Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol I: IGNATIUS: Chapter VI.

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Chapter VI.—Continuation.

Nor is He a mere man, by whom and in whom all things were made; for “all things were made by Him.” 1196 “When He made the heaven, I was present with Him; and I was there with Him, forming [the world along with Him], and He rejoiced in me daily.” 1197 And how could a mere man be addressed in such words as these: “Sit Thou at My right hand?” 1198 And how, again, could such an one declare: “Before Abraham was, I am?” 1199 And, “Glorify Me with Thy glory which I had before the world was?” 1200 What man could ever say, “I came down from heaven, not to do Mine own will, but the will of Him that sent Me?” 1201 And of what man could it be said, “He was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world: He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own, and His own received Him not?” 1202 How could such a one be a mere man, receiving the beginning of His existence from Mary, and not rather God the Word, and the only-begotten Son? For “in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, 1203 and the Word was God.” 1204 And in another place, “The Lord created Me, the beginning of His ways, for His ways, for His works. Before the world did He found Me, and before all the hills did He beget Me.” 1205