In cosmogoniam homilia 3

Of the same author, on the third day of the cosmogony, and concerning resurrection. The craftsman of the world adorned the heaven with sun, moon, and stars, crowned the earth with flowers and plants, and variegated the whole creation in diverse ways. But we must take up the account of the creation, admire what has been made, and worship the craftsman. For these things were not written so that we might learn only that they happened, but also so that we might admire the one who made them. It has been said that on the first day he brought forth the materials of the creatures, on the second day how he constituted the firmament from the rarefied nature of the waters, and for this reason it was called the firmament. For this reason also Christ gathered together the whole inhabited world, which was rarefied and loosened, scattered among various materials of polytheistic error, and made it one faith, and the apostle calls it a firmament, saying: "According to the firmament of faith in Christ." So the abyss was divided, and the water that remained below was an abyss, and the water that was raised above was an abyss. Whence this? David says: "Abyss calls to abyss at the sound of your cataracts." So the abyss was divided, and the firmament came into being. Then the earth was covered with water. And God said, "Let the water beneath the heaven be gathered into one gathering, and let the dry land appear.

Since the wretched children of the heretics wish to investigate everything and seek a method for an incomprehensible nature, let them say how the water was gathered and where it was gathered, or, having been gathered, where it went. For it is not necessary, according to you, to follow the words simply, but to seek the realities. God said, "Let the water be gathered." Where was it gathered? Into the sea. Was the sea not already filled then? The land was filled, certainly the sea also. Where then was it gathered? Those who cannot comprehend what is at their feet and visible meddle with the unfathomable depth and incomprehensible abyss of divinity, and the sea, being incomprehensible, does not shame them into investigating concerning the craftsman. For this reason, let the prophet speak also to the heretics. Let the heretics be ashamed, the sea said, just as it said, "Be ashamed, Sidon," the sea said. Where then the waters were gathered, listen. When God made the earth, the hollows of the mountains did not yet exist, but as soon as he said, "Let the water be gathered," the earth was rent and made hollows. The fact that it is the earth that was split bears witness to the matter: the islands, the mountains in between. And for this reason God left the islands and the mountains, so that you might learn that from the beginning it was joined together. But the word of God rent them. "Let the water be gathered," the earth was laid bare. It is necessary to know that God neither made the earth that is today so called nor gave it such a name; but the name of the cosmogony from the beginning was "the dry land," as David says: "For his is the sea, and he made it, and his hands fashioned the dry land." It became dry, and it was called earth, just as this firmament came to be and was called heaven.

When the waters were separated, the dry land emerged, having the appearance of earth that had been saturated. For the waters had recently receded. So when the earth was laid bare, the Creator commands: "Let the earth put forth grass, sow seed according to kind and likeness, and fruit-bearing trees, whose seed is in itself according to kind and likeness." Not even this shames the heretics. Grass and trees and herbage produce according to likeness, and did God produce something unlike? And again, when the four-footed animals and the reptiles and the birds came into being, God says: "Let the waters bring forth reptiles of living souls and birds flying upon the earth according to kind." The beasts, the reptiles, the birds, the swimming creatures, the herbage, the grass, the trees produce according to kind and likeness, and did God alone produce something unlike? And when He created us, God said: "Let us make man according to our image and likeness." The work is according to likeness, and the craftsman is unlike? But observe the remarkable thing. For often heretical malice finds a hiding place: "If," they say, "you speak of the Son as according to likeness, as we are, we accept it. For likeness of nature is one thing, likeness of grace another. We are according to likeness; He is likeness. For he who has seen me has seen the Father; we, however, are according to likeness." But the servants of God must inquire into the differences of the expressions. God says: "Let the earth put forth grass and fruit-bearing trees producing fruit." Then He says: "Let the earth bring forth four-footed animals and beasts." Why there "let it put forth" and here "let it bring forth"? Because the shoots and the trees and the fruits sprout year by year.

Since the waters were to remain with the earth and necessarily come forth from it, for this reason he said, "Let it sprout." As for the animals, for this reason he said, "Let it bring them forth," because once they are born from the earth, they are no longer born from the earth again, but from succession. So it happened. The word ran into action; the earth was adorned. It was then necessary for the heaven also to be adorned. Why does he make the ordering of the earth prior to that of the heaven? Because of the polytheistic error that was about to arise concerning the sun, moon, and stars. God said, "Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven." Why did he not make the sun and moon on the first day? Because the firmament, in which they were to be fixed, had not yet come into being. And not only for this reason, but also because the fruits that were to be warmed were not yet present. For the fruits sprouted on the third day. And so that it might not again be thought that they sprouted by the nature of the sun, when the creation was completed, then God makes the sun, moon, and stars. From what did he make them? For it has been said that on the first day he made everything from non-being, but on the other days from being. From what, then, is the sun? From the light that came into being on the first day, which the craftsman transformed as he wished and reshaped into different forms—there the matter of light, here the stars. As if someone were to produce a mass of gold and then, after striking coins, were to arrange the ordering of the light in this way.

Just as the abyss, then existing as one water, he divided into seas, into rivers, into springs, into lakes, into wells, so also the light, existing as one, uniform, the craftsman cut up and divided into sun and moon and stars. I wish to inquire how God made the luminaries. For he appears to have made them outside the heaven and then fixed them above. Just as a craftsman, when he finishes an image, then fixes it in a wall, so God first made the luminaries outside the heaven and then fixed them above like a craftsman, as the Scripture witnesses: "And God made the two luminaries, and placed them in the heaven." How then did he fix them? Were the two fixed together? That is not reasonable. But what? The fixing was according to the voice of God himself. "He placed," it says, "the luminaries, the great luminary at the beginnings of the day and the lesser luminary at the beginnings of the night." When the sun was fixed in the east, the moon was fixed in the west, since she was commanded to rule the night, and he the day. So the moon came into being and is born on the first day as full moon. For it was not necessary that the work be immediately mutilated, but it was necessary that the luminary be shown as it was made. After this, by alteration, it showed times and seasons and differences of days. So God makes it as if it were fifteen days old and full. The sun rose at dawn; for when the moon was fixed at dawn, it appeared in the west. So as the sun ran its own course toward the west, the moon immediately began to rise, so that the command "let them rule the day and the night" might be fulfilled.

A further question: Why did God make the moon full? Pay attention, for the thought is deep. It was necessary that, having been created on the fourth day, it should appear as a four-day-old moon. But again, if it had been four days old, the edge of its waning would not have held out. So it was found to be gaining eleven days. It became four days old and appeared as fifteen days old. The moon then had an advantage of eleven days over the sun, not in its creation, but in its illumination. For this reason, what the moon then gained, it repays to the sun. For the number that occurs according to the moon and each month of twenty-nine and a half days makes in the twelve months of the year three hundred fifty-four days. For if you thus calculate the month from twenty-nine and a half days, the days of the year become three hundred fifty-four, so that the days which the moon then gained it repays to the sun each year. Let the calculator calculate. Let there be luminaries in the firmament of the heaven, so as to shine upon the earth. Since the nature of fire was upward-moving, God placed a bridle on its nature, so that it might not send its light upward, but downward. For fire does not bear to be directed downward, but upward. If you have a torch, turn it downward, and you see that even if you turn the instrument, the fire runs upward. Since, then, he knew its nature to be such, he bound it, so that it might not shine according to its nature, but according to the command. If any of you has observed oil from a lamp, how the fire is drawn down together with the oil, and while the force of the oil pulls downward, the nature of the fire runs upward and, as if suffering violence, cries out.

For if ever fire is compelled to run contrary to its natural course, it emits a sound as though suffering violence, as though moving against its nature. For whenever something contrary to nature occurs in an element, it cries out. Why? When oil is poured onto fire, it emits no sound; but if water is poured on, it hisses. And this is liquid and that is liquid. But since that comes from wood, and the olive tree nourishes, and fire is always friendly to wood, it gladly receives what comes from its kindred. But if water is poured on fire, it hisses. For it fights against the opposite. Fire is proper to air. For it is kindred. You blow into a lamp and the air extinguishes the fire and it is found nowhere. For its kindred has run to it. See the wisdom of the craftsman, see his power. He placed the luminaries in the sky, so that they might shine upon the earth. "And let them be," he says, "for signs and for days and for years." What does "for signs" mean? The vain talkers have emptied their hopes concerning astrology, marking things that have no substance. For that there is nothing to be marked concerning human life from the stars, Isaiah bears witness, saying: "Let the astrologers of the sky and those who observe the signs rise up, and let them tell you what is about to happen." Concerning human life, then, the sky gives no sign. But do you wish to learn its signs? It indicates rains, winds, winter, fair weather. The stars indicate these things, and this through God's love for humanity, so that the sailor may see the sign and escape danger, so that the farmer may perceive a hint of winter and, taking advance action, plow the earth. A sign occurs both of war and of peace. These things the Savior confirmed, which are simple and free from curiosity.

