in the world, as are the causal formulae of all things that are going to take their
396 The Literal Meaning of Genesis
34. That is why the apostle said that the mystery of this grace was not hidden in the world, as are the causal formulae of all things that are going to take their rise in a natural way, as Levi was hidden in the loins of Abraham, when he too was tithed (Heb 7:9-10), but in God, who created them all.37
Accordingly all the things too which were done miraculously, not by natural processes, to signify this grace, had their causes also hidden in God. lf one of these was the woman being made like that from the side of the man, and of him fast asleep what's more, and her being made strong through him, as though strengthened by his bone, while he was weakened on her account, because the place of his rib was not filled up with another rib but with flesh,38 none of this was prescribed in the first establishment of things, when it was said on the sixth day "male and female he made them," in such a way that the woman quite simply would be made like that. All that was prescribed there was that she could be made like that, and that God would not make anything by a vacillating change of mind, against causes which he had deliberately instituted. What precisely would be done, however, such that there would be nothing different taking place at all, all that was hidden in God, who created all things (Eph 3:9).
35. But since he said that it was hidden in God precisely in order that the manifold wisdom of God might be made known to the princes and the powers in the heavenly places (Eph 3:10), the most likely supposition is that just as "the seed for which the promise was made was disposed by angels in the hand of the mediator,"39 so all the things that were done miraculously in the realm of nature, but against the usual course of nature, to predict or to proclaim the advent of that seed, were done through the ministry of angels, provided it is understood that in every instance the one and only creator and repairer of creatures, whoever planter or irrigator may be, is the one who gives the growth, God (I Cor 3:7).
Adam 's prophetic utterance on wakingfrom his ecstasy
19, 36. So by the same token that ecstasy, which God cast on Adam, to put him into a deep sleep, may rightly be understood as cast upon him precisely in order that he too in his mind might through ecstasy become as it were a member of the angelic court, and so enter into the sanctuary of God and understand the last
37. Nowhere does the apostle talk in so many words about the mystery of grace being hidden in God; but it will become clear at the end of this section that Augustine has in mind Eph 3:9: to enlighten them all about the dispensation of the sacrament (that is the word in the Vulgate, but it is possible that Augustine's versions had "mystery" here) hiddenfrom ages ago in God, who created all things. For he will go on later to quote v. 10. But other related texts are Col 1 :26, 2:3 and 3:3. 38. The "grace" here being prophetically or mystically signified is clearly the relationship of Christ with his Church: Christ weakened and "asleep" on the cross, and the Church, in the form of its sacraments, issuing from his side as blood (the eucharist) and water (baptism). 39. See note 32 above.