Commentary on Genesis Part 26

150. When we dispute about the freedom of the will, the question with us is what it may do from the theological standpoint, not in civil affairs and in those subjects to reason. We believe that man, without the Holy Spirit, is altogether corrupt before G.o.d, though he may stand adorned with all heathen virtues, inasmuch as there are certainly distinguished examples of moderation, of liberality, of love of country, parents and children, of courage and humanity, even in the history of the Gentiles. We maintain that man's best thoughts concerning G.o.d, the wors.h.i.+p of G.o.d, the will of G.o.d, are worse than Cimmerian darkness; for the light of reason, which has been given to man alone, understands only bodily blessings. Such is the wicked infatuation of our evil desires.

151. This declaration, therefore, should not be construed frivolously, as the Jews and sophists do, who believe that the lower part of man only is here meant, which is b.e.s.t.i.a.l, and that the reason longs for better things. "The imagination of the thoughts" they apply accordingly to the second table, like the Pharisee who condemns the publican and says that he is not like the other persons. The words the Pharisee uses are very fine, for to give thanks to G.o.d for his gifts is not a sin; and yet we declare this same thing to be unG.o.dly and wicked, because it proceeded from gross ignorance of G.o.d, and it is truly prayer turned into sin, tending neither to the glory of G.o.d nor to the welfare of men.

152. You may observe that philosophers have at various times quite cleverly discussed G.o.d and the providence with which he rules all things. To some, such words have seemed so pious that they almost have placed Socrates, Xenophon and Plato in the same rank with the prophets; yet, because in these discussions the philosophers are ignorant of the fact that G.o.d has sent his only Son into the world to save sinners, these beautiful utterances are, according to the declaration of this pa.s.sage, consummate ignorance of G.o.d and mere blasphemies, for the pa.s.sage states unequivocally that all imagination and effort of the human heart is only evil.

153. The text speaks, accordingly, not only of the sins before the flood, but it speaks of the whole nature of man, his heart, his reason and his intellect, even when man pretends to righteousness and desires to be very holy, as do today the Anabaptists when they purpose in their heart so to excel as to fail in nothing, when for a show they attempt to attain the fairest virtues. The truth is that hearts without the Holy Spirit are not only ignorant of G.o.d, but naturally even hate him. How, then, can anything be aught but evil that proceeds from ignorance and hatred of G.o.d?

154. Another question is here raised. Moses speaks thus: "When Jehovah saw that every imagination of the thoughts of man's heart was only evil continually, it repented him that he had made man on the earth."

If G.o.d foresees everything, why does the text say that he now first sees? If G.o.d is wise, how can regret for having created anything befall him? Why did he not see this sin or depraved nature of man from the beginning of the world? Why does Scripture thus attribute to G.o.d such things as a temporary will, vision and purpose? Are not the purposes of G.o.d eternal and unalterable, incapable of being regretted?

Similar instances are found also in the prophets, where G.o.d threatens penalties, as for instance to the Ninevites, and yet pardons the penitent.

To this question the sophists have no other reply than this, that the Scripture speaks after the manner of men, that such things are ascribed to G.o.d accordingly through the use of a figure of speech.

Hence they contend concerning a double will of G.o.d, the will expressed by signs (_voluntas signi_) and the will of his good pleasure (_voluntas beneplaciti_). The will of his good pleasure, they say, is constant and unchangeable, while the expressed will is subject to change. For the signs through which he expresses himself, he changes when he pleases. Thus he has abolished circ.u.mcision and inst.i.tuted baptism, whereas the will of his good pleasure, fixed from eternity, abides.

155. While I do not condemn this interpretation, a simpler meaning of the Scripture seems to be that the Holy Scriptures express the thought of men in the ministry. For when Moses says that G.o.d sees and regrets, this is really done in the hearts of those who have the ministry of the Word. Thus he said above: "My Spirit shall not strive with man,"

but he does not say this simply of the Holy Spirit as existing in his own nature, or of the divine majesty, but of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of Noah and Methuselah, that is, the Holy Spirit as officiating and administering the Word through the saints.

156. In this manner G.o.d saw the wickedness of man and repented; that is, Noah, who had the Holy Spirit and was a minister of the Word, saw the wickedness of men and, seeing such things, he was moved by the Holy Spirit to grief. So Paul says in Ephesians 4, 30, that the Holy Spirit in the righteous is grieved by the unG.o.dliness and malice of the wicked. Inasmuch as Noah is a faithful minister of the Word and an organ of the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit is said to grieve when Noah grieves and wishes that man rather did not exist than to be thus iniquitous.

157. The meaning, therefore, is not that G.o.d did not see these things from eternity; he saw everything from eternity; but inasmuch as this wickedness now manifests itself in all its fierceness, G.o.d now first reveals the same in the hearts of his ministers and prophets.

From eternity, therefore, G.o.d is firm and constant in his purpose. He sees and knows everything. But only in his own time does G.o.d reveal this to the righteous so that they, also, may see it. This seems to me the simplest meaning of this pa.s.sage, nor does Augustine differ from it much.

