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In a like manner, though we can in a measure recollect our infancy, yet we are not conscious of the fact of having sucked the breasts of our mothers; and yet we then had natural life. The reason is that we were deficient in the sense of number and the power of annumeration. For this same reason beasts know nothing of time; just as infants have no such knowledge. The sense and faculty of number therefore prove man to be a peculiar and superior creature of God on which account we find Augustine declaring the faculty of annumeration to be an especial gift of our nature, and proving from this very gift the immortality of the soul; because man alone can calculate and understand time.

With reference to the future life, some here inquire whether the offices of these heavenly bodies are designed of God to cease. But the life to come will be without time. For the godly will enjoy an eternal day and the ungodly will have an endless night and eternal darkness.

The sun therefore makes the day, not only by his light and brightness, but by his motion, which he makes from east to west until he rises again at the end of 24 hours and thus makes another day. Wherefore astronomers make three great benefits to proceed from the sun: his motion, his light and his influence.

Concerning his influence however I shall enter upon no subtle inquiry. It is enough for me to know that these heavenly bodies were created for our use; that they may be unto us "For signs of wrath or of grace and for seasons," that we might observe certain distinctions of time, etc. These things, because they are taught us in the Holy Scriptures are sure. All things else, such as the doctrines and predictions of astrologers, are not thus certain.

One is wont to inquire here concerning the astrological predictions which some confirm and prove from this text. If they are not defended perseveringly and pertinaciously, I will not combat them strongly. For one ought to concede to the ingenious and learned brains their playground. Therefore when one reads of the misuse and unbelief of their superstitions, I would not be greatly offended if one exercise himself in these predictions for the sake of pleasure.

As to that which pertains to the practice of astrology I could never he persuaded to count astrology among the sciences, for the reasons that it has no clear demonstration or visible proof. That they cite experiences does not influence me. For all astrological experiences are merely particular. For those, skilled in the practice only, have observed and committed to writing the things that have not failed; the other experiences, however, in which they failed or were not followed by the results they predicted would certainly follow were not committed to writing nor remembered. But just as Aristotle says that one swallow alone does not make summer, so I think one cannot form a true and complete science from such single and particular observations. For just as it is said of hunters, they may hunt every day, but they do not find game every day. The same may be said of astrologers and their predictions, because they fail very often.

But now since they indeed contain some truth, what folly it is at the same time that one should be so anxious about the future. For grant that it is possible to know the future through the predictions of astrologers, were it not in many respects far better, if they are evil, to be entirely ignorant of them than to know them, as Cicero contends? Instead it is much better to stand in the fear of God always and to pray than to be tormented and tortured by the fear of future events. But more of this at another time.

Wherefore my judgment is that astrological predictions cannot safely and satisfactorily be founded upon this passage of Scripture; for they are, as I have said, signs observed and collected by reason. But the next and proper meaning, if we understand Moses concerning the signs, which God knows and shows, is to the end that men in general may be admonished and terrified by them. Let these observations on the fourth day suffice.

Now here begins to open upon us and to present itself to our meditation that great subject, the immortality of the soul. For no creature besides man can understand the motion of the heaven or estimate the celestial bodies and their revolutions. The pig, the cow, the dog cannot measure the water they drink. But man can measure even the heaven and form his calculations of all the heavenly bodies.

Wherefore a spark of eternal life glitters forth here from the fact that man is naturally exercised in this knowledge of all nature. For this anxious inquiry indicates that men were not created with the design that they should live forever in this small weak portion of God's universe; but that they should occupy the heaven, which in this life they so admire and in the study and contemplation of which they are continually engaged.

If heaven were not the destination of man what aim or need was there for his being endowed with this wide capacity for rich knowledge and thought. Indeed the stature and form of the body of man also argues that he was designed for heavenly things, even though his origin was so very mean and humble. For God made the first man from the common earth. After this the human race began to be propagated from the seed of the male and female, in which the embryo is formed in the womb in all its particular members, and there it grows until by its birth it is ushered forth into the light of heaven. From this birth comes the life of sensation, the life of motion and the life of operation.

When at length the body has grown and the man has a sound reason and soul in a sound body, then first shines forth in all its brightness that life of intelligence found in no other earthly creature. By this faculty, leaning on the aid of the mathematical sciences, which no one can deny were indicated and taught from above, man mounts in his mind from earth to heaven, and leaving behind him the things below concerns himself about and inquires into heavenly things. Hogs do not do this, nor cows nor any other beasts of the earth, it is the employment of man alone. Man therefore is a being created of God with the design that at an appointed time he should leave the earth, dwell in heavenly mansions and live a life eternal. These great principles of man's creation form the reasons why he is able not only to speak and to judge, which are things pertaining to language and argument, but is capable also of acquiring any science whatever.

From this fourth day therefore begins to be manifested the peculiar glory of our race. Because God here forms his mind and purpose to create such a being as should be capable of understanding the motions of those heavenly bodies, which are created on this fourth day; and a being who should delight himself in their knowledge, as peculiarly and exclusively adapted to his nature. All these things therefore ought to call forth our thanksgiving and praise; while we reflect that we are the citizens of that heavenly country which we now behold, understand and wonder at, yet understand only as strangers and exiles, but which after this life we shall behold nearer and understand perfectly.

Hitherto therefore we have heard the divine historian speak of those creatures only, which are endowed with neither life nor sense; although some philosophers have spoken of the stars and the greater heavenly bodes, as if they were animate and rational. This I think has arisen from the motion of these bodies, which is rational and so certain that there is nothing like it in any other creatures. Hence some philosophers have affirmed that the heavenly creatures were composed of body and intellect, though their bodies were not material. Plato reasons thus in his "Timoeus."

All such opinions however are to be utterly exploded and our whole intellect is to be subjected to the Word of God and to what is there written. The Holy Scriptures plainly teach that God made all these things, that he might by them prepare for the man, whom he was about to create, a home and a hospitable reception; and that all these things are governed and preserved by the power of the same Word, by which they were originally created. Wherefore all things being at length prepared pertaining to the furniture of his home, the Scriptures next show us the manner in which man was "formed" and introduced into his possession to the end that we might be taught that the providence of God over us and for us is greater than all our own care and concern for ourselves can possibly be. These things are plainly taught us in the Scriptures. All other things not supported by the authority of the Scriptures are to be repudiated and rejected.

I have therefore thought it especially becoming and necessary to repeat here that admonition which I have frequently given, that we ought constantly to acquaint and familiarize ourselves with the phraseology of the Holy Spirit. For no one can successfully study any of the human arts unless he first correctly understands the idiom of the language in which its principles are described. For lawyers have their peculiar terms, unknown to the physician and the philosopher. In like manner, the latter have each a phraseology peculiar to themselves with which the professors of other arts have little or no acquaintance. Now one art ought not to perplex another. But every art ought to maintain its own course in its own way and to adopt its own peculiar terms.

Accordingly we find the Holy Spirit, to use a language and a phraseology peculiar to his own divine self, declaring that God created all things by his Word or by speaking them into being; "He spake and it was done"; that he wrought all things by his Word; and that all the works of God are certain words of God, certain things created by the uncreated word. As therefore the philosopher uses his own terms, so the Holy Ghost uses his. Hence when the astronomer speaks of his spheres, his cycles and his epicycles, he does so rightly, for it is lawful for him in the profession of his art to use such terms as may enable him the better to instruct his disciples. On the other hand the Holy Ghost will know nothing of such terms in the sacred Scriptures. Hence those Scriptures call the whole of that part of the creation which is above us, "The heaven," nor ought that term to be disapproved by the astronomer; for the astronomer and the Scripture both adopt, as I have said, terms peculiar to themselves.

It is in this manner that we are to understand the term "seasons" in the sacred text before us. For the term "season" with the philosopher and with the Hebrew has not the same signification. With the Jews the term "season" signifies, theologically, an appointed feast or festival; and also the intervals of days, which concur and conjoin to form the year, wherefore this term is everywhere rendered by the word "feast" or "festival" or "festivity"; except where it is used to signify a "tabernacle" or "tent."

I deemed it best to offer these admonitions concerning language and phraseology before we advance further, and I hope they will not be found useless or out of place, as showing the importance that every art should confine itself to its own language and terms; that no one art should condemn or deride another, but that each should rather aid the other and render mutual services. And this indeed the professors of all arts do, in order that the unity of the whole state may be preserved; which, as Aristotle says, "cannot be constituted of a physician and a physician; but must be formed of a physician and a husbandman."

PART V. GOD'S WORK ON THE FIFTH DAY

I. V. 20. And God said, Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth, etc., etc.

We see Moses retains invariably the same sacred phraseology, "And God said," etc. Hitherto he has been speaking of the superior creatures; the heaven with all its host of planets and stars, which God created out of water by the Word, and gave light unto it, just as we now see the air around us lucid, with a natural illumination.

