Question VIII: Whether the things to be believed are rightly arranged in articles

D. Thomas says an article is named from ἄρθρον, which signifies the fitting together of the parts for motion: St. Bonaventure acknowledges this too, question 1. article 3. Calepinus, however, took the name from artus, a joint, because it is a particle into which the joints, or the members of the body, are resolved; and it is called articulus from arctando, constraining, a term applied both actively and passively to the mysteries to be believed: passively indeed, because it is a thing constrained, and just as the knots in the body are the parts into which the joints, or members, are resolved; so the articles are, as it were, the first principles into which the parts of the whole habit of FAITH are resolved: actively, however, because they constrain to belief.

HENCE St. Bonaventure gathers that the articles of faith are the first principles in faith, into which all the objects of belief are resolved, in the way that the joints are in the body, into which the members are resolved, even the tiniest of the fingers; and just as in the sciences, and in acts, there are first principles into which the conclusions are resolved, nor are those resolved into others, as Caspens also notes, disp. 1. sect. 12. Likewise they are the first distinguishers of the object of belief, in the way that the articles in Grammar distinguish the genders, and the cases. And in Rhetoric an article is called the distinction that is made in the science, and in the uttering. Since, therefore, the sciences, and the arts are the handmaids of Theology, as St. Bonaventure splendidly demonstrates in his opusc. On the reduction of the arts to Theology, for that reason it received the name of article, to signify the first heads, and principles into which all things believed are resolved, which are called the object of faith. Hence the Seraphic Doctor praises the definition of an article handed down by Richard of St. Victor: An article is an indivisible truth about God, constraining us to believe. It is called an indivisible truth, because things believed are ultimately resolved into the articles, for resolution stops at the indivisible. It is called constraining, etc., for it constrains, as a directive rule, toward all things to be believed. See Caspens, Cardinal de Lugo, Morandus, and others agreeing.

The Seraphic Doctor OBJECTS to himself against this definition, first, because an article is a divisible proposition.

HE ANSWERS that it is indivisible formally, because it is not divided into other articles, as credible things.

He objects second. If an article is an indivisible truth. Therefore it is one article, because truth is one. Then truth is God: Therefore it is not about God.

The Seraphic Doctor answers that an article is a truth as it is compared to something about God to be asserted, as that God is one; that there is a Trinity, etc.; and thus God is the subject of these truths.

He objects third. Among the articles there are some that are not about God, as the Resurrection of the flesh. It is answered that the resurrection of the flesh pertains to the Divine power.

He objects fourth. Because the articles of faith do not convince by reasonings: Therefore they do not constrain to believe. HE ANSWERS that they constrain the faithful who are enlightened, by the authority of the revealer; they constrain indeed not by compelling; but by removing every ambiguity: they constrain also by obliging; and by restricting, and by resolving into distinct principles the object of faith.

Presently the Seraphic Doctor, question 2., hands down another definition of the Article from D. Isidore. An article is a perception of Divine truth, tending to it. And he explains it thus: It is called a perception of Divine truth causally, because it is that by which we perceive the first truths of faith. It is called tending to God himself, whereby he shows that faith directs the will to God, to whom we are roused by the articles of faith. From this the Seraphic Doctor deduces the definition of the article, as it is the object of faith formed.

By this exposition the oppositions that are made against this definition collapse. See St. Bonaventure.

The ORDER of the things to be believed is given in the Symbol. Now the Symbol signifies a judgment, or mark, by which others may be distinguished from one another, and the bringing together of many into one, as D. Bonaventure notes, disp. 25. question 1. For the Symbol is said from Syn, which is together; and bole, which is opinion; hence a Symbol is the opinion of many, constituted out of several articles, by which the faithful are set apart from the unfaithful, like a watchword, as Valencia also notes, disp. 1. question 1. p. 5., from Rufinus in his exposition of the Symbol, and Cassian, book 6. de Incarn. to Leo the Pope. See also Tanner, disp. 8.

Now there is a THREEFOLD Symbol in the Church, as D. Bonaventure notes on the cited 5th question. The first is that of the Apostles, which is recited in the office. That it was composed by the twelve Apostles the old Fathers commonly assert; Clement I. epistle 1. Irenaeus book 1. chapter 2. Tertullian in the praescriptiones, Ambrose epistle 81. Rufinus in the exposition, Jerome epistle to Pammach. and on the errors of John of Jerusalem, Chrysostom homilies 1. and 2. on the Symbol, Augustine sermons 115. and 180. de tempore, Leo sermon 11. on the Passion of the Lord, and epistle 13. to Pulcheria, and with them St. Bonaventure and others.

The Seraphic Doctor adds, with Augustine and Leo above, that each Apostle set forth one article.

