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- confessions
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- which before was not, and that these things were not out of Thyself, in
Thine own likeness, which is the form of all things; but out of nothing,
a formless unlikeness, which should be formed by Thy likeness (recurring
to Thy Unity, according to their appointed capacity, so far as is given
to each thing in his kind), and might all be made very good; whether
they abide around Thee, or being in gradation removed in time and place,
made or undergo the beautiful variations of the Universe. These things
they see, and rejoice, in the little degree they here may, in the light
of Thy truth.
Another bends his mind on that which is said, In the Beginning God made
heaven and earth; and beholdeth therein Wisdom, the Beginning because
It also speaketh unto us. Another likewise bends his mind on the same
words, and by Beginning understands the commencement of things created;
In the beginning He made, as if it were said, He at first made. And
among them that understand In the Beginning to mean, "In Thy Wisdom Thou
createdst heaven and earth," one believes the matter out of which the
heaven and earth were to be created, to be there called heaven and
earth; another, natures already formed and distinguished; another, one
formed nature, and that a spiritual, under the name Heaven, the other
formless, a corporeal matter, under the name Earth. They again who by
the names heaven and earth, understand matter as yet formless, out of
which heaven and earth were to be formed, neither do they understand it
in one way; but the one, that matter out of which both the intelligible
and the sensible creature were to be perfected; another, that only, out
of which this sensible corporeal mass was to be made, containing in
its vast bosom these visible and ordinary natures. Neither do they, who
believe the creatures already ordered and arranged, to be in this place
called heaven and earth, understand the same; but the one, both the
invisible and visible, the other, the visible only, in which we behold
this lightsome heaven, and darksome earth, with the things in them
contained.
But he that no otherwise understands In the Beginning He made, than if
it were said, At first He made, can only truly understand heaven and
earth of the matter of heaven and earth, that is, of the universal
intelligible and corporeal creation. For if he would understand thereby
the universe, as already formed, it may be rightly demanded of him, "If
God made this first, what made He afterwards?" and after the universe,
he will find nothing; whereupon must he against his will hear another
question; "How did God make this first, if nothing after?" But when
he says, God made matter first formless, then formed, there is no
absurdity, if he be but qualified to discern, what precedes by eternity,
what by time, what by choice, and what in original. By eternity, as
God is before all things; by time, as the flower before the fruit; by
choice, as the fruit before the flower; by original, as the sound before
the tune. Of these four, the first and last mentioned, are with extreme
difficulty understood, the two middle, easily. For a rare and too lofty
a vision is it, to behold Thy Eternity, O Lord, unchangeably making
things changeable; and thereby before them. And who, again, is of
so sharp-sighted understanding, as to be able without great pains to
discern, how the sound is therefore before the tune; because a tune is
a formed sound; and a thing not formed, may exist; whereas that which
existeth not, cannot be formed. Thus is the matter before the thing
made; not because it maketh it, seeing itself is rather made; nor is it
before by interval of time; for we do not first in time utter formless
sounds without singing, and subsequently adapt or fashion them into
the form of a chant, as wood or silver, whereof a chest or vessel is
fashioned. For such materials do by time also precede the forms of the
things made of them, but in singing it is not so; for when it is sung,
its sound is heard; for there is not first a formless sound, which is
afterwards formed into a chant. For each sound, so soon as made, passeth
away, nor canst thou find ought to recall and by art to compose. So
then the chant is concentrated in its sound, which sound of his is his
matter. And this indeed is formed, that it may be a tune; and therefore
(as I said) the matter of the sound is before the form of the tune; not
before, through any power it hath to make it a tune; for a sound is no
way the workmaster of the tune; but is something corporeal, subjected to
the soul which singeth, whereof to make a tune. Nor is it first in time;
for it is given forth together with the tune; nor first in choice, for
a sound is not better than a tune, a tune being not only a sound, but
a beautiful sound. But it is first in original, because a tune receives
not form to become a sound, but a sound receives a form to become a
tune. By this example, let him that is able, understand how the matter
of things was first made, and called heaven and earth, because heaven
and earth were made out of it. Yet was it not made first in time;
because the forms of things give rise to time; but that was without
form, but now is, in time, an object of sense together with its form.
And yet nothing can be related of that matter, but as though prior in
time, whereas in value it is last (because things formed are superior
to things without form) and is preceded by the Eternity of the Creator:
that so there might be out of nothing, whereof somewhat might be
created.
In this diversity of the true opinions, let Truth herself produce
concord. And our God have mercy upon us, that we may use the law
lawfully, the end of the commandment, pure charity. By this if man
demands of me, "which of these was the meaning of Thy servant Moses";
this were not the language of my Confessions, should I not confess unto
Thee, "I know not"; and yet I know that those senses are true, those
carnal ones excepted, of which I have spoken what seemed necessary. And
even those hopeful little ones who so think, have this benefit, that the
words of Thy Book affright them not, delivering high things lowlily,
and with few words a copious meaning. And all we who, I confess, see and
express the truth delivered in those words, let us love one another, and
jointly love Thee our God, the fountain of truth, if we are athirst for
it, and not for vanities; yea, let us so honour this Thy servant, the
dispenser of this Scripture, full of Thy Spirit, as to believe that,
when by Thy revelation he wrote these things, he intended that, which
among them chiefly excels both for light of truth, and fruitfulness of
profit.
So when one says, "Moses meant as I do"; and another, "Nay, but as I
do," I suppose that I speak more reverently, "Why not rather as both,
if both be true?" And if there be a third, or a fourth, yea if any other
seeth any other truth in those words, why may not he be believed to
have seen all these, through whom the One God hath tempered the holy
Scriptures to the senses of many, who should see therein things true but
divers? For I certainly (and fearlessly I speak it from my heart), that
were I to indite any thing to have supreme authority, I should prefer
so to write, that whatever truth any could apprehend on those matters,
might be conveyed in my words, rather than set down my own meaning so
clearly as to exclude the rest, which not being false, could not offend
me. I will not therefore, O my God, be so rash, as not to believe, that
Thou vouchsafedst as much to that great man.