42. But perhaps the word ‘creation,’ and its employment of Him, disturbs us. Certainly the word ‘creation’ would disturb us, if birth before the ages and creation for the beginning of the ways of God and for His works were not affirmed of Him. For birth cannot be understood to denote creation, since the birth precedes causation, but the creation takes place through causation. For before the preparation of the heaven and before the commencement of the ages was He established, Who was created for the beginning of the ways of God and for His works. Is it possible that to be created for the beginning of the ways of God and for His works, means the same as to be born before all things? No: one of these ideas relates to time employed in action, but the other bears a sense which has no relation to time.

42. Creationis in Christo nomen frustra objicitur. ---Sed creationis nomen nos et professio movet. Moveat sane nomen creationis, si non nativitas ante 0459B saecula, et creatio in initium viarum Dei et in opera praedicatur. Non enim potest nativitas pro creatione accipi: 433 cum nativitas ante causam sit, creatio vero per causam. Ante praeparationem enim coeli erat et ante saeculum fundatus, qui in initium viarum Dei et in opera est creatus. Aut numquid ejusdem intelligentiae est, in initium viarum Dei et in opera creari, et nasci ante omnia? quorum unum habet tempus in gestis, aliud vero intemporalem intelligentiam continet.