He says to the Jews: "Hypocrites, if you see a cloud rising from the west, you say a storm is coming, and it comes so. And if you see the sky reddening at evening, you say fair weather, and fair weather comes. And if you see the sky gloomy at evening, you say a storm is coming." And then he adds: "You know how to judge the face of the sky and the earth, but do you not know this season?" These are the signs that are safe to observe: summer, winter, rain, fair weather. These are neither alien to piety nor proper to God. There would be much to say about astrology. But it requires both a strained voice and an instrument that does not falter. For the mind keeps pace with the speech, and reason weakens along with the tongue. So let us proceed to simpler matters. Let these serve as signs and as seasons. For time is one thing and season another. Time is a length, season is an opportune moment. And no one says: "It is time to harvest." No one says: "It is time to marry a virgin," but "It is the season to marry a virgin," season for sowing, and season for reaping. And Solomon says: "A season to give birth and a season to die, and a season to build and a season to destroy." He calls the opportune moment "season." The stars signify this: for example, the rising of the Pleiades, the beginning of harvest; the setting of the Pleiades, the beginning of sowing. These are alien to impiety but proper to piety. Seasons are also called feasts of God. God says: "Three seasons of the year you shall celebrate for me: the feast of Unleavened Bread, the feast of Pentecost, the feast of Tabernacles." Three seasons. Behold signs and seasons.

Days again are worked by the moon on the Sabbath, and months. The sun keeps the turnings of the year: spring, equinox, summer, autumn. The laws stand unshaken. He spoke, and they were fixed; he commanded, and they were founded. Now direct your mind here. Who is the craftsman of these things? Who made them? The Father? No one denies it. The Son? Even heretics agree, but not rightly. For they say that the Father made the Son, and the Son made everything. Do I accept the impiety? Since it binds the reasoning of the heretics with unbreakable bonds, let us ask the prophets whether the one who made everything has someone greater or is above all. For they fall by their own proposition. They say that the Son made everything, but the Father made him. May he be merciful to us for the blasphemy. In truth, it is a shudder even to repeat the words of the impious. Yet, imitating physicians who thrust their hands into wounds to cleanse the sores, the apostle was also compelled to mention shameful things, not to defile his tongue, but to cleanse the sins. They say that the Son made everything, but the Father made him. I will ask the prophets: Who made the heaven, and of what sort is he? The prophet Isaiah says: Thus says the Lord, who made the heaven and fixed it; who solidified the earth and what is in it; who gives breath to the people upon it, and spirit to those who tread it: I am Lord. Before me there is no god, and after me there is no god. I am, and there is no other.

This says the one who made the heaven and the earth, the only-begotten, who according to the heretics came into being and then created. But in the words of his lips the sinner was caught. The blessed Jeremiah says: Thus speak. To whom? To the Greeks: Gods who did not make the heaven and the earth, let them perish from the earth. The Lord, who made the heaven with understanding, he is the living and true God. If the God who made the heaven is true, and the heretics also confess that the Son is the one who made the heaven and the earth, what conflict is there when Christ says: That they may know you as the only true God and Jesus Christ whom you sent? When the Saviour said these things either through the prophets or through himself, he did not say them for the sake of setting himself in opposition: That they may know you as the only God, but for the sake of distinguishing from the falsely named. Hence also Paul says: You have turned away from idols to serve the living and true God. He calls him true in order to refute the falsely named, living in order to brand the dead idols. For my part I think, or rather I believe, that the dead are indignant against us if they hear that we call the idols dead. For you insult our order, they say. We who once lived are called dead; why are those who never lived called dead? Gods who did not make the heaven and the earth, let them perish. The Lord, who made the heavens with understanding, he is the living and true God. Who is the living one? The one who made the heaven. Do the definitions of the heretics not stand? Does their impiety not fall? Is their piety not refuted? Is their perversity not dissolved?

