Anf-03 v.viii.lviii Pg 11
Jonah i. 17; ii. 10.
that Enoch and Elias, who even now, without experiencing a resurrection (because they have not even encountered death), are learning to the full what it is for the flesh to be exempted from all humiliation, and all loss, and all injury, and all disgrace—translated as they have been from this world, and from this very cause already candidates for everlasting life;7737 7737
Anf-01 ix.vi.xxxiii Pg 4
Gen. i. 3.
and as we read in the Gospel, “All things were made by Him; and without Him was nothing made;”4245 4245
Anf-02 vi.iv.v.xiv Pg 17.1
Anf-03 v.iv.iii.iv Pg 8
Gen. i.
not as if He were ignorant of the good until He saw it; but because it was good, He therefore saw it, and honoured it, and set His seal upon it; and consummated2745 2745 Dispungens, i.e., examinans et probans et ita quasi consummans (Oehler).
the goodness of His works by His vouchsafing to them that contemplation. Thus God blessed what He made good, in order that He might commend Himself to you as whole and perfect, good both in word and act.2746 2746 This twofold virtue is very tersely expressed: “Sic et benedicebat quæ benefaciebat.”
As yet the Word knew no malediction, because He was a stranger to malefaction.2747 2747 This, the translator fears, is only a clumsy way of representing the terseness of our author’s “maledicere” and “malefacere.”
We shall see what reasons required this also of God. Meanwhile the world consisted of all things good, plainly foreshowing how much good was preparing for him for whom all this was provided. Who indeed was so worthy of dwelling amongst the works of God, as he who was His own image and likeness? That image was wrought out by a goodness even more operative than its wont,2748 2748 Bonitas et quidem operantior.
with no imperious word, but with friendly hand preceded by an almost affable2749 2749 Blandiente.
utterance: “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.”2750 2750
Anf-03 v.iv.vi.xi Pg 44
Gen. i. 3.
And who was it that said to Christ concerning giving light to the world: “I have set Thee as a light to the Gentiles”5721 5721
Anf-03 v.v.iii Pg 12
Gen. i. 3, etc.
but nowhere do we yet find the Lord. But when He completed the whole creation, and especially man himself, who was destined to understand His sovereignty in a way of special propriety, He then is designated6161 6161 Cognominatur: as if by way of surname, Deus Dominus.
Lord. Then also the Scripture added the name Lord: “And the Lord God, Deus Dominus, took the man, whom He had formed;”6162 6162
Anf-03 v.ix.vii Pg 4
Gen. i. 3.
This is the perfect nativity of the Word, when He proceeds forth from God—formed7825 7825 Conditus. [See Theophilus To Autolycus, cap. x. note 1, p. 98, Vol. II. of this series. Also Ibid. p. 103, note 5. On the whole subject, Bp. Bull, Defensio Fid. Nicænæ. Vol. V. pp. 585–592.]
by Him first to devise and think out all things under the name of Wisdom—“The Lord created or formed7826 7826 Condidit.
me as the beginning of His ways;”7827 7827
Anf-03 v.ix.xii Pg 6
Gen. i. 3.
Immediately there appears the Word, “that true light, which lighteth man on his coming into the world,”7898 7898
Anf-03 v.iv.iii.iv Pg 8
Gen. i.
not as if He were ignorant of the good until He saw it; but because it was good, He therefore saw it, and honoured it, and set His seal upon it; and consummated2745 2745 Dispungens, i.e., examinans et probans et ita quasi consummans (Oehler).
the goodness of His works by His vouchsafing to them that contemplation. Thus God blessed what He made good, in order that He might commend Himself to you as whole and perfect, good both in word and act.2746 2746 This twofold virtue is very tersely expressed: “Sic et benedicebat quæ benefaciebat.”
As yet the Word knew no malediction, because He was a stranger to malefaction.2747 2747 This, the translator fears, is only a clumsy way of representing the terseness of our author’s “maledicere” and “malefacere.”
