Tertullian

“ If indeed Matter shall prove not even to belong to God at all, as being evil, it follows, [8] that when He made use of what belonged to another, He used it either on a precarious title [9] because He was in need of it, or else by violent possession because He was stronger than it. For by three methods is the property of others obtained,—by right, by permission, by violence; in other words, by lordship, by a title derived from the will of another, [10] by force. Now, as lordship is out of the question, Hermogenes must choose which (of the other methods) is suitable to God. ”

“ Now this is the answer which must be given to Hermogenes when he maintains that it was by virtue of His Lordship that God used Matter—even of His non-possession of any right to it, on the ground, of course, of His not having Himself made it. Evil then, on your terms, [6] must proceed from God Himself, since He is—I will not say the Author of evil, because He did not form it, but—the permitter thereof, as having dominion over it. ”

“ But being undoubtedly good, only not the Lord withal, He, by using such power [5] as He possessed, showed the necessity He was under of yielding to the condition of Matter, which He would have amended if He had been its Lord. ”