Capitula
by St. Bonaventure
Source text: Public Domain Mark 1.0. English translation/apparatus/encoding: CC BY-NC 4.0, Wroot Press.
https://bonaventure.wrootpress.com/browse/1/d/0/q/bon-sent-I-capitula
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# HERE BEGIN THE CHAPTERS OF THE FIRST BOOK OF THE SENTENCES.

### Distinction I.

**Chap. I.** All doctrine is of things or of signs.

**II.** Of things which are to be enjoyed or to be used, and of those which both enjoy and use.

**III.** What it is to enjoy or to use.

### Distinction II.

**Chap. I.** Of the Trinity and the Unity.

**II.** What was the intention of those who wrote concerning the Trinity.

**III.** What order is to be kept when the Trinity is treated of.

**IV.** Of the testimonies of the Old Testament by which the mystery of the Trinity is declared.

**V.** Of the testimonies of the New Testament pertaining to the same.

### Distinction III.

**Chap. I.** Of the knowledge of the Creator through creatures, in which the vestige of the Trinity appears.

**II.** Of the image and likeness of the Trinity in the human soul.

**III.** Of the likeness of the creating and of the created trinity.

**IV.** Of the unity of the Trinity.

### Distinction IV.

**Chap. I.** Whether God the Father begot Himself as God.

**II.** Whether the Trinity is predicated of the one God, as the one God is predicated of the three persons.

### Distinction V.

**Chap. I.** Whether the divine essence begot the Son, or was begotten by

the Father, or whether the Son was born of it, or the Holy Spirit proceeds from it.

**II.** That the Son is not from nothing, but from something, yet not from matter, and so also the Holy Spirit.

**III.** Why the Word of the Father is called the Son of nature.

### Distinction VI.

Whether the Father begot the Son by will or by necessity, and whether God is willing or unwilling.

### Distinction VII.

**Chap. I.** Whether the Father was able or willed to beget the Son.

**II.** Whether the power to beget the Son is some potency in the Father which is not in the Son.

### Distinction VIII.

**Chap. I.** Of the truth and property of the divine essence.

**II.** Of the immutability of the same.

**III.** Of the simplicity of the same.

**IV.** Of the corporeal and the spiritual creature, how it is manifold and not simple.

**V.** That God, although He is simple, is nevertheless said in manifold ways.

**VI.** That God's simplicity is subject to none of the predicaments.

**VII.** That God is called substance improperly.

**VIII.** That there is not in God anything which is not God.

### Distinction IX.

**Chap. I.** Of the distinction of the three persons.

**II.** Of the co-eternity of the Father and the Son.

**III.** Of the ineffable and unintelligible manner of the generation.

**IV.** Whether it ought to be said: the Son is always begotten, or is always begotten already.

**V.** Of the objections of the heretics striving to prove that the Son is not co-eternal with the Father.

### Distinction X.

**Chap. I.** Of the Holy Spirit, that He is properly called the love of the Father and the Son, although in the Trinity there is a love which is the Trinity, just as the Word is properly called wisdom, and yet the whole Trinity is called wisdom.

**II.** That the same names are taken both properly and universally.

**III.** That the Holy Spirit, just as He is common to the Father and the Son, so has a common name as His own.

### Distinction XI.

**Chap. I.** That the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son, whom nevertheless the Greeks deny to proceed from the Son.

**II.** Of the agreement of the Latins and the Greeks in sense and their difference in words.

### Distinction XII.

**Chap. I.** Whether the Holy Spirit proceeds sooner or more fully from the Father than from the Son.

**II.** That the Holy Spirit is said principally and properly to proceed from the Father.

### Distinction XIII.

**Chap. I.** Why the Holy Spirit, although He is of the substance of the Father, is not called begotten, but only proceeding.

**II.** Why the Son is said to proceed, although the Holy Spirit is not said to be begotten.

**III.** That a mortal cannot distinguish between the generation of the Son and the procession of the Holy Spirit.

**IV.** Whether the Holy Spirit ought to be called unbegotten, since He is not begotten.

### Distinction XIV.

**Chap. I.** Of the twofold procession of the Holy Spirit, the temporal and the eternal.

**II.** That not only the gifts of the Holy Spirit, but the Holy Spirit Himself is given to men and is sent.

**III.** Whether holy men can give the Holy Spirit.

### Distinction XV.

**Chap. I.** That the Holy Spirit is given by Himself and the Son is sent by Himself.

**II.** How the mission of each is to be understood.

**III.** That by the Holy Spirit also the Son was sent.

**IV.** That the Son also was given by Himself.

**V.** How that saying is to be understood: I came not of Myself.

**VI.** Whether the Son was sent only once, or often.

**VII.** Of the two manners of the Son's mission.

**VIII.** That according to the one manner He was sent once, according to the other often, and according to the one manner He is said to have been sent into the world, according to the other not.

