Dist. 1, Part 1, Divisio Textus
Book II: On the Creation of Things · Distinction 1
COMMENTARIUS IN DISTINCTIONEM I.
Pars I.
De creatione humanae naturae quantum ad principium efficiens in generali.
Creationem rerum etc.
DIVISIO TEXTUS.
Unde liber iste secundus, qui incipit: Creationem rerum etc., dividitur in duas partes1. In prima agit de hominis conditione; in secunda de lapsu eius et tentatione, infra distinctione vigesima prima: Videns igitur diabolus etc. Prima pars habet duas; quia enim homo communicat cum
omnibus creaturis, et cetera facta sunt propter hominem, ideo primo agit de conditione rerum in generali, secundo vero in speciali, infra distinctione secunda: De angelica vero natura etc.
Prima pars habet duas. In prima determinat de conditione rerum quantum ad principium efficiens, in secunda vero quantum ad finem, ibi: Et quia non valet eius beatitudinis2 etc. Prima pars habet tres particulas. In prima proponit veritatem, quae exprimitur in Scripturae sacrae auctoritate. In secunda vero auctoritatem explanat, ibi: Creare est de nihilo3 etc. In tertia vero, quia per illam auctoritatem positiones erroneae eliduntur, concludit ultimo earum evacuationem, ibi: Horum ergo et similium errorum etc. Et quaelibet harum partium habet duas. In prima namque parte proponit auctoritatem veritatis; in secunda errorem Platonis, ibi: Plato namque etc. Similiter et secunda duas habet. In prima explanat auctoritatem et verba auctoritatis. In secunda ponit errorem Aristotelis, ibi: Aristoteles vero duo etc. Eodem modo tertia habet duas. Primo enim concludit errorum improbationem, secundo vero fidei confirmationem, ibi: Credamus igitur etc.
TRACTATIO QUAESTIONUM.
Ad intelligentiam vero eorum quae in hac parte4 dicuntur, quaeritur hic de exitu rerum in esse5.
Primo quantum ad principii entitatem4. Secundo quantum ad unitatem. Tertio quantum ad productionis quidditatem.
Circa primum duo quaeruntur.
Primo quaeritur, utrum res habeant principium causale. Secundo, utrum habeant principium initiale.
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COMMENTARY ON DISTINCTION 1.
Part I.
On the creation of human nature with respect to the efficient principle in general.
"Creation of things," etc.
DIVISION OF THE TEXT.
Hence this second book, which begins: "The creation of things," etc., is divided into two parts1. In the first he treats of the condition of man; in the second of his fall and temptation, below at distinction 21: "Seeing therefore the devil" etc. The first part has two [subdivisions]; for since man has community with all creatures, and the rest of things were made for man's sake, [Lombard] first treats of the condition of things in general, then of [their condition] in particular, below at distinction 2: "As to the angelic nature," etc.
The first part has two [subdivisions]. In the first he determines the condition of things with respect to the efficient principle; in the second with respect to the end, at: "And because no one can be a partaker of his blessedness,"2 etc. The first part has three particles. In the first he sets forth the truth, which is expressed by the authority of sacred Scripture. In the second he expounds the authority, at: "To create is to make something out of nothing,"3 etc. In the third, because by that authority the erroneous positions are refuted, he finally concludes their evacuation, at: "Therefore of these and similar errors," etc. And each of these parts has two [subdivisions]. For in the first part he sets forth the authority of the truth; in the second the error of Plato, at: "For Plato," etc. Likewise the second has two. In the first he expounds the authority and the words of the authority. In the second he sets forth the error of Aristotle, at: "But Aristotle [posited] two," etc. In the same way the third has two. For first he concludes the refutation of the errors, then the confirmation of the faith, at: "Let us believe therefore," etc.
TREATMENT OF THE QUESTIONS.
For the understanding of the things which are said in this part4, it is asked here concerning the going-forth of things into being5.
First, with respect to the entity of the principle4. Second, with respect to unity. Third, with respect to the quiddity of production.
Concerning the first, two things are asked.
First, it is asked whether things have a causal principle. Second, whether they have an initial principle.
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- Coniungenda est haec propositio cum fine Prooemii. Cfr. supra pag. 6, nota 3. — Vat., contradicentibus mss., legit sic: « Postquam Magister supra in primo libro determinavit de mysterio Trinitatis, consequenter in hoc secundo libro determinat de rebus creatis. Et dividitur ista pars in duas. In prima etc. »This proposition is to be joined with the end of the Prooemium. Cf. above, p. 6, note 3. — The Vatican [edition], against the witness of the manuscripts, reads thus: "After the Master determined above in the first book concerning the mystery of the Trinity, consequently in this second book he determines concerning created things. And this part is divided into two. In the first, etc."
- Plurimi codd. bonitatis.Very many codices [read] bonitatis ["of goodness"] [in place of beatitudinis, "of blessedness"].
- Vat. Creator enim est etc. Sed haec propositio in textu Magistri praecedit immediate illam, quam nos fide fere omnium codd. posuimus. Mox codd. cum ed. 1 minus congrue Tertio pro In tertia, et incindit pro concludit.The Vatican [edition reads] Creator enim est ("For he is the Creator") etc. But this proposition in the Master's text precedes immediately the one which we have placed [here] on the authority of almost all the codices. Shortly afterward the codices with edition 1 less appropriately [read] Tertio ["thirdly"] in place of In tertia ["in the third"], and incindit in place of concludit ["he concludes"].
- Codd. N Z in littera. Paulo inferius Vat. cum uno altero cod. post entitatem subiungit vel causalitatem.Codices N and Z [read] in littera ["in the letter (of the text)"]. A little below, the Vatican [edition] with one other codex appends after entitatem the words vel causalitatem ["or causality"].
- De his cfr. tom. 1. pag. 442, nota 3; pag. 420, nota 5, et 7, et pag. 421, nota 2; — pag. 78, nota 2, et pag. 157, nota 11; — d. 43. q. 3. in corp.; infra q. 2. fund. 2, et Aristot., XI. Metaph. c. 2. (X. c. 2.): « Quo namque pacto ordo erit, non existente aliquo perpetuo, separato ac permanente? » — pag. 326, nota 7; pag. 421, nota 2; pag. 77, dub. 1; et Boeth., III. de Consol. prosa 10: « Omne enim, quod imperfectum esse dicitur, id imminutione perfecti imperfectum esse perhibetur. Quo fit, ut si in quolibet genere imperfectum quid esse videatur, in eo perfectum quoque aliquod esse necesse sit. Etenim perfectione sublata, unde illud, quod imperfectum perhibetur, exstiterit, ne fingi quidem potest etc. »On these matters cf. Tomus I, p. 442, note 3; p. 420, notes 5 and 7, and p. 421, note 2; — p. 78, note 2, and p. 157, note 11; — distinction 43, question 3 in the body; below at question 2, fundamentum 2; and Aristotle, Metaphysics XI, c. 2 (or X, c. 2): "For in what way will there be order, if there does not exist something perpetual, separate, and permanent?" — p. 326, note 7; p. 421, note 2; p. 77, dubium 1; and Boethius, Consolation III, prose 10: "For everything which is said to be imperfect is asserted to be imperfect by a diminution of the perfect. Whence it comes about that if in any genus something seems to be imperfect, in [that same genus] it is necessary that there be also something perfect. For with perfection removed, [the question of] from what the [thing] said to be imperfect should have come into being cannot even be imagined," etc.