Chapter VII.—The Earth Made for Men.

“For it is certain that these images are made with iron tools; but iron is wrought by fire, which fire is extinguished by water.  But water is moved by spirit; and spirit has its beginning from God.  For thus saith the prophet Moses:  ‘In the beginning God made the heaven and the earth.  But the earth was invisible, and unarranged; and darkness was over the deep:  and the Spirit of God was upon the waters.’⁷⁸²⁷⁸²    Gen. i. 1, 2.  Which Spirit, like the Creator’s hand, by command of God separated light from darkness; and after that invisible heaven produced this visible one, that He might make the higher places a habitation for angels, and the lower for men.  For your sake, therefore, by command of God, the water which was upon the face of the earth withdrew, that the earth might produce fruits for you; and into the earth also He inserted veins of moisture, that fountains and rivers might flow forth from it for you.  For your sake it was commanded to bring forth living creatures, and all things which could serve for your use and pleasure.  Is it not for you that the winds blow, that the earth, conceiving by them, may bring forth fruits?  Is it not for you that the showers fall, and the seasons change?  Is it not for you that the sun rises and sets, and the moon undergoes her changes?  For you the sea offers its service, that all things may be subject to you, ungrateful as you are.  For all these things shall there not be a righteous punishment of vengeance, because beyond all else you are ignorant of the bestower of all these things, whom you ought to acknowledge and reverence above all?