Chapter 032 - Our Knowledge of the Divine Persons

It is impossible to arrive at a knowledge of the Trinity by our natural understanding {i.e. by reasoning). By natural reason we may, indeed, know God through creation, as He is the Source of being to all things; but this pertains to Unity of Essence, not to distinction of Persons; and to endeavour to prove the latter by natural reason would be derogatory to the dignity of Faith, which deals with things invisible, or transcending the power of reason. If unbelievers scoff at our asserting what cannot be fully proved, it is sufficient to defend what Faith declares, as not being impossible; but we speak wisdom among the perfect.

Abstract notions are to be admitted in the Divinity; for it is necessary that not only Essential Names should be expressed both in the abstract and in the concrete, but Personal ones also. To this we are obliged, first, by unbelievers; for as we confess the Father, Son and Holy Ghost to be One God and Three Persons, it is not enough to answer those who inquire how God can be One and also Three, by affirming that Deity and Essence are one, unless we have abstract terms to express the distinction of Persons also. And in the Divinity, Essence corresponds to what, Person to who, and abstract notions to how.

It is necessary, secondly, because one Divine Person is found to be referred to two - i.e. the Person of the Father to those of the Son and Holy Ghost - by different Relations. For, if by the same Relation, it would follow that the Son and Holy Ghost were the same, and referred to the Father by the same Relation; and since Relation only multiplies the Trinity in the Divinity, They would not constitute two Persons. It is necessary, therefore, that two Relations be understood in the Father, by which He is referred respectively to the Son and to the Holy Ghost, corresponding to the two Relations by which They are referred to the Father; and since there is only one Person of the Father, it is needful to formulate Relations in themselves abstract, which are called Properties or Abstract Notions.

Some hold a contrary opinion about these notions without any danger of heresy, because they do not understand thereby anything contrary to faith; but if any one were to hold the erroneous opinion that abstract notions lead to something contrary to faith, he would fall into heresy. For some things belong directly to the Faith, as being articles divinely handed down to us; - such are, that God is One, and that the Son became Incarnate; - concerning which a false opinion leads to heresy. But those things which lead to conclusions contrary to faith belong to the Faith indirectly; as, for instance, the opinion that Samuel was not the son of Helcana, whence it would follow that Scripture contains something false. About such, one may hold a false opinion without danger of heresy before it has been considered and determined that a conclusion contrary to faith follows therefrom; but after the decision of the Church, or such conclusion, it could not be held without heresy; hence many are now reputed heretics who formerly were not, on account of the recent decision of the Church; and the same may be said regarding abstract notions.