Chapter XIII.—Before the Times Created by God, Times Were Not.

15. But if the roving thought of any one should wander through the images of bygone time, and wonder that Thou, the God Almighty, and All-creating, and All-sustaining, the Architect of heaven and earth, didst for innumerable ages refrain from so great a work before Thou wouldst make it, let him awake and consider that he wonders at false things. For whence could innumerable ages pass by which Thou didst not make, since Thou art the Author and Creator of all ages? Or what times should those be which were not made by Thee? Or how should they pass by if they had not been? Since, therefore, Thou art the Creator of all times, if any time was before Thou madest heaven and earth, why is it said that Thou didst refrain from working? For that very time Thou madest, nor could times pass by before Thou madest times. But if before heaven and earth there was no time, why is it asked, What didst Thou then? For there was no “then” when time was not.

16. Nor dost Thou by time precede time; else wouldest not Thou precede all times. But in the excellency of an ever-present eternity, Thou precedest all times past, and survivest all future times, because they are future, and when they have come they will be past; but “Thou art the same, and Thy years shall have no end.”920    Ps. cii. 27. Thy years neither go nor come; but ours both go and come, that all may come. All Thy years stand at once since they do stand; nor were they when departing excluded by coming years, because they pass not away; but all these of ours shall be when all shall cease to be. Thy years are one day, and Thy day is not daily, but today; because Thy today yields not with tomorrow, for neither doth it follow yesterday. Thy today is eternity; therefore didst Thou beget the Co-eternal, to whom Thou saidst, “This day have I begotten Thee.”921    Ps. ii. 7, and Heb. v. 5. Thou hast made all time; and before all times Thou art, nor in any time was there not time.

CAPUT XIII. Quod ante tempora a Deo creata nullum tempus fuerit.

15. At si cujusquam volatilis sensus vagatur per imagines retro temporum, et te Deum omnipotentem et omnicreantem et omnitenentem, coeli et terrae artificem, ab opere tanto, antequam id faceres, per innumerabilia saecula cessasse miratur; evigilet atque attendat, quia falsa miratur. Nam unde poterant innumerabilia saecula praeterire, quae ipse non feceras, cum sis omnium saeculorum auctor et conditor? aut quae tempora fuissent quae abs te condita non essent? aut quomodo praeterirent, si nunquam fuissent? Cum ergo sis operator omnium temporum, si fuit aliquod tempus antequam faceres coelum et terram, cur dicitur quod ab opere cessabas? Idipsum enim tempus tu feceras, nec praeterire potuerunt tempora antequam faceres tempora. Si autem ante coelum et terram nullum erat tempus, cur quaeritur quid tunc faciebas? Non enim erat Tunc, ubi non erat tempus.

16. Nec tu tempore tempora praecedis, alioquin non omnia tempora praecederes. Sed praecedis omnia praeterita celsitudine semper praesentis aeternitatis; et superas omnia futura, quia illa futura sunt, et cum venerint, praeterita erunt; tu autem idem ipse es, et anni tui non deficiunt (Psal. CI, 28). Anni tui nec eunt nec veniunt; isti autem nostri et eunt et veniunt, ut omnes veniant. Anni tui omnes simul stant, quoniam stant; nec euntes a venientibus excluduntur, quia non transeunt: isti autem nostri omnes erunt, cum omnes non erunt. Anni tui dies unus; et dies tuus non quotidie, sed hodie, quia hodiernus tuus non cedit crastino; neque enim succedit hesterno. Hodiernus tuus aeternitas; ideo coaeternum genuisti, cui dixisti, Ego hodie genui te (Psal. II, 7; Hebr. V, 5). Omnia tempora tu fecisti, et ante omnia tempora tu es; nec aliquo tempore non erat tempus.