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. Quidam igitur, non considerantes nisi multitudinem quae est species quantitatis discretae, quia videbant quod quantitas discreta non habet locum in divinis, posuerunt quod termini numerales non ponunt aliquid in Deo, sed removent tantum. Alii vero, eandem multitudinem considerantes, dixerunt quod, sicut scientia ponitur in Deo secundum rationem propriam scientiae, non autem secundum rationem sui generis, quia in Deo nulla est qualitas; ita numerus in Deo ponitur secundum propriam rationem numeri, non autem secundum rationem sui generis, quod est quantitas. Some, considering only that multitude which is a species of discrete quantity, and seeing that such kind of quantity has no place in God, asserted that the numeral terms do not denote anything real in God, but remove something from Him. Others, considering the same kind of multitude, said that as knowledge exists in God according to the strict sense of the word, but not in the sense of its genus (as in God there is no such thing as a quality), so number exists in God in the proper sense of number, but not in the sense of its genus, which is quantity. Nos autem dicimus quod termini numerales, secundum quod veniunt in praedicationem divinam, non sumuntur a numero qui est species quantitatis; quia sic de Deo non dicerentur nisi metaphorice, sicut et aliae proprietates corporalium, sicut latitudo, longitudo, et similia, sed sumuntur a multitudine secundum quod est transcendens. Multitudo autem sic accepta hoc modo se habet ad multa de quibus praedicatur, sicut unum quod convertitur cum ente ad ens. Huiusmodi autem unum, sicut supra dictum est, cum de Dei unitate ageretur, non addit aliquid supra ens nisi negationem divisionis tantum, unum enim significat ens indivisum. Et ideo de quocumque dicatur unum, significatur illa res indivisa, sicut unum dictum de homine, significat naturam vel substantiam hominis non divisam. Et eadem ratione, cum dicuntur res multae, multitudo sic accepta significat res illas cum indivisione circa unamquamque earum. But we say that numeral terms predicated of God are not derived from number, a species of quantity, for in that sense they could bear only a metaphorical sense in God, like other corporeal properties, such as length, breadth, and the like; but that they are taken from multitude in a transcendent sense. Now multitude so understood has relation to the many of which it is predicated, as one convertible with being is related to being; which kind of oneness does not add anything to being, except a negation of division, as we saw when treating of the divine unity (Q. 11, A. 1); for one signifies undivided being. So, of whatever we say one, we imply its undivided reality: thus, for instance, one applied to man signifies the undivided nature or substance of a man. In the same way, when we speak of many things, multitude in this latter sense points to those things as being each undivided in itself. Numerus autem qui est species quantitatis, ponit quoddam accidens additum supra ens, et similiter unum quod est principium numeri. Termini ergo numerales significant in divinis illa de quibus dicuntur, et super hoc nihil addunt nisi negationem, ut dictum est, et quantum ad hoc, veritatem dixit Magister in sententiis. Ut, cum dicimus, essentia est una, unum significat essentiam indivisam, cum dicimus, persona est una, significat personam indivisam, cum dicimus, personae sunt plures, significantur illae personae, et indivisio circa unamquamque earum; quia de ratione multitudinis est, quod ex unitatibus constet. But number, if taken as a species of quantity, denotes an accident added to being; as also does one which is the principle of that number. Therefore the numeral terms in God signify the things of which they are said, and beyond this they add negation only, as stated (Sent. i, D, 24); in which respect the Master was right (Sent. i, D, 24). So when we say the essence is one, the term one signifies the essence undivided; and when we say the person is one, it signifies the person undivided; and when we say the persons are many, we signify those persons, and their individual undividedness; for it is of the very nature of multitude that it should be composed of units. Ad primum ergo dicendum quod unum, cum sit de transcendentibus, est communius quam substantia et quam relatio, et similiter multitudo. Unde potest stare in divinis et pro substantia et pro relatione, secundum quod competit his quibus adiungitur. Et tamen per huiusmodi nomina, supra essentiam vel relationem, additur, ex eorum significatione propria, negatio quaedam divisionis, ut dictum est. Reply Obj. 1: One, as it is a transcendental, is wider and more general than substance and relation. And so likewise is multitude; hence in God it may mean both substance and relation, according to the context. Still, the very signification of such names adds a negation of division, beyond substance and relation; as was explained above. Ad secundum dicendum quod multitudo quae ponit aliquid in rebus creatis, est species quantitatis; quae non transumitur in divinam praedicationem; sed tantum multitudo transcendens, quae non addit supra ea de quibus dicitur, nisi indivisionem circa singula. Et talis multitudo dicitur de Deo. Reply Obj. 2: Multitude, which denotes something real in creatures, is a species of quantity, and cannot be used when speaking of God: unlike transcendental multitude, which adds only indivision to those of which it is predicated. Such a kind of multitude is applicable to God. Ad tertium dicendum quod unum non est remotivum multitudinis, sed divisionis, quae est prior, secundum rationem, quam unum vel multitudo. Multitudo autem non removet unitatem, sed removet divisionem circa unumquodque eorum ex quibus constat multitudo. Et haec supra exposita sunt, cum de divina unitate ageretur. Reply Obj. 3: One does not exclude multitude, but division, which logically precedes one or multitude. Multitude does not remove unity, but division from each of the individuals which compose the multitude. This was explained when we treated of the divine unity (Q. 11, A. 2). Sciendum tamen est quod auctoritates in oppositum inductae, non probant sufficienter propositum. Licet enim pluralitate excludatur solitudo, et unitate deorum pluralitas, non tamen sequitur quod his nominibus hoc solum significetur. Albedine enim excluditur nigredo, non tamen nomine albedinis significatur sola nigredinis exclusio. It must be observed, nevertheless, that the opposite arguments do not sufficiently prove the point advanced. Although the idea of solitude is excluded by plurality, and the plurality of gods by unity, it does not follow that these terms express this signification alone. For blackness is excluded by whiteness; nevertheless, the term whiteness does not signify the mere exclusion of blackness. Articulus 4 Article 4 Utrum hoc nomen persona possit esse commune tribus personis Whether this term ‘person’ can be common to the three persons? Ad quartum sic proceditur. Videtur quod hoc nomen persona non possit esse commune tribus personis. Nihil enim est commune tribus personis nisi essentia. Sed hoc nomen persona non significat essentiam in recto. Ergo non est commune tribus. Objection 1: It would seem that this term person cannot be common to the three persons. For nothing is common to the three persons but the essence. But this term person does not signify the essence directly. Therefore it is not common to all three. Praeterea, commune opponitur incommunicabili. Sed de ratione personae est quod sit incommunicabilis, ut patet ex definitione Ricardi de s. Victore supra posita. Ergo hoc nomen persona non est commune tribus. Obj. 2: Further, the common is the opposite to the incommunicable. But the very meaning of person is that it is incommunicable; as appears from the definition given by Richard of St. Victor (Q. 29, A. 3, ad 4). Therefore this term person is not common to all the three persons. Praeterea, si est commune tribus, aut ista communitas attenditur secundum rem, aut secundum rationem. Sed non secundum rem, quia sic tres personae essent una persona. Nec iterum secundum rationem tantum, quia sic persona esset universale, in divinis autem non est universale et particulare, neque genus neque species, ut supra ostensum est. Non ergo hoc nomen persona est commune tribus. Obj. 3: Further, if the name person is common to the three, it is common either really, or logically. But it is not so really; otherwise the three persons would be one person; nor again is it so logically; otherwise person would be a universal. But in God there is neither universal nor particular; neither genus nor species, as we proved above (Q. 3, A. 5). Therefore this term ‘person’ is not common to the three.