Et quia sol illuminans per omnia respexit, et gloria domini plenum est opus ejus. Et ideo intelliguntur isti caeli materiales indicare nobis gloriam Dei, non quasi animalia materialia, ut Rabbi Moyses dicit, sed in ejus pulchritudine qua multo magis indicatur eorum artifex. And since the sun illuminates everything it looks upon, so the Lord’s work is filled with his glory. And so it is understood that the material heavens show the glory of God to us, not as material animals, as Rabbi Moses says, but in their beauty which points to the much greater craftsman. Et firmamentum demonstrat nobis, quantum Deus sit magnificus. Firmamentum dicitur caelum, ut dicitur Gen. 1: vocavit Deus firmamentum caelum. Secundum autem distinctionem dicitur caelum: et sic in caelorum distinctione apparet divina sapientia: And the firmament shows us how magnificent God is. Now the firmament is called heaven, as is said: God called the firmament, heaven (Gen 1:8). Now, it is called heaven according to its distinct sections, and so in the division of the heavens the divine wisdom appears. si totum accipiatur simul, sic narrat ejus virtutem; et ideo dicit quod caeli enarrant, id est manifestant, gloriam Dei, et firmamentum nuntiat opera manuum ejus, per quae opera apparet ejus virtus. If the whole is taken together, it shows his power, and so it says that the heavens show forth, that is, they manifest, the glory of God, and the firmament declares the work of his hands, through which works his power is shown. Secundum autem veritatem, per caelos intelliguntur apostoli, in quibus tamquam in caelis habitat Deus. Et dicuntur caeli propter sