CHAPTER XVIII—That in God there is no Composition

IN every compound there must be actuality and potentiality. For a plurality of things cannot become one thing, unless there be actuality and potentiality. For things that are not one absolutely, are not actually united except by being in a manner tied up together or driven together: in which case the parts thus got together are in potentiality in respect of union; for they combine actually, after having been potentially combinable. But in God there is no potentiality: therefore there is not in Him any composition.⁴²⁴²Read: “Non enim plura possunt fieri unum, nisi aliquid ibi sit actus et aliquid potentia. Quae enim non sunt unum simpliciter, actu non uniuntur, nisi quasi colligata vel sicut congregata: in quibus etiam ipsae partes congregatae sunt sicut in potentia respectu unionis.”

3. Every compound is potentially soluble in respect of its being compound, although in some cases there may be some other fact that stands in the way of dissolution. But what is soluble is in potentiality not to be, which cannot be said of God, seeing that He is of Himself a necessary Being.