NPNF2-08. Basil: Letters and Select Works - Holy Bible Institute

“The Earth was Invisible and Unfinished.”more expressive, and that being more analogous to the Hebrew term it was a nearer approachto the scriptural sense. This is the meaning of the word; by “was borne” the Syrians, he says,understand: it cherished 1436 the nature of the waters as one sees a bird cover the eggs withher body and impart to them vital force from her own warmth. Such is, as nearly as possible,the meaning of these words—the Spirit was borne: let us understand, that is, prepared thenature of water to produce living beings: 1437 a sufficient proof for those who ask if the HolySpirit took an active part in the creation of the world.7. And God said, Let there be light. 1438 The first word of God created the nature oflight; it made darkness vanish, dispelled gloom, illuminated the world, and gave to all beingsat 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, orrather made the light circulate mixed with its substance, and, distributing its splendourrapidly in every direction, so dispersed itself to its extreme limits. Up it sprang to the veryæther and heaven. In an instant it lighted up the whole extent of the world, the North andthe South, the East and the West. For the æther also is such a subtle substance and sotransparent that it needs not the space of a moment for light to pass through it. Just as itcarries our sight instantaneously to the object of vision, 1439 so without the least interval,with a rapidity that thought cannot conceive, it receives these rays of light in its uttermostlimits. With light the æther becomes more pleasing and the waters more limpid. Theselast, not content with receiving its splendour, return it by the reflection of light and in alldirections send forth quivering flashes. The divine word gives every object a more cheerfuland a more attractive appearance, just as when men in deep sea pour in oil they make the1436 Gen. i. 2. Vide R.V. margin. The word rachaph, “brood,” is not used of wind, and itself appears to fixthe meaning of the Spirit in the place. An old interpretation of the Orphic Poem Argonautica would identifythe brooding Spirit of Genesis with the All Wise Love of the Greek poet: πρῶτα μὲν ἀρχαίου χάεος μεγαλήφατονὕμνον, ὡς ἐπάμειψε φύσεις, ὥς τ᾽ οὐρανος ἐς πέρας ἦλθεν, γῆς τ᾽ εὐρυστέρνου γένεσιν, πυθμένας τε θαλάσσης, πρεσβύτατόν τε καὶ αὐτοτελῆ πολ μητιν ῎Ερωτα, ὅσσα τ᾽ ἔφυσεν ἅπαντα, τὰ δ᾽ ἔ?οιθεν ἄλλου ἄπ᾽ ἄλλο. Orph.,Argon. 423–427. On the translation of rachaph by “brooding,” cf. Milton, P. Lost, vii.: “darkness profoundCovered the abyss; but on the watery calm His brooding wings the Spirit of God outspread, And vital virtue infused,and vital warmth, Throughout the fluid mass.”1437 ζωογονία. cf. De Sp. S.§ 56, and Bp. Pearson, on the Creed, Art. V.1438 Gen. i. 3.1439 Light is said to travel straight at the rate of about 195,000 English miles a second; a velocity estimatedby observations on the eclipses of Jupiter’s satellites. The modern undulatory theory of light, of which Huyghens(† 1695) is generally regarded as the author, describes light as propagated by the vibrations of the imponderablematter termed Ether or Æther.273