sovereign Lord, has always had creatures over whom He exercised
His sovereignty; and in what sense we can say that the creature
has always been, and yet cannot say it is co-eternal._
For my own part, indeed, as I dare not say that there ever was a time
when the Lord God was not Lord,[543] so I ought not to doubt that man
had no existence before time, and was first created in time. But when
I consider what God could be the Lord of, if there was not always
some creature, I shrink from making any assertion, remembering my
own insignificance, and that it is written, "What man is he that can
know the counsel of God? or who can think what the will of the Lord
is? For the thoughts of mortal men are timid, and our devices are
but uncertain. For the corruptible body presseth down the soul, and
the earthly tabernacle weigheth down the mind that museth upon many
things."[544] Many things certainly do I muse upon in this earthly
tabernacle, because the one thing which is true among the many, or
beyond the many, I cannot find. If, then, among these many thoughts,
I say that there have always been creatures for Him to be Lord of,
who is always and ever has been Lord, but that these creatures have
not always been the same, but succeeded one another (for we would not
seem to say that any is co-eternal with the Creator, an assertion
condemned equally by faith and sound reason), I must take care lest I
fall into the absurd and ignorant error of maintaining that by these
successions and changes mortal creatures have always existed, whereas
the immortal creatures had not begun to exist until the date of our
own world, when the angels were created; if at least the angels are
intended by that light which was first made, or, rather, by that
heaven of which it is said, "In the beginning God created the heavens
and the earth."[545] The angels at least did not exist before they
were created; for if we say that they have always existed, we shall
seem to make them co-eternal with the Creator. Again, if I say that
the angels were not created in time, but existed before all times,
as those over whom God, who has ever been Sovereign, exercised His
sovereignty, then I shall be asked whether, if they were created
before all time, they, being creatures, could possibly always
exist. It may perhaps be replied, Why not _always_, since that which
is in all time may very properly be said to be "always?" Now, so
true is it that these angels have existed in all time, that even
before time was, they were created; if at least time began with the
heavens, and the angels existed before the heavens. And if time was
even before the heavenly bodies, not indeed marked by hours, days,
months, and years,--for these measures of time's periods which are
commonly and properly called times, did manifestly begin with the
motion of the heavenly bodies, and so God said, when He appointed
them, "Let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and for
years,"[546]--if, I say, time was before these heavenly bodies by
some changing movement, whose parts succeeded one another and could
not exist simultaneously, and if there was some such movement among
the angels which necessitated the existence of time, and that they
from their very creation should be subject to these temporal changes,
then they have existed in all time, for time came into being along
with them. And who will say that what was in all time, was not always?
But if I make such a reply, it will be said to me, How, then, are
they not co-eternal with the Creator, if He and they always have
been? How even can they be said to have been created, if we are to
understand that they have always existed? What shall we reply to
this? Shall we say that both statements are true? that they always
have been, since they have been in all time, they being created
along with time, or time along with them, and yet that also they
were created? For, similarly, we will not deny that time itself was
created, though no one doubts that time has been in all time; for if
it has not been in all time, then there was a time when there was no
time. But the most foolish person could not make such an assertion.
For we can reasonably say there was a time when Rome was not; there
was a time when Jerusalem was not; there was a time when Abraham was
not; there was a time when man was not, and so on: in fine, if the
world was not made at the commencement of time, but after some time
had elapsed, we can say there was a time when the world was not.
But to say there was a time when time was not, is as absurd as to
say there was a man when there was no man; or, this world was when
this world was not. For if we are not referring to the same object,
the form of expression may be used, as, there was another man when
this man was not. Thus we can reasonably say there was another time
when this time was not; but not the merest simpleton could say there
was a time when there was no time. As, then, we say that time was
created, though we also say that it always has been, since in all
time time has been, so it does not follow that if the angels have
always been, they were therefore not created. For we say that they
have always been, because they have been in all time; and we say
they have been in all time, because time itself could no wise be
without them. For where there is no creature whose changing movements
admit of succession, there cannot be time at all. And consequently,
even if they have always existed, they were created; neither, if
they have always existed, are they therefore co-eternal with the
Creator. For He has always existed in unchangeable eternity; while
they were created, and are said to have been always, because they
have been in all time, time being impossible without the creature.
But time passing away by its changefulness, cannot be co-eternal
with changeless eternity. And consequently, though the immortality
of the angels does not pass in time, does not become past as if now
it were not, nor has a future as if it were not yet, still their
movements, which are the basis of time, do pass from future to past;
and therefore they cannot be co-eternal with the Creator, in whose
movement we cannot say that there has been that which now is not, or
shall be that which is not yet. Wherefore, if God always has been
Lord, He has always had creatures under His dominion,--creatures,
however, not begotten of Him, but created by Him out of nothing;
nor co-eternal with Him, for He was before them, though at no time
without them, because He preceded them, not by the lapse of time,
but by His abiding eternity. But if I make this reply to those who
demand how He was always Creator, always Lord, if there were not
always a subject creation; or how this was created, and not rather
co-eternal with its Creator, if it always was, I fear I may be
accused of recklessly affirming what I know not, instead of teaching
what I know. I return, therefore, to that which our Creator has seen
fit that we should know; and those things which He has allowed the
abler men to know in this life, or has reserved to be known in the
next by the perfected saints, I acknowledge to be beyond my capacity.
But I have thought it right to discuss these matters without making
positive assertions, that they who read may be warned to abstain from
hazardous questions, and may not deem themselves fit for everything.
Let them rather endeavour to obey the wholesome injunction of the
apostle, when he says, "For I say, through the grace given unto me,
to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly
than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath
dealt to every man the measure of faith."[547] For if an infant
receive nourishment suited to its strength, it becomes capable, as it
grows, of taking more; but if its strength and capacity be overtaxed,
it dwines away in place of growing.