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35. But what is this, and what kind of mystery is it? Behold,
Thou blessest men, O Lord, that they may "be fruitful and
multiply, and replenish the earth;" in this dost Thou not make a
sign unto us that we may understand something? Why hast Thou not also
blessed the light, which Thou calledst day, nor the firmament of
heaven, nor the lights, nor the stars, nor the earth, nor the sea?
I might say, O our God, that Thou, who hast created us after
Thine Image, I might say, that Thou hast willed to bestow
this gift of blessing especially upon man, hadst Thou not in like
manner blessed the fishes and the whales, that they should be fruitful
and multiply, and replenish the waters of the sea, and that the fowls
should be multiplied upon the earth. Likewise might I say, that this
blessing belonged properly unto such creatures as are propagated from
their own kind, if I had found it in the shrubs, and the fruit
trees, and beasts of the earth. But now is it not said either unto
the herbs, or trees, or beasts, or serpents, "Be fruitful and
multiply;" since all these also, as well as fishes, and fowls, and
men, do by propagation increase and preserve their kind.
36. What, then, shall I say, O Thou Truth, my Light,
"that it was idly and vainly said?" Not so, O Father of piety;
far be it from a minister of Thy word to say this. But if I
understand not what Thou meanest by that phrase, let my betters
that is, those more intelligent than I use it better, in
proportion as Thou, O my God, hast given to each to understand.
But let my confession be also pleasing before Thine eyes, in which I
confess to Thee that I believe, O Lord, that Thou hast not thus
spoken in vain; nor will I be silent as to what this lesson suggests
to me. For it is true, nor do I see what should prevent me from thus
understanding the figurative saying. of Thy books. For I know a
thing may be manifoldly signified by bodily expression which is
understood in one manner by the mind; and that that may be manifoldly
understood in the mind which is in one manner signified by bodily
expression. Behold, the single love of God and of our neighbour, by
what manifold sacraments and innumerable languages, and in each several
language in how innumerable modes of speaking, it is bodily expressed.
Thus do the young of the waters increase and multiply. Observe
again, whosoever thou art who readest; behold what Scripture
delivers, and the voice pronounces in one only way, "In the
beginning God created heaven and earth;" is it not manifoldly
understood, not by any deceit of error, but by divers kinds of true
senses. Thus are the offspring of men "fruitful" and do
"multiply."
37. If, therefore, we conceive of the natures of things, not
allegorically, but properly, then does the phrase, "be fruitful and
multiply," correspond to all things which are begotten of seed. But
if we treat those words as taken figuratively (the which I rather
suppose the Scripture intended, which doth not, verily,
superfluously attribute this benediction to the offspring of marine
animals and man only), then do we find that "multitude" belongs also
to creatures both spiritual and corporeal, as in heaven and in earth;
and to souls both righteous and unrighteous, as in light and darkness;
and to holy authors, through whom the law has been furnished unto us,
as in the firmamen. which has been firmly placed betwixt waters and
waters; and to the society of people yet endued with bitterness, as in
the sea; and to the desire of holy souls, as in the dry land; and to
works of mercy pertaining to this present life, as in the seed-bearing
herbs and fruit-bearing trees; and to spiritual gifts shining forth
for edification, as in the lights of heaven; and to affections formed
unto temperance, as in the living soul. In all these cases we meet
with multitudes, abundance, and increase; but what shall thus "be
fruitful and multiply," that one thing may be expressed in many ways,
and one expression understood in many ways, we discover not, unless in
signs corporeally expressed, and in things mentally conceived. We
understand the signs corporeally pronounced as the generations of the
waters, necessarily occasioned by carnal depth; but things mentally
conceived we understand as human generations, on account of the
fruitfulness of reason. And therefore do we believe that to each kind
of these it has been said by Thee, O Lord, "Be fruitful and
multiply." For in this blessing I acknowledge that power and faculty
has been l granted unto us, by Thee, both to express in many ways
what we understand but in one, and to understand in many ways what we
read as obscurely delivered but in one. Thus are the waters of the sea
replenished, which are not moved but by various significations; thus
even with the human offspring is the earth also replenished, the
drynes. whereof appeareth in its desire, and reason ruleth over it.
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