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Objection 1: It would seem that essential names, as the name
"God," should not be predicated in the singular of the three
persons, but in the plural. For as "man" signifies "one that has
humanity," so God signifies "one that has Godhead." But the
three persons are three who have Godhead. Therefore the three persons
are "three Gods."
Objection 2: Further, Gn. 1:1, where it is said, "In the
beginning God created heaven and earth," the Hebrew original has
"Elohim," which may be rendered "Gods" or "Judges": and this
word is used on account of the plurality of persons. Therefore the
three persons are "several Gods," and not "one" God.
Objection 3: Further, this word "thing" when it is said
absolutely, seems to belong to substance. But it is predicated of the
three persons in the plural. For Augustine says (De Doctr.
Christ. i, 5): "The things that are the objects of our future
glory are the Father, Son and Holy Ghost." Therefore other
essential names can be predicated in the plural of the three persons.
Objection 4: Further, as this word "God" signifies "a being who
has Deity," so also this word "person" signifies a being subsisting
in an intellectual nature. But we say there are three persons. So
for the same reason we can say there are "three Gods."
On the contrary, It is said (Dt. 6:4): "Hear, O Israel,
the Lord thy God is one God."
I answer that, Some essential names signify the essence after the
manner of substantives; while others signify it after the manner of
adjectives. Those which signify it as substantives are predicated of
the three persons in the singular only, and not in the plural. Those
which signify the essence as adjectives are predicated of the three
persons in the plural. The reason of this is that substantives signify
something by way of substance, while adjectives signify something by
way of accident, which adheres to a subject. Now just as substance
has existence of itself, so also it has of itself unity or multitude;
wherefore the singularity or plurality of a substantive name depends
upon the form signified by the name. But as accidents have their
existence in a subject, so they have unity or plurality from their
subject; and therefore the singularity and plurality of adjectives
depends upon their "supposita." In creatures, one form does not
exist in several "supposita" except by unity of order, as the form of
an ordered multitude. So if the names signifying such a form are
substantives, they are predicated of many in the singular, but
otherwise if they adjectives. For we say that many men are a college,
or an army, or a people; but we say that many men are collegians.
Now in God the divine essence is signified by way of a form, as above
explained (Article 2), which, indeed, is simple and supremely
one, as shown above (Question 3, Article 7; Question 11,
Article 4). So, names which signify the divine essence in a
substantive manner are predicated of the three persons in the singular,
and not in the plural. This, then, is the reason why we say that
Socrates, Plato and Cicero are "three men"; whereas we do not say
the Father, Son and Holy Ghost are "three Gods," but "one
God"; forasmuch as in the three "supposita" of human nature there
are three humanities, whereas in the three divine Persons there is but
one divine essence. On the other hand, the names which signify
essence in an adjectival manner are predicated of the three persons
plurally, by reason of the plurality of "supposita." For we say
there are three "existent" or three "wise" beings, or three
"eternal," "uncreated," and "immense" beings, if these terms
are understood in an adjectival sense. But if taken in a substantive
sense, we say "one uncreated, immense, eternal being," as
Athanasius declares.
Reply to Objection 1: Though the name "God" signifies a being
having Godhead, nevertheless the mode of signification is different.
For the name "God" is used substantively; whereas "having
Godhead" is used adjectively. Consequently, although there are
"three having Godhead," it does not follow that there are three
Gods.
Reply to Objection 2: Various languages have diverse modes of
expression. So as by reason of the plurality of "supposita" the
Greeks said "three hypostases," so also in Hebrew "Elohim" is in
the plural. We, however, do not apply the plural either to "God"
or to "substance," lest plurality be referred to the substance.
Reply to Objection 3: This word "thing" is one of the
transcendentals. Whence, so far as it is referred to relation, it is
predicated of God in the plural; whereas, so far as it is referred to
the substance, it is predicated in the singular. So Augustine says,
in the passage quoted, that "the same Trinity is a thing supreme."
Reply to Objection 4: The form signified by the word "person" is
not essence or nature, but personality. So, as there are three
personalities---that is, three personal properties in the Father,
Son and Holy Ghost---it is predicated of the three, not in the
singular, but in the plural.
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