**IX.** Why the Father is not said to be sent.

**X.** That the Son and the Holy Spirit are not as it were less than the Father because they are sent.

### Distinction XVI.

**Chap. I.** Of the mission of the Holy Spirit, which comes about in two manners, visibly and invisibly.

**II.** That the Son, according as He is man, is less not only than the Father, but also than the Holy Spirit.

### Distinction XVII.

**Chap. I.** That the Holy Spirit is the charity by which we love God and neighbour.

**II.** That brotherly love is God, and is neither the Father nor the Son, but only the Holy Spirit.

**III.** That this saying is not spoken by way of cause: God is charity, as this is: Thou art my patience and my hope.

**IV.** How the Holy Spirit is sent or given to us.

**V.** Whether the Holy Spirit is increased in a man, or is had or given less and more, and whether He is given to one who has Him and to one who has Him not.

**VI.** That some say that the charity of God and of neighbour is not the Holy Spirit.

### Distinction XVIII.

**Chap. I.** Whether it is to be granted that gifts are given through the Gift.

**II.** Whether the Holy Spirit is called Gift on the same account on which He is called given or bestowed.

**III.** That just as the Son by being born received not only that He should be Son, but also essence, so the Holy Spirit by proceeding received not only that He should be Gift, but that He should be essence.

**IV.** That the Holy Spirit is called Gift and given according to the two aforesaid manners of the procession, which, according as He is Gift, is referred to the Father and the Son; according as He is given, to Him who gave and to those to whom He is given.

**V.** Whether the Son, since He has been given to us, can be called ours, as the Holy Spirit is.

**VI.** Whether the Holy Spirit is referred to Himself.

### Distinction XIX.

**Chap. I.** Of the equality of the three persons.

**II.** That eternity and magnitude and power in God are one thing, even though they seem diverse.

**III.** That no one of the persons exceeds another in magnitude, since one person is not greater than another, nor are two anything greater than one, nor three than two or one.

**IV.** How the Father is said to be in the Son and the Son in the Father and the Holy Spirit in both.

**V.** That no one of the persons is a part in the Trinity.

**VI.** Why the three persons are called supremely one.

**VII.** That when we say that the three persons are one essence, we predicate it neither as a genus of species nor as a species of individuals, since essence is not a genus and person a species, nor essence a species and the persons individuals.

**VIII.** That neither according to a material cause are the three persons called one essence.

**IX.** Nor are the three persons called one essence as three men are one nature or of one nature.

**X.** Whether the three persons differ in number, being distinguished by properties.

**XI.** Why the three persons together are not anything greater than one.

**XII.** That God is not to be called threefold, but one.

### Distinction XX.

**Chap. I.** That no one of the persons exceeds another in power.

**II.** That the Son can do no less than the Father.

**III.** Of the heretical objections against this and the catholic answers.

### Distinction XXI.

**Chap. I.** How the Father alone or the Son alone or the Holy Spirit alone can be spoken of, since they are inseparable.

**II.** Whether it ought to be said, the Father alone is God, or the Son alone is God, or the Holy Spirit alone is God; or, the Father is God alone, the Son is God alone, the Holy Spirit is God alone.

**III.** How the Trinity is called God alone, although it is together with the holy spirits and souls.

### Distinction XXII.

**Chap. I.** Of the difference of the names which we use in speaking of God.

**II.** Of those things which belong to God temporally and are said relatively.

**III.** Of this name, which is Trinity.

**IV.** Of those things which pertain properly to the several persons, and of those which signify the unity of the essence.

### Distinction XXIII.

**Chap. I.** Of this name, which is person, which, although it is said according to substance, is taken not in the singular but in the plural in the sum.

**II.** By what necessity it was said, three persons by the Latins, and by the Greeks three hypostases or substances.

**III.** Why we do not say that the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit are three Gods, as we say three persons.

**IV.** Why we do not say three essences, as we say three persons.

**V.** That in the Trinity there is no diversity or singularity or solitude, but unity and trinity and distinction and identity.

**VI.** That God ought not to be called manifold.

### Distinction XXIV.

What is signified by these names: one, two, three, threefold or trinity, several or plurality, distinction or distinct, when we use them in speaking of God.