You are unable to comprehend the works of the maker, and yet you pry into and track down the craftsman? What does David cry out? "How magnified are your works, O Lord. You have made all things in wisdom." The prophets magnify the works; the heretics diminish the craftsman. The one great in counsel and mighty in deeds, who fixed the heaven from waters. For I do not withdraw from the wonder. It has been fixed from waters and bears water; it was congealed from waters and carries an abyss; and it is entirely sustained by an example—this evil wonder, I mean. Have you seen slabs borne from water and carrying snow above? Winter produced them. Does God not work? He made the heaven not as a sphere, as the vain philosophers speculate. For he did not make a rolling sphere, but as the prophet says, how does the sun run? He who roofed the heaven like a vault and stretched it out like a tent. None of us is so impious as to be persuaded by the vain talkers. The prophets say that the heaven has a beginning and an end. For this reason the sun does not ascend, but goes forth. Scripture says: "The sun went forth upon the earth, and Lot entered into Zoar." So it is clear that the sun went forth according to Scripture, and did not ascend. And again it says from the edge of the heaven is its exit, not its ascent. If it is a sphere, it has no edge. For what is round on all sides, where does it have an edge? Therefore does David alone say this, or also the Savior? Listen to him saying: "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, he will send his angels with a trumpet and a loud voice, and they will gather his elect from one edge of the heaven to the other edge of the heaven.

We ask, then, where does the sun set and where does it run during the night? According to those outside, under the earth; according to us, who call it a tent, what? Pay attention, I beg you, unless the word is false. But if you have a seal witnessed by the truth, both the phrase and the place concur. Imagine it to be a vault placed above. The east is there according to the pattern, the north here, the south there, the west there. The sun rising and about to set does not set under the earth, but having gone out to the limits of the sky, it runs into the northern regions, as if hidden under some wall, the waters not allowing its course to be seen, and it runs through the northern regions and reaches the east. And how is this clear? The blessed Solomon says in the—it is a scripture that is witnessed, not expunged—: "The sun rises and the sun sets," he says. "Rising, it goes to the west and circles toward the north; it circles around and rises in its place." As for its running toward the south and circling the north, learn this in the condition of winter: since it does not rise from the middle of the east, but inclines toward the region of the south and, cutting a small distance, makes a short day. Having set, again running in a circle, it makes a long night. We know, brothers, that the sun does not come forth from the same center at all. How then do the days become short? Its rising approaches the region of the south. Then, not coming on the high path but on the oblique one, it cuts short the days and makes them short.

Having set at the extremity of the west, it is compelled to circle through the whole of the night, the whole of the west, the whole of the north, and the whole of the east, and to reach the extremity of the south; and the night must become long. When, however, it is equal in length and has an equal step, it makes an equinox. Again, turning toward the north, just as in winter toward the south, and ascending to the extremities of the north, it is raised high and makes the day long. Having a small circuit, it makes the night short. The children of the Greeks did not teach us these things. For they do not even wish this. But they say that the stars and the sun run under the earth. Our scripture, the divine teacher, our scripture instructs us, enlightens us. Then it made the sun an unceasing luminary, the moon putting on and taking off its beauty and clothing itself again. The work shows the craftsman. The craftsman is inexhaustible, the work eternal. For the light of the moon is not consumed, but hidden. It also becomes an image of us mortal humans. Consider how many ages it has been rising. And if it is the first day, we say: Today the moon is born. Why? Because it is an image of our bodies. It is born, grows, is filled, diminishes, decreases, sets, just as we are born, grow, are filled, decline, cease, age, die, set. But it is born again, because we too are to rise again, and another birth awaits us. For this reason the Savior, wishing to show that, just as we were born here, we are born again, says: When the Son of Man comes in the regeneration. The moon guarantees the resurrection.

