For my own part, indeed, just as I dare not say that there ever was a time when the Lord God was not Lord, so I ought not to doubt that man did not exist 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 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 presses down the soul, and the earthly tabernacle weighs down the mind that muses on many things.”⁠a I certainly muse on many things 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 has always been Lord, but that these creatures have not always been the same, but succeeded one another (for we do not wish to seem to say that any is coeternal with the Creator, an assertion condemned equally by faith and sound reason), I must take care not to fall into the absurd and ignorant error of maintaining that by these successions and changes mortal creatures have always existed, while 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.”⁠b Genesis 1:1 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 coeternal 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 always 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 what 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, plainly began 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,” Genesis 1:14 — 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, so that from their very creation they were 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 coeternal 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 are we to reply to this? Are we to say that both statements are true? That they always have been, since they have been in all time, having been 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 short, if the world was not made at the beginning 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 in no way exist 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; nor, if they have always existed, are they therefore coeternal 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, since time is 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 what now is not, or will be what is not yet. Therefore, 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 ask 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 do not know, instead of teaching what I know. I return, therefore, to what our Creator has seen fit for us to 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, so that those who read may be warned to keep away from dangerous questions, and may not think themselves fit for everything. Let them rather try to obey the wholesome instruction of the apostle, when he says, “For I say, through the grace given to me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, as God has dealt to every man the measure of faith.” Romans 12:3 For if an infant receives nourishment suited to its strength, it becomes capable, as it grows, of taking more; but if its strength and capacity are overtaxed, it wastes away instead of growing.