### Distinction XXV.

**Chap. I.** What is signified by this name person in the plural number, that is, when persons is said.

**II.** Of the threefold acceptation of this name person in the Trinity.

**III.** In what sense the person of the Father is called one and that of the Son another, or the Father another in person and the Son another.

**IV.** Of this name hypostasis.

### Distinction XXVI.

**Chap. I.** Of the properties of the persons and of their relative names.

**II.** That not all things are said of God according to substance, for some are said according to relation, yet nothing according to accident.

**III.** Why it is said to be proper to the Only-begotten to be the Son of God, although men also are sons of God.

**IV.** That man is called the son of the Trinity and the Trinity the father of men.

**V.** That the Holy Spirit is called Gift by the same property by which He is called Holy Spirit, and in both manners relatively to the Father and the Son.

**VI.** Whether the Father or the Trinity itself or the Son can be called Holy Spirit.

**VII.** That not all things which are said relatively answer one another mutually by their own words.

### Distinction XXVII.

**Chap. I.** What those properties are by which the persons are distinguished.

**II.** That it is not altogether the same to say: to be a father, and to have begotten or to have a son.

**III.** That the properties determine the hypostases, not the substance, that is, the nature.

**IV.** Of the general rule of those things which are said in relation to themselves, and of those which are said relatively.

**V.** Whether God is said of God according to substance, and the like.

### Distinction XXVIII.

**Chap. I.** That the properties of the persons are not only three.

**II.** Whether the Father alone ought to be called non-begotten or non-Son, as He is called unbegotten.

**III.** Of the property which unbegotten notes.

**IV.** The answer of Ambrose against the Arians concerning the unbegotten.

**V.** Whether to be the Father and to be the Son are diverse.

**VI.** Whether begotten wisdom is said according to relation, or according to substance.

**VII.** Of the image.

### Distinction XXIX.

**Chap. I.** Of the principle.

**II.** That from eternity the Father is a principle, and the Son, but not the Holy Spirit.

**III.** How the Father is the principle of the Son, and He Himself together with the Son the principle of the Holy Spirit.

**IV.** Whether by the same notion the Father and the Son are the principle of the Holy Spirit.

### Distinction XXX.

**Chap. I.** Of those things which are said of God temporally, and relatively according to accident, which befalls not God but creatures.

**II.** Whether the Holy Spirit is called given or bestowed relatively to Himself, since He is given by Himself.

### Distinction XXXI.

**Chap. I.** Whether the Son is called equal to or like the Father according to substance.

**II.** Of the opinion of Saint Hilary, by which he sets forth the proper characters of the persons in the Trinity.

**III.** Why unity is attributed to the Father.

**IV.** Why the Father and the Son are said to be one thing or one God, but not one person.

**V.** Why equality is said to be in the Son.

**VI.** Why the concord or connexion of both is said to be in the Holy Spirit.

### Distinction XXXII.

**Chap. I.** Whether the Father or the Son loves with that love which proceeds from both, that is, with the Holy Spirit.

**II.** Whether the Father is wise with the wisdom which He begot.

**III.** Whether the Son is wise by Himself or through Himself.

**IV.** Whether there is only one wisdom of the Father.

**V.** That, just as in the Trinity there is a love which is the Trinity, and yet the Holy Spirit is a love which is not the Trinity, nor are there therefore two loves, so also concerning wisdom.

**VI.** Why the Father is not called wise with begotten wisdom, as He is called loving with the love which proceeds from Him.

### Distinction XXXIII.

**Chap. I.** Whether the properties of the persons are the persons themselves or the divine *usia*.

**II.** How the properties can be in the nature of God and yet not determine it.

### Distinction XXXIV.

**Chap. I.** Of the words of Hilary, by which, according to the understanding of the perverse, he seems to say that the divine nature and the thing of the nature are not the same, and that God and what is of God are not the same.

**II.** Whether it can be said thus: one God of three persons, as one essence of three persons is said; and three persons of one God, as three persons of one essence.

**III.** That power, wisdom, goodness are in Scripture sometimes referred distinctly to the persons.

**IV.** Why power is attributed to the Father, wisdom to the Son, goodness to the Holy Spirit, although the power, wisdom and goodness of the three is one.

