Dist. 25, Divisio Textus
Book III: On the Incarnation of the Word · Distinction 25
COMMENTARIUS IN DISTINCTIONEM XXV.
De fidei sufficientia.
Praedictis adiiciendum est de sufficientia fidei etc.
DIVISIO TEXTUS.
Supra egit Magister de fidei essentia et de eius obiecto et materia. In hac tertia parte agit de eius sufficientia. Dividitur autem pars ista in duas partes. In quarum prima determinat de fidei sufficientia. In secunda vero ipsam fidem comparat ad virtutes alias, ibi: Illud etiamp533-1 non est praetermittendum, quod fides, spes, caritas etc.
Prima pars, in qua determinat de sufficientia fidei, dividitur in partes duas. In quarum prima inquirit de sufficientia fidei in quadam generalitate. In secunda inquirit descendendo ad speciales differentias personarum, ibi: Quid ergo dicetur de illis simplicibus etc.
Prima pars dividitur in tres partes. In quarum prima determinat Magister, quid est illud de fide, sine quop533-2 numquam potuit esse salus. In secunda determinat, quantum suffecit credere, ibi: Sed quaeritur, utrum hoc credere ante adventum etc. In tertia vero pluribus auctoritatibus confirmat, ibi: Unde Augustinus ad Optatum: Illa fides etc.
Similiter secunda pars, in qua descendit ad speciales differentias personarump533-3, habet tres. In prima inquirit, quid vel quantum suffecerit credere simplicibus, qui praecesserunt Christi adventum. In secunda vero inquirit de provectioribus, utrum necesse fuerit, eos credere omnia quae modo creduntur, ibi: Sed quaeritur, cum sine fide Mediatoris etc. In tertia vero inquirit de fide Cornelii, quae fuit ante Evangelium promulgatump533-4, ibi: Solet etiam quaeri de Cornelio etc. Subdivisiones autem partium manifestae sunt in littera.
TRACTATIO QUAESTIONUM.
Ad intelligentiam autem huius partis secundum ea quae Magister tangit, incidit hic quaestio circa duo, et primo quaeritur de fidei sufficientia.
Secundo vero quaeritur de fidei profectu.
Circa primum quaeruntur tria.
Primo quaeritur de fidei sufficientia quantum ad continentiam Symboli apostolici.
Secundo quaeritur de sufficientia eiusdem quantum ad notitiam eorum qui praecesserunt adventum Christi.
Tertio quaeritur de sufficientia eiusdem quantum ad illos qui eius adventum fuerunt secuti.
COMMENTARY ON DISTINCTION XXV.
On the sufficiency of faith.
"To the foregoing must be added a treatment of the sufficiency of faith, etc."
DIVISION OF THE TEXT.
Above the Master treated of faith as regards its essence and as regards its object and matter. In this third part he treats of its sufficiency. Now this part is divided into two parts. In the first of these he determines concerning the sufficiency of faith. In the second he compares faith itself to the other virtues, there: This alsop533-1 must not be passed over, that faith, hope, charity, etc.
The first part, in which he determines concerning the sufficiency of faith, is divided into two parts. In the first of these he inquires concerning the sufficiency of faith in a certain generality. In the second he inquires by descending to the special differences of persons, there: What then shall be said of those simple ones, etc.
The first part is divided into three parts. In the first of these the Master determines what that is, concerning faith, without whichp533-2 there could never have been salvation. In the second he determines how much it sufficed to believe, there: But it is asked whether this believing, before the advent, etc. In the third he confirms it by several authorities, there: Whence Augustine to Optatus: That faith, etc.
Likewise the second part, in which he descends to the special differences of personsp533-3, has three. In the first he inquires what or how much it sufficed the simple ones, who preceded Christ's advent, to believe. In the second he inquires concerning the more advanced, whether it was necessary that they believe all the things which are now believed, there: But it is asked, since without faith in the Mediator, etc. In the third he inquires concerning the faith of Cornelius, which was before the Gospel was promulgatedp533-4, there: It is also wont to be asked concerning Cornelius, etc. But the subdivisions of the parts are made plain in the text.
TREATMENT OF THE QUESTIONS.
Now for the understanding of this part, according to the things which the Master touches upon, a question here falls concerning two points, and first it is asked concerning the sufficiency of faith.
Second it is asked concerning the progress of faith.
Concerning the first three points are asked.
First it is asked concerning the sufficiency of faith as regards the content of the Apostles' Creed.
Second it is asked concerning the sufficiency of the same as regards the knowledge of those who preceded the advent of Christ.
Third it is asked concerning the sufficiency of the same as regards those who followed his advent.
- Cod. V autem, in aliis codd. deest etiam.Codex V reads autem ("but"); in the other codices etiam ("also") is absent.
- Edd. sine qua. Paulo inferius post confirmat edd. adiungunt determinata.The editions read sine qua ("without which," fem.). A little below, after confirmat ("he confirms"), the editions add determinata ("the things determined").
- Edd. adiiciunt credentium, et post pauca pro suffecerit exhibent sufficiat.The editions add credentium ("of those believing"), and a little after, in place of suffecerit ("it sufficed") they present sufficiat ("it may suffice").
- Edd. promulgata. Deinde pro manifestae codd. AK satis planae.The editions read promulgata. Then, in place of manifestae ("made plain"), codices AK read satis planae ("plain enough").