Note 144 — THE CATHOLIC WORLD. VOL. XVIII., No. 106.—JANUARY, 1874.[138]

Philosophers teach that one thing can precede another in three ways, to wit, by priority of time, by priority of nature, and by priority of reason. A thing existing while another thing is not yet in existence has, with regard to this latter, a priority of time. A thing, on the existence of which the existence of another depends, has, with regard to this latter, a priority of nature. A thing, the conception of which is needed to form the conception of another, has, with regard to this latter, a priority of reason. The priority of origin, by which one of the divine Persons is prior to another, is a priority of reason, not of nature, and implies no real dependence of one Person from another.