Thomistica

Axiom #2: Relation enables distinction and identity. Relation can be understood in two aspects.

 

• The genus of relation; relation qua accident- When the nature of relation is considered as the genus of accident, the nature of which is to inhere in a substance, the relation can be considered identical to God since anything predicated of God accidentally is really substantial.

• The species of relation; relation qua relation- When the nature of relation is considered as relation, the nature of relations is to import respect to something distinct on the subject that the relation inheres in.

Genus and Species collapse in God; He is no genus or species. However, in the same way that God’s mercy and justice, for example, remain when they collapse into His essence, so do these two aspects of relation.

 

Rule #3: Essence is the principle of action.

 

It is known that every terminus bears some degree of likeness to its principle; the nature of a terminus is included in the nature of its principle. In creatures, the nature communicated to the terminus is a defective proportion of the nature of the principle, implying distinction and division. In God, the nature is communicated perfectly without defect. Therefore, the principle of immanent action is the essence modified by the relations prior to exhaustion of that action.

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Rule #4: Exhausted actions aren’t repeated.

 

There are two immanent actions in God by nature. If there were more immanent actions in God, it would be revealed to us that there were more divine persons. Or, it would be evident in human nature since God’s imago is in us. The mystery of the Trinity lies therein.