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The Confessions of St. Augustin In Thirteen Books

Chapter VII.--By His Co-Eternal Word He Speaks, and All Things are Done.

9. Thou callest us, therefore, to understand the Word, God with Thee, God, ¹ which is spoken eternally, and by it are all things spoken eternally. For what was spoken was not finished, and another spoken until all were spoken; but all things at once and for ever. For otherwise have we time and change, and not a true eternity, nor a true immortality. This I know, O my God, and give thanks. I know, I confess to Thee, O Lord, and whosoever is not unthankful to certain truth, knows and blesses Thee with me. We know, O Lord, we know; since in proportion as anything is not what it was, and is what it was not, in that proportion does it die and arise. Not anything, therefore, of Thy Word giveth place and cometh into place again, because it is truly immortal and eternal. And, therefore, unto the Word co-eternal with Thee, Thou dost at once and for ever say all that Thou dost say; and whatever Thou sayest shall be made, is made; nor dost Thou make otherwise than by speaking; yet all things are not made both together and everlasting which Thou makest by speaking.

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Confessiones (PL)

CAPUT VII. Verbum Dei coaeternum Deo.

9. Vocas itaque nos ad intelligendum Verbum Deum apud te Deum, quod sempiterne dicitur, et eo sempiterne dicuntur omnia: neque enim finitur quod dicebatur, et dicitur aliud ut possint dici omnia; sed simul [Col. 0813] ac sempiterne omnia. Alioquin jam tempus et mutatio, et non vera aeternitas, nec vera immortalitas. Hoc novi, Deus meus, et gratias ago. Novi, confiteor tibi, Domine; mecumque novit et benedicit te quisquis ingratus non est certae veritati. Novimus, Domine, novimus, quoniam in quantum quidquid non est quod erat, et est quod non erat, in tantum moritur et oritur. Non ergo quidquam Verbi tui cedit atque succedit quoniam vere immortale atque aeternum est. Et ideo Verbo tibi coaeterno, simul et sempiterne dicis omnia quae dicis, et fit quidquid dicis ut fiat; nec aliter, quam dicendo, facis: nec tamen et simul et sempiterne fiunt omnia quae dicendo facis.