Wherefore Supr., bk.
ii. ch. 22. in the case of
the Father and Son and Holy Spirit we recognise, from their sameness in
will and energy, their sameness in nature. But in the case of the
divine dispensation οἰκονομίας,
incarnation. we recognise
from their difference in will and energy the difference of the two
natures, and as we perceive the difference of the two natures we
confess that the wills and energies also are different. For just
as the number of the natures of one and the same Christ, when
considered and spoken of with piety, do not cause a division of the one
Christ but merely bring out the fact that the difference between the
natures is maintained even in the union, so it is with the number of
wills and energies that belong essentially to His natures. (For
He was endowed with the powers of willing and energising in both
natures, for the sake of our salvation.) It does not introduce
division: God forbid! but merely brings out the fact that the
differences between them are safeguarded and preserved even in the
union. For we hold that wills and energies are faculties
belonging to nature, not to subsistence; I mean those faculties of will
and energy by which He Who wills and energises does so. For if we
allow that they belong to subsistence, we will be forced to say that
the three subsistences of the Holy Trinity have different wills and
different energies.