Chapter VI.
On the unity of the divine nature in the multiplicity of appropriated attributes.
In the third place, concerning the plurality of appropriated attributes, Sacred Scripture teaches that this must be held: that although all essential attributes belong equally and indifferently to all the persons, nevertheless unity is said to be appropriated to the Father, truth to the Son, and goodness to the Holy Spirit. - And according to this is taken the second appropriation of Hilary, namely " eternity in the Father, beauty in the Image, use in the Gift." - According to this is taken the third, namely in the Father the principle of originating, in the Son the principle of exemplifying, in the Holy Spirit the principle of completing.
And according to this is taken the fourth, namely omnipotence to the Father, omniscience to the Son, and will or benevolence to the Holy Spirit. - These, however, are said to be appropriated, not because they become proper, since they are always common; but because they lead to the understanding and knowledge of what is proper, namely of the three persons.
The understanding and rationale of the foregoing is this. Because the first principle is most noble and most perfect, therefore the most noble and most general conditions of being are found in it in the highest degree. These, moreover, are the one, the true, the good, which do not contract being according to supposits, but according to intelligible character. For the one names being as countable, and this it has through its indivision in itself; the true, insofar as it is knowable, and this it has through its indivision from its proper form; the good, insofar as it is communicable, and this it has through its indivision from its proper operation. And because this threefold indivision is ordered with respect to the intelligible character of understanding, such that the true presupposes the one, and the good presupposes the one and the true: hence it is that these are attributed to the first principle in the highest degree, because they are perfect and general; - and they are appropriated to the three persons, because they are ordered: and therefore the supremely one to the Father, who is the origin of the persons; the supremely true to the Son, who is from the Father as Word; the supremely good to the Holy Spirit, who is from both as Love and Gift.
And because the supremely one is supremely first, because it lacks all beginning; and because the supremely true is supremely equal and beautiful; and because the supremely good is supremely useful and beneficial: hence arises the second appropriation of Hilary, which is eternity in the Father, because he has no beginning but is altogether first; beauty in the Image, that is, in the Word, because supremely beautiful; use in the Gift, that is, in the Holy Spirit, because supremely beneficial and communicative. Which Augustine intimates in other words thus: "In the Father unity, in the Son equality, in the Holy Spirit the concord of unity and equality ."
Again, because the supremely one and first holds the notion of principiating and originating; the supremely beautiful and fair holds the notion of expressing and exemplifying; the supremely beneficial and good holds the notion of finalizing, because "the good and the end are the same": hence arises the third reason for appropriating efficiency to the Father, exemplarity to the Son, and finality to the Holy Spirit.
Again, because from the first and supreme principle flows all power, from the first and supreme exemplar all knowledge, and toward the supreme end tends all willing; therefore it is necessary that the First be most omnipotent, most all-wise, and most benevolent. But the first and supreme Unity, returning upon itself with a complete and perfect return, is most omnipotent; so also Truth is most wise, and Goodness most benevolent: and these are appropriated because they suggest an order. For will presupposes cognition, and will and cognition presuppose power and strength, because " to be able to know is a certain power ."
From these it is apparent what things are appropriated and to whom and for what reason. These last, however, namely power, wisdom, and will, are most especially those by which in the Scriptures the supreme Trinity is praised. And therefore something must be said about these briefly and in summary.