The Essential Augustine (continued)
APPROACHING GOD THROUGH UNDERSTANDING 141
Holy Spirit, seeing that they are three, let us ask what three they are, and what they have in common. For the being the Father is not common to them, so that they should be interchangeably fathers to one another: as friends, since they are so called relatively to each other, can be called three friends, because they are so mutually to each other. But this is not the case in the Trinity, since the Father only is there father; and not Father of two, but of the Son only. Neither are they three Sons, since the Father there is not the Son, nor is the Holy Spirit. Neither three Holy Spirits, because the Holy Spirit also, in that proper meaning by which He is also called the gift of God, is neither the Father nor the Son. What three therefore? For if three persons, then that which is meant by person is common to them; therefore that name is either specific or generic to them, if we regard the custom of speech. But where there is no difference of nature, there things that are more in number are so expressed generically, that they can also be expressed specifically. For the difference of nature causes, that a laurel and a myrtle and an olive, or a horse and an ox and a dog, are not called by the specific name, the former of three laurels or the latter of three oxen, but by the generic name, the former of three trees and the latter of three animals. But here, where there is no difference of essence, it is necessary that these three should have a specific name, which yet is not to be found. For person is a generic name, insomuch that man also can be so called, although there is so great a difference between man and God.
Further in that very generic word, if on this ac8. count we say three persons, because that which person means is common to them (otherwise they can in no way be so called, just as they are not called three sons, because that which son means is not common to them), why do we not also say three Gods? For certainly, since the Father is a person and the Son a person and the Holy Spirit a person, therefore there are three persons: since then the Father is God and the Son God and the Holy Spirit God, why not three Gods? Or else, since on account of their ineffable union these three are together one God, why not also one person; that so we could not say three persons, although we call each a person singly, just as we cannot say three Gods, although we call each singly God, whether the Father or the Son or the Holy Spirit? Is it because Scripture does not say three Gods? But neither do we find that Scripture anywhere mentions three persons. Or is it because Scripture does not call