Proof.- (26:1) That by which things are said to be conditioned to act in
a particular manner is necessarily something positive ( this is obvious );
therefore both of its essence and of its existence God by the necessity
of his nature is the efficient cause ([xxv] and xvi.); this is our first
point. (2) Our second point is plainly to be inferred therefrom.
26:(3) For if a thing, which has not been conditioned by God, could
condition itself, the first part of our proof would be false, and this,
as we have shown, is absurd.
PROP. [XXVII] A thing, which has been conditioned by God to
act in a particular way, cannot render itself
unconditioned.
Proof.- (27:1) This proposition is evident from the [A.III] axiom.
PROP. [XXVIII] Every individual thing, or everything which is
finite and has a conditioned existence, cannot
exist or be conditioned to act, unless it be
conditioned for existence and action by a cause
other than itself, which also is finite, and has
a conditioned existence; and likewise this cause
cannot in its turn exist, or be conditioned to
act, unless it be conditioned for existence and
action by another cause, which also is finite,
and has a conditioned existence, and so on to
infinity.
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