Likewise, the statement that the (divinity) commands Himself may be
taken strictly, if in Him be two entities (the commander and the
commanded); but if (we may not distinguish such a pair of entities)
there is only one entity within Him, and He is only the commander,
containing nothing that obeys. How then, if He contain nothing that was
commanded, could He command Himself? The statement that He commands
Himself means that, in this sense, there is nothing above Him; in which
case He is the First, not on account of the numerical order, but by His
authority and perfectly free power. If He be perfectly free, He cannot
contain anything that is not free; He must therefore be entirely free
within Himself. Does He contain anything that is not Himself, that He
does not do, that is not His work? If indeed He contained anything that
was not His work, He would be neither perfectly free nor omnipotent; He
would not be free, because He would not dominate this thing; nor would
He be omnipotent, because the thing whose making would not be in His
power would even thereby evade His dominion.