158. However, I constantly follow the rule to avoid, whenever possible, such questions as draw us before the throne of the highest majesty. It is better and safer to stand at the manger of Christ, the man. To lose one's self in the labyrinths of divinity is fraught with greatest danger.

159. To this pa.s.sage belong also other similar ones in which G.o.d is pictured as having eyes, ears, mouth, nose, hands and feet, as Isaiah, Daniel and other prophets saw him in their visions. In such pa.s.sages the Bible speaks of G.o.d in the same manner as of a man. In consequence, the Anthropomorphites stood condemned of heresy because they attributed to the divine essence a human form.

160. Because the Anthropomorphites fancied such gross things, they have rightly been condemned. Their fancy is manifestly erroneous, for a spirit, as Christ says (Lk 24, 39), has not flesh and bone. I am rather of the opinion that the Anthropomorphites intended to adapt the form of their doctrine to the plainest people. For in his substance, G.o.d is unknowable, indefinable, inexpressible, though we may tear ourselves to pieces in our efforts to discern or portray him.

161. Hence, G.o.d himself condescends to the low plane of our understanding and presents himself to us with childlike simplicity in representations, as in a guise, so that he may be made known to us in some way. Thus the Holy Spirit appeared in the form of a dove; not because he is a dove, but in this crude form he desired to be recognized, received and wors.h.i.+ped, for it was really the Holy Spirit.

No one, to be sure, will say that the same pa.s.sage defines G.o.d as a voice speaking from heaven, yet under this crude image, a human voice from heaven, he was received and wors.h.i.+ped.

162. When Scripture thus ascribes to G.o.d human form, voice, actions and state of mind, it is intended as an aid only for the uncultivated and feeble; we who are great and learned and of discernment in reference to Scripture, should likewise lay hold of these representations, because G.o.d has put them forth and revealed himself to us through them. The angels likewise, appear in human form, though it is certain that they are only spirits; spirits we cannot recognize when they present themselves as such, but likenesses we do recognize.

163. This is the simplest way of treating such pa.s.sages, for the nature of G.o.d we cannot define; what he is not we can well define--he is not a voice, a dove, water, bread, wine. And yet in these visible forms he presents himself to us and deals with us. These forms he shows to us that we should not become wandering and unsettled spirits which dispute concerning G.o.d, but are completely ignorant concerning him, since in his unveiled majesty he can not be apprehended. He sees it to be impossible for us to know him in his own nature. For he lives, as the Scripture says in 1 Timothy 6, 16, in an inaccessible light, and what we can apprehend and understand he has declared. They who abide in these things will truly lay hold of him, while those who vaunt and follow visions, revelations and illuminations will either be overwhelmed by his majesty or remain in densest ignorance of G.o.d.

164. Thus the Jews also had their representations in which G.o.d manifested himself to them, as the mercy-seat, the ark of the covenant, the tabernacle, the pillars of smoke and fire. G.o.d says in Exodus 33, 20, "Man shall not see me and live," therefore he gives a representation of himself in which he so manifests himself to us that we may lay hold of him. In the new covenant we have Baptism, the Lord's Supper, absolution and the ministry of the Word.

165. These are what the scholastics call _voluntas signi_, the will expressed through signs, which we must view when we desire to know the will of G.o.d. Another is the _voluntas beneplaciti_, the will of his good pleasure, the essential will of G.o.d, or his unveiled majesty, which is G.o.d himself. From this our eyes are to be turned away. It cannot be laid hold of; for in G.o.d is nothing but divinity, and the essence of G.o.d is his infinite wisdom and almighty power. These are absolutely inaccessible to reason: what he has willed according to the will of his good pleasure, that he has seen from eternity.

166. Into this essential and divine will we should not pry, but should absolutely refrain from it as from the divine majesty, for it is inscrutable, and G.o.d has had no desire to declare it in this life. He desires to show it under certain tokens or coverings, as Baptism, the Word and the Lord's Supper. These are the images of the deity and are his will as expressed through signs, by which he deals with us on the plane of our intelligence. Hence, we should look to these alone. The will of his good pleasure is to be left entirely out of contemplation, unless you happen to be Moses, or David, or some similarly perfect man, although even they so looked to the will of the divine good pleasure as never to turn their eyes from the will expressed by signs.

167. This will of G.o.d is called his activity (_effectus Dei_), wherein he comes out to us and deals with us garbed in the drapery of things extraneous to himself; these we can lay hold of--the Word of G.o.d and the ceremonies inst.i.tuted by himself. This will of G.o.d is not that of his omnipotence, for though G.o.d in the ten commandments enjoins what ought to be done it is yet not done. Thus, Christ has inst.i.tuted the Lord's Supper to strengthen in us faith in his mercy, and yet many receive it to their condemnation, that is, without faith.