The SECOND Symbol is Athanasius's, which, as the Seraphic Doctor says, was drawn up chiefly against Arius. It is the one that is recited at the first Hour of Sunday. So testify Sts. Augustine on Psalm 120. in the enchiridion chapter 36. and book 5. on the Trinity, chapter 8. and epistle 174. and sermon 195. de Tempore. And St. Gregory Nazianzen on the praises of Athanasius; and, which is the chief point, the whole Church receives it. It is kept at Rome, written by him in Latin.

The THIRD Symbol is the Nicene, which is recited in the Mass with certain additions in the first Council of Constantinople: Toledo 8. and Florence; and separately by the Church there was added that clause: proceeding from the Son (Filioque), as we saw p. 2. tract. 1. disp. 10. question 2.

SUITABLY, however, the Seraphic Doctor shows that faith was ordered into articles first, that it might be Catholic, that is, a universal uniformity of faith among all peoples, which Irenaeus taught before, book 1. chapter 3.

SECOND, because Faith had to be handed on to all, even the simple, which would not be explicit enough in general terms, nor could they be instructed by profuse eruditions, as D. Augustine teaches, book on faith, and the Symbol chapter 1., Cyril of Jerusalem catech. 5.

Valencia adds, with D. Bonaventure, that it is useful, indeed most necessary, against heretics, to have a formula of faith, which, therefore, as heresies arose with the passage of the times, was enlarged, as I shall say in the following question.

The Seraphic Doctor shows, with D. Thom. question 1. article 8., that the articles are placed in a fitting order. He takes this order from the heads of things to be believed. First, then, the Divinity is to be believed: then the Trinity of persons: third the Humanity: fourth the Operations of the divinity; and last the works of Christ incarnate. As to the Divine essence, there is one article, just as the essence of God is most simple: I believe in God. As to the most holy Trinity, there are three articles. The first is: I believe in God the Father; the second is: In Jesus Christ, his son, etc.; the third: I believe in the Holy Spirit. As to the Operations of the deity, they are threefold. The first is the creation of nature, and it is noted when it is said: I believe in the Creator of heaven, and earth. The second is the bestowal of grace, and it is noted when it is said: I believe the Holy Catholic Church: the communion of Saints, the remission of sins. The third is the bestowal of glory: the resurrection of the flesh, life everlasting. And so there are seven articles concerning the divinity, looking to the divine essence itself: One looking to the Deity in itself; Three looking to the Trinity of persons, and the other three to the works of the Deity. Likewise concerning the humanity of Christ there are seven articles, according to the seven acts of the Redemption, which are ordered to our salvation. The first is the Incarnation, and on this is the article: Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit. The second is to be Born: Born of the Virgin Mary. The third is Redemption: He suffered under Pontius, and was crucified, dead, and buried. The fourth is the despoiling of hell: He descended into hell. The fifth is the triumph over death: On the third day he rose again from the dead. The sixth is the Ascension into heaven: He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father. The seventh is the Coming to judgment: From thence he shall come to judge, etc. See the Seraphic Doctor, dist. 25. question 1., assigning to each Apostle his own article.

The Seraphic Doctor marvels that these fourteen articles are set forth in Apoc. 1., where Christ was seen among seven golden candlesticks, and he had in his right hand seven stars; now the stars are the heavenly articles of the deity: but the seven golden candlesticks, of earthly substance, yet precious, are the seven articles of the humanity. The same he teaches in Hexaemer. sermon 8. and in the Centilog. sect. 38. and in the Diaeta, chapter 5. title 3.

He notes, however, that the articles are reduced to twelve; for the first contains the Deity; and the first Person, who is the Fount of all the communications of the Deity; and the work of Creation, all of which St. Peter asserts; and so there are twelve articles in a broad sense. See the Seraphic Doctor.

Therefore the Seraphic Doctor proves the sufficiency of the Symbol first from Cassian book 6. de Incarn. to Pope Leo.

SECOND, because faith is concerned with God: Now God is regarded in two ways, either in himself, as One, and Three; or in the Humanity assumed. Again. The Deity is not known on the way, except through the works; now three of these are the chief ones, Creation, Gratification, and Glorification. But the works of the humanity are related in the Symbol, which, since it was composed by the Apostles, full of the Holy Spirit, there is no doubt that it is fitting; for they were the masters of the Catholic Church. And so, although fourteen can also be counted, as St. Bonaventure teaches, loc. cit., Scotus dist. 25. question 1., nevertheless they are reduced to twelve.

Valencia, however, loc. cit., Morand. q. 4., Cardinal Lugo disp. 3. sect. 4., observes that the Symbol is not Canonical Scripture, because it was composed by the Apostles, as a brief formula for professing the faith already possessed. You will wonder, here, that the Mystery of faith, that is, the Eucharist, is omitted. But it is included in the omnipotence. See D. Th. article 8. to 6. It is also enclosed in the Church.