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4. But what Thou saidst in the beginning of the creation, "Let
there be light, and there was light,". I do not unfitly understand
of the spiritual creature; because there was even then a kind of life,
which Thou mightest illuminate. But as it had not deserved of Thee
that it should be such a life as could be enlightened, so neither,
when it already was, hath it deserved of Thee that it should be
enlightened. For neither could its formlessness be pleasing unto
Thee,unless it became light,- not by merely existing, but by
beholding the illuminating light, and cleaving unto it; so also, that
it lives, and lives happily? it owes to nothing whatsoever but to Thy
grace; being converted by means of a better change unto that which can
be changed neither into better nor into worse; the which Thou only art
because Thou only simply art, to whom it is not one thing to live,
another to live blessedly, since Thou art Thyself Thine own
Blessedness.
CHAPTER IV. ALL THINGS HAVE BEEN CREATED
BY THE GRACE OF GOD, AND ARE NOT OF HIM
AS STANDING IN NEED OF CREATED THINGS.
5. What, therefore, could there be wanting unto Thy good, which
Thou Thyself art, although these things had either never been, or
had remained formless, the which Thou madest not out of any
want, but out of the plenitude of Thy goodness, restraining them and
converting them to form not as though Thy joy were perfected by them?
For to Thee, being perfect. their imperfection is displeasing, and
therefore were they perfected by Thee, and were pleasing unto Thee;
but not as if Thou wert imperfect, and wert to be perfected in their
perfection. For Thy good Spirit was borne over the waters, not
borne up by them as if He rested upon them.
For those in whom Thy. good Spirit is said to rest. He causes to
rest in Himself. But Thy incorruptible and unchangeable will, which
in itself is all-sufficient for itself, was borne over that life which
Thou hadst made, to which to live is not all one with living happily,
since, flowing in its own darkness, it liveth also; for which it
remaineth to be converted unto Him by whom it was made, and to live
more and more by" the fountain of life," and in His light to "see
light, and to be perfected, and enlightened, and made happy.
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