity, as we shall show further on (Q. 42, AA. 1, 4). Articulus 2 Article 2 Utrum in Deo sint plures personae quam tres Whether there are more than three persons in God? Ad secundum sic proceditur. Videtur quod in Deo sint plures personae quam tres. Pluralitas enim personarum in divinis est secundum pluralitatem proprietatum relativarum, ut dictum est. Sed quatuor sunt relationes in divinis, ut supra dictum est, scilicet paternitas, filiatio, communis spiratio et processio. Ergo quatuor personae sunt in divinis. Objection 1: It would seem that there are more than three persons in God. For the plurality of persons in God arises from the plurality of the relative properties as stated above (A. 1). But there are four relations in God as stated above (Q. 28, A. 4), paternity, filiation, common spiration, and procession. Therefore there are four persons in God. Praeterea, non plus differt natura a voluntate in Deo, quam natura ab intellectu. Sed in divinis est alia persona quae procedit per modum voluntatis, ut amor; et alia quae procedit per modum naturae, ut filius. Ergo est etiam alia quae procedit per modum intellectus, ut verbum; et alia quae procedit per modum naturae, ut filius. Et sic iterum sequitur quod non sunt tantum tres personae in divinis. Obj. 2: The nature of God does not differ from His will more than from His intellect. But in God, one person proceeds from the will, as love; and another proceeds from His nature, as Son. Therefore another proceeds from His intellect, as Word, besides the one Who proceeds from His nature, as Son; thus again it follows that there are not only three persons in God. Praeterea, in rebus creatis quod excellentius est, plures habet operationes intrinsecas, sicut homo supra alia animalia habet intelligere et velle. Sed Deus in infinitum excedit omnem creaturam. Ergo non solum est ibi persona procedens per modum voluntatis et per modum intellectus, sed infinitis aliis modis. Ergo sunt infinitae personae in divinis. Obj. 3: Further, the more perfect a creature is, the more interior operations it has; as a man has understanding and will beyond other animals. But God infinitely excels every creature. Therefore in God not only is there a person proceeding from the will, and another from the intellect, but also in an infinite number of ways. Therefore there are an infinite number of persons in God. Praeterea, ex infinita bonitate patris est, quod infinite seipsum communicet, producendo personam divinam. Sed etiam in spiritu sancto est infinita bonitas. Ergo Spiritus Sanctus producit divinam personam, et illa aliam, et sic in infinitum. Obj. 4: Further, it is from the infinite goodness of the Father that He communicates Himself infinitely in the production of a divine person. But also in the Holy Spirit is infinite goodness. Therefore the Holy Spirit produces a divine person; and that person another; and so to infinity. Praeterea, omne quod continetur sub determinato numero, est mensuratum, numerus enim mensura quaedam est. Sed personae divinae sunt immensae, ut patet per Athanasium, immensus pater, immensus filius, immensus Spiritus Sanctus. Non ergo sub numero ternario continentur. Obj. 5: Further, everything within a determinate number is measured, for number is a measure. But the divine persons are immense, as we say in the Creed of Athanasius: The Father is immense, the Son is immense, the Holy Spirit is immense. Therefore the persons are not contained within the number three. Sed contra est quod dicitur I Ioan. ult., tres sunt qui testimonium dant in caelo, pater, verbum et Spiritus Sanctus. Quaerentibus autem, quid tres? Respondetur, tres personae, ut Augustinus dicit, in VII de Trin. Sunt igitur tres personae tantum in divinis. On the contrary, It is said: There are three who bear witness in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit (1 John 5:7). To those who ask, Three what? we answer, with Augustine (De Trin. vii, 4), Three persons. Therefore there are but three persons in God. Respondeo dicendum quod, secundum praemissa, necesse est ponere tantum tres personas in divinis. Ostensum est enim quod plures personae sunt plures relationes subsistentes, ab invicem realiter distinctae. Realis autem distinctio inter relationes divinas non est nisi in ratione oppositionis relativae. Ergo oportet duas relationes oppositas ad duas personas pertinere, si quae autem relationes oppositae non sunt, ad eandem personam necesse est eas pertinere. I answer that, As was explained above, there can be only three persons in God. For it was shown above that the several persons are the several subsisting relations really distinct from each other. But a real distinction between the divine relations can come only from relative opposition. Therefore two opposite relations must needs refer to two persons: and if any relations are not opposite they must needs belong to the same person. Paternitas ergo et filiatio, cum sint oppositae relationes, ad duas personas ex necessitate pertinent. Paternitas igitur subsistens est persona patris, et filiatio subsistens est persona filii. Aliae autem duae relationes ad neutram harum oppositionem habent, sed sibi invicem opponuntur. Impossibile est igitur quod ambae uni personae conveniant. Oportet ergo quod vel una earum conveniat utrique dictarum personarum, aut quod una uni, et alia alii. Since then paternity and filiation are opposite relations, they belong necessarily to two persons. Therefore the subsisting paternity is the person of the Father; and the subsisting filiation is the