Chapter 033 - Of the Divine Persons Severally, and First of the Person of the Father

The Father is called the Principle, because from Him the Son and Holy Spirit proceed; for a principle is that from which something proceeds. "Principle" is a more general term than "Cause," which has been seen to imply diversity of substance and the dependence of one upon another; for which reason the Latin Doctors do not use the word Cause, but Principle, which implies no such difference, but a distinction in the nature of order only.

Now paternity is that which distinguishes a father from all other, hence the name proper to God the Father is "Father"; for that by which one Person is distinguished from others is His proper name.

And the Father is said to be First in the Divinity Personally rather than Essentially: for, in every order, that is called first in which in the entire conception is perfectly recognized, rather than that in which it is recognized relatively to something else. Thus Paternity is said to exist first in the Divinity, according as it signifies relation of Person to Person, rather than as expressing the relation of God to creatures. For in God the Father and God the Son we find that perfect conception of Paternity and Filiation which, between God and creatures, exists only by participation and a certain similitude, but which approaches more nearly to the true conception in proportion to the perfection of the creature. Thus we find vestiges in the irrational creature; likeness in the rational; a further likeness by Grace in the adopted; and by Glory in the Blessed. And as we recognize the name "lion" in the animal in which the entire conception of a lion is found, rather than in a brave man, so the name of Father is given in the Divinity, where there is Relation of Person to Person having the same nature, rather than to the relation which exists between creatures and God. It is proper to the Father to be Unbegotten, because He is the Principle not from the Principle; while, as there is no before or after in God, the Son is the Principle from the Principle, And since, in the creature, the first principle is manifested in one way by relation to that which is outside itself, and in another by relation to that which is not without, in like manner the Father is made known by Paternity and common Spiration in regard of the Persons proceeding from Him; while that He is the Principle not from the Principle, because not from any other, belongs to His property of Ingenerability.