Discourses upon the Existence and Attributes of God

First, There was no change in God when he began to create the World in Time. The Creation was a real change, But the change was not subjectively in God, but in the Creature; the Creature began to be what it was not before. Creation is considered as active or passive^*; active Creation is the Will and Power of God to create; this is from Eternity, because God willed from Eternity to create in Time; This never had beginning, for God never began in time to understand any thing, to will any thing, or to be able to do any thing; but he alway understood, and alway willed those things which he determined from Eternity to produce in Time. The Decree of God may be taken for the Act decreeing, that is eternal and the same; or for the Object decreed, that is in Time: So that there may be a change in the Object, but not in the Will whereby the Object doth exist.

First, There was no change in God when he began to create the World in Time. The Creation was a real change, But the change was not subjectively in God, but in the Creature; the Creature began to be what it was not before. Creation is considered as active or passive^*; active Creation is the Will and Power of God to create; this is from Eternity, because God willed from Eternity to create in Time; This never had beginning, for God never began in time to understand any thing, to will any thing, or to be able to do any thing; but he alway understood, and alway willed those things which he determined from Eternity to produce in Time. The Decree of God may be taken for the Act decreeing, that is eternal and the same; or for the Object decreed, that is in Time: So that there may be a change in the Object, but not in the Will whereby the Object doth exsist.

1. *Gamach. in part. 1. Aquin. Qu. 9. cap. 1. p. 72.

1. There was no change in God by the Act of Creation, because there was no new Will in him. There was no new Act of his Will which was not before. The Creation begun in Time, but the Will of creating was from Eternity. The Work was new, but the Decree whence that new work sprung, was as ancient as the Ancient of days: When the time of creating came, God was not made ex nolente volens, as we are; for whatsoever God willed to be now done, he willed from Eternity to be done; but he willed also that it should not be done till such an instant of time, and that it should not exist before such a time. If God had willed the Creation of the World only at that time when the World was produced and not before, then indeed God had been changeable: But though God spake that word, which he had not spoke before, whereby the World was brought into act; yet he did not will that Will he willed not before. God did not create by a new Counsel or new Will, but by that which was from Eternity,