On First Principles 3.5.1–3.5.8

Next, since it is one of the church's definitions, held especially according to the faith of our history, that this world was made and began at a definite time, and that at the consummation of the age, known to all, it is to be dissolved because of its corruption, it does not seem absurd to repeat a few things about this too. As far as the faith of the Scriptures is concerned, the assertion on this point seems very easy. Indeed, the heretics, though they are divided on many other matters, nevertheless seem to agree on this, yielding to the authority of Scripture. About the creation of the world, then, what other Scripture can teach us better than what was written by Moses about its origin? Although it contains within it greater things than the narrative of the history seems to show, and contains a spiritual sense in very many places, and uses the letter as a kind of veil over mystical and deep matters, nonetheless the narrator's account indicates that all things that are seen were created from a definite time. About the consummation of the world, Jacob indicates it first, when he testifies to his sons, saying: "Gather to me, sons of Jacob, that I may tell you what will be in the last days," or, "after the last days." If, then, there are last days, or a time after the last days, the days that began must necessarily cease. David also says thus: "The heavens shall perish, but you will remain; and they will all grow old like a garment, and like a covering you will change them, and they will be changed; but you are the same, and your years will not fail." Our Lord and Saviour, when he says, "He who created them from the beginning made them male and female," himself testifies that the world was made; and again, when he says, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away," he indicates that it is corruptible and will come to an end. And the apostle, when he says, "For the creation was subjected to vanity, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be set free from the bondage of corruption into the liberty of the glory of the sons of God," plainly declares the end of the world; and again when he says, "The form of this world is passing away." But in the very words that the creation was subjected to vanity he also shows its beginning; for if the creation was subjected to vanity because of some hope, it was certainly subjected for a cause; and what exists from a cause must necessarily have begun; for the creation could not, without any beginning, have been subjected to vanity, and hope to be set free from a bondage of corruption which it had not begun to serve. Whoever searches at leisure will find very many other sayings of this kind in the divine Scriptures, by which the world is said both to have a beginning and to hope for an end.

If, then, there is anyone who in this matter opposes either the authority of our Scripture or the faith, we would ask him whether he says that God can comprehend all things or cannot. To say that he cannot is plainly impious. But if, as he must, he says that God comprehends all things, it remains that, by the very fact that they can be comprehended, they are understood to have both a beginning and an end. For what is wholly without any beginning cannot be comprehended at all. For however far the understanding extends itself, so far the power of comprehending is withdrawn and put off without end, where no beginning is held.

But they are accustomed to object to us, saying: If the world began in time, what was God doing before the world began? For to call the nature of God idle and unmoving is both impious and absurd, as is to think that goodness at some time did no good and omnipotence at some time exercised no power. This they usually object to us when we say that this world began at a definite time, and when, following the faith of Scripture, we even count the years of its age. I do not think any of the heretics can easily answer these propositions in keeping with the principle of his own doctrine. But we shall answer consistently, keeping the rule of piety, by saying that God did not then first begin to work when he made this visible world; but as after the corruption of this world there will be another, so also before this one existed we believe there were others. Both points will be confirmed by the authority of divine Scripture. For that after this world there will be another, Isaiah teaches, saying: “There will be a new heaven and a new earth, which I will make to remain in my sight, says the Lord.” And that before this world there were others too, Ecclesiastes shows, saying: “What is it that has been made? The very thing that will be. And what is it that has been created? The very thing that is to be created; and there is nothing at all new under the sun. If anyone speaks and says, Behold, this is new, it has already been in the ages that were before us.” By these testimonies both points are proved at once, that there were ages before and that there will be ages afterwards. Yet we must not think that there are several worlds at the same time, but that after this one another will come in its turn; about these it is not necessary now to repeat each point, since we have already done so above.

I think one thing must certainly not be passed over idly: that the holy Scriptures have called the creation of the world by a new and peculiar name, speaking of the καταβολή of the world (which has been rather improperly translated into Latin as “the foundation of the world”; but καταβολή in Greek rather means “casting down,” that is, throwing downward, which, as we said, they have improperly rendered in Latin as “the foundation of the world”); as in the Gospel according to John, when the Saviour says, “And there will be tribulation in those days such as has not been since the foundation of the world” (here “foundation” is καταβολή, which must be understood as we have explained above). The apostle too used the same word in the Epistle to the Ephesians, when he says, “Who chose us before the foundation of the world” (here too he called the foundation of the world καταβολή, to be understood in the same sense as we interpreted above). It seems worth inquiring, then, what is indicated by this new name. And I think that, since the end and consummation of the saints will be in those things “which are not seen and are eternal,” we must judge from the contemplation of that very end, as we have often shown above, that rational creatures had a similar beginning. And if they had a beginning such as the end they hope for, they were without doubt from the beginning in those things “which are not seen and are eternal.” If this is so, there has been a descent from higher to lower, not only on the part of those souls that deserved it by the variety of their motions, but also on the part of those that were brought down from those higher and invisible places to these lower and visible ones for the service of the whole world, even though unwilling. “For the creation was subjected to vanity, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it in hope,” so that sun or moon or stars or angels of God might render service to the world; and for those souls which, because of their excessive defects of mind, needed these coarser and more solid bodies, and because of those for whom this was necessary, this visible world was established. From this, then, by this meaning of the word, that is, by καταβολή, a bringing down of all in common from higher to lower seems to be indicated. The whole “creation,” indeed, holds the hope of liberty, that it “may be set free from the bondage of corruption,” when “the sons of God” who fell away or were scattered have been gathered into one, or when they have fulfilled the other duties in this world which God alone, the maker of all, knows. Such and so great a world must be thought to have been made as could hold all the souls that were appointed to be exercised in this world, and all the powers that are ready to be present with them, to order them and to help them. For that all rational creatures are of one nature is proved by many assertions; by this alone can the justice of God be defended in all his dealings with them, since each one has in itself the causes why it has been placed in this or that rank of life.

