Breviloquium
Bonaventure (1217–1274)
First published 1882
Bonaventure's Breviloquium, a concise systematic presentation of Christian theology in a prologue and seven parts. Latin transcription from the Quaracchi critical edition, Opera omnia, tomus V (1882), pp. 201-291.
Prologus
I bend my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom all fatherhood in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you power, to be strengthened by his Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell by faith in your hearts; rooted and grounded in charity, that you may be able to comprehend with all the Saints what is the breadth, length, height and depth; to know also the charity of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled unto all the fullness of God.1
The great doctor of the Gentiles and preacher of the truth, filled with the divine Spirit, as a chosen and sanctified vessel, in this word discloses the origin, progress and end of Sacred Scripture, which is called theology: intimating that the origin of Scripture is to be considered according to the influence of the most blessed Trinity, its progress according to the exigency of human capacity, and its end or fruit according to the superabundance of most full felicity.
For its origin is not by human investigation, but by divine revelation, which flows from the Father of lights,2 from whom all fatherhood in heaven and on earth is named, from whom through his Son, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit flows forth into us, and through the Holy Spirit, dividing and distributing gifts to each as he wills, faith is given, and through faith Christ dwells in our hearts. This is the knowledge of Jesus Christ, from which originally flow the firmness and understanding of all Sacred Scripture. Whence it is impossible for anyone to enter into knowing it, unless he first has the faith of Christ infused in him, as the lamp and door and even foundation of all Scripture. For faith itself is the foundation of all supernatural illuminations, so long as we are pilgrims away from the Lord,3 the foundation that establishes, the lamp that directs, the door that brings in; according to whose measure also the wisdom divinely given to us must necessarily be measured, lest anyone think more highly than he ought to think, but unto sobriety, and to each as God has divided the measure of faith.4 Through this faith, therefore, there is given to us knowledge of Sacred Scripture, according to the influence of the blessed Trinity, as the Apostle expressly intimates in the first part of the authority cited above.
The progress of Sacred Scripture, moreover, is not confined to the laws of reasonings, definitions and divisions after the manner of other sciences, nor is it confined to a part of the universe;5 but rather, since it proceeds according to supernatural light to give wayfaring man sufficient knowledge of things, according as it is expedient for salvation, it describes partly in plain words, partly in mystical, the whole compass of the universe as in a certain sum, in which breadth is considered; it describes its course, in which length is considered; it describes the excellence of those finally to be saved, in which height is considered; it describes the misery of the damned, in which depth consists, not only of the universe itself, but also of the divine judgment. — And thus it describes the whole universe, as far as it is expedient to have knowledge of it for salvation, according to its breadth, length, height and depth,6 itself also having in its progress these four, according to what will be declared later7; because so the condition of human capacity demanded, which, great and manifold, is by nature apt to grasp things greatly and manifoldly, like a most noble mirror, in which the whole universe of worldly things is by nature apt to be described not only naturally but also supernaturally; so that the progress of Sacred Scripture is to be considered according to the exigency of human capacity.
The end or fruit of Sacred Scripture, moreover, is not just anything, but the fullness of eternal felicity. For this is the Scripture in which are the words of eternal life,8 which was written for this reason, not only that we may believe, but also that we may possess eternal life, in which we shall see, we shall love, and all our desires shall universally be fulfilled; which being fulfilled, we shall then truly know the charity that surpasses knowledge, and thus we shall be filled unto all the fullness of God. To this fullness divine Scripture endeavors to lead us, according to the truth of the apostolic sentence cited above.9 With this end, therefore, with this intention Sacred Scripture is to be searched out and taught and also heard.
And that we may arrive at this fruit and end by a straight progress along the way of the straight path of the Scriptures, we must begin from the beginning, that is, that with pure faith10 we approach the Father of lights, bending the knees of our hearts, that he himself through his Son in the Holy Spirit may give us true knowledge of Jesus Christ and with knowledge love of him, so that thus knowing and loving him, and as it were solidified in faith and rooted in charity, we may be able to know the breadth, length, height and depth of Sacred Scripture itself, and through this knowledge arrive at the fullest knowledge and excessive love of the most blessed Trinity,11 toward which the desires of the Saints tend, in which is the end and completion of all that is true and good.
With the end of this Sacred Scripture longed for and intended, and its beginning at once believed and invoked,12 its progress must be seen with respect to its breadth, length, height and depth, according to the way and order of the apostolic teaching.
Its breadth consists in the multitude of its parts, its length in the description of times and ages, its height in the description of hierarchies ordered by degrees, its depth in the multitude13 of mystical senses and understandings.
§ 1. On the breadth of Sacred Scripture.
If then we wish to contemplate the breadth of Sacred Scripture, at first sight Scripture presents itself to us as divided into two testaments, namely the old and the new. — The Old presents itself14 with a multitude of books. For it has legal, historical, sapiential and prophetic books, so that the first are five, the second ten, the third five and the fourth are six, and therefore twenty-six in all.15 — The New Testament likewise has books corresponding to these according to a fourfold form. For to the legal correspond the evangelical books, to the historical the Acts of the Apostles, to the sapiential the Epistles of the Apostles and especially of Paul, to the prophetic corresponds the book of the Apocalypse; so that there is a wondrous conformity between the old and the new testament, not only in the content of the senses, but also in the fourfold form of the parts. — In figure and sealing of this, Ezechiel saw wheels of four faces, and a wheel in the midst of a wheel,16 because the old is in the new, and conversely; and in the legal and evangelical books is the face of the lion on account of the excellence of authority; in the historical the face of the ox on account of examples of virtue; in the sapiential the face of man on account of sagacious prudence; in the prophetic books the face of the eagle on account of perspicacious understanding.
But Sacred Scripture is rightly divided into the old and new testament, and not into theoretical and practical, as philosophy is:17 because, since Scripture is properly founded upon the knowledge of faith, which is a virtue and the foundation of morals and justice and of all right life, knowledge of things or of things to be believed cannot be separated in it from knowledge of morals. It is otherwise with philosophy, which treats not only of the truth of morals, but also of the true considered by naked speculation. Since therefore Sacred Scripture is knowledge moving to good and recalling from evil — and this is through fear and love — it is therefore divided into two testaments, whose "brief difference is fear and love."18
And because one can be moved to good and recalled from evil in four ways, namely through the precepts of most powerful majesty, or through the teachings of most wise truth, or through the examples and benefits of most spotless goodness, or from all these gathered into one; therefore in both the new and the old testament the books containing Sacred Scripture have been handed down in fourfold form according to correspondence with the four aforesaid. For the legal books19 move through the precepts of most omnipotent majesty; the historical, through examples of most spotless goodness; the sapiential, through the teachings of most provident truth; the prophetic move from the aggregation of all the aforesaid, as is manifestly apparent in them. Whence they themselves are as it were reminders of all legal wisdom and doctrine.
Sacred Scripture is therefore like a widest river, which is aggregated more and more from the confluence of many waters, according as it runs further. For whereas at first in Scripture there were the legal books, afterwards supervened the water of the wisdom of the historical books, thirdly supervened the doctrine of the most wise Solomon, after this20 also the doctrine of the holy Prophets, and at last the evangelical doctrine was revealed, uttered through the mouth of Christ's flesh, written down by the Evangelists, spread abroad by the holy Apostles; with the addition also of the teachings which the Holy Spirit, coming upon them, taught us through them: so that thus, taught all truth through the Holy Spirit according to the divine promise, they might give to the Church of Christ the doctrine of all salutary truth, and by consummating Sacred Scripture dilate the knowledge of truth.
