Monologium, on the Being of God46 Chapter XLVI. How some of these truths which are thus expounded may also be conceived of in another way.
Chapter XLVI. How some of these truths which are thus expounded may also be conceived of in another way.
Yet, some of these truths, which may be thus expounded and conceived of, are apparently capable of another interpretation as well, not inconsistent with this same assertion. For it is proved that the Son is the true Word, that is, the perfect intelligence, conceiving of the whole substance of the Father, or perfect cognition of that substance, and knowledge of it, and wisdom regarding it; that is, it understands, and conceives of, the very essence of the Father, and cognizes it, and knows it, and is wise (sapit) regarding it.
If, then, in this sense, the Son is called the intelligence of the Father, and wisdom concerning him, and knowledge and cognition of him, and acquaintance with him; since the Son understands and conceives of the Father, is wise concerning him, knows and is acquainted with him, there is no departure from truth.
Most properly, too, may the Son be called the truth of the Father, not only in the sense that the truth of the Son is the same with that of the Father, as we have already seen; but in this sense, also, that in him no imperfect imitation shall be conceived of, but the complete truth of the substance of the Father since he is no other than what the Father is.
Videntur tamen quaedam, ex his quae sic proferri et intelligi possunt, aliam quoque non incongruam sub hac ipsa pronuntiatione intelligentiam suscipere. Liquet enim Filium esse verum Verbum, id est perfectam intelligentiam, sive perfectam totius paternae substantiae cognitionem, et scientiam, et sapientiam, id est, quae ipsam Patris intelligit essentiam, et cognoscit, et scit, et sapit. Si igitur hoc sensu dicatur Filius Patris intelligentia, et sapientia, et scientia, et cognitio, sive notitia; quoniam intelligit, sapit, scit et novit Patrem, nequaquam a veritate disceditur. Veritas quoque Patris aptissime dici potest Filius, non solum eo sensu, quia est eadem Filii veritas quae est et Patris, sicut jam perspectum est; sed etiam hoc sensu ut in eo intelligatur non imperfecta quaedam imitatio, sed integra veritas paternae substantiae, quia non est aliud quam quod est Pater.