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The Fifteen Books of Aurelius Augustinus, Bishop of Hippo, on the Trinity

Preface.--The Conclusion of What Has Been Said Above. The Rule to Be Observed in the More Difficult Questions of the Faith.

We have said elsewhere that those things are predicated specially in the Trinity as belonging severally to each person, which are predicated relatively the one to the other, as Father and Son, and the gift of both, the Holy Spirit; for the Father is not the Trinity, nor the Son the Trinity, nor the gift the Trinity: but what whenever each is singly spoken of in respect to themselves, then they are not spoken of as three in the plural number, but one, the Trinity itself, as the Father God, the Son God, and the Holy Spirit God; the Father good, the Son good, and the Holy Spirit good; and the Father omnipotent, the Son omnipotent, and the Holy Spirit omnipotent: yet neither three Gods, nor three goods, nor three omnipotents, but one God, good, omnipotent, the Trinity itself; and whatsoever else is said of them not relatively in respect to each other, but individually in respect to themselves. For they are thus spoken of according to essence, since in them to be is the same as to be great, as to be good, as to be wise, and whatever else is said of each person individually therein, or of the Trinity itself, in respect to themselves. And that therefore they are called three persons, or three substances, not in order that any difference of essence may be understood, but that we may be able to answer by some one word, should any one ask what three, or what three things? And that there is so great an equality in that Trinity, that not only the Father is not greater than the Son, as regards divinity, but neither are the Father and Son together greater than the Holy Spirit; nor is each individual person, whichever it be of the three, less than the Trinity itself. This is what we have said; and if it is handled and repeated frequently, it becomes, no doubt, more familiarly known: yet some limit, too, must be put to the discussion, and we must supplicate God with most devout piety, that He will open our understanding, and take away the inclination of disputing, in order that our minds may discern the essence of the truth, that has neither bulk nor moveableness. Now, therefore, so far as the Creator Himself aids us in His marvellous mercy, let us consider these subjects, into which we will enter more deeply than we entered into those which preceded, although they are in truth the same; preserving the while this rule, that what has not yet been made clear to our intellect, be nevertheless not loosened from the firmness of our faith.

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De Trinitate

PROOEM

[1] Diximus alibi ea dici proprie in illa trinitate distincte ad singulas personas pertinentia quae relative dicuntur ad invicem sicut pater et filius et utriusque donum spiritus sanctus; non enim pater trinitas aut filius trinitas aut trinitas donum. Quod vero ad se dicuntur singuli non dici pluraliter tres sed unum ipsam trinitatem sicut deus pater, deus filius, deus spiritus sanctus; et bonus pater, bonus filius, bonus spiritus sanctus; et omnipotens pater, omnipotens filius, omnipotens spiritus sanctus; nec tamen tres dii aut tres boni aut tres omnipotentes, sed unus deus, bonus, omnipotens, ipsa trinitas, et quidquid aliud non ad invicem relative sed ad se singuli dicuntur. Hoc enim secundum essentiam dicuntur, quia hoc est ibi esse quod magnum esse, quod bonum, quod sapientem esse, et quidquid aliud ad se unaquaeque ibi persona vel ipsa trinitas dicitur. Ideoque dici tres personas vel tres substantias non ut aliqua intellegatur diversitas essentiae, sed ut vel uno aliquo vocabulo responderi possit cum dicitur quid tres vel quid tria; tantamque esse aequalitatem in ea trinitate ut non solum pater non sit maior quam filius, quod attinet ad divinitatem, sed nec pater et filius simul maius aliquid sint quam spiritus sanctus, aut singula quaeque persona quaelibet trium minus aliquid sit quam ipsa trinitas.

Dicta sunt haec, et si saepius versando repetantur, familiarius quidem innotescunt; sed et modus aliquis adhibendus est deoque supplicandum devotissima pietate ut intellectum aperiat et studium contentionis absumat, quo possit mente cerni essentia veritatis sine ulla mole, sine ulla mutabilitate. Nunc itaque in quantum ipse adiuvat creator mire misericors attendamus haec quae modo interiore quam superiora tractavimus, cum sint eadem, servata illa regula ut, quod intellectui nostro nondum eluxerit, a firmitate fidei non dimittatur.