**V.** Of this name *homousion*, where it was received into authority, and what it signifies.

### Distinction XXXV.

**Chap. I.** Of the knowledge, foreknowledge, providence, disposition and predestination of God.

**II.** Of what things there is foreknowledge or providence.

**III.** Of what things disposition.

**IV.** Of what things predestination.

**V.** Of what things providence.

**VI.** Of what things wisdom or knowledge.

**VII.** Whether the foreknowledge or disposition or predestination of God could have been, if there were nothing future.

**VIII.** That the knowledge of God is of things temporal and eternal.

**IX.** How all things are said to be in God, and life in Him.

### Distinction XXXVI.

**Chap. I.** Whether all things ought to be said to be in the essence of God, as they are said to be in the knowledge or foreknowledge of God.

**II.** By what account good things are said to be in God and not evil things.

**III.** Whether it is the same: that all things are from God, and through Him and in Him.

**IV.** That all things are in each of the three, and through Him and in Him.

**V.** That not all things which are from God are also of Him.

### Distinction XXXVII.

**Chap. I.** In what manners God is said to be in things.

**II.** That God does not dwell wherever He is, but the converse.

**III.** Where God was before the creature was.

**IV.** That God, although He is in all things essentially, is nevertheless not defiled by the foulness of things.

**V.** That although God is everywhere and always, He is nevertheless not local, nor is He moved either in place or in time.

**VI.** In what manners something is called local or circumscriptible.

**VII.** What it is to be changed according to time.

**VIII.** Whether created spirits are local and circumscriptible.

**IX.** That God is everywhere without local motion.

### Distinction XXXVIII.

**Chap. I.** Whether the knowledge or foreknowledge of God is the cause of things, or the converse.

**II.** Whether the foreknowledge of God can be deceived.

### Distinction XXXIX.

**Chap. I.** Whether the knowledge of God can be increased or diminished or in any manner changed.

**II.** Whether God can know or foreknow anything anew or in time.

**III.** Whether God can know more things than He knows.

**IV.** That God knows all things both always and at once.

### Distinction XL.

**Chap. I.** Whether one predestined can be damned, or one reprobate be saved.

**II.** What the reprobation of God is, and in what things it is to be considered, and what the effect of predestination is.

### Distinction XLI.

**Chap. I.** Whether there is any merit of hardening or of mercy.

**II.** Of the various opinions of carnal men upon this.

**III.** Whether the things which God once knows or foreknows He always knows or foreknows, and has always known or foreknown.

### Distinction XLII.

**Chap. I.** Of the omnipotence of God: why He is called omnipotent, although we can do many things which He cannot.

**II.** How God is said to be able to do all things.

**III.** That the omnipotence of God is considered according to two things.

### Distinction XLIII.

**Chap. I.** An invective against those who say that God can do nothing except what He wills and does.

### Distinction XLIV.

**Chap. I.** Whether God can make anything better than He makes, or in another or a better manner.

**II.** Whether God can always do everything that He could.

### Distinction XLV.

**Chap. I.** Of the will of God, which is the essence of God, and of the signs of it.

**II.** That, although to will is the same for God as to be, it cannot nevertheless be said that God is all the things which He wills.

**III.** Of the understanding of these locutions: God knows or God wills, God knows all things or wills something.

**IV.** That the supremely good will of God is the cause of all things which are naturally, the cause of which is not to be sought, because it is the first and supreme cause of all things.

**V.** In what manners the will of God is taken.

**VI.** That precept, prohibition, permission, counsel, operation are sometimes understood under the name of will.

**VII.** Whether God wills that all men do the things which He commands, or do not do the things which He forbids.

### Distinction XLVI.

**Chap. I.** That the will of God, which He Himself is, can in nothing be made void.

**II.** How that saying is to be understood: I would have gathered thy children together, and thou wouldest not; and that saying: Who will have all men to be saved.

**III.** Whether evils come about with God willing or unwilling.

**IV.** How that saying of Augustine is to be understood: That evils come about is good.

**V.** Of the manifold acceptation of the good.

**VI.** That evils avail for the universe.

**VII.** That in God there is no cause that a man should be worse.

### Distinction XLVII.

**Chap. I.** How the will of God concerning man is fulfilled, whithersoever he turns himself.

**II.** In what sense certain things are said to come about against the will of God.

**III.** Why God commanded all men to do good and to shun evil, even though He does not will that it be fulfilled by all.

### Distinction XLVIII.

**Chap. I.** That a man sometimes with a good will wills something other than God does, and with an evil will the same as God does.

**II.** That the will of God is fulfilled through the evil wills of men.

**III.** Whether it was pleasing to holy men that Christ should suffer and die.

**IV.** Whether we ought to will the passions of the Saints.

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