Moses now proceeds to speak of new creatures also produced out of the waters; namely, of birds and fishes. He connects these two creatures in his narrative on account of their similarity of nature. For as the fish swims in the water, so does the bird swim as it were in the air. Though their flesh differs, yet they have the same origin. For the sacred text is here quite plain, that the birds when created out of the waters immediately flew into the air where they now live. Moses here retains moreover his uniform term in calling the whole region above us, "heaven."

And first it is worthy of admiration that, although the fishes and the birds were both created out of the same matter, the waters, yet as the bird cannot live in the water, neither can the fish exist, if brought into the air. Physicians rightly argue, when they affirm that the flesh of birds is more wholesome than that of fishes, even though the nature of birds is also aqueous; because they live in a more rarified element; for air is a purer element than water; the latter, in which the fish are generated and live, being constituted of the dregs as it were of the former. Philosophers however do not believe this identity of the nature of birds and of fishes. But the faith of the sacred Scriptures which is far above philosophy and far more certain, assures us that the nature of the fish and of the bird had the same origin.

Here again is a further proof of the divine authority and majesty of this book, in that it sets before us under such various forms that power of God by which he created all things, beyond the conception of all reason and understanding. Who for instance could ever have thought, that out of water a nature could be produced, which should by no means endure water? But the Word of God speaks, and in a moment out of water are created birds. If therefore the Word of God but sound, all things are immediately possible; and out of the same water shall be formed either fishes or birds. Every bird therefore and every fish is nothing more or less than a word of divine grammar or language; by which grammar all things, otherwise impossible, immediately become possible and easy; by which also things contrary and conflicting become similar and harmonious; and vice versa.

But these divine things are thus written and ought to be diligently observed, studied and known by us, that we might learn to admire and adore the power of the Divine Majesty; and that we might edify and strengthen our faith from all these marvellous creation works of God! For if one could raise the dead it would be nothing in comparison to this wonderful work; that a bird was created in a moment out of water! But the reason we do not day by day and continually wonder at these things, is because by our having seen them always before us, they have lost their wonder in our eyes. If however one does but believe these things, he is compelled at once to wonder at them. And that wonder gradually confirms his faith. For if God can form a mass of water, call forth and create the heaven and its stars, each one of which equals or exceeds the earth itself in magnitude; if God can, from a small drop of water, create the sun and the moon, can he not defend my poor body against all enemies and against Satan himself? Can he not after that poor body is laid in the tomb raise it again to another and a new life? Wherefore we are to learn from this book of Genesis the power of God; that we may accustom ourselves to doubt nothing that God promises in his Word! For, in this glorious and marvellous creation work is laid a confirmation of our faith in all the promises of God; that there is nothing so difficult, nothing so impossible, which God cannot do and perfect by his Word. For all this is here proved by God's creation of the heaven, earth, sea and all that is in them.

But we must here touch upon that which has arrested the attention of the holy fathers, and especially of Augustine; that Moses in this sacred narrative uses these three expressions in reference to God, "God said;" "God made;" and "God saw;" as if God designed by these three expressions, used by His servant Moses, to set forth the three persons of the divine majesty! Thus by the expression "said" is signified the Father. The Father begat the Word from all eternity; and by this same Word he made in time this world. And these holy fathers applied the expression, "God made" to the person of the Son; for the Son has in himself the "express image" of the person of the Father; not only of his majesty, but of his power by which he created all things. Hence the Son gives to all things their existence. And as by the Father things are spoken into being, so are they also by the Son or the Word of the Father, by whom "all things subsist." And to these two persons is also added a third; the person of the Holy Spirit, who "sees" and approves all things which are created.

These three expressions therefore, "said," "made," "saw," are spoken by Moses in a beautiful and appropriate manner as attributive of the three divine persons; that we might by these three expressions the more distinctly understand that great article of faith, the Holy Trinity. For the sole reason these props of our faith were religiously sought by the holy fathers was, that the profound subject, the doctrine of the Holy Trinity, so incomprehensible in itself, might in some measure receive aid to its comprehension. Wherefore I by no means condemn these pious attempts, because they are perfectly in harmony with the analogy of faith and most useful also for the instruction and confirmation of faith.

