Theologicae regulae

The first substance does not admit of more or less.

The first substance is called essence, which is the substance of substances, the form of forms, the cause of causes. Substance admits of neither more nor less in anything; not in power, since whatever he could do, he can do; nor in will; for whatever he willed, he wills. For a voluntative verb requires an infinitive verb: and so the understanding of it can vary, when it is said: Whatever he willed, he wills. For if you understand it thus, whatever he willed to be, he wills to be, it is false. But if thus: whatever he willed to be, or to have been, it is true. It must simply, however, be granted that whatever he willed, he wills. Similarly, the wisdom, or knowledge, of God does not admit of more or less. But it must be noted that knowledge is sometimes said to be the divine essence, which cannot in any way be varied: he cannot at one time be more knowing than at another. Knowledge is also called the thing known: and according to this the knowledge of God might perhaps be able to be increased or diminished. But it is asked whether he can know more things than he knows. Which it seems can be proved thus: he can know more things to be, than he knows to be; for only those things are known which are, therefore he can know more things than he knows. On the contrary, it seems that it can be proved that he cannot, because his knowledge is infinite, and infinite things are subject to his knowledge. Again, all possible things and all impossible things are in the knowledge of God; and thus all things are subject to his knowledge. Again, if knowledge is properly said to be of those things which are, since it properly turns about statable propositions, if God begins to know one of two contradictory opposites, he ceases to know the opposite: and therefore he cannot know more things, than he knows. But as has been said of other verbs, this verb "to know" requires an infinite mode. If, then, you understand it thus: he cannot know more things than he knows, it is false; but if thus: He cannot have knowledge of more things than he has, it is true. When, then, it is said: What God knows once, he always knows, it must be understood of what has been, or is, or will be; for he knows a certain thing to be, or to have been, and will know it to be about to be, which he knows to be, or to have been: and thus of whatever he has knowledge, he has it once and always.