That there can be no cause which,
either extrinsically or intrinsically, besides the perfection of his
own nature, moves God to act.
Corollary II.- (17:5) It follows: 2. That God is the sole free cause.
(17:6) For God alone exists by the sole necessity of his nature (by [xi]
and [xiv] , Coroll. i. ), and acts by the sole necessity of his nature,
wherefore God is (by [D.vii] ) the sole free cause. Q.E.D.
Note.- (17:7) Others think that God is a free cause, because he can, as
they think, bring it about, that those things which we have said follow
from his nature, that is, which are in his power, should not come to pass,
or should not be produced by him. (8) But this is the same as if they
said, that God could bring it about, that it should not follow from the
nature of a triangle, that its three interior angles should not be equal
to two right angles; or that from a given cause no effect should follow,
which is absurd.
(17:9) Moreover, I will show below, without the aid of this proposition,
that neither intellect nor will appertain to God's nature. (10) I know
that there are many who think that they can show, that supreme intellect
and free will do appertain to God's nature; for they say they know of
nothing more perfect, which they can attribute to God, than that which is
the highest perfection in ourselves. (11) Further, although they conceive
God as actually supremely intelligent, they yet do not believe, that he
can bring into existence everything which he actually understands, for
they think that they would thus destroy God's power.
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