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Dist. 24, Divisio Textus

Book I: On the Mystery of the Trinity · Distinction 24

Textus Latinus
p. 419

DIVISIO TEXTUS.

Supra excepit1 Magister hoc nomen persona a generali regula nominum substantialium, ostendens quod dicendum est tres personae, non tres essentiae vel tres substantiae. Hic incipit secunda pars, in qua determinat, quid significetur, cum dicitur tres personae; et haec pars habet duas partes. In prima ostendit, quid significetur2 per dictionem numeralem; in secunda, quid significetur per hoc nomen persona, infra distinctione vigesima quinta: Praeterea considerandum est, cum hoc nomen persona, ut praedictum est.

Prima iterum pars habet duas: in prima quaerit et solvit generaliter; in secunda solutionem suam adaptat nominibus distinctivis in speciali, ibi: Cum enim dicitur unus Deus. Et haec secunda pars habet quatuor partes. In prima parte determinat, quid significent unus et plures; in secunda quid significent duo et tres, ibi: Ita etiam, cum dicimus tres personas nomine ternarii; in tertia, quid significent discretus et distinctus3, ibi: Cum autem dicimus: distinctae sunt personae; in quarta, quid significent trinitas et trinus, ibi: Cum ergo dicitur trinitas etc.

TRACTATIO QUAESTIONUM.

Ad intelligentiam eorum, quae dicuntur in praesenti distinctione, est quaestio de terminis numeralibus, qualiter accipiantur in divinis. Et circa hoc quaeruntur principaliter tria.

Primo quaeritur de termino4 numerali et partitivo, sicut est hoc nomen unus.

Secundo, de termino simpliciter numerali, sicut est hoc nomen tres.

Tertio, de nomine complectente utrumque, sicut hoc nomen trinus.

Et quantum ad primum duo quaeruntur.

Primo quaeritur, utrum hoc nomen unus dicatur positive, vel privative in divinis.

Secundo, utrum dicatur secundum substantiam, vel secundum relationem.

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English Translation

DIVISION OF THE TEXT.

Above the Master excepted1 this name person from the general rule of substantial names, showing that it must be said three persons, not three essences or three substances. Here begins the second part, in which he determines what is signified when three persons is said; and this part has two parts. In the first he shows what is signified2 by a numerical word; in the second, what is signified by this name person, below in the twenty-fifth distinction: Furthermore it must be considered, since this name person, as has been said before.

The first part again has two: in the first he inquires and resolves in general; in the second he adapts his solution to the distinctive names in particular, there: For when it is said one God. And this second part has four parts. In the first part he determines what one and many signify; in the second what two and three signify, there: Likewise also, when we say three persons by the name of the ternary; in the third, what discrete and distinct3 signify, there: But when we say: the persons are distinct; in the fourth, what trinity and triune signify, there: When therefore it is said trinity etc.

TREATMENT OF THE QUESTIONS.

For the understanding of those things which are said in the present distinction, there is a question concerning numerical terms, how they are taken in the divine. And concerning this three things are principally asked.

First it is asked concerning the numerical and partitive term4, such as this name one.

Secondly, concerning the simply numerical term, such as this name three.

Thirdly, concerning the name embracing both, such as this name triune.

And as to the first, two questions are asked.

First it is asked whether this name one is said positively, or privatively, in the divine.

Secondly, whether it is said according to substance, or according to relation.

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Apparatus Criticus
  1. Vat. sola excipit. Mox plurimi codd. cum ed. 1 generalium pro substantialium, sed hoc minus respondet verbis Magistri, d. praeced. c. 1. Paulo infra Vat. cum uno alterove codice post vel addit tres dii vel.
    The Vatican edition alone reads excipit ("excepts"). Soon after, very many codices with edition 1 read generalium ("of general") in place of substantialium ("of substantial"), but this less corresponds to the Master's words, preceding distinction, c. 1. A little below, the Vatican edition with one or another codex adds after vel the words tres dii vel ("three gods or").
  2. In Vat., fere omnibus mss. et ed. 1 dissentientibus, additur per nomen numerale sive.
    In the Vatican edition, with nearly all manuscripts and edition 1 dissenting, the words per nomen numerale sive ("through a numerical name or") are added.
  3. Vat. perperam cum aliquibus mss. distinctis. Mox post haec fide plurimorum mss. et ed. 1 adiecimus secunda, quo vocabulo lectio distinctior redditur. In subnexis propositionibus Vat. cum paucis codd. pro significent bis ponit significetur addito per, et tertia vice significet.
    The Vatican edition wrongly, with some manuscripts, reads distinctis. Soon after this, on the witness of very many manuscripts and edition 1 we have added secunda ("second"), by which word the reading is rendered more distinct. In the appended propositions the Vatican edition, with a few codices, in place of significent twice puts significetur with per added, and the third time significet.
  4. Cod. bb termino. Inferius post sicut ed. 1 addit est.
    Codex bb reads termino ("by the term"). Below, after sicut edition 1 adds est ("is").
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