(_a_) The past duration of the world is limited; (_b_) before the world began to be, each of the persons of the Godhead already existed; (_c_) the origin of the universe is ascribed to God, and to each of the persons of the Godhead. These representations of Scripture are not only most consistent with the view that the universe was created by God without use of preëxisting material, but they are inexplicable upon any other hypothesis. (_a_) _Mark 13:19_—“_from the beginning of the creation which God created until now_”; _John 17:5_—“_before the world was_”; _Eph. 1:4_—“_before the foundation of the world._” (_b_) _Ps. 90:2_—“_Before the mountains were brought forth, Or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting thou art God_”; _Prov. 8:23_—“_I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, Before the earth was_”; _John 1:1_—“_In the beginning was the Word_”; _Col. 1:17_—“_he is before all things_”; _Heb. 9:14_—“_the eternal Spirit_” (see Tholuck, Com. _in loco_). (_c_) _Eph. 3:9_—“_God who created all things_”; _Rom. 11:36_—“_of him ... are all things_”; _1 Cor. 8:6_—“_one God, the Father, of whom we are all things ... one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things_”; _John 1:3_—“_all things were made through him_”; _Col 1:16_—“_in him were all things created ... all things have been created through him, and unto him_”; _Heb. 1:2_—“_through whom also he made the worlds_”; _Gen. 1:2_—“_and the Spirit of God moved_ [marg. “_was brooding_”] _upon the face of the waters._” From these passages we may also infer that (1) all things are absolutely dependent upon God; (2) God exercises supreme control over all things; (3) God is the only infinite Being; (4) God alone is eternal; (5) there is no substance out of which God creates; (6) things do not proceed from God by necessary emanation; the universe has its source and originator in God’s transcendent and personal will. See, on this indirect proof of creation, Philippi, Glaubenslehre, 2:231. Since other views, however, have been held to be more rational, we proceed to the examination of III. Theories which oppose Creation. 1. Dualism. Of dualism there are two forms: