Three things are, indeed, needed to form a shadow:  light, a body, a dark place.  The shadow of heaven forms the darkness of the world.  Understand, I pray you, what I mean, by a simple example—­by raising for yourself at midday a tent of some compact and impenetrable material, you shut yourself up in sudden darkness.  Suppose that original darkness was like this, not subsisting directly by itself, but resulting from some external causes.  If it is said that it rested upon the deep, it is because the extremity of air naturally touches the surface of bodies; and as at that time the water covered everything, we are obliged to say that darkness was upon the face of the deep.

“And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters?” Does this Spirit mean the diffusion of air?  The sacred writer wishes to enumerate to you the elements of the world, to tell you that God created the heavens, the earth, water and air, and that the last was now diffused and in motion; or rather, that which is truer and confirmed by the authority of the ancients, by the Spirit of God he means the Holy Spirit.  It is, as has been remarked, the special name, the name above all others that Scripture delights to give to the Holy Spirit, and by the Spirit of God the Holy Spirit is meant, the Spirit, namely, which completes the divine and blessed Trinity.  You will always find it better, therefore, to take it in this sense.  How, then, did the Spirit of God move upon the waters?  The explanation that I am about to give you is not an original one, but that of a Syrian who was as ignorant in the wisdom of this world as he was versed in the knowledge of the truth.

He said, then, that the Syriac word was more expressive, and that, being more analogous to the Hebrew term, it was a nearer approach to the Scriptural sense.  This is the meaning of the word:  by “moved” the Syrians, he says, understand brooded over.  The Spirit cherished the nature of the waters as one sees a bird cover the eggs with her body and impart to them vital force from her own warmth.  Such is, as nearly as possible, the meaning of these words—­the Spirit moved:  that is, prepared the nature of water to produce living beings:  a sufficient proof for those who ask if the Holy Spirit took an active part in the creation of the world.

“And God said, Let there be light.”  The first word uttered by God created the nature of light; it made darkness vanish, dispelled gloom, illuminated the world, and gave to all being at the same time a sweet and gracious aspect.  The heavens, until then enveloped in darkness, appeared with that beauty which they still present to our eyes.  The air was lighted up, or rather made the light circulate mixed with its substance, and, distributing its splendor rapidly in every direction, so dispersed itself to its extreme limits.  Up it sprang to the very ether and heaven.  In an instant it lighted up the whole extent of the world, the north and the south, the