This ordering of God, then, which he afterwards arranged, having already from the origin of the world foreseen the reasons and causes, both of those who for some defect of mind deserved to come into bodies, and of those who were carried away by desire for visible things, and also of those who, willingly or unwillingly, were compelled by him who subjected them “in hope” to render certain services to those who had fallen into this state: some, not understanding or noticing that this variety in the ordering had been instituted by God from preceding causes of free choice, have thought that all things in this world are driven either by chance motions or by fatal necessity, and that nothing is in our choice. Hence they could not show the providence of God to be blameless.

As we said, all the souls that have lived in this world needed many ministers, or rulers, or helpers; so in the last times, when the end of the world was already near and close at hand, and the whole human race was sinking toward final perdition, not only those who were ruled but also those to whom the care of ruling had been entrusted having grown weak, it no longer needed such help, nor defenders like itself, but asked for the aid of its author and creator himself, who would restore the corrupted and profaned discipline both of obeying for the one and of ruling for the other. Hence the only-begotten Son of God, who was the Word and Wisdom of the Father, though he was in that glory with the Father which he had before the world was, emptied himself and, taking the form of a servant, became obedient unto death, so that he might teach obedience to those who could obtain salvation in no other way than through obedience. He also restored the corrupted laws of ruling and reigning, when he subjected all his enemies under his feet, so that by this, that he must reign until he puts his enemies under his feet and destroys the last enemy, death, he might teach the rulers themselves the right measures of ruling. Since, then, he had come to restore not only the discipline of ruling or reigning, but also, as we said, of obeying, fulfilling first in himself what he wished others to fulfil, he therefore not only became obedient to the Father unto the death of the cross, but also, at the consummation of the age, embracing in himself all whom he subjects to the Father and who come to salvation through him, he himself too, together with them and in them, is said to be subject to the Father; for all things hold together in him, and he is the head of all, and in him is the salvation and fullness of those who obtain salvation. This, then, is what the apostle says of him: "When all things have been subjected to him, then the Son himself also will be subjected to him who subjected all things to him, that God may be all in all."

But I do not know how the heretics, not understanding the apostle's meaning contained in these words, bring disgrace on the word 'subjection' in the Son. If the proper meaning of this term is sought, it can easily be found from its opposites. For if to be subject is not good, it remains that its opposite is good, that is, not to be subject. For the apostle's words, as they would have it, seem to show this when he says, "When all things have been subjected to him, then the Son himself also will be subjected to him who subjected all things to him," as if he who is not now subject to the Father will be subject then, when the Father has first subjected all things to him. But I wonder how this can be understood: that he who, while all things are not yet subject to him, is not himself subject, should be thought to be subjected then, when all things have been subjected to him, when he has become king of all and holds power over the universe, though he was not subject before. They do not understand that the subjection of Christ to the Father shows the blessedness of our perfection and declares the crowning of the work he undertook, since he offers to the Father not only the sum of ruling and reigning, which he has amended throughout the whole creation, but also the ordinances of obedience and subjection of the human race, corrected and restored. If, then, this subjection by which the Son is said to be subject to the Father is taken as good and saving, it is very consistent and coherent that the subjection of enemies, which is said to be made to the Son of God, should also be understood as saving and beneficial; so that, as when the Son is said to be subject to the Father the perfect restoration of the whole creation is declared, so when enemies are said to be subjected to the Son of God, the salvation of those subjected and the restoration of the lost are understood in it.

But this subjection will be accomplished in certain ways, by certain disciplines and at certain times; not by any necessity compelling to subjection, so that the whole world is made subject to God by force, but by word, by reason, by teaching, by the calling forth of better things, by the best instructions, and also by deserved and fitting threats, which justly hang over those who despise the care and health of their own salvation and benefit. Indeed, we human beings too, when we train servants or sons while they are still, because of their age, incapable of reason, restrain them by threats and fear; but when they have grasped an understanding of what is good, useful and honourable, then, the fear of blows having ceased, persuaded by word and reason, they consent to all that is good. But how each one ought to be dealt with, the freedom of choice being preserved to all rational creatures (that is, whom the word of God finds and instructs as already prepared and capable, whom it puts off for a time, from whom it is wholly hidden and arranges that their hearing be far from it; whom, again, when they despise the word of God shown and preached to them, it presses toward salvation by inflicting certain corrections and chastisements, and in a manner exacts and extorts their conversion; and to whom it even offers certain occasions of salvation, so that sometimes someone obtains a salvation beyond doubt even from a single answer uttered in faith); for what causes or on what occasions these things come about, or what divine wisdom, looking within, or seeing what motions of their purpose, orders all these things, is known only to God and to his Only-begotten, through whom all things were created and restored, and to the Holy Spirit, through whom all things are sanctified, who proceeds from the Father himself; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.