1 Objection 1: It would seem that mission can be eternal. For Gregory says Hom. xxvi, in Ev.), The Son is sent as He is begotten. But the Son's generation is eternal. Therefore mission is eternal.
1 Ad secundum sic proceditur. Videtur quod missio possit esse aeterna. Dicit enim Gregorius, eo mittitur filius, quo generatur. Sed generatio filii est aeterna. Ergo et missio.
2 Objection 2: Further, a thing is changed if it becomes something temporally. But a divine person is not changed. Therefore the mission of a divine person is not temporal, but eternal.
2 Praeterea, cuicumque convenit aliquid temporaliter, illud mutatur. Sed persona divina non mutatur. Ergo missio divinae personae non est temporalis, sed aeterna.
3 Objection 3: Further, mission implies procession. But the procession of the divine persons is eternal. Therefore mission is also eternal.
3 Praeterea, missio processionem importat. Sed processio divinarum personarum est aeterna. Ergo et missio.
4 On the contrary, It is said Gal. 4, 4): When the fullness of the time was come, God sent His Son.
4 Sed contra est quod dicitur Galat. IV, cum venit plenitudo temporis, misit Deus filium suum.
5 I answer that, A certain difference is to be observed in all the words that express the origin of the divine persons. For some express only relation to the principle, as procession and going forth. Others express the term of procession together with the relation to the principle. Of these some express the eternal term, as generation and spiration; for generation is the procession of the divine person into the divine nature, and passive spiration is the procession of the subsisting love. Others express the temporal term with the relation to the principle, as mission and giving. For a thing is sent that it may be in something else, and is given that it may be possessed; but that a divine person be possessed by any creature, or exist in it in a new mode, is temporal. Hence mission and giving have only a temporal significance in God; but generation and spiration are exclusively eternal; whereas procession and giving, in God, have both an eternal and a temporal signification: for the Son may proceed eternally as God; but temporally, by becoming man, according to His visible mission, or likewise by dwelling in man according to His invisible mission.
5 Respondeo dicendum quod in his quae important originem divinarum personarum, est quaedam differentia attendenda. Quaedam enim in sui significatione important solam habitudinem ad principium, ut processio et exitus. Quaedam vero, cum habitudine ad principium, determinant processionis terminum. Quorum quaedam determinant terminum aeternum, sicut generatio et spiratio, nam generatio est processio divinae personae in naturam divinam; et spiratio, passive accepta, importat processionem amoris subsistentis. Quaedam vero, cum habitudine ad principium, important terminum temporalem, sicut missio et datio, mittitur enim aliquid ad hoc ut sit in aliquo, et datur ad hoc quod habeatur; personam autem divinam haberi ab aliqua creatura, vel esse novo modo existendi in ea, est quoddam temporale. Unde missio et datio in divinis dicuntur temporaliter tantum. Generatio autem et spiratio solum ab aeterno. Processio autem et exitus dicuntur in divinis et aeternaliter et temporaliter, nam filius ab aeterno processit ut sit Deus; temporaliter autem ut etiam sit homo, secundum missionem visibilem; vel etiam ut sit in homine, secundum invisibilem missionem.
6 Reply to Objection 1: Gregory speaks of the temporal generation of the Son, not from the Father, but from His mother; or it may be taken to mean that He could be sent because eternally begotten.
6 Ad primum ergo dicendum quod Gregorius loquitur de generatione temporali filii, non a patre, sed a matre. Vel, quia ex hoc ipso filius habet quod possit mitti, quod est ab aeterno genitus.
7 Reply to Objection 2: That a divine person may newly exist in anyone, or be possessed by anyone in time, does not come from change of the divine person, but from change in the creature; as God Himself is called Lord temporally by change of the creature.
7 Ad secundum dicendum quod divinam personam esse novo modo in aliquo, vel ab aliquo haberi temporaliter, non est propter mutationem divinae personae, sed propter mutationem creaturae, sicut et Deus temporaliter dicitur dominus, propter mutationem creaturae.
8 Reply to Objection 3: Mission signifies not only procession from the principle, but also determines the temporal term of the procession. Hence mission is only temporal. Or we may say that it includes the eternal procession, with the addition of a temporal effect. For the relation of a divine person to His principle must be eternal. Hence the procession may be called a twin procession, eternal and temporal, not that there is a double relation to the principle, but a double term, temporal and eternal.
8 Ad tertium dicendum quod missio non solum importat processionem a principio, sed determinat processionis terminum temporalem. Unde missio solum est temporalis. Vel, missio includit processionem aeternam, et aliquid addit, scilicet temporalem effectum, habitudo enim divinae personae ad suum principium non est nisi ab aeterno. Unde gemina dicitur processio, aeterna scilicet et temporalis, non propter hoc quod habitudo ad principium geminetur, sed geminatio est ex parte termini temporalis et aeterni.