The Literal Meaning of Genesis (continued)
by which sinners are saved. For nature corrupted by its own evil will is unable to return to God through its own efforts, but it can do so through the grace of God, by which it is helped and renewed. We must not give up hope for men because of what Scripture says: None who walk with ber [the strange woman] will return.®) For this was said of man in view of the weight of his sinfulness, so that he who will return'? may not attribute his return to himself but to the grace of God, not because of his works, so that he may not glory.*?
34. Hence, St. Paul has said that the mystery of this grace was hidden, not in the world, in which the causal reasons of all things destined to come forth in the processes of nature have been hidden, as Levi was hidden in the loins of Abraham when he paid tithes,8* but in God who created all.85 Therefore, all things that have been made not in the natural development of things, but in a miraculous way to signify this grace, have had*® their causes also hidden in God.
An example of such a thing might be seen in the fact that the woman was made from the side of the man—indeed, while he was asleep—and she was made strong through him, being strengthened by his bone, but he was made weak for her sake because in place of his rib it was flesh, not another rib, that was substituted. But it was not determined in the original creation that the woman was to be created in precisely that way, when on the sixth day, according to Scripture, Male and female He made them.87 This act of creation determined only the possibility that it could be done thus, so that God would do®*® nothing by a changeable will contrary to the causes which His will created. How it came to pass that there was to be no other outcome, this was hidden in God, the Creator of all things.
35. St. Paul says that it was hidden so that to the principalities and powers in the heavens it would be made known through the Church of the manifold wisdom of God.8? Now, the offspring to whom the promise was made was placed through the angels in the hands of a Mediator;?° hence, we may assume with some probability that everything done miraculously beyond the ordinary course of nature to foretell or proclaim in the world the coming of the offspring was done through the ministry of angels; and yet,