Ch. 7 - The Everlasting Existence of God - From "The Compendium of Theology" by Thomas Aquinas

CHAPTER 7 - THE EVERLASTING EXISTENCE OF GOD

Ex his autem manifestum est quod Deus est semper. Omne enim quod necesse est esse, semper est: quia quod non possibile est non esse, impossibile est non esse, et ita nunquam non est. Sed necesse est Deum esse, ut ostensum est. Ergo Deus semper est.

From all this it is evident that God exists always. For whatever necessarily exists, always exists; it is impossible for a thing that has no possibility of not being, not to be. Hence such a thing is never without existence. But it is necessary for God to be, as has been shown.” Therefore God exists always.

Adhuc. Nihil incipit esse aut desinit nisi per motum vel mutationem. Deus autem omnino est immutabilis, ut probatum est. Impossibile est igitur quod esse inceperit, vel quod esse desinat.

Again, nothing begins to be or ceases to be except through motion or change. But God is absolutely immutable, as has been proved. Therefore it is impossible for Him ever to have begun to be or to cease to be.

Item. Omne quod non semper fuit, si esse incipiat, indiget aliquo quod sit ei causa essendi: nihil enim se ipsum educit de potentia in actum, vel de non esse in esse. Deo autem nulla potest esse causa essendi, cum sit primum ens; causa enim prior est causato. Necesse est igitur Deum semper fuisse.

Likewise, if anything that has not always existed begins to be, it needs some cause for its existence. Nothing brings itself forth from potency to act or from non-being to being. But God can have no cause of His being, since He is the first Being; a cause is prior to what is caused. Of necessity, therefore, God must always have existed.

Amplius. Quod convenit alicui non ex aliqua causa extrinseca, convenit ei per se ipsum. Esse autem Deo non convenit ex aliqua causa extrinseca, quia illa causa esset eo prior. Deus igitur habet esse per se ipsum. Sed ea quae per se sunt, semper sunt, et ex necessitate. Igitur Deus semper est.

Furthermore, whatever pertains to anyone in some other way than by reason of an external cause, pertains to him of himself. But existence does not come to God from any external cause, since such a cause would have to be prior to Him. Therefore God has existence of Himself, per se ipsum. But what exists per se exists always and necessarily. Therefore God exists always.