§ 2. On the length of Sacred Scripture.
This Sacred Scripture also has length, which consists in the description both of times and of ages, namely from the beginning of the world to the day of judgment. It describes21 the world as running through three times, namely through the time of the law of nature, of the written law and of the law of grace, and in these three times it distinguishes seven ages. Of which the first is from Adam to Noe, the second from Noe to Abraham, the third from Abraham to David, the fourth from David to the Babylonian transmigration, the fifth from the transmigration to Christ, the sixth from Christ to the end of the world, and the seventh runs together with the sixth; it begins with Christ's rest in the sepulchre and lasts until the universal resurrection, when the eighth, that of the resurrection, shall begin.22 — And thus Scripture is longest, because in treating it begins from the beginning of the world and of time at the beginning of Genesis, and reaches to the end of the world and of time, namely at the end of the Apocalypse.
Rightly, moreover, the whole of time, which runs according to the threefold law — implanted within, given without, and infused from above23 — runs through seven ages and is consummated at the end of the sixth; so that the course of the world answers to its beginning, and the course of the greater world corresponds to the course of the life of the lesser world, namely man, for whose sake it was made.24 For the first age of the world, in which were made the formation of the world itself, the fall of the demons and the confirmation of the Angels, rightly answers to the first day, on which light was made and distinguished from darkness.25 — The second, in which through the ark and the deluge the good were saved and the evil destroyed, answers to the second day, on which through the firmament was made the distinction of the waters from the waters. — The third, in which Abraham was called, and the synagogue begun, which was to fructify and generate offspring for the worship of God, corresponds to the third day, on which earth appeared and brought forth green grass. — The fourth, in which kingdom and priesthood flourished, because David the king amplified divine worship, answers to the fourth day, on which was made the formation of the luminaries and stars. — The fifth, in which the exiles sojourned among many peoples and were afflicted, answers to the fifth day, on which was made the formation of fishes from the waters.26 — The sixth age, in which Christ was born in the likeness of man, who is truly the image of God, answers to the sixth day, on which the first man was formed. — The seventh, which is the rest of souls having no end, answers to the seventh day, on which God rested from all the work which he had wrought.27
And thus these seven ages are distinguished on account of the notable deeds that were at their beginnings, by reason of which they answer to the days of the formation of the world. The first age is called infancy, because, as infancy is wholly blotted out by forgetfulness, so that first age was consumed by the deluge.28 — The second, boyhood; for as in boyhood we begin to speak, so in the second age was made the distinction of tongues. — The third is called adolescence, because, as the generative power then begins to go forth into its act, so then Abraham was called, and circumcision given to him, and the promise made concerning the seed. — The fourth is called youth, because, as in youth man's age is in flower, so in the fourth age the synagogue flourished under kings. — The fifth, old age, because as in old age strength is diminished and beauty falls, so too in the transmigration it befell the priesthood of the Jews. — The sixth age is called decrepitude, because, as it is joined to death, yet having great light of wisdom; so the sixth age of the world is terminated with the day of judgment, and in it wisdom flourishes through the doctrine of Christ.
Thus therefore this whole world is described by Scripture as proceeding from beginning to end in a most ordered course, after the manner of a most beautiful ordered poem, where one may contemplate according to the course of time the variety, multiplicity and equity, order, rectitude and beauty of the many divine judgments proceeding from the wisdom of God governing the world.29 Whence as no one can see the beauty of a poem unless his gaze is carried over the whole verse; so no one sees the beauty of the order and government of the universe unless he contemplates it whole. And because no man is so long-lived as to be able to see it whole with the eyes of his flesh, nor can he foresee the future by himself; the Holy Spirit has provided us the book of Sacred Scripture, whose length is commensurate with the course of the government of the universe.
§ 3. On the sublimity of Sacred Scripture.
Sacred Scripture has nonetheless in its process sublimity, which consists in the description of hierarchies ordered by degrees, which are the ecclesiastical, angelic and divine hierarchy, or the subcelestial, celestial and supercelestial;30 so that the first it describes openly, the second somewhat more hiddenly, and the third still more hiddenly. From the description of the ecclesiastical hierarchy it is high; from the description of the angelic, higher; from the description of the divine, highest, so that we may say that word of the Prophet:31
Thy knowledge is become wonderful to me; it is fortified, and I shall not be able to reach it.
And this indeed quite rightly. For since things have being in matter,32 have being in the soul through acquired knowledge, have being in it also through grace, have being in it through glory, and have being in the eternal art; philosophy treats of things as they are in nature, or in the soul according to knowledge naturally inborn or even acquired; but theology, as a science founded upon faith and revealed through the Holy Spirit, treats also of those things which pertain to grace and glory and even to eternal Wisdom. Whence itself, laying philosophical cognition beneath it and assuming of the natures of things as much as it needs to fabricate the mirror through which the representation of divine things may come about, as it were erects a ladder which in its lowest touches earth but in its top touches heaven;33 and all this through that one hierarch, Jesus Christ, who not only by reason of the assumed human nature is hierarch in the ecclesiastical hierarchy, but also in the angelic, and as middle person in that supercelestial hierarchy of the most blessed Trinity; so that through him from the highest head, God, the grace of unction descends not only upon the beard but even upon the hem of the garment,34 because not only into supernal Jerusalem but even unto the Church militant.
For there is great beauty in the frame of the world, but far greater in the Church adorned with the beauty of the holy charisms, greatest in supernal Jerusalem, but most supreme in that highest and most blessed Trinity. Therefore Scripture itself not only has the loftiest matter, by which it delights and by which it lifts the understanding of the mind on high, but it is itself most comely and in a wondrous way delights our intellect,35 and thus by delighting more and more accustoms it to the beholding of divine spectacles and to anagogies.
§ 4. On the depth of Sacred Scripture.
Lastly Scripture itself has depth, which consists in the multiplicity of mystical understandings. For besides the literal sense it is to be expounded in diverse places in three ways, namely allegorically, morally and anagogically. Allegory is when by one deed another deed is indicated, according as it is to be believed. Tropology or morality is when by what was done something else is given to be understood which is to be done. Anagogy, as it were a leading upward, is when there is given to be understood that which is to be desired, namely the eternal felicity of the Blessed.36
Rightly, moreover, this threefold sense must be in Scripture besides the literal understanding: because so it befits the subject of Scripture itself,37 its hearer or disciple, its origin, and also its end.
It befits the subject, I say, because it is doctrine concerning God, concerning Christ, concerning the works of reparation, and concerning the credible. For its subject as to substance is God; as to virtue, Christ; as to operation, the work of reparation; as to all these it is the credible itself.38 Now God is triune and one: one in essence and triune in persons. Therefore Scripture, which is of him, has in the unity of the letter a three-formed understanding. — Christ also, since he is one Word, all things are said to be made through him,39 and shine forth in him, so that his wisdom is manifold and one. — The works of reparation, though many, all have regard to the principal oblation of Christ. — The credible as credible shines forth diversely according to the diverse state of believers. Therefore on account of conformity with all the aforesaid, Sacred Scripture in one letter brings forth a manifold understanding.
This also befits the hearer: because no one is a fit hearer of it but the humble, the clean, the faithful and the studious.40 Therefore beneath the bark of the open letter a mystical and deep understanding is hidden to compress pride, so that by its depth lying hidden in the humility of the letter both the proud are compressed, and the unclean repelled, and the deceitful turned aside, and the negligent roused to the understanding of mysteries. — And because the hearer of this doctrine is not of one kind but of every kind — for all who are to be saved must know something of this doctrine;41 — therefore it has a manifold understanding, so that thus it may capture every intellect, condescend to every intellect, surpass every intellect, and illuminate and kindle alike, by the multitude of its radiance, every intellect diligently attentive to it.
It befits also the principle from which it is: because it is from God through Christ and the Holy Spirit speaking through the mouths of the Prophets and of others who wrote this doctrine.42 Since God speaks not only through words but also through deeds, because his saying is doing, and his doing is saying; and all created things as effects of God intimate their cause: therefore in divinely handed-down Scripture not only words but also deeds must signify. — Christ the teacher also, though he was lowly in flesh, was yet high in deity: therefore it beseemed him and his doctrine to have lowliness in speech with depth of sentence, so that, as Christ was wrapped in swaddling clothes,43 so the wisdom of God in Scripture is wrapped in certain lowly figures. — The Holy Spirit also illuminated diversely and made revelations in the hearts of the Prophets; no intellect could lie hidden from him, and he was sent to teach all truth:44 therefore it befitted his doctrine that in one utterance manifold understandings lie hidden.
It nonetheless befits its end: because Scripture was given that through it man be directed in knowing and doing, until at last he arrive at the things to be longed for. And because all creatures were made for this, to serve man tending to the supernal homeland;45 therefore Scripture assumes the diverse species of the creatures themselves, so that thus through them it may teach us the wisdom directing us to eternal things. And because man is not directed to eternal things unless the cognitive power knows the true to be believed, and the operative does the good to be done, and the affective sighs to see and love and enjoy God: hence it is that Sacred Scripture, given through the Holy Spirit, assumes the book of the creature, referring it to the end according to the threefold mode of understanding; so that thus through tropology we may have knowledge of things to be done manfully;46 through allegory of things to be believed truly; through anagogy of things to be desired delightfully; so that thus, purged by virtuous operation, illumined by radiant faith and perfected by most ardent charity, we may at last arrive at the prize of eternal felicity.
§ 5. On the mode of proceeding of Sacred Scripture itself.
In so great a manifoldness of wisdom, therefore, which is contained in the breadth, length, height and depth of Sacred Scripture itself, there is one common authentic mode of proceeding47, within which are contained the narrative, preceptive, prohibitive, exhortative, predicative,48 comminatory, promissive, deprecatory and laudatory modes. And all these modes are stored under one authentic mode, and this indeed quite rightly.
For since this doctrine exists that we may become good49 and be saved; and this is not done through naked consideration, but rather through inclination of the will: therefore divine Scripture had to be handed down in the mode by which we could best be inclined. And because the affection is moved more by examples than by arguments, more by promises than by ratiocinations, more by devotions than by definitions; therefore this Scripture ought not to have the definitive, divisive and collective mode for proving some passions of a subject after the manner of other sciences;50 ; but it behooved it to have its own modes, diversely inclining minds according to the diverse inclinations of souls; so that, if one is not moved to precepts and prohibitions, at least he be moved by narrated examples; if one is not moved by these, he be moved by benefits shown to him; if one is moved by none of these, he be moved by sagacious admonitions, by truthful promises, by terrible threats, so that thus at least he be roused to devotion and praise of God, in which he may perceive grace, through which he may be directed concerning virtuous works.
Since therefore these narrative modes cannot come about by way of certitude of reasons, because particular deeds done cannot be proved;51 therefore, lest this Scripture waver as doubtful, and thereby move less, in place of certitude of reason God provided for this Scripture the certitude of authority, which is so great that it excels all perspicacity of human genius. And because there is no certain authority of one who can deceive or be deceived — and there is none who cannot be deceived and does not know how to deceive, except God and the Holy Spirit52 — hence it is that, for Sacred Scripture to be perfectly authentic in its due mode, it was handed down not by human investigation but by divine revelation. — Therefore nothing in it is to be despised as useless, nothing rejected as false, nothing repudiated as iniquitous, for the reason that the Holy Spirit, its most perfect author, could say nothing false, nothing superfluous, nothing diminished. And therefore heaven and earth shall pass, but the words of Sacred Scripture shall not pass unfulfilled,53. For until heaven and earth pass, one iota or one apex shall not pass from the Law until all things come to pass, as the Saviour testifies. Whoever therefore breaks what Scripture teaches, and so teaches men, he shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
§ 6. On the mode of expounding54 Sacred Scripture.
But as this Scripture has a special mode of proceeding, so according to its mode of proceeding it must in its own special mode be understood and expounded. For since under one letter it covers a manifold understanding, the expositor must bring hidden things forth into light55, and manifest what is brought forth through another, more open Scripture: as if I were expounding that verse of the Psalm56: Take hold of arms and shield, and rise up to help me, and wished to unfold what the divine arms are; I shall say that they are his truth and good will; and that so it is, to be proved through open Scripture. For it is written elsewhere: Thou hast crowned us with the shield of thy good will; and again: His truth shall compass thee with a shield. — To which no one can easily attain, unless by habituation of reading he commits the text and letter of the Bible to memory; otherwise in the exposition of the Scriptures he will never be able to be mighty. Whence as one who disdains to learn the first elements of which the word is composed can never know either the meaning of words or the right law of constructions; so one who spurns the letter of Sacred Scripture shall never rise to its spiritual understandings.
But let the expositor attend that allegory is not to be sought everywhere, nor are all things to be expounded mystically. On which account it is to be noted that Sacred Scripture has four parts. One is where according to the letter it treats of worldly natures, and through them signifies our reparation, as appears in the description of the formation of the world. — Another is where it treats of the acts and processes of that Israelite people, and through them signifies the reparation of the human race. — The third is where in naked words57 it signifies and expresses what pertains to our salvation as to faith or morals. — The fourth is where it foretells the mystery of our salvation, partly in naked words, partly in enigmatic and obscure ones. And therefore Scripture in these diverse places is not to be expounded uniformly.
But the expositor must be directed in the exposition of Sacred Scripture according to the threefold rule which can be drawn from the words of blessed Augustine in the book on Christian Doctrine.58
The first is this. Wherever in this Scripture the first signification of the words signifies things of creation, or singular acts of human conduct, there the things signified through the words are signified first, then the mysteries of our reparation; but where the first signification of the words expresses faith or charity, there no allegory is to be sought.
The second rule is this. Where the words of this Scripture signify things of creation, or of the conduct of the Israelite people, there let him seek from another place of Scripture what each thing signifies, and then elicit its signification through words nakedly signifying the truth of faith, or even moral honesty; as if it is said: Sheep bring forth twin lambs,59 let him show that there sheep signify men, and the twin offspring twin charity.
The third rule is this. When some Scripture has a literal and a spiritual understanding, the expositor must discuss whether that attribution befits the historical or the spiritual meaning, if perchance it cannot befit both; but if it befits both, then it must be affirmed both literally and spiritually; but if only in one way, then it must be understood spiritually alone: as that the sabbath of the Law60 be perpetual, the priesthood eternal, the possession of the land eternal, and the covenant of circumcision eternal; all of which are to be referred to the spiritual meaning.
But for one to walk securely cutting through and expounding the forest of the sacred Scriptures, there is need that he first know the truth of Sacred Scripture itself through explicit words, namely that he attend to how Scripture describes the beginning, progress and consummation of the twofold body, as it were facing each other from opposite sides — of the good, namely, who humble themselves here to be exalted everlastingly in the future, and of the evil, who exalt themselves here to be depressed eternally.61 Whence it treats of the whole universe as to highest and lowest, first and last, and as to the intermediate course, under the form of a certain intelligible cross, in which is to be described and in a manner seen by the light of the mind the whole frame of the universe; to understand which one must know the principle of things, God, the creation of things themselves, the fall, redemption through the blood of Jesus Christ,62 reformation through grace, healing through the Sacraments, and at last retribution through punishment and everlasting glory.
And because this doctrine is handed down so diffusely in the writings both of Saints and of doctors that by those approaching to hear Sacred Scripture it cannot through long times be seen nor heard — on which account also new theologians frequently shudder at Sacred Scripture itself as uncertain63 and unordered and as a certain opaque forest — asked by companions,64 to say in a summa something brief from my poor little knowledge concerning the truth of theology, and overcome by their prayers, I assented to make a certain Breviloquium, in which summarily not all things, but some more opportune for holding briefly, might be touched, adding at the same time some reason for understanding, according as it occurred for the time.
But since theology is discourse of God and of the first principle, inasmuch as itself, as highest science and doctrine, resolves all things into God as into the first and highest principle: therefore in assigning reasons in all things contained in this whole little work or treatise, I have endeavored to take reason from the first principle, so that thus I might show the truth of Sacred Scripture to be from God, of God, according to God and for God, so that deservedly this science may appear to be one and ordered, and not undeservedly called theology. — If therefore there shall be anything imperfect, or obscure, or superfluous, or less right therein, let pardon be granted to occupation and shortness of time and poor little knowledge; but if anything right, let honor and glory65 be referred to God alone.
But that the following may shine forth more clearly, I have taken care to prefix the particular titles of the chapters, for easier memory and clearer beholding of what is to be said, which are distinguished into seven partitions and seventy-two chapters.
Caput I: De illis septem, de quibus est theologia, in summa.
At the beginning it must be understood that sacred doctrine, namely theology, which principally treats of the first principle, that is, of the triune and one God, treats in sum of seven things: first,1 of the Trinity of God; second, of the creation of the world; third, of the corruption of sin; fourth, of the incarnation of the Word; fifth, of the grace of the Holy Spirit; sixth, of sacramental medicine; and seventh, of the state of the final judgment.
The reason2 for this truth is as follows: since Sacred Scripture, or theology, is a science that gives sufficient knowledge of the first principle according to the state of the way, insofar as is necessary for salvation; and since God is not only the principle and efficient exemplar of things in creation, but also their restorer in redemption and perfecter in retribution: therefore it treats not only of God the creator, but also of creation3 and creature. And because the rational creature, which is in a certain way the end of all things, did not remain standing but, through its fall, needed to be restored; therefore it treats of the corruption of sin, the physician, health, and medicine, and finally of perfect healing, which will be in glory, with the impious cast out into punishment. And therefore it alone is the perfect science, because it begins from the first, which is the first principle, and reaches the last, which is the eternal reward; it begins from the highest, which is the most high God, creator of all, and reaches the lowest, which is infernal punishment. It alone is also the perfect wisdom, which begins from the highest cause, insofar as it is the principle of caused things, where philosophical knowledge comes to an end;4 and passes through it, insofar as it is the remedy for sins; and leads back into it, insofar as it is the reward of merits and the end of desires. And in this knowledge there is perfect savor5, life, and salvation of souls; and therefore the desire of all Christians ought to be inflamed to learn it.
From these things it is clear that, although theology concerns so many and such diverse things, it is nonetheless one science, whose subject, as that from which all things are, is God; as that through which all things are, Christ; as that to which all things are directed, the work of restoration; as that around which all things are, the single bond of charity by which heavenly and earthly things are joined; as that concerning which everything contained in the canonical books is credible precisely as credible; as that concerning which everything in the books of commentators is credible precisely as intelligible, according to Augustine, On the Usefulness of Believing,6 because “what we believe, we owe to authority; what we understand, to reason.”
Caput II: Quid tenendum est de trinitate personarum et unitate essentiae.
First, therefore, concerning the Trinity of God, three things are to be considered,1 namely, how the unity of substance and nature2 stands together with the plurality of persons; second, how it stands together with the plurality of apparitions; third, how it stands together with the plurality of appropriates.
Concerning the plurality of persons in the unity of nature, therefore, right faith dictates that this must be held: namely, that in the unity of nature there are three persons, Father and Son and Holy Spirit, of whom the first is from no one, the second from the first alone by generation, the third from the first and the second by spiration or procession; so that the trinity of persons does not exclude from the divine essence supreme unity, simplicity, immensity, eternity, immutability, necessity, and even primacy; rather, it includes supreme fecundity, charity, liberality, equality, kinship, conformity, and inseparability; all of which sound faith understands to be in the most blessed Trinity.3
The reason for this truth is as follows: faith, since it is the principle of the worship of God and the foundation of the doctrine that is according to piety,4 dictates that God is to be thought of in the highest and most pious way. It would not think of him in the highest way if it did not believe that God could communicate himself supremely; it would not think of him in the most pious way if it believed that he could but would not; and therefore, in order that it may think of him in the highest and most pious way, it says that God communicates himself supremely, eternally having a beloved and a co-beloved, and thus that God is one and triune.
To this faith, insofar as it dictates that God is to be thought of in the most pious way, all Sacred Scripture, which is called doctrine according to piety, bears witness: for it confesses that God has offspring, whom he supremely loves, a Word coequal with himself, which « from eternity he begot, in which he ordered all things »;5 through which he produced and governs all things; through which also, having been made flesh, for supreme goodness he redeemed man with his most precious blood and fed the redeemed; through which also, at the end of the world, bestowing supreme mercy, he will free them from all misery, so that through Christ all the elect may be sons of the Most High Father, in whom there will be the whole consummation of piety, both of God toward us and, conversely, of us toward God.
Insofar as faith dictates that God is to be thought of in the highest way, not only does Sacred Scripture bear witness to it, but every creature as well, according to what Augustine says in the fifteenth book on the Trinity, chapter four:6 « For not only does the authority of the divine books proclaim that there is a God, but the whole nature of things itself that surrounds us, to which we also belong, proclaims that it has a most excellent Creator, who gave us a natural mind and reason, by which we judge living things to be preferred to non-living, things endowed with sense to things without sense, things endowed with understanding to things without understanding, immortal things to mortal, powerful things to powerless, just things to unjust, beautiful things to deformed, good things to evil, incorruptible things to corruptible, immutable things to mutable, invisible things to visible, incorporeal things to corporeal, blessed things to miserable. And hence, since without doubt we place the Creator before created things, we must confess that he both lives supremely and senses and understands all things, and cannot die, be corrupted, or changed, nor is he a body, but a most omnipotent, most just, most beautiful, best, and most blessed spirit. » — Behold, these twelve include the highest nobilities of the divine being. But afterward, as he himself shows,7 these twelve are reduced to three, namely, eternity, wisdom, and blessedness; and these three to one, namely, wisdom, in which are included the generating mind, the Word as offspring, and the love joining both, in which faith dictates that the most blessed Trinity consists. And since supreme wisdom posits the Trinity, it nonetheless also posits all the noblest conditions previously mentioned, namely, unity, simplicity, and the others that follow; it is necessary that all the aforesaid nobilities of the divine being stand together with the most blessed Trinity.
Caput III: De istius fidei intelligentia sana.
For the sound understanding of this faith, sacred doctrine teaches that in divine reality there are two emanations, three hypostases, four relations, five notions, and from these only three personal properties.1
The reason, however, for understanding the things stated above is this: since the first and highest principle, by this very fact that it is first, is most simple; by this very fact that it is highest, is most perfect: therefore it communicates itself most perfectly, because it is most perfect; and it preserves complete indivision, by this very fact that it is most simple: and therefore, with the unity of nature preserved, there are in it modes of emanating perfectly.2 Now, the modes of emanating perfectly are only two, namely, by way of nature and of will. The first is generation, the second spiration or procession, and therefore these are present there.
And because two substantializing emanations necessarily require two hypostases to emanate, it is also necessary to posit that the hypostasis which first produces does not emanate from another, lest there be an infinite regress: therefore there are three hypostases there.3
And because a twofold relative relation corresponds to each emanation, therefore there are four relations there, namely, paternity, filiation, spiration, and procession.
But through these relations the divine hypostases become known to us; and besides this, that hypostasis also in which is the first reason of originating becomes known, because it is not produced—for this is nobility in it—therefore there are five notions, namely, the four aforesaid relations together with innascibility.
And because each of the persons has one property by which it is principally known, therefore there are only three personal properties, which are properly and principally expressed by these names, namely, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
For since it is proper to the Father to be innascible or unbegotten, to be a principle not from a principle, and to be Father, innascibility makes him known by way of negation, although consequently by way of position, because innascibility posits in the Father a fountain-like fullness; principle not from a principle, by way of position with negation; to be Father, by way of position and relation, properly, completely, and determinately.4
Similarly, since the Son is image, word, and son; image names that person as an expressed likeness; word, as an expressive likeness; son, as a hypostatic likeness; again, image, as a conformed likeness; word, as an intellectual likeness; son, as a connatural likeness.5
In this way, since it is proper to the Holy Spirit to be gift, to be the bond or charity of both, and also to be Holy Spirit; gift names him as a voluntary gift; charity or bond, as a voluntary and eminent gift; Holy Spirit, as a voluntary, eminent, and hypostatic gift.6 — Hence it is that through these three names, which are Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the personal properties of the three persons are intimated. — These things, then, are to be held for a sound understanding of the faith of the Trinity.
Caput IV: De istius fidei expressione catholica.
For the catholic expression of this faith also, it is to be held according to the teachings of the holy Doctors that in God there are two modes of predicating, namely by mode of substance and of relation; three modes of suppositing, namely of essence, of person and of notion; four modes of signifying substance, namely by the name of essence, of substance, of person and of hypostasis; five modes of saying, namely who, which, which, that which, and what; and three modes of differing, namely according to different mode of existing, according to different mode of bearing oneself, and according to different mode of understanding.1
The reason of the aforesaid is this: because, since the first principle is at once most perfect and most simple, all things that are of perfection are said of it properly and truly; but things that are of imperfection are either not said, or if said, are said according to the assumption of human nature, or transferentially. Since therefore there are ten predicaments, namely substance, quantity, relation, quality, action, passion, where, when, site and having;2 the last five properly regard corporeal or mutable things; therefore they are not attributed to God except in a transferred and figurative mode. But the other five preceding are attributed to God, according to that which they bespeak of completion, yet so that they do not impede divine simplicity. All these predicaments, therefore, are the very thing which is that of which they are predicated; and thus by comparison to the subject in which they are, all are said to pass over into substance, relation alone excepted; which, since it has a twofold comparison, namely as to the subject in which, and as to the term to which, in the first mode passes over, lest it make composition, in the second mode remains, that it may make distinction. And hence it is that "substance contains unity, and relation multiplies trinity";3 and therefore there remain there only these two different modes of predicating. — Of which such a rule is given: that things said according to substance are said of all both singly and together and singularly; but things according to relation are either not said of all, or if of several, plurally, as related, distinct, like, equal, on account of intrinsic relation. But the name of trinity comprehends both.
And since there can be several relations in one person,4 as there are several persons in one nature; therefore distinction in notion does not infer diversification of person, nor distinction of person pluralification of nature. And therefore not whatever befits the essence befits the notion or person, nor conversely. And hence it is that there are there three modes of suppositing; of which such a rule is customarily given: with essence supposed, neither notion nor person is supposed; and with notion supposed, neither essence nor person is supposed; and with person supposed, neither essence nor notion is supposed, as is clear through examples.5
And since true distinction is in the supposits of substance, with essence remaining one; therefore it is necessary that substance be signified there manifoldly, namely as communicable and incommunicable. As communicable, by mode of abstraction through the name of essence, and by mode of concretion through the name of substance; but as incommunicable, either as distinguishable through the name of hypostasis, or as distinguished through the name of person. — Or otherwise, namely as distinguished anyhow, and thus hypostasis; or notably and perfectly, and thus person. — Examples of these four are in the creature: humanity, man, some man, Peter; the first bespeaks essence, the second substance, the third hypostasis, and the fourth person.6
And because in the person which is distinguished, not only he who is distinguished is to be considered, but also that by which he is distinguished; and this is the property or notion: therefore it is necessary that in God there be five modes of saying and likewise of asking, namely who, by reason of person; which, by reason of hypostasis, because it bespeaks the supposit of substance indistinctly;7 what, by reason of notion; that which, by reason of substance; what or whereby, by reason of essence.
And since all these modes are rooted in unity of essence, because whatever is in God is God himself one and alone; therefore they do not posit difference there, neither according to essence nor according to being. And therefore there are there only three modes of differing, namely according to modes of being or emanating, as person differs from person; according to modes of bearing oneself, as person and essence differ — because one person is referred to another, and therefore is distinguished, but essence is not referred to another, and therefore is not distinguished8 — according to modes also of understanding, as one substantial property differs from another, as goodness and wisdom. — The first difference is the greatest that can be found in God; for it is in supposits, so that one is not said of another. — The second difference is lesser, because it is in attributes; for although one can be said of another, as person of essence, yet something is said of one which is not said of the other, as: person is distinguished and referred, but essence is not. — But the third difference is least, because it is in connoteds. For although one is said of another mutually, and the same can be said of both;9 yet the same is not connoted on both sides, nor through the same is each given to be understood. — From the first mode of differing arises plurality of persons; from the second mode plurality of substantial and relative predications; from the third plurality of essential properties and notions, whether from eternity or from time; whether properly or transferentially; whether commonly or appropriatively.10 Manifest examples of what is said. — With these understood, it is clear enough both what is to be thought and how to speak of the highest trinity of the divine persons.
Caput V: De unitate divinae naturae in multiformitate apparitionum.
Second, concerning the plurality of apparitions, divine doctrine teaches that this is to be held: although God is uncircumscribable, invisible, and immutable, nevertheless he dwells in a special way in holy men, appeared to the Patriarchs and Prophets, descended from heaven, and also sent the Son and the Holy Spirit for the salvation of the human race. — And although in God the nature, power, and operation of the Trinity are undivided, the mission or apparition of one person is nevertheless not the mission or apparition of another. Although there is also supreme equality there, yet it belongs to the Father alone to send and not to be sent; it belongs to the Holy Spirit only to be sent with respect to the divine persons, unless perhaps he is said to send the assumed man; but it belongs to the Son to send and to be sent, as can be gathered from the Scriptures.1
The understanding and reason of the aforesaid is this: although the first principle is immense and uncircumscribable, incorporeal and invisible, eternal and immutable, yet it is the principle of spiritual and corporeal things, of natural and gratuitous things, and thereby also of mutable, sensible, and circumscribed things, through which, although he himself is immutable, insensible, and uncircumscribable, he renders himself manifest and known. He renders himself manifest and known generally through the totality of his effects emanating from him, in which he is said to exist by essence, power, and presence, which extends to all created things.2 — He also renders himself specially known through certain effects that lead especially to him, by reason of which he is said to dwell, to appear, to descend, to be sent, and to send.3 — For to dwell signifies a spiritual effect with acceptance, as is the effect of grace that makes one pleasing, which is deiform, leads us back to God, causes us to possess God and God to be possessed by us, and thereby also to have him dwell in us.4 And because the effect of grace is common to all persons, therefore one person does not dwell within us without another; indeed, the whole Trinity dwells there together.5
But to appear signifies a sensible effect with express signification, as the Holy Spirit appeared in a dove. And since, just as the divine persons are distinct, so they can be distinctly signified both by signs and by names, therefore each person can appear by itself, and apparition can belong to all, either together or to each individually. Hence, the fact that the Holy Spirit is said to have appeared in fiery tongues and in a dove is not on account of a new bond or special effect, but on account of the union between the thing signified and the sign assigned to it in a special way, both as to mode and origin.6
To descend signifies either of the aforesaid effects with inception. For God is always present to the most blessed Angels in heaven, because he always dwells and appears in them. But to sinners on earth he is at present as absent both with respect to grace and with respect to knowledge; and therefore, when he begins to appear or dwell, from being present in heaven and as it were absent from us he becomes present on earth: and therefore, although he is not changed in himself, he is nevertheless said to descend with respect to us.7
To be sent signifies the aforesaid effects with eternal production. For then the Father sends the Son, when, making him present to us through knowledge or grace, he intimates that he proceeds from him. And because the Father proceeds from no one, therefore he is nowhere said to be sent.8 Because the Son both produces and is produced, therefore he sends and is sent. Because the Holy Spirit is eternally produced, but produces only in time, therefore it properly belongs to him to be sent, while to send belongs to him only with respect to the creature. — From this it appears that these expressions are improper and must be explained: the Holy Spirit sends himself; the Holy Spirit sends the Son; the Son sends himself, unless it is understood: insofar as he was born of the Virgin. — It is also clear why sending and being sent do not belong to all: because, although it signifies an effect in the creature, it nevertheless signifies an intrinsic relation, such that sending signifies authority, being sent subordinate authority, by reason of eternal production internally implied.
Caput VI: De unitate divinae naturae in multiplicitate appropriatorum.
Third, concerning the plurality of appropriated attributes, Sacred Scripture teaches that this is to be held: although all essential attributes belong equally and without distinction to all the persons, nevertheless unity is said to be appropriated to the Father, truth to the Son, and goodness to the Holy Spirit. — On this basis Hilary’s second appropriation is taken,1 namely, « eternity in the Father, beauty in the Image, use in the Gift ». — On this basis the third is taken, namely
in the Father, the principle of originating; in the Son, the principle of exemplifying; in the Holy Spirit, the principle of bringing to an end. — On this basis the fourth is taken, namely, omnipotence to the Father, omniscience to the Son, will or benevolence to the Holy Spirit. — These are said to be appropriated, not because they become proper, since they are always common, but because they lead to the understanding and knowledge of what is proper, namely, of the three persons.
Now the understanding and reason of the foregoing is this. For since the first principle is most noble and most perfect, the noblest and most general conditions of being are therefore found in it in the highest degree. These are unity, truth, and goodness, which do not contract being according to supposits but according to an intelligible account. For unity names being as countable, and it has this through the indivision of itself in itself; truth, insofar as knowable, and it has this through the indivision of itself from its proper species; goodness, insofar as communicable, and it has this through the indivision of itself from its proper operation.2
And because this threefold indivision is ordered with respect to the mode of understanding, such that truth presupposes unity, and goodness presupposes unity and truth, it follows that these are attributed to the first principle in the highest degree because they are perfect and general, and are appropriated to the three persons because they are ordered; and thus supreme unity is appropriated to the Father, who is the origin of the persons; supreme truth to the Son, who is from the Father as Word; supreme goodness to the Holy Spirit, who is from both as love and gift.
And because supreme unity is supreme firstness, since it lacks every beginning; and because supreme truth is supreme equality and beauty; and because supreme goodness is supremely useful and profitable, there arises Hilary’s second appropriation, which is eternity in the Father, because it has no beginning but is altogether first; beauty in the Image, that is, in the Word, because supremely beautiful; use in the Gift, that is, in the Holy Spirit, because supremely profitable and communicative. Augustine intimates this in other words:3 « In the Father, unity; in the Son, equality; in the Holy Spirit, the harmony of unity and equality ».
Again, because supreme unity and firstness have the character of originating and giving rise; supreme beauty and comeliness have the character of expressing and exemplifying; supreme profitability and goodness have the character of bringing to an end, because « good and end are the same »:4 there arises the third reason for appropriating efficient causality to the Father, exemplarity to the Son, and finality to the Holy Spirit.
Again, because all power flows from the first and highest principle, all knowing from the first and highest exemplar, and all willing tends toward the highest end,5 it is therefore necessary that the first be supremely omnipotent, supremely wise, and supremely benevolent. But the first and highest unity, returning upon itself with a complete and perfect return, is supremely powerful; likewise truth is supremely wise, and goodness supremely benevolent. These are appropriated because they indicate order. For will makes cognition antecedently intelligible, and will and cognition presuppose power and virtue, because « being able to know is being able to do something ».6
From these points it is clear what the appropriated attributes are, to whom they are appropriated, and for what reason. These last, however—namely, power, wisdom, and will—are especially those through which the supreme Trinity is praised in the Scriptures. And therefore something must be said briefly and summarily about them.
Caput VII: De omnipotentia Dei.
Concerning the omnipotence of God, these things are to be held according to sacred doctrine: that God is omnipotent, yet so that culpable acts are not attributed to him, as to lie and to will evil; nor penal acts, as to fear and to grieve; nor corporeal or material acts, as to sleep and to walk, unless perchance transferentially; nor unfitting acts, as to be able to make one greater than himself, or another God equal to himself, or one infinite in act, and the like: "because, as Anselm says,1 whatever is unfitting, even the least, is impossible with God." But although he cannot do these, yet he is omnipotent truly, properly and perfectly.
The understanding and reason of the aforesaid is this: because the first principle is powerful with a power that is power simply; and therefore the distribution added to it distributes for those things for which to be able is to be able simply.2 But these are things that go forth from complete and ordered power. — But I call complete the power that cannot fail nor succumb nor be in need. But power fails in sinning, succumbs in suffering, includes neediness in corporeal actions. But divine power, because it is highest and most perfect power, therefore is neither from nothing nor under anything nor needs anything else, and thereby can do neither culpable nor penal nor material things; and this, because as omnipotent it is complete power.
But ordered power can be said in three ways: either according to act, or according to aptitude on the part of the creature, or according to aptitude on the part of uncreated virtue alone.3 What is possible to power said in the first way is not only possible but also actual; what in the second way and not the first is possible simply, though not actual; but what in the third way, not the first or second, is possible to God but impossible to the creature. But what is possible in none of the aforesaid ways, as that which directly contradicts order according to the primordial and eternal reasons and causes4 is simply impossible: as that God make something infinite in act, that he at once make something be and in no way be, that he make what was, not to have been, and other such things; to be able to do which is against the order and complement of divine power. — From this it is clear with respect to what divine power holds; it is also clear what must be called simply possible, and what simply impossible, and that the impossibility of some things stands together with true omnipotence.
Caput VIII: De Dei sapientia, praedestinatione et praescientia.
Concerning the wisdom of God, moreover, these things are to be held: that divine wisdom itself knows most limpidly all good and evil, past, present, and future, actual and possible, and thereby things incomprehensible to us and infinite; yet in such a way that it is in no way diversified in itself, although it receives diverse names. — Insofar as it is cognizant of all possibles, it is called knowledge or cognition; insofar as it is cognizant of all that comes about in the universe, it is called vision; insofar as it is cognizant of all that is done well, it is called approval; insofar as it is cognizant of what is future, it is called foreknowledge or foresight; insofar as it is cognizant of what is to be done by God himself, it is called disposition:1 insofar as it is cognizant of what is to be rewarded, it is called predestination; but insofar as it is cognizant of what is to be damned, it is called reprobation.
And because it is not only cognizant but is also the reason for knowing, therefore, insofar as it is the reason for knowing all things known, it is called light; insofar as it is the reason for knowing things seen and approved, it is called mirror; insofar as it is the reason for knowing things foreseen and disposed, it is called exemplar; but insofar as it is the reason for knowing things predestined and reprobated, it is called the book of life. — The book of life, therefore, is with respect to things as returning; the exemplar, as going forth; the mirror, as proceeding; but light with respect to all.2 — To exemplar pertain idea, word, art, and reason: idea, according to the act of foreseeing; word, according to the act of proposing; art, according to the act of pursuing; reason, according to the act of perfecting, because it adds the intention of the end. — But because all these are one in God, one is therefore frequently taken for another.
And although divine wisdom receives diverse names by reason of the diversity of things known and connoted, it is nevertheless not diversified according to its intrinsic character. For it knows contingent things infallibly, mutable things immutably, future things presently, temporal things eternally, dependent things independently, created things in an uncreated way, and things other than itself in itself and through itself.3 — And since it knows contingent things infallibly, freedom and mutability of will stand together with predestination and foreknowledge.
The understanding and reason of the foregoing is this: since the first principle, by the very fact that it is first and highest, has knowledge at once most simple and most perfect: because it is most perfect, it knows all things most distinctly under all the conditions that things have or can have; and therefore it knows future things as future and present things as present; and it knows good things as to be approved, and evil things as to be reprobated: hence it receives diverse names, as was said above.4
But because perfection of wisdom stands together with supreme simplicity, hence it is that it knows everything other than itself in itself and through itself; from this follows the second, that it knows created things in an uncreated way; from this follows the third, that it knows dependents independently; from this arises the fourth, that it knows temporal things eternally; from this the fifth, that it knows future things presently; from this the sixth, that it knows mutable things immutably; from this the seventh, that it knows contingent things infallibly.5
And thus contingent things, remaining contingent, are altogether infallible to divine wisdom, both in contingent things subject to nature and in the freedom of the human will. — Hence whoever wishes to understand this truth, how the freedom of created will stands together with the infallibility of eternal predestination, should proceed by resolving from this last point through those seven degrees to the first: namely, that the first principle knows all things most perfectly through itself, which is the most certain truth; from this the other things stated above are infallibly concluded by reasoning.6
Just as the certainty of divine knowledge stands together with the contingency of known things, because divine wisdom is at once most simple and most perfect, so unity stands together with the multiformity of reasons and ideas for the same reason. For because it is most perfect, it knows most distinctly all universal and singular things and represents all of them most distinctly and perfectly; and therefore it is said to have reasons and ideas of singular things as likenesses most perfectly expressive of things. — But because it is most simple, all those likenesses are one in it. Hence, just as God by one power produces all things in time according to the complete integrity of things, so by one truth he expresses all things eternally. And just as there is in the Most High God one active operation according to the reality of the thing, yet several productions of things are called such by reason of the plurality of products, so there is one truth of one act of understanding in God; yet several likenesses, ideas, and reasons are called such by reason of the plurality of things ideated, whether existing, future, or possible. But these reasons or ideas, although they are one truth, light, and essence,7 are nevertheless not said to be one reason or idea. For reason or idea is spoken of as relative to another according to the manner of understanding. For it names the likeness of the thing known, which really belongs on the part of God, although according to the manner of understanding it seems to express something on the part of the thing ideated.8
But if a likeness of this is sought in a creature, it must be said that this is proper to that exemplar; because, as was said, it is at once simple, infinite, and most perfect, and once it is understood beforehand, the rest consequently become known. For because that exemplar is most simple and most perfect, it is therefore pure act; but because it is infinite and immense, it is therefore outside every genus.9 And hence it is that, being one in existence, it can be an expressive likeness of many.
Caput IX: De voluntate Dei et providentia.
Concerning the will of God, moreover, these things are to be held: that it is so right that in no way can it be bent aside; so efficacious that in no way can it be impeded; so one that nevertheless it can be signified in manifold ways.
For the divine will, which is the will of good pleasure, is signified through the will of sign according to five differences of signs, namely, precept, prohibition, counsel, fulfillment, and permission; according to these, whatever takes place in the universe is ordered by the will of good pleasure. « For the will of God is the first and highest cause of all species and motions. For nothing takes place visibly and sensibly in this exceedingly ample and immense republic of the whole of creation, which is not either commanded or permitted from the inner, invisible, and intelligible court of the highest Emperor, according to the ineffable justice of rewards and punishments, graces and retributions ».1
And because this will, regulated by reason, is called providence, hence it is that all things that take place in the universe are enacted and governed by divine providence, which is irreprehensible in all things, because it commands, prohibits, or counsels nothing except justly; it does nothing except well, and permits nothing unjustly.2
The understanding and reason of the aforesaid things is as follows. The first principle, since it is supremely noble, both has a will and has it in a noble mode. Since therefore will in itself signifies that according to which, in agents acting by purpose, the rule of rectitude and the efficacy of operation are considered, it is necessary that the will in God be most right and most efficacious: most right, because in God will and truth are the same; most efficacious, because in God will and virtue, or power, are altogether the same. — And because the divine will cannot lack truth, therefore it is not only right, but also the rule of rectitude. But because in no way can it lack virtue, therefore it is not only efficacious, but also the fountain and origin of all efficacy; so that nothing can be effected without it, nothing can be done against it, and there is nothing by which it can be impeded.3
And because it is most right, no one can be right unless he is conformed to it; but no one can be conformed to it unless that will becomes known to him: therefore it was necessary for the divine will to be made known to us as the rule of rectitude. Rectitude, however, is in one way a matter of necessity, and this consists in doing necessary good and declining evil; in another way it is a matter of perfection, and this consists in supererogating beyond what is owed; and according to this it is made known to us through a threefold sign, namely, precept, prohibition, and counsel. This signifies accepting the divine good pleasure as just: what is done according to the divine precept, what is declined according to the divine prohibition, and what is fulfilled according to the divine counsel. These signs are indeed infallible signs of the divine will insofar as it is the rule of rectitude.4
Again, because it is most efficacious, no one can effect anything unless it is operating and co-operating; no one can fail or sin unless it justly deserts.5 And according to this there are two signs of it, namely, fulfillment, which is the sign of the will as effecting; and permission, which is the sign of the will as justly deserting. It deserts justly, because it is just that it administer the things it founded in such a way as not to infringe the laws it imposed; and thus it co-operates with « the things it created, so as to let them perform their own motions »6 and therefore, if it lets free will, mutable toward either side, fall from the law of nature into evil, it permits this only justly.
Again, if through grace it anticipates and sustains, it does injury to none; therefore it does not act unjustly, nor altogether justly according to the exigency of merits, because merits do not suffice for this; but freely, mercifully, and in a certain way justly, insofar as this proceeds from the fittingness of its goodness. When therefore it damns and reprobates, it operates according to justice; but when it predestines, according to grace and mercy, which does not exclude justice.7 Because therefore all, insofar as they were of the mass of perdition, were liable to be damned, more are reprobated than chosen, so that it may be shown that salvation is according to special grace, but damnation according to common justice. No one therefore can complain about the divine will, because it does all things most rightly; indeed, in all things we must give thanks and honor the government of divine providence. — But if anyone asks why he lavishes the gift of grace on one sinner more than on another, here human loquacity must be silenced, and we must exclaim with the Apostle8: “O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How incomprehensible are his judgments and unsearchable his ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor, or who has first given to him, and it shall be repaid to him? For from him and through him and in him are all things. To him be glory forever and ever. Amen.”
Caput X: De productione mundi totalis.
With these things concerning the Trinity of God briefly understood beforehand, some things must be said about the creation of the world. Concerning it, these points are to be held in summary: namely, that the whole structure of the world was brought into being in time and from nothing by one first, sole, and highest principle; whose power, although immense, nevertheless disposed all things with a determinate weight, number, and measure.1 — These things are to be understood generally concerning the production of things, from which truth is gathered and error rejected. For by the fact that it is said to be in time, the error of those who posit an eternal world is excluded. By the fact that it is said to be from nothing, the error of those who posit eternity concerning the material principle is excluded. By the fact that it is said to be from one principle, the error of the Manichaeans, who posit a plurality of principles, is excluded. By the fact that it is said to be by a sole and highest principle, the error of those who posit that God produced lower creatures through the ministry of intelligences is excluded. But by the addition of “with a determinate weight, number, and measure,” it is shown that the creature is the effect of the creating Trinity under a threefold kind of causality: efficient, from which the creature has unity, mode, and measure; exemplar, from which it has truth, species, and number; final, from which it has goodness, order, and weight. These are indeed found in all creatures as a vestige of the Creator, whether corporeal, spiritual, or composed of both.
The reason for understanding the foregoing is this: in order that there be perfect order and stability in things, all must be reduced to one principle, which must be first, so that it may give stability to the rest; and most perfect, so that it may give completion to all the rest.2 Since therefore the first principle, in which stability resides, can be only one alone, if it produces the world, since it cannot produce it from itself, it must produce it from nothing. And because production from nothing posits being after non-being on the part of the product, and immensity in the producing power on the part of the principle, since this belongs to God alone, it is necessary that the creation of the world be produced in time by that immense power itself, acting through itself and immediately.
Again, since the most perfect principle, from which the perfection of all things flows, must act from itself, according to itself, and for itself — because in acting it needs nothing outside itself — it must have, with respect to every creature, the intention of a threefold cause, namely, efficient, exemplar, and final; it is also necessary that every creature be related to the first cause according to this threefold relation. For every creature is brought into being by the efficient cause, conformed to the exemplar, and ordered to the end; and by this it is one, true, and good; modified, beautiful, and ordered; measured, distinct, and weighed; for weight is an ordering inclination.3 — And these things have been said generally about every creature, whether corporeal, incorporeal, or composed of both, as human nature is.
Caput XI: De natura corporali quantum ad fieri.
But corporeal nature must be considered by us with respect to becoming, with respect to being, and with respect to operating.1
Concerning corporeal nature with respect to becoming, these things are especially to be held: that it was brought into being in six days, so that in the beginning, before every day, God created heaven and earth.2 — But on the first day light was formed; on the second the firmament was made in the midst of the waters; on the third day the waters were separated from the earth and gathered into one place; but on the fourth day heaven was adorned with luminaries; on the fifth, air and water with flying things and fishes; on the sixth day, earth with animals and men; on the seventh day God rested, not from labor nor from work, since until now he works, but from the founding of new species; because he had made all things either in a likeness, as those that are propagated, or in seminal reason, as those that are brought into being in other modes.
The reason for understanding the aforesaid is this. For since things flow from the first and most perfect principle; and such a principle is most omnipotent, most wise, and most benevolent: therefore it was fitting that they should be brought into being in such a way that in their production the aforesaid threefold nobility and excellence might shine forth. And therefore the divine operation for producing the worldly frame was threefold, namely, creation, which is appropriated to omnipotence; distinction, which corresponds to wisdom; and adornment, which corresponds to the most lavish goodness.
And since creation is from nothing, therefore it took place in the beginning, before every day, as the foundation of all things and times.3
Again, because the distinction of the bodies of the world is considered according to a threefold mode, therefore it was made through three days. For there is a distinction of luminous nature from transparent and opaque nature, and this was made on the first day in the division of light from darkness; and there is a distinction of transparent nature from transparent nature, and this was made on the second day in the division of the waters from the waters; and there is a distinction of transparent nature from opaque nature, and this was made on the third day in the division of the waters from the lands. In these, moreover, the distinction of celestial and elemental things is implicitly given to be understood, as will be declared afterwards.4 Thus, therefore, distinction had to be made through three days.
And because adornment corresponds to distinction, therefore likewise it had to be consummated in three days. For there is an adornment of luminous nature, and this was made on the fourth day in the formation of the stars, sun, and moon; and there is an adornment of transparent nature, and this was made on the fifth day, on which fishes and birds were made from the waters for the adornment of water and air; and there is also an adornment of opaque nature, namely, earth, and this was made on the sixth day, on which beasts were made, reptiles were also made, and human nature was likewise made for the consummation of all.5
But all these things, although God could have made them in an instant, he nevertheless preferred to make them through a succession of times: both for the distinct and clear representation of power, wisdom, and goodness; both for the fitting correspondence of days or times and operations; and also so that, just as in the first founding of the world the seminal principles of works to be done had to come about, so there might also come about prefigurations of future times. — Hence, in those seven days, the distinction of all times, which are unfolded through the course of the seven ages, preceded as it were seminally.6 And hence it is that to the six days of works is added the seventh, of rest; which day is not written to have evening, not because that day had no succeeding night, but to prefigure the rest of souls, which shall never have an end. — But if it were said in another way, that all things were made at once,7 then all these seven days are referred to angelic consideration. Yet the first mode of saying is more consonant with Scripture and the authorities of the Saints, both those who preceded and those who followed blessed Augustine.