Do you see me," it says, "hidden and again appearing, and do you renounce your hopes? Was not the sun made for us? Was not the moon made for us? Were not all things that have come into being made for us? For what does not guarantee our resurrection? Is not night an image of death? The bodies are cast under the darkness; you cannot distinguish their forms. Often you grope with your hand the faces of those who are sleeping, and you do not know which face is this one's, which is that one's, but you ask, so that the voice may become the herald of those hidden in the darkness. Just as night conceals our forms, even if we are all together in the same place, and no one recognizes the other, so death comes and dissolves the forms, so that no one recognizes anyone. You pass by tombs. If you see many skulls in a grave, do you know whose this is? But the one who fashioned them knows; the one who dissolved them understands from where these forms came. Do you not marvel at God's craftsmanship? Among so many forms in so many myriads, there is no likeness. Even if you run to the ends of the inhabited world, you find no one similar; but even if you find one, it is by a nose or an eye, so that the strangeness appears. Twins come forth from one womb, and the likeness is divided.

Then, if he who brought forth so many forms from non-existence can dissolve and renew them, can he not? Do not measure God's power and God's wisdom by your own reasoning, as a wretched human. Do not think that God can do only as much as you can conceive. If he can do only as much as I can understand, I dare say God is very small. For my mind would have measured him. But if he surpasses understanding and defeats reasoning, the maker is unfathomable and his works incomprehensible. Let the heretics be questioned by what is visible, so that they may learn their own perplexity. Since God said, "Let there be a firmament," and immediately the word accomplished it, he left us this pledge, that he himself made it. Today we leave the sky bare at evening, and suddenly rising we find another firmament formed from the clouds. These are partial pledges of the first things, when you see the sky darkened and another firmament from the clouds. He who now swiftly makes clouds shows how he then swiftly made the sky. And what does he do? How do the clouds rain? He made the clouds like skins, and through them he draws up the waters of the sea, which are salty, and fills the clouds, and transforms the water, and waters the earth. Let them say how the weight is carried up to the height, how it is drawn up, how the clouds are drawn. They do not empty immediately, but travel far, wherever the master commands, and the command of God is like a bond placed on the clouds, not allowing them to rain until he nods. That they are skins, David testifies: "He who gathers," he says, "like a skin the waters of the sea." And see the wonder.

He gathers the waters; the immortal, invisible hand is placed upon them, not allowing them to be emptied all at once, but little by little. Just as a woman, having spun a fine thread, cuts the wool into many and varied forms, so he, cutting the infinite depth of the sea into drops as if into a shape, sends them to the earth. But here is the wonder: if it is dissolved, why is it not emptied all at once? If it is bound, why does it flow? You have an example—weak, indeed, but able to persuade you. Have you seen a water thief? Have you seen how it is perforated from below? It has its flow held in check from above, and it is stopped below because of what is placed above. Thus the immortal finger of God is placed upon the clouds, and it lets down as much as it wishes and holds back as much as it wishes, so that it may send the gift over the whole earth. And it does this especially in the late rains, when it drenches the whole earth; when it waters now one region, now another. That is why the prophet says: "And it will rain on one city, but on another city it will not rain. One part will be rained upon, and the part on which it does not rain will be dried up." But it is not the finger of God that is placed upon them, but a garment. I have shaped the discourse into our own manner. He commands, and they do not rain. And this is what Scripture says: "I will command the clouds not to rain rain." How great are your works, O Lord! You have made everything in wisdom. Have you seen the creation of God? Have you seen how it stops the mouths of the heretics, who are ignorant of creation and meddle with the creator? Everything obeys the law of God. The heaven stands, not supported by its own power, but made firm by divine law.

For when I am at a loss as to how the heaven was solidified from waters, the blessed David resolves my perplexity, saying: "By the word of the Lord the heavens were made firm." For why were they made firm? Because they were from waters. For the solid is never said to have been made firm; nor can one say: "The rock was made firm." To be made firm is one thing, to be solid is another. Something is said to be made firm when what is rarefied and porous is congealed. For this reason Peter, when he raised the paralytic, says: "Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this, or why do you gaze at us, as if by our own power and piety we had made him walk? The God of our fathers, the God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, glorified his servant Jesus; and by faith in his name, this man whom you see and know, he made firm his name." He made the paralytic firm. For this reason, by the word of the Lord the heavens were made firm. From the rarefied and dissolved waters, by the word of the Lord the clouds are raised to a height. See, I ask you. The bitter water is transformed: the clouds draw from the sea, and what is drawn from the depths, bitter, they make sweet and potable. Christ raised us from the depths, and we do not put aside our bitterness.

