Articulus 2 Article 2 Utrum sint ponendae notiones in divinis Whether there are notions in God? Ad secundum sic proceditur. Videtur quod non sint ponendae notiones in divinis. Dicit enim Dionysius, in I cap. de Div. Nom., quod non est audendum dicere aliquid de Deo, praeter ea quae nobis ex sacris eloquiis sunt expressa. Sed de notionibus nulla fit mentio in eloquiis sacrae Scripturae. Ergo non sunt ponendae notiones in divinis. Objection 1: It would seem that in God there are no notions. For Dionysius says (Div. Nom. i): We must not dare to say anything of God but what is taught to us by the Holy Scripture. But Holy Scripture does not say anything concerning notions. Therefore there are none in God. Praeterea, quidquid ponitur in divinis, aut pertinet ad unitatem essentiae, aut ad Trinitatem personarum. Sed notiones non pertinent ad unitatem essentiae, nec ad Trinitatem personarum. De notionibus enim neque praedicantur ea quae sunt essentiae, non enim dicimus quod paternitas sit sapiens vel creet, neque etiam ea quae sunt personae; non enim dicimus quod paternitas generet et filiatio generetur. Ergo non sunt ponendae notiones in divinis. Obj. 2: Further, all that exists in God concerns the unity of the essence or the trinity of the persons. But the notions do not concern the unity of the essence, nor the trinity of the persons; for neither can what belongs to the essence be predicated of the notions: for instance, we do not say that paternity is wise or creates; nor can what belongs to the persons be so predicated; for example, we do not say that paternity begets, nor that filiation is begotten. Therefore there do not exist notions in God. Praeterea, in simplicibus non sunt ponenda aliqua abstracta, quae sint principia cognoscendi, quia cognoscuntur seipsis. Sed divinae personae sunt simplicissimae. Ergo non sunt ponendae in divinis personis notiones. Obj. 3: Further, we do not require to presuppose any abstract notions as principles of knowing things which are devoid of composition: for they are known of themselves. But the divine persons are supremely simple. Therefore we are not to suppose any notions in God. Sed contra est quod dicit Ioannes Damascenus, differentiam hypostaseon, idest personarum, in tribus proprietatibus, idest paternali et filiali et processionali, recognoscimus. Sunt ergo ponendae proprietates et notiones in divinis. On the contrary, Damascene says (De Fide Orth. iii, 5): We recognize difference of hypostases, in the three properties; i.e., in the paternal, the filial, and the processional. Therefore we must admit properties and notions in God. Respondeo dicendum quod Praepositivus, attendens simplicitatem personarum, dixit non esse ponendas proprietates et notiones in divinis, et sicubi inveniantur, exponit abstractum pro concreto, sicut enim consuevimus dicere, rogo benignitatem tuam, idest te benignum, ita cum dicitur in divinis paternitas, intelligitur Deus pater. I answer that, Prepositivus, considering the simplicity of the persons, said that in God there were no properties or notions, and wherever there were mentioned, he propounded the abstract for the concrete. For as we are accustomed to say, I beseech your kindness—i.e., you who are kind—so when we speak of paternity in God, we mean God the Father. Sed, sicut ostensum est supra, divinae simplicitati non praeiudicat quod in divinis utamur nominibus concretis et abstractis. Quia secundum quod intelligimus, sic nominamus. Intellectus autem noster non potest pertingere ad ipsam simplicitatem divinam, secundum quod in se est consideranda, et ideo secundum modum suum divina apprehendit et nominat, idest secundum quod invenitur in rebus sensibilibus, a quibus cognitionem accipit. In quibus, ad significandum simplices formas, nominibus abstractis utimur, ad significandum vero res subsistentes, utimur nominibus concretis. Unde et divina, sicut supra dictum est, ratione simplicitatis, per nomina abstracta significamus, ratione vero subsistentiae et complementi, per nomina concreta. But, as shown above (Q. 3, A. 3, ad 1), the use of concrete and abstract names in God is not in any way repugnant to the divine simplicity; forasmuch as we always name a thing as we understand it. Now, our intellect cannot attain to the absolute simplicity of the divine essence, considered in itself; and therefore, our human intellect apprehends and names divine things, according to its own mode, that is, in so far as they are found in sensible objects, whence its knowledge is derived. In these things we use abstract terms to signify simple forms; and to signify subsistent things we use concrete terms. Hence also we signify divine things, as above stated, by abstract names, to express their simplicity; whereas, to express their subsistence and completeness, we use concrete names. Oportet autem non solum nomina essentialia in abstracto et in concreto significare, ut cum dicimus deitatem et Deum, vel sapientiam et sapientem; sed etiam personalia, ut dicamus paternitatem et patrem. But not only must essential names be signified in the abstract and in the concrete, as when we say Deity and God; or wisdom and wise; but the same applies to the personal names, so that we may say paternity and Father. Ad quod duo praecipue nos cogunt. Primo quidem, haereticorum instantia. Cum enim confiteamur patrem et filium et spiritum sanctum esse unum Deum et tres personas, quaerentibus quo sunt unus Deus, et quo sunt tres personae, sicut respondetur quod sunt essentia vel deitate unum, ita oportuit esse aliqua nomina abstracta, quibus responderi possit personas distingui. Et huiusmodi sunt proprietates vel notiones in abstracto significatae, ut paternitas et filiatio. Et ideo essentia significatur in divinis ut quid, persona vero ut quis, proprietas autem ut quo. Two chief motives for this can be cited. The first arises from the obstinacy of heretics. For since we confess the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit to be one God and three persons, to those who ask: Whereby are They one God? and whereby are They three persons? as we answer that They are one in essence or deity; so there must also be some abstract terms whereby we may answer that the persons are distinguished; and these are the properties or notions signified by an abstract term, as paternity and filiation. Therefore the divine essence is signified as What; and the person as Who; and the property as Whereby. Secundo, quia una persona invenitur in divinis referri ad duas personas, scilicet persona patris ad personam filii et personam spiritus sancti. Non autem una relatione, quia sic sequeretur quod etiam filius et Spiritus Sanctus una et eadem relatione referrentur ad patrem; et sic, cum sola relatio in divinis multiplicet Trinitatem, sequeretur quod filius et Spiritus Sanctus non essent duae personae. The second motive is because one person in God is related to two persons—namely, the person of the Father to the person of the Son and the person of the Holy Spirit. This is not, however, by one relation; otherwise it would follow that the Son also and the Holy Spirit would be related to the Father by one and the same relation. Thus, since relation alone multiplies the Trinity, it would follow that the Son and the Holy Spirit would not be two persons. Neque potest dici, ut Praepositivus dicebat, quod sicut Deus uno modo se habet ad creaturas, cum tamen creaturae diversimode se habeant ad ipsum, sic pater una relatione refertur ad filium et ad spiritum sanctum, cum tamen illi duo duabus relationibus referantur ad patrem. Quia cum ratio specifica relativi consistat in hoc quod ad aliud se habet, necesse est dicere quod duae relationes non sunt diversae secundum speciem, si ex opposito una relatio eis correspondeat, oportet enim aliam speciem relationis esse domini et patris, secundum diversitatem filiationis et servitutis. Omnes autem creaturae sub una specie relationis referuntur ad Deum, ut sunt creaturae ipsius, filius autem et Spiritus Sanctus non secundum relationes unius rationis referuntur ad patrem, unde non est simile. Nor can it be said with Prepositivus that as God is related in one way to creatures, while creatures are related to Him in diverse ways, so the Father is related by one relation to the Son and to the Holy Spirit; whereas these two persons are related to the Father by two relations. For, since the very specific idea of a relation is that it refers to another, it must be said that two relations are not specifically different if but one opposite relation corresponds to them. For the relation of lord and father must differ according to the difference of filiation and servitude. Now, all creatures are related to God as His creatures by one specific relation. But the Son and the Holy Spirit are not related to the Father by one and the same kind of relation. Hence there is no parity. Et iterum, in Deo non requiritur relatio realis ad creaturam, ut supra dictum est, relationes autem rationis in Deo multiplicare non est inconveniens. Sed in patre oportet esse relationem realem qua refertur ad filium et spiritum sanctum, unde secundum duas relationes filii et spiritus sancti quibus referuntur ad patrem, oportet intelligi duas relationes in patre, quibus referatur ad filium et spiritum sanctum. Unde, cum non sit nisi una patris persona, necesse fuit seorsum significari relationes in abstracto, quae dicuntur proprietates et notiones. Further, in God there is no need to admit any real relation to the creature (Q. 28, A. 1, 3); while there is no reason against our admitting in God, many logical relations. But in the Father there must be a real relation to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. Hence, corresponding to the two relations of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, whereby they are related to the Father, we must understand two relations in the Father, whereby He is related to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. Hence, since there is only one Person of the Father, it is necessary that the relations should be separately signified in the abstract; and these are what we mean by properties and notions. Ad primum ergo dicendum quod, licet de notionibus non fiat mentio in sacra Scriptura, fit tamen mentio de personis, in quibus intelliguntur notiones, sicut abstractum in concreto. Reply Obj. 1: Although the notions are not mentioned in Holy Scripture, yet the persons are mentioned, comprising the idea of notions, as the abstract is contained in the concrete. Ad secundum dicendum quod notiones significantur in divinis, non ut res, sed ut rationes quaedam quibus cognoscuntur personae; licet ipsae notiones vel relationes realiter sint in Deo, ut supra dictum est. Et ideo ea quae habent ordinem aliquem ad actum aliquem essentialem vel personalem, non possunt dici de notionibus, quia hoc repugnat modo significandi ipsarum. Unde non possumus dicere quod paternitas generet vel creet, sit sapiens vel intelligens. Essentialia vero quae non habent ordinem ad aliquem actum, sed removent conditiones creaturae a Deo possunt praedicari de notionibus, possumus enim dicere quod paternitas est aeterna vel immensa, vel quodcumque huiusmodi. Et similiter, propter identitatem rei, possunt substantiva personalia et essentialia praedicari de notionibus, possumus enim dicere quod paternitas est Deus, et paternitas est pater. Reply Obj. 2: In God the notions have their significance not after the manner of realities, but by way of certain ideas whereby the persons are known; although in God these notions or relations are real, as stated above (Q. 28, A. 1). Therefore whatever has order to any essential or personal act, cannot be applied to the notions; forasmuch as this is against their mode of signification. Hence we cannot say that paternity begets, or creates, or is wise, or is intelligent. The essentials, however, which are not ordered to any act, but simply remove created conditions from God, can be predicated of the notions; for we can say that paternity is eternal, or immense, or such like. So also on account of the real identity, substantive terms, whether personal or essential, can be predicated of the notions; for we can say that paternity is God, and that paternity is the Father. Ad tertium dicendum quod, licet personae sint simplices, tamen absque praeiudicio simplicitatis possunt propriae rationes personarum in abstracto significari, ut dictum est. Reply Obj. 3: Although the persons are simple, still without prejudice to their simplicity, the proper ideas of the persons can be abstractedly signified, as above explained. Articulus 3 Article 3 Utrum sint quinque notiones Whether there are five notions? Ad tertium sic proceditur. Videtur quod non sint quinque notiones. Propriae enim notiones personarum sunt relationes quibus distinguuntur. Sed relationes in divinis non sunt nisi quatuor, ut supra dictum est. Ergo et notiones sunt tantum quatuor. Objection 1: It would seem that there are not five notions. For the notions proper to the persons are the relations whereby they are distinguished from each other. But the relations in God are only four (Q. 28, A. 4). Therefore the notions are only four in number. Praeterea, propter hoc quod in divinis est una essentia, dicitur Deus unus, propter hoc autem quod sunt tres personae, dicitur Deus trinus. Si ergo in divinis sunt quinque notiones, dicetur quinus, quod est inconveniens. Obj. 2: Further, as there is only one essence in God, He is called one God, and because in Him there are three persons, He is called the Trine God. Therefore, if in God there are five notions, He may be called quinary; which cannot be allowed. Praeterea, si, tribus personis existentibus in divinis, sunt quinque notiones, oportet quod in aliqua personarum sint aliquae notiones duae vel plures; sicut in persona patris ponitur innascibilitas et paternitas et communis spiratio. Aut igitur istae tres notiones differunt re, aut non. Si differunt re, sequitur quod persona patris sit composita ex pluribus rebus. Si autem differunt ratione tantum, sequitur quod una earum possit de alia praedicari, ut dicamus quod, sicut bonitas divina est eius sapientia propter indifferentiam rei, ita communis spiratio sit paternitas, quod non conceditur. Igitur non sunt quinque notiones. Obj. 3: Further, if there are five notions for the three persons in God, there must be in some one person two or more notions, as in the person of the Father there is innascibility and paternity, and common spiration. Either these three notions really differ, or not. If they really differ, it follows that the person of the Father is composed of several things. But if they differ only logically, it follows that one of them can be predicated of another, so that we can say that as the divine goodness is the same as the divine wisdom by reason of the common reality, so common spiration is paternity; which is not to be admitted. Therefore there are not five notions. Sed contra, videtur quod sint plures. Quia sicut pater a nullo est, et secundum hoc accipitur notio quae dicitur innascibilitas, ita a spiritu sancto non est alia persona. Et secundum hoc oportebit accipere sextam notionem. Obj. 4: On the contrary, It seems that there are more; because as the Father is from no one, and therefrom is derived the notion of innascibility; so from the Holy Spirit no other person proceeds. And in this respect there ought to be a sixth notion. Praeterea, sicut patri et filio commune est quod ab eis procedat Spiritus Sanctus, ita commune est filio et spiritui sancto quod procedant a patre. Ergo, sicut una notio ponitur communis patri et filio, ita debet poni una notio communis filio et spiritui sancto. Obj. 5: Further, as the Father and the Son are the common origin of the Holy Spirit, so it is common to the Son and the Holy Spirit to proceed from the Father. Therefore, as one notion is common to the Father and the Son, so there ought to be one notion common to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. Respondeo dicendum quod notio dicitur id quod est propria ratio cognoscendi divinam personam. Divinae autem personae multiplicantur secundum originem. Ad originem autem pertinet a quo alius, et qui ab alio, et secundum hos duos modos potest innotescere persona. I answer that, A notion is the proper idea whereby we know a divine Person. Now the divine persons are multiplied by reason of their origin: and origin includes the idea of someone from whom another comes, and of someone that comes from another, and by these two modes a person can be known. Igitur persona patris non potest innotescere per hoc quod sit ab alio, sed per hoc quod a nullo est, et sic ex hac parte eius notio est innascibilitas. Sed inquantum aliquis est ab eo, innotescit dupliciter. Quia inquantum filius est ab eo, innotescit notione paternitatis, inquantum autem Spiritus Sanctus est ab eo, innotescit notione communis spirationis. Filius autem potest innotescere per hoc quod est ab alio nascendo, et sic innotescit per filiationem. Et per hoc quod est alius ab eo, scilicet Spiritus Sanctus, et per hoc innotescit eodem modo sicut et pater, scilicet communi spiratione. Spiritus Sanctus autem innotescere potest per hoc quod est ab alio vel ab aliis, et sic innotescit processione. Non autem per hoc quod alius sit ab eo, quia nulla divina persona procedit ab eo. Therefore the Person of the Father cannot be known by the fact that He is from another; but by the fact that He is from no one; and thus the notion that belongs to Him is called innascibility. As the source of another, He can be known in two ways, because as the Son is from Him, the Father is known by the notion of paternity; and as the Holy Spirit is from Him, He is known by the notion of common spiration. The Son can be known as begotten by another, and thus He is known by filiation; and also by another person proceeding from Him, the Holy Spirit, and thus He is known in the same way as the Father is known, by common spiration. The Holy Spirit can be known by the fact that He is from another, or from others; thus He is known by procession; but not by the fact that another is from Him, as no divine person proceeds from Him. Sunt igitur quinque notiones in divinis, scilicet innascibilitas, paternitas, filiatio, communis spiratio et processio. Harum autem tantum quatuor sunt relationes, nam innascibilitas non est relatio nisi per reductionem, ut infra dicetur. Quatuor autem tantum proprietates sunt, nam communis spiratio non est proprietas, quia convenit duabus personis. Tres autem sunt notiones personales, idest constituentes personas, scilicet paternitas, filiatio et processio, nam communis spiratio et innascibilitas dicuntur notiones personarum, non autem personales, ut infra magis patebit. Therefore, there are Five notions in God: innascibility, paternity, filiation, common spiration, and procession. Of these only four are relations, for innascibility is not a relation, except by reduction, as will appear later (Q. 33, A. 4, ad 3). Four only are properties. For common spiration is not a property; because it belongs to two persons. Three are personal notions—i.e., constituting persons, paternity, filiation, and procession. Common spiration and innascibility are called notions of Persons, but not personal notions, as we shall explain further on (Q. 40, A. 1, ad 1). Ad primum ergo dicendum quod praeter quatuor relationes oportet ponere aliam notionem, ut dictum est. Reply Obj. 1: Besides the four relations, another notion must be admitted, as above explained. Ad secundum dicendum quod essentia in divinis significatur ut res quaedam; et similiter personae significantur ut res quaedam sed notiones significantur ut rationes notificantes personas. Et ideo, licet dicatur Deus unus propter unitatem essentiae, et trinus propter Trinitatem personarum; non tamen dicitur quinus propter quinque notiones. Reply Obj. 2: The divine essence is signified as a reality; and likewise the persons are signified as realities; whereas the notions are signified as ideas notifying the persons. Therefore, although God is one by unity of essence, and trine by trinity of persons, nevertheless He is not quinary by the five notions. Ad tertium dicendum quod, cum sola oppositio relativa faciat pluralitatem realem in divinis, plures proprietates unius personae, cum non opponantur ad invicem relative, non differunt realiter. Nec tamen de invicem praedicantur, quia significantur ut diversae rationes personarum. Sicut etiam non dicimus quod attributum potentiae sit attributum scientiae, licet dicamus quod scientia sit potentia. Reply Obj. 3: Since the real plurality in God is founded only on relative opposition, the several properties of one Person, as they are not relatively opposed to each other, do not really differ. Nor again are they predicated of each other, because they are different ideas of the persons; as we do not say that the attribute of power is the attribute of knowledge, although we do say that knowledge is power. Ad quartum dicendum quod, cum persona importet dignitatem, ut supra dictum est, non potest accipi notio aliqua spiritus sancti ex hoc quod nulla persona est ab ipso. Hoc enim non pertinet ad dignitatem ipsius; sicut pertinet ad auctoritatem patris quod sit a nullo. Reply Obj. 4: Since Person implies dignity, as stated above (Q. 19, A. 3), we cannot derive a notion of the Holy Spirit from the fact that no person is from Him. For this does not belong to His dignity, as it belongs to the authority of the Father that He is from no one. Ad quintum dicendum quod Filius et Spiritus Sanctus non conveniunt in uno speciali modo existendi a patre; sicut pater et filius conveniunt in uno speciali modo producendi spiritum sanctum. Id autem quod est principium innotescendi, oportet esse aliquid speciale. Et ideo non est simile. Reply Obj. 5: The Son and the Holy Spirit do not agree in one special mode of existence derived from the Father; as the Father and the Son agree in one special mode of producing the Holy Spirit. But the principle on which a notion is based must be something special; thus no parity of reasoning exists. Articulus 4 Article 4 Utrum liceat contrarie opinari de notionibus Whether it is lawful to have various contrary opinions of notions? Ad quartum sic proceditur. Videtur quod non liceat contrarie opinari de notionibus. Dicit enim Augustinus, in I de Trin., quod non erratur alicubi periculosius quam in materia Trinitatis, ad quam certum est notiones pertinere. Sed contrariae opiniones non possunt esse absque errore. Ergo contrarie opinari circa notiones non licet. Objection 1: It would seem that it is not lawful to have various contrary opinions of the notions. For Augustine says (De Trin. i, 3): No error is more dangerous than any as regards the Trinity: to which mystery the notions assuredly belong. But contrary opinions must be in some way erroneous. Therefore it is not right to have contrary opinions of the notions. Praeterea, per notiones cognoscuntur personae, ut dictum est. Sed circa personas non licet contrarie opinari. Ergo nec circa notiones. Obj. 2: Further, the persons are known by the notions. But no contrary opinion concerning the persons is to be tolerated. Therefore neither can there be about the notions. Sed contra, articuli fidei non sunt de notionibus. Ergo circa notiones licet sic vel aliter opinari. On the contrary, The notions are not articles of faith. Therefore different opinions of the notions are permissible.