Of God and His Creatures
Whether to Separately Subsisting Intelligences all Points of their
Natural Knowledge are Simultaneously Present
Not everything is actually understood, of which there is an
intellectual impression actually in the understanding. For since a
subsistent intelligence has also a will, and is thereby master of his
own acts, it is in his power, when he has got an intellectual
impression, to use it by actually understanding it; or, if he has
several, to use one of them. Hence also we do not actually consider
all things whereof we have knowledge. A subsistent intelligence
therefore, knowing by a plurality of impressions, uses the one
impression which he wishes, and thereby actually knows at once all
things which by one impression he does know. For all things make one
intelligible object inasmuch as they are known by one presentation, --
as also our understanding knows many things together, when thy are as
one by composition or relation with one another. But things that an
intelligence knows by different impressions, it does not take
cognisance of together. Thus, for one understanding, there is one
thing at a time actually understood. There is therefore in the mind of
a separately subsisting intelligence a certain succession of acts of
understanding; not however movement, properly so called: since it is
not a case of actuality succeeding potentiality, but of actuality
following upon actuality. But the Divine Mind, knowing all things by
the one medium of its essence, and having its act for its essence,
understands all things simultaneously: hence in its understanding there
is incident no succession, but its act of understanding is entire,
simultaneous, perfect, abiding, world without end. Amen.
2.100 : That Intelligences Subsisting apart know Individual Things
3.1 : Preface to the Book that follows