We shall see what reasons required this also of God. Meanwhile the world consisted of all things good, plainly foreshowing how much good was preparing for him for whom all this was provided. Who indeed was so worthy of dwelling amongst the works of God, as he who was His own image and likeness? That image was wrought out by a goodness even more operative than its wont,2748 2748 Bonitas et quidem operantior.
with no imperious word, but with friendly hand preceded by an almost affable2749 2749 Blandiente.
utterance: “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.”2750 2750
Anf-03 v.ix.xii Pg 9
Gen. i. 6, 7.
and God also said, “Let there be lights (in the firmament); and so God made a greater and a lesser light.”7901 7901
Anf-03 v.v.xxvi Pg 6
Gen. i. 7.
and called the firmament heaven,6370 6370
Anf-03 v.iv.iii.iv Pg 8
Gen. i.
not as if He were ignorant of the good until He saw it; but because it was good, He therefore saw it, and honoured it, and set His seal upon it; and consummated2745 2745 Dispungens, i.e., examinans et probans et ita quasi consummans (Oehler).
the goodness of His works by His vouchsafing to them that contemplation. Thus God blessed what He made good, in order that He might commend Himself to you as whole and perfect, good both in word and act.2746 2746 This twofold virtue is very tersely expressed: “Sic et benedicebat quæ benefaciebat.”
As yet the Word knew no malediction, because He was a stranger to malefaction.2747 2747 This, the translator fears, is only a clumsy way of representing the terseness of our author’s “maledicere” and “malefacere.”
We shall see what reasons required this also of God. Meanwhile the world consisted of all things good, plainly foreshowing how much good was preparing for him for whom all this was provided. Who indeed was so worthy of dwelling amongst the works of God, as he who was His own image and likeness? That image was wrought out by a goodness even more operative than its wont,2748 2748 Bonitas et quidem operantior.
with no imperious word, but with friendly hand preceded by an almost affable2749 2749 Blandiente.
utterance: “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.”2750 2750
Anf-03 v.v.xxix Pg 18
Gen. i. 9.
“Appear,” says He, not “be made.” It had been already made, only in its invisible condition it was then waiting6415 6415 Sustinebat: i.e. expectabat (Oehler).
to appear. “Dry,” because it was about to become such by its severance from the moisture, but yet “land.” “And God called the dry land Earth,”6416 6416
Anf-03 v.v.xxix Pg 27
Gen. i. 9.
Why does He command it to appear, if it were not previously invisible? His purpose was also, that He might thus prevent His having made it in vain, by rendering it visible, and so fit for use. And thus, throughout, proofs arise to us that this earth which we inhabit is the very same which was both created and formed6424 6424 Ostensam: “manifested” (see note 10, p. 96.)
by God, and that none other was “Without form, and void,” than that which had been created and formed. It therefore follows that the sentence, “Now the earth was without form, and void,” applies to that same earth which God mentioned separately along with the heaven.6425 6425
Anf-03 v.v.xxix Pg 21
Ver. 11.
Again: “Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping things, and beasts of the earth, after their kind.”6418 6418
Anf-03 v.v.xxii Pg 3
Gen. i. 11, 12.
And again: “And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creatures that have life, and fowl that may fly above the earth through the firmament of heaven. And it was so. And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind.”6339 6339
Anf-03 v.iv.iii.iii Pg 11
Gen. i. 14.
Previous, then, to this temporal course, (the goodness) which created time had not time; nor before that beginning which the same goodness originated, had it a beginning. Being therefore without all order of a beginning, and all mode of time, it will be reckoned to possess an age, measureless in extent2734 2734 Immensa.
and endless in duration;2735 2735 Interminabili.
nor will it be possible to regard it as a sudden or adventitious or impulsive emotion, because it has nothing to occasion such an estimate of itself; in other words, no sort of temporal sequence. It must therefore be accounted an eternal attribute, inbred in God,2736 2736 Deo ingenita “Natural to,” or “inherent in.”
and everlasting,2737 2737 Perpetua. [Truly, a sublime Theodicy.]
and on this account worthy of the Divine Being, putting to shame for ever2738 2738 Suffundens jam hinc.
the benevolence of Marcion’s god, subsequent as he is to (I will not say) all beginnings and times, but to the very malignity of the Creator, if indeed malignity could possibly have been found in goodness.