(“Continuation of the exposition of Genesis i, 1; it contains the
mystery of the Trinity, and a type of the formation, extension, and
support of the Church.”)
(xxxii) 47. Thanks to Thee, O Lord. We behold _the heaven and earth_,
whether the corporeal part, superior and inferior, or the spiritual and
corporeal creature; and in the adorning of these parts, whereof the
universal pile of the world, or rather the universal creation, doth
consist, we see _light_ made, and _divided from the darkness_. We see
the _firmament of heaven_, whether that primary body of the world,
_between the_ spiritual upper _waters and the_ inferior corporeal
_waters_, or (since this also is called heaven) this space of air
through which wander the fowls of heaven, _betwixt those waters_ which
are in vapors borne above them, and in clear nights distil down in dew;
_and_ those heavier _waters_ which flow along the earth. We behold a
face of _waters gathered together_ in the fields of _the sea_; and _the
dry land_ both void, and formed so as to be visible and harmonized, yea
and the matter of herbs and trees. We behold _the lights_ shining from
above, _the sun_ to suffice for _the day, the moon and the stars_ to
cheer _the night_; and that by all these, _times_ should be marked and
signified. We behold on all sides a moist element, replenished with
fishes, beasts, and birds; because the grossness of the air, which bears
up the flights of birds, thickeneth itself by the exhalation of the
waters. We behold the face of the earth decked out with earthly
creatures, and _man, created after Thy image and likeness_, even through
that Thy very _image and likeness_, (that is the power of reason and
understanding), set over all irrational creatures. And as in his soul
there is one power which has dominion by directing, another made
subject, that it might obey; so was there for the man, corporeally also,
made a woman, who in the mind of her reasonable understanding should
have a parity of nature, but in the sex of her body, should be in like
manner subject to the sex of her husband, as the appetite of doing is
fain to conceive the skill of right-doing, from the reason of the mind.
These things we behold, and they are severally _good_, and altogether
_very good_.
(xxxiii) 48. Let Thy works praise Thee, that we may love Thee; and let
us love Thee, that Thy works may praise Thee, which from time have
beginning and ending, rising and setting, growth and decay, form and
privation. They have then their succession of morning and evening, part
secretly, part apparently; for they were made of nothing, by Thee, not
of Thee; not of any matter not Thine, or that was before, but of matter
concreated, (that is, at the same time created by Thee), because to its
state _without form_, Thou without any interval of time didst give form.
For seeing the matter of _heaven and earth_ is one thing, and the form
another, Thou madest the matter of merely nothing, but the form of the
world out of the matter _without form_; yet both together, so that the
form should follow the matter, without any interval of delay.
(xxxiv) 49. We have also examined what Thou willedst to be shadowed
forth, whether by the creation, or the relation of things in such an
order. And we have seen, that things singly _are good_, and together
_very good_, in Thy word, in Thy Only-Begotten, both _heaven and earth_,
the Head and the body of the Church, in Thy predestination before all
times, without _morning and evening_. But when Thou begannest to execute
in time the things predestinated, to the end Thou mightest reveal hidden
things, and rectify our _disorders_; for our sins hung over us, and we
had sunk into the _dark deep_, and Thy good _Spirit was borne_ over us,
to help us _in due season_; and Thou didst _justify the ungodly_, and
_dividest_ them from the wicked; and Thou _madest the firmament_ of
authority of Thy Book between those placed _above_, who were to be
docile unto Thee, and those _under_, who were to be subject to them: and
Thou _gatheredst together_ the society of unbelievers _into one_
conspiracy, that the zeal of the faithful might appear, and they might
_bring forth_ works of mercy, even distributing to the poor their
earthly riches, to obtain heavenly. And after this didst Thou kindle
certain _lights in the firmament_, Thy Holy ones, having _the word of
life_; and shining with an eminent authority set on high through
spiritual gifts; after that again, for the initiation of the unbelieving
Gentiles, didst Thou out of corporeal matter produce the Sacraments, and
visible miracles, and forms of words according to the firmament of Thy
Book, by which the faithful should be _blessed_ and _multiplied_. Next
didst Thou form the _living soul_ of the faithful, through affections
well ordered by the vigor of continency: and after that, the mind
subjected to Thee alone and needing to imitate no human authority, hast
Thou renewed _after_ Thy _image and likeness_; and didst subject its
rational actions to the excellency of the understanding, as _the_ woman
to the man; and to all Offices of Thy Ministry, necessary for the
perfecting of the faithful in this life, Thou willedst, that for their
temporal uses, good things, fruitful to themselves in time to come, be
given by the same faithful. _All_ these we see, and they are _very
good_, because Thou seest them in us, Who hast given unto us Thy Spirit,
by which we might see them, and in them love Thee.
(xxxv) 50. O Lord God, _give peace unto us_: (for Thou hast given us all
things); the peace of rest, the peace of the Sabbath, which hath no
evening. For all this most goodly array of things _very good_, having
finished their courses, is to pass away, for in them there _was morning
and evening_.
(xxxvi) 51. But the seventh day hath no evening, nor hath it setting;
because Thou hast sanctified it to an everlasting continuance; that that
which Thou didst _after Thy works which were very good, resting the
seventh day_, although Thou madest them in unbroken rest, that may the
voice of Thy Book announce beforehand unto us, that we also after our
works, (therefore, _very good_, because Thou hast given them us), shall
_rest_ in Thee also in the Sabbath of eternal life.
(xxxvii) 52. For then shalt Thou so rest in us, as now Thou workest in
us; and so shall that be Thy rest through us, as these are Thy works
through us. But Thou, Lord, ever workest, and art ever at rest. Nor dost
Thou see in time, nor art moved in time, nor restest in a time; and yet
Thou makest things seen in time, yea the times themselves, and the rest
which results from time.
(xxxviii) 53. We therefore see these things which Thou madest, because
they are: but they are, because Thou seest them. And we see without,
that they are, and within, that they are good, but Thou sawest them
there, when made, where Thou sawest them, yet to be made. And we were at
a later time moved to do well, after our hearts had conceived of Thy
spirit; but in the former time we were moved to do evil, forsaking Thee;
but Thou, the One, the Good God, didst never cease doing good. And we
also have some _good works_, of Thy gift, but not eternal; _after them_
we trust to _rest_ in Thy great _hallowing_. But Thou, being the Good
which needeth no good, art ever at rest, because Thy rest is Thou
Thyself. And what man can teach man to understand this? or what Angel,
an Angel? or what Angel, a man? Let it be _asked_ of Thee, _sought_ in
Thee, _knocked_ for at Thee; so, so shall it be _received_, so shall it
be _found_, so shall it be _opened_. Amen.
GRATIAS TIBI DOMINE.
● Transcriber’s Notes:
○ Text that was in italics is enclosed by underscores (_italics_).
○ Footnotes have been moved to follow the Books in which they are
referenced.