Summa contra Gentiles2.27 Chapter XXVII. That the divine will is not confined to certain effects

It may also be proved from the foregoing that neither is His will, by which He works, necessitated to produce certain determinate effects.

For it behoves the will to be proportionate to its object. Now the object of the intellect is a good understood, as stated above. Hence the will has a natural aptitude to extend to whatever the intellect can propose to it under the aspect of good. If, then, the divine intellect is not confined to certain effects, as we have shown, it follows that neither does the divine will produce certain determinate effects of necessity.

Further. Nothing acting by will produces a thing with- Ps. cxlvi. 5. * Ch. xxiv. * Ch. xivi.

out willing. Now it was proved above’ that God wills nothing other than Himself of absolute necessity. Iherefore effects proceed from the divine will not of necessity but by its free ordinance.