The Literal Meaning of Genesis (continued)
BOOK SEVEN 31 neously at the beginning of the ages, creating some in their own substances and others in pre-existing causes. Hence, the all-powerful God has made not only what is existing at the present but also what is to be, and from the making of these creatures He has rested in order to create subsequently, by administering and ruling these things, the order of time and of temporal things. Thus, He had finished His works in the sense that He had set limits for the kinds of creatures, and He had begun them inasmuch as they must reproduce themselves throughout the ages. In view of the works finished, then, He rests, and in view of the works begun He is working even until now. But if someone can find a better interpretation of these texts, I will not resist him, I will even support him.
43. With regard to the soul, which God breathed into the face of man, I have no firm position except to say that it is from God in such a way that it is not the substance of God; that it is incorporeal, that is, not a body but a spirit; that it is not born of God's substance and does not proceed from God's substance, but is made by God; that it is not made by the conversion of a body or an irrational soul into it; and hence it is made from nothing. And I hold that it is immortal in view of the nature of the life that it has, which it cannot possibly lose; but that in view of a kind of mutability that it has, making it possible to change for the better or the worse, it can be rightly considered also as mortal, for only He has true immortality of whom it has been justly said, who alone has immortality.*}
The other interpretations that I have put forth in this book should be of some interest to the reader: either he may discover from them how one must investigate without rash assertions the questions which Scripture does not clearly answer; or if my way of investigation is not to his liking, he may see how I carried it on, and as a result I hope that if he can instruct me he will not refuse, and that if He cannot he will join me in searching for someone from whom both of us may learn.®?