168. But I return to Moses. He says that G.o.d sees man's wickedness and repents. The scholastics explain this: He sees and repents, namely, according to the expressed will, not that of his good pleasure, or the essential will.

169. We say that Noah's heart is moved by the Holy Spirit to understand that G.o.d is wroth with man and desires his destruction.

This interpretation commends itself to our intelligence and does not draw us into discussions concerning the absolute will or majesty of G.o.d, which are very dangerous, as I have seen in many. Such spirits are first puffed up by the devil so that they believe themselves to be in possession of the Holy Spirit, neglect the Word to the point of blaspheming it and vaunt nothing but the Spirit and visions.

170. This is the first degree of error--that men, paying no heed to the Deity as imaged and incarnate, seek after the unveiled G.o.d.

Afterward, when the hour of judgment comes, and they feel the wrath of G.o.d, G.o.d himself judging and searching their hearts, the devil ceases to puff them up and they despair and die. They go about in the untempered sunlight and forsake the shade that delivers from the heat, Is 4, 6.

171. Let no one therefore meditate upon divinity unveiled, but flee from such thoughts as from the infernal regions and the very temptations of Satan. But let us take care to abide in these symbols through which G.o.d has revealed himself to us--the Son, born of the Virgin Mary, lying among beasts in the manger, and the Word, Baptism, the Lord's Supper and absolution. In these images we see and find G.o.d in a way wherein we can endure him; he comforts us, lifts us up into hope and saves. Other thoughts about the will of the good pleasure, or the essential and eternal will, kill and d.a.m.n.

172. However, to name this the will of "good pleasure" is a misnomer.

For that deserves to be called the will of good pleasure which the Gospel discloses, concerning which Paul says, "that ye may prove what is the good will of G.o.d," Rom 12, 2. And Christ says, "This is the will of my Father, that every one that beholdeth the Son should have eternal life," Jn 6, 40. Also, "Whosoever shall do the will of my Father who is in heaven, he is my brother," Mt 12, 50. Again, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased," Mt 3, 17. This will of grace is correctly and properly called the will "of the divine good pleasure" and it is our only remedy and safeguard against that other will, be it called the "expressed will" or the "will of good pleasure," about the display of which at the flood and the destruction of Sodom the scholastics dispute.

173. On both occasions a terrible wrath is in evidence, against which no soul could find protection, except in that gracious will, keeping in mind that the Son of G.o.d was sent into the flesh to deliver us from sin, death and the power of the devil.

174. This will of the divine good pleasure has been determined from eternity, and revealed and published in Christ. It is a quickening, gracious and lovable will, and consequently it alone merits to be called "the will of good pleasure." But the good fathers almost pa.s.s the promises by; they do not press them, though they could properly be called "the will of the good pleasure."

175. Therefore, as they enjoin looking to the will expressed by signs, they do well, but this is in no wise sufficient; when we consider the ten commandments, are we not frightened by the sight of our sins? When those terrible examples of wrath are added which are also divine will as expressed by signs, it is impossible for the soul to be lifted up except by looking back to the will of the good pleasure, as we call it, that is, the Son of G.o.d, who portrays for us the spirit and the will of his Father, who does not hate sinners but desires to have compa.s.sion upon them through his Son. Christ says to Philip, "He that hath seen me hath seen the Father," Jn 14, 9.

176. The Son of G.o.d, therefore, who became incarnate, is that sign or veil of G.o.d in which the divine majesty with all its gifts so offers itself to us that no sinner is so wretched but he dare approach him in certain confidence of obtaining forgiveness. This is the only vision of Deity which in this life is expedient and possible. However, those who have died in this faith shall on the last day be so illumined by power from on high as to behold the majesty itself. In the meantime, it behooves us to approach the Father through the way, which is Christ himself. He will lead us safely and we shall not be deceived.

177. The additional statement of the text, "It repented Jehovah that he had made man on the earth," I believe to be meant to bring out the ant.i.thesis, that G.o.d has in mind not the earthly man, who is subject to sin and death, but the heavenly man, who is lord over them. He expresses his love for the latter, while he hates the former and plans his destruction.

B. THE GRIEF OF G.o.d.

1. This is not to be understood of the divine nature, but of the hearts of the patriarchs 178-179.

2. Abraham, Samuel and Christ grieved in like manner 180.

3. By whom such grief is awakened in the heart 181.

4. The cause of this grief 182.

* The character of the children of G.o.d and of the world in the face of the approaching calamity 183-184.

* How the patriarchs and the Church were walls of defense 185.

5. What made the grief of the holy patriarchs greater 185.

6. Moses describes this grief very carefully 186.

* How we see the grief of G.o.d in his saints 187.

* How all is ruined on account of sin 187.

* Why Noah did not dare to reveal the great wrath of G.o.d to the world 188.

* What prevents the world from believing G.o.d's threatenings 188-189.

* To whom G.o.d's promises do and do not apply 190.

* Why the old world did not believe the threat of the deluge 191.