Who is the one who made the heaven and the earth? I say that it is Christ. And from where is this evident? Because if he were not the master of all things, he would not have performed the miracles through all the elements in the Gospel. For he performed them through all the elements—through earth, through sea, through air, through fire—so that he might be shown to be the master of all created things. The light of evening has succeeded the light of day. The sun shines and the lamp gives light; it is the end of day and the beginning of night. But you, when you see a lamp and the sun, say: "The day is yours and the night is yours; you have ordained both the lamp and the sun." Yet the lamp does not interrupt the discourse. For the sun must run according to its command. For the sun has known its setting, so that it might be shown that Christ is the master of all creations. John proclaims this, that everything came to be through him and without him not one thing that has come to be came to be. But it was necessary not only to shine in word, but also in deed. He says to the sea: "Be silent, be still," and it was stilled and the work recognized the craftsman. For he spoke to the sea, and it fell silent; he spoke to the wind, and it was stilled. If it had not obeyed, he would not have made it. If he were not the master of water, he would not have changed water into wine. If he were not the master of heaven, a star from heaven would not have proclaimed him. If he were not the master of the sun, darkness would not have clothed it at the cross. Christ was on the cross, and the sun was darkened. O the wonder! Not even creation endured the insult to its master. The sun was darkened so that you might learn that even at the cross itself he is the master of the sun. The earth was shaken so that you might learn that it is about him that David said:

The one who looks upon the earth and makes it tremble. The rocks were split, so that you might learn about whom the prophet spoke: "His wrath melts foundations, and the rocks were shattered by him." The tombs were opened, so that the resurrection might be revealed and the God who raises might shine through all things. But we must also stir up a moral discourse. The lamp calls us to say: "Your word is a lamp to my feet and light to my paths." Evening has come, so that we may say: "Let my prayer be directed like incense before you, the raising of my hands an evening sacrifice." And why not a morning one? Pay attention here. For what we chant, we ought to understand. David says: "Chant with understanding." "The raising of my hands an evening sacrifice." Moses commanded two sacrifices to be made—or rather, God did: one morning sacrifice, one evening sacrifice. The morning thanksgiving was for the night. For the one who was preserved through the night gives thanks in the day. The evening sacrifice was thanksgiving for the day. Since you preserved me, he says, during the day, I thank you for the whole day. The morning sacrifice does not accept the one who sinned in the night. For this reason he says: "The raising of my hands an evening sacrifice." You enter at evening, you spread out your hands; if they have freedom, let them be spread; if they have not written injustice, if they have not seized from the poor, if they have not defrauded orphans, let them be raised as having a face. "The raising of my hands" means: see, Lord, the hands are clean. For just as the one who has sinned cannot raise his face, but is bowed down by conscience, so a defiled hand does not even dare to stand face to face with God. See: if the hands are clean of injustice, let them be spread.

For this reason the patriarch Abraham refused to take profit from base gain, when the king of Sodom said to him: "Take everything; only release the women." So that he might have boldness, he took nothing; and keeping his hands clean, he said: "I will stretch out my hands to the God who made the heaven and the earth." And he stretched them out, because they were not defiled by unjust gain. "The raising of my hands." Paul interprets "the raising of my hands": "I wish, then, that men pray in every place, raising holy hands without anger and distractions." Evening demands from us the works of evening. The craftsman spreads his hands and examines. The morning hour comes, and if you do not have a clean hand or mind, you do not dare even to look at the morning hour. Experience is the teacher. Consider, when someone remains pure, how he enters with boldness, as though treading his own courtyard. For self-restraint during the night gives him boldness in the morning hour. For this reason David says: "If I remembered you upon my bed, in the early mornings I would meditate on you." I thank God: I remember that the word of God has restored our voice, which was failing, not looking to our worth, but to your desire. Let us pray, then, in truth of heart, both to have peace and to speak boldly in the early mornings, and to flee heretical madness, and to pursue orthodox faith, and to send up glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and always and unto the ages of ages. Amen.