person of the Son. The other two relations are not opposed to either of these, but they are opposed to one another; therefore these two cannot belong to one person: hence either one of them must belong to both of the aforesaid persons; or one must belong to one person, and the other to another. Non autem potest esse quod processio conveniat patri et filio, vel alteri eorum, quia sic sequeretur quod processio intellectus, quae est generatio in divinis, secundum quam accipitur paternitas et filiatio, prodiret ex processione amoris, secundum quam accipitur spiratio et processio, si persona generans et genita procederent a spirante, quod est contra praemissa. Relinquitur ergo quod spiratio conveniat et personae patris et personae filii, utpote nullam habens oppositionem relativam nec ad paternitatem nec ad filiationem. Et per consequens oportet quod conveniat processio alteri personae, quae dicitur persona spiritus sancti, quae per modum amoris procedit, ut supra habitum est. Relinquitur ergo tantum tres personas esse in divinis, scilicet patrem et filium et spiritum sanctum. Now, procession cannot belong to the Father and the Son, or to either of them; for thus it would follow that the procession of the intellect, which in God is generation, wherefrom paternity and filiation are derived, would issue from the procession of love, whence spiration and procession are derived, if the person generating and the person generated proceeded from the person spirating; and this is against what was laid down above (Q. 27, AA. 3, 4). We must consequently admit that spiration belongs to the person of the Father, and to the person of the Son, forasmuch as it has no relative opposition either to paternity or to filiation; and consequently that procession belongs to the other person who is called the person of the Holy Spirit, who proceeds by way of love, as above explained. Therefore only three persons exist in God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Ad primum ergo dicendum quod, licet sint quatuor relationes in divinis, tamen una earum, scilicet spiratio, non separatur a persona patris et filii, sed convenit utrique. Et sic, licet sit relatio, non tamen dicitur proprietas, quia non convenit uni tantum personae, neque est relatio personalis, idest constituens personam. Sed hae tres relationes, paternitas, filiatio et processio, dicuntur proprietates personales, quasi personas constituentes, nam paternitas est persona patris, filiatio persona filii, processio persona spiritus sancti procedentis. Reply Obj. 1: Although there are four relations in God, one of them, spiration, is not separated from the person of the Father and of the Son, but belongs to both; thus, although it is a relation, it is not called a property, because it does not belong to only one person; nor is it a personal relation—i.e., constituting a person. The three relations—paternity, filiation, and procession—are called personal properties, constituting as it were the persons; for paternity is the person of the Father, filiation is the person of the Son, procession is the person of the Holy Spirit proceeding. Ad secundum dicendum quod id quod procedit per modum intellectus, ut verbum, procedit secundum rationem similitudinis, sicut etiam id quod procedit per modum naturae, et ideo supra dictum est quod processio verbi divini est ipsa generatio per modum naturae. Amor autem, inquantum huiusmodi, non procedit ut similitudo illius a quo procedit (licet in divinis amor sit coessentialis inquantum est divinus), et ideo processio amoris non dicitur generatio in divinis. Reply Obj. 2: That which proceeds by way of intelligence, as word, proceeds according to similitude, as also that which proceeds by way of nature; thus, as above explained (Q. 27, A. 3), the procession of the divine Word is the very same as generation by way of nature. But love, as such, does not proceed as the similitude of that whence it proceeds; although in God love is co-essential as being divine; and therefore the procession of love is not called generation in God. Ad tertium dicendum quod homo, cum sit perfectior aliis animalibus, habet plures operationes intrinsecas quam alia animalia, quia eius perfectio est per modum compositionis. Unde in angelis, qui sunt perfectiores et simpliciores, sunt pauciores operationes intrinsecae quam in homine, quia in eis non est imaginari, sentire, et huiusmodi. Sed in Deo, secundum rem, non est nisi una operatio, quae est sua essentia. Sed quomodo sunt duae processiones, supra ostensum est. Reply Obj. 3: As man is more perfect than other animals, he has more intrinsic operations than other animals, because his perfection is something composite. Hence the angels, who are more perfect and more simple, have fewer intrinsic operations than man, for they have no imagination, or feeling, or the like. In God there exists only one real operation—that is, His essence. How there are in Him two processions was above explained (Q. 27, AA. 1, 4). Ad quartum dicendum quod ratio illa procederet, si Spiritus Sanctus haberet aliam numero bonitatem a bonitate patris, oporteret enim quod, sicut Pater per suam bonitatem producit personam divinam, ita et Spiritus Sanctus. Sed una et eadem bonitas Patris est et Spiritus Sancti. Neque etiam est distinctio nisi per relationes personarum. Unde bonitas convenit Spiritui Sancto quasi habita ab alio, patri autem, sicut a quo communicatur alteri. Oppositio autem relationis non permittit ut cum relatione spiritus sancti sit relatio principii respectu divinae personae, quia ipse procedit ab aliis personis quae in divinis esse possunt. Reply Obj. 4: This argument would prove if the Holy Spirit possessed another goodness apart from the goodness of the Father; for then if the Father produced a divine person by His goodness, the Holy Spirit also would do so. But the Father and the Holy Spirit have one and the same goodness. Nor is there any distinction between them except by the personal relations. So goodness belongs to the Holy Spirit, as derived from another; and it belongs to the Father, as the principle of its communication to another. The opposition of relation does not allow the relation of the Holy Spirit to be joined with the relation of principle of another divine person, because He Himself proceeds from the other persons who are in God. Ad quintum dicendum quod numerus determinatus, si accipiatur numerus simplex, qui est tantum in acceptione intellectus, per unum mensuratur. Si vero accipiatur numerus rerum in divinis personis, sic non competit ibi ratio mensurati, quia eadem est magnitudo trium personarum, ut infra patebit; idem autem non mensuratur per idem. Reply Obj. 5: A determinate number, if taken as a simple number, existing in the mind only, is measured by one. But when we speak of a number of things as applied to the persons in God, the notion of measure has no place, because the magnitude of the three persons is the same (Q. 42, AA. 1, 4), and the same is not measured by the same. Articulus 3 Article 3 Utrum termini numerales ponant aliquid in divinis Whether the numeral terms denote anything real in God? Ad tertium sic proceditur. Videtur quod termini numerales ponant aliquid in divinis. Unitas enim divina est eius essentia. Sed omnis numerus est unitas repetita. Ergo omnis terminus numeralis in divinis significat essentiam. Ergo ponit aliquid in Deo. Objection 1: It would seem that the numeral terms denote something real in God. For the divine unity is the divine essence. But every number is unity repeated. Therefore every numeral term in God signifies the essence; and therefore it denotes something real in God. Praeterea, quidquid dicitur de Deo et creaturis, eminentius convenit Deo quam creaturis. Sed termini numerales in creaturis aliquid ponunt. Ergo multo magis in Deo. Obj. 2: Further, whatever is said of God and of creatures, belongs to God in a more eminent manner than to creatures. But the numeral terms denote something real in creatures; therefore much more so in God. Praeterea, si termini numerales non ponunt aliquid in divinis, sed inducuntur ad removendum tantum, ut per pluralitatem removeatur unitas, et per unitatem pluralitas; sequitur quod sit circulatio in ratione, confundens intellectum et nihil certificans; quod est inconveniens. Relinquitur ergo quod termini numerales aliquid ponunt in divinis. Obj. 3: Further, if the numeral terms do not denote anything real in God, and are introduced simply in a negative and removing sense, as plurality is employed to remove unity, and unity to remove plurality; it follows that a vicious circle results, confusing the mind and obscuring the truth; and this ought not to be. Therefore it must be said that the numeral terms denote something real in God. Sed contra est quod Hilarius dicit, in IV de Trin., sustulit singularitatis ac solitudinis intelligentiam professio consortii, quod est professio pluralitatis. Et Ambrosius dicit, in libro de fide cum unum Deum dicimus, unitas pluralitatem excludit deorum, non quantitatem in Deo ponimus. Ex quibus videtur quod huiusmodi nomina sunt inducta in divinis ad removendum, non ad ponendum aliquid. On the contrary, Hilary says (De Trin. iv): If we admit companionship—that is, plurality—we exclude the idea of oneness and of solitude; and Ambrose says (De Fide i): When we say one God, unity excludes plurality of gods, and does not imply quantity in God. Hence we see that these terms are applied to God in order to remove something; and not to denote anything positive. Respondeo dicendum quod Magister, in sententiis, ponit quod termini numerales non ponunt aliquid in divinis, sed removent tantum. Alii vero dicunt contrarium. I answer that, The Master (Sent. i, D, 24) considers that the numeral terms do not denote anything positive in God, but have only a negative meaning. Others, however, assert the contrary. Ad evidentiam igitur huius, considerandum est quod omnis pluralitas consequitur aliquam divisionem. Est autem duplex divisio. Una materialis, quae fit secundum divisionem continui, et hanc consequitur numerus qui est species quantitatis. Unde talis numerus non est nisi in rebus materialibus habentibus quantitatem. Alia est divisio formalis, quae fit per oppositas vel diversas formas, et hanc divisionem sequitur multitudo quae non est in aliquo genere, sed est de transcendentibus, secundum quod ens dividitur per unum et multa. Et talem multitudinem solam contingit esse in rebus immaterialibus. In order to resolve this point, we may observe that all plurality is a consequence of division. Now division is twofold; one is material, and is division of the continuous; from this results number, which is a species of quantity. Number in this sense is found only in material things which have quantity. The other kind of division is called formal, and is effected by opposite or diverse forms; and this kind of division results in a multitude, which does not belong to a genus, but is transcendental in the sense in which being is divided by one and by many. This kind of multitude is found only in immaterial things.