Dist. 8, Part 2, Divisio Textus
Book I: On the Mystery of the Trinity · Distinction 8
## COMMENTARIUS IN DISTINCTIONEM VIII
Pars II.
De simplicitate Dei.
Eademque sola proprie ac vere simplex est etc.
TEXTUM MAGISTRI VIDE SUPRA P. 147.
DIVISIO TEXTUS1
Supra ostendit Magister duas proprietates divinae essentiae, scilicet veritatem et incommutabilitatem; hic ostendit simplicitatem divinae essentiae vel naturae. Et habet haec pars tres partes. In prima ostendit, quod proprie est simplex; in secunda, quod vere, ibi: Hic diligenter notandum est, cum dicat
Augustinus etc. In tertia, quod summe, ibi: Huius autem sinceritatis et simplicitatis.
Prima iterum pars habet tres partes. Primo proponit, quod proprie est simplex; secundo ostendit, quod non convenit naturae corporali, ibi: Ut autem scias, quomodo simplex etc. In tertia, quod non convenit naturae spirituali, ibi: Creatura quoque spiritualis etc.2
Similiter pars, in qua ostendit, quod est vere simplex, habet tres partes. In prima ostendit, quod in Deo est pure3 multiplicitas nominum; in secunda ostendit, quod in eo non est diversitas praedicamentorum, ibi: Quod autem in natura divinitatis nulla sit accidentium etc. In tertia concludit, quod nomina praedicamentorum in divinis non possunt dici proprie, et etiam nomen primi praedicamenti, ibi: Unde nec proprie dicitur substantia.
Similiter pars, in qua ostendit, quod est summe simplex, habet tres. Primo enim ostendit, quod tanta est ibi simplicitas, quod nulla est ibi rerum diversitas; secundo, quod cum hac simplicitate stat personarum pluralitas, ibi: Et cum tantae simplicitatis etc. Tertio vero et ultimo epilogat, quod ostensa est in divina essentia triplex proprietas, ibi: Ecce quanta identitas.
TRACTATIO QUAESTIONUM
Ad intelligentiam eorum quae dicit Magister in littera, quatuor quaeruntur in parte ista.
Primo quaeritur, utrum in Deo sit summa simplicitas.
Secundo, utrum simplicitas sit Dei proprietas.
Tertio, propter illud quod dicitur in littera de anima rationali, quaeritur, utrum anima rationalis sit in toto corpore, ita quod in qualibet parte.
Quarto quaeritur, utrum Deus sit in aliquo determinato genere.
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## COMMENTARY ON DISTINCTION VIII
Part II.
On the Simplicity of God.
And the same alone is properly and truly simple, etc.
FOR THE TEXT OF THE MASTER SEE ABOVE, P. 147.
DIVISION OF THE TEXT1
Above the Master showed two properties of the divine essence, namely truth and incommutability; here he shows the simplicity of the divine essence or nature. And this part has three parts. In the first he shows that [God] is properly simple; in the second, that [he is] truly [simple], there: Here it is to be diligently noted, since
Augustine says, etc. In the third, that [he is] supremely [simple], there: But of this purity and simplicity.
The first part again has three parts. First he proposes that [God] is properly simple; secondly he shows that [this] does not befit corporeal nature, there: But that you may know how [God is] simple, etc. In the third [part], that [it] does not befit spiritual nature, there: Also a spiritual creature, etc.2
Likewise the part in which he shows that [God] is truly simple has three parts. In the first he shows that in God there is purely3 a multiplicity of names; in the second he shows that in him there is no diversity of categories, there: But that in the nature of divinity there is no [diversity] of accidents, etc. In the third he concludes that the names of the categories cannot properly be said in divine matters, and likewise the name of the first category, there: Whence neither is "substance" properly said.
Likewise the part in which he shows that [God] is supremely simple has three [parts]. For first he shows that so great is the simplicity there, that there is no diversity of things there; secondly, that with this simplicity there stands a plurality of persons, there: And since of so great a simplicity, etc. Third and last, he sums up that a threefold property has been shown in the divine essence, there: Behold how great an identity.
TREATMENT OF THE QUESTIONS
For the understanding of the things which the Master says in the text, four [questions] are asked in this part.
First it is asked whether in God there is supreme simplicity.
Second, whether simplicity is a property of God.
Third, on account of what is said in the text concerning the rational soul, it is asked whether the rational soul is in the whole body, in such a way that [it is] in each part.
Fourth it is asked whether God is in any determinate genus.
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- In hac distinctione divisio textus partis II. in codd. hoc loco ponitur, dum alibi coniungitur cum divisione partis I. Cfr. ultima verba in divisione partis I. p. 150.In this distinction the division of the text of Part II is placed in the codices at this point, while elsewhere it is joined with the division of Part I. Cf. the last words in the division of Part I, p. 150.
- Aliqui codd., ut I Z, illud pro ideo; ed. 1 cum uno alterove cod., ut W, illud ideo.Some codices, such as I Z, [read] illud in place of ideo; ed. 1 together with one or another codex, such as W, [reads] illud ideo.
- pure — i.e. plurima sive pluralitas; lectio codd. ambigua.pure — i.e. plurima or pluralitas; the reading of the codices is ambiguous.