seeing and speaking. Were such qualities impossible for Him, it would follow that the inferior could possess a perfection entirely free of deficiency while the superior could not—and that is inconceivable.

Moreover, every perfection found in originated, contingent, created beings is from Him; thus, the One who bestows perfection upon others is more deserving of it Himself. The Creator, therefore, is worthier of perfection, praise, and commendation than the creatures.

They themselves state that “the perfection of the effect derives from the perfection of the cause.” Hence it is possible for Him to be characterized by every existent perfection that is free of defect. Once this possibility is affirmed, either the realization of that perfection in Him depends on another, or it does not. The first alternative is false, for it has already been established that He is Self-Sufficient: the Necessary Being in Himself cannot depend on anything else; the Creator who is not created cannot be needy; the Eternal who originated everything besides Himself cannot depend on another; and the Sustainer, Who subsists by Himself and upholds all else, cannot be in need of anything.

Were He to require something else, that other would have to be either one of His own effects or a being necessary in itself. If it were the former, an antecedent circularity would result, which is impossible. Besides, every perfection possessed by His effects comes from Him; if He could obtain perfection only through His effect, it would follow that His perfection would not be realized until the effect attained perfection, and the effect would not attain perfection until He did—for the One who perfects another is more entitled to perfection.

And if He were in need of another necessary being to perfect Him, that other would be the perfect Lord, while the first