In this manner Hilary also distinguishes other attributes. "Eternity is in the Father; form, in the image; and use, in the gift." He says that the Holy Spirit is the gift for use, because he gives the use of all things; in that he governs and preserves all things that they perish not. The same fathers hold and affirm also, "The Father is the mind; the Son the understanding; the Holy Ghost the will." Not that the Father is without understanding or the Son without will. But these are attributes; that is terms or expressions, which are not applicable to three divine persons collectively, but to the one or the other divine person, separately or differently. Not, as we have said, that the Father is without wisdom, etc. But we thus portray and present these divine things to our minds that we may better hold and explain the article of faith on the Holy Trinity.

When therefore the sacred text says "And God saw that it was good," the divine expression implies God's intended preservation also of the thing which he had in each case just created. For the creature itself, thus newly created, could not stand unless the Holy Spirit should love it, and unless this complacency of God in his own work should preserve that work. For God did not thus create these things, designing to forsake them when created, but he approves them and loves them still. The great Creator by his divine agency still simultaneously stirs, moves and preserves, after his own God-like method all things which he hath made. I deemed it right thus briefly to touch upon these sacred matters; for the godly thoughts of those, who have preceded us in this holy study and whose course we are ourselves pursuing, are well worthy our knowledge.

The expression in the above text, which Jerome renders "the creeping creature that hath life," is in the original Hebrew NEPHESCH, and signifies a "soul" or "life" or "something living." Moses calls fishes by this name. With reference to birds, it is well known that they are AMPHIBIOUS; that is they live either on land or in the air.

II. V. 21a. And God created the great sea-monsters (whales).

An inquiry may naturally here be made, why Moses mentions by name, "whales" only. But it is so, that the Scriptures in general make mention only of the greater fishes. The mention of "leviathan" and of "dragons" in the Book of Job, and in other places of the Scriptures is well known. It is certain however that all the large sea-monsters are called by the name, "whales;" some of which have wings as the dolphin, the king of fishes. Not however because it exceeds all other fishes in size. For the eagle, the king of birds, does not surpass all birds, nor is the lion, the king, larger than all other beasts.

I believe however the reason of this is that we might know that these huge bodies are really the glorious works of God, and that we might not through any terror at such awe-striking bulks, imagine that these stupendous animals were not works of God, but unreal monsters. These great facts of creation being thus established in our minds, it is easy to conclude, that as these enormous bodies were created by God, the lesser fishes, such as herrings, sprats, minnows, etc., were created also by him. Let him who would contemplate this more deeply read Job, Chap. 41. He will there plainly see in what lofty language the Holy Spirit, by means of the poet-author of that book, lauds that marvellous monster "leviathan," whose strength and confidence is such that he contemns even the force of arrows. Such descriptions open our eyes and encourage our faith to believe the more easily and firmly that God is able to preserve us also, who are so indescribably less in magnitude and strength.

A question here also raised concerning mice and doormice; whence and how they originate and are generated. For we find by experience that not even ships, which are perpetually swimming on the ocean, are free from mice, and no house can be thoroughly cleared of mice but that they will still be generated. The same inquiry may be instituted concerning flies. And also whither birds go in the time of autumn.

If you ask Aristotle concerning mice, his argument is that some animals are homoigena, "generated from a like kind," and others, heterogena, "generated from a different kind," and that mice are "heterogena," because mice, he says, are not generated from mice only, but from putrid matter; the putridity of which is consumed and gradually becomes a mouse.

If you ask by what power this generation is effected, Aristotle answers that the putrid humidity of this matter is cherished, generatively, by the heat of the sun; and that by this process a living animal is produced; just as we see the bluebottle fly generated from horse-manure. But this reasoning is far from satisfying me, for the sun warms all things, but generates nothing, unless God speak it into being by his divine power. Even supposing therefore that the mouse were generated from putrid matter, yet the mouse would be a creature of divine power.

The mouse is therefore a creature of the divine Word and power; and it is, as I believe of an aqueous nature. Were it not a creature of the divine Word and power, it would have no natural form nor would its species be preserved. Whereas it has a form the most beautiful, in its kind; legs of such exquisite symmetry, hair so smooth, as to make it evident that it was created for a certain order of creatures by the Word of God. In the mouse therefore we admire also the creature and the workmanship of God. And the same may as certainly be said of flies.

Concerning the disappearing of birds I have no certain knowledge. For it is not very likely that they retire into regions farther south. Indeed the miracle concerning swallows is known by experience, that they lie as dead in the waters during the winter, and revive at the approach of summer; which fact is indeed a great similitude and proof of our resurrection. For these are operations of the divine Majesty truly wonderful. Hence we see them, but we understand them not. And my belief is that although a single swallow may appear unseasonably, now and then, I doubt however whether it ever can be the case, such swallow is restored from its death-like state by God himself.

Unto the creation work of the fifth day therefore belong all crawling, creeping and flying creatures; and all other creatures which move in any way in the air or the water.

III. V. 21b and 22. And God saw that it was good. And God blessed them.

Why did not God pronounce the Word of blessing upon the above inanimate bodies of his creation also? In those cases he only said, that the bodies which he had created pleased him, but he did not bless them. But when he comes to the generation and propagation of living bodies, then he institutes a new mode of their increase and multiplication. Hence the sun and the stars, as we see, do not generate from themselves bodies like unto themselves. But herbs and trees have this blessing upon them, that they grow and bring forth fruit. Still there is nothing in them like unto this present blessing, pronounced by God upon the living bodies.

Moses therefore by this Word of the divine blessing makes a glorious distinction between the bodies before created, and these living bodies which were created on the fifth day, because here a new method of generation is instituted. For in this case from living bodies are generated separate kinds of offspring which also live. But this certainly is not the case with trees nor herbs; for unless they be sown anew they bear no fruit, nor does a seed grow simply from a seed, but from a plant. But in the present instance a living body is generated from a living body. This latter operation therefore, that animal bodies should increase and be multiplied from bodies of their own kind, is entirely another and a new work of God. Because a pear-tree does not produce a pear-tree but a pear. But in the latter case, that which a bird produces is a bird. That which a fish generates is a fish. Marvellous indeed and numberless is the multiplication of each species and infinite the fecundity, but it is greatest in marine and aquatic animals.

What then is the cause of this wonderful and admirable generation or propagation? The hen lays an egg; she cherishes it until a living body is formed in the egg, which at length the hen hatches. Philosophers allege the cause of all this to be the operation of the sun and the heat of the hen's body. I fully grant all this. But divines speak much nearer the truth, when they affirm that the whole generative process takes place by the effective operation of the Word, here spoken by God, "And God blessed them; and said, be fruitful and multiply." This Word of God's blessing is present in the very body of the hen and of all living creatures; and the heat by which the hen cherishes the egg is essentially and effectively the heat of the Word of God; for without this Word the heat of the sun or of the body would be utterly ineffectual and useless.

Wherefore to this admirable part of his creation work God adds his peculiar blessing in order that these living bodies now created on the fifth day might be fruitful. From these circumstances may be seen what this divine blessing is, namely, multiplication. Now when we bless we can effect nothing. All we can do is to pray. But this prayer is inoperative. We cannot effect the things for which we pray. But the blessing of God carries with it actual fruitfulness and multiplication. It is at once effectual. On the contrary the divine curse is non-multiplication and diminution. And the curse is also at once effectual.

Here again, the phraseology of Moses is to be carefully observed. What Moses calls the blessing of God, philosophers call fecundity; that is, when certain living and sound bodies are produced from other living and sound bodies. Nothing resembles this in trees, for a tree does not generate the like unto itself; it is the seed that produces the like of the tree. This is a great and marvellous miracle, but like all things else in the wonderful works of God, it loses its wonder from our being always accustomed to behold it without reflection or consideration.

Another question here arises concerning worms and various hurtful creeping things; reptiles as toads; and venomous flies and also butterflies. In all these living creatures there is a wonderful fecundity. And it is singular that the more hurtful the creatures the more prolific generally is their generation and the greater their multiplication. But we will leave this question to our subsequent comments on the third chapter of this book. For my belief is that at the time of creation, now under consideration, none of these venomous, hurtful or annoying creatures as yet existed. I believe that they afterwards sprang from the earth, when cursed by God as the punishment of sin, that they might afflict us and compel us to flee unto God in prayer. But more on this subject, as I have just intimated, hereafter.

Thus have we then a sight of the living bodies created on the fifth day. And we have seen that the Word of God, spoken on this day, is still effectual; for fishes are still generated from mere and very water. Hence fish-ponds and lakes still generate fishes. Minnows are generated in fish-ponds, in which there were none before. For I see no likelihood of truth in the trifling arguments of some, who will have it that fishes caught by birds, drop their seed into fish-ponds and lakes, while they are being borne along in the air by their feathered captors; and that such dropped fish-seed afterwards increases and furnishes the ponds. I believe therefore the true and sole cause of all this generation and multiplication of fishes, to be God's commanding Word to the water on the fifth day of his creation work to bring forth fishes. I believe that this divine Word is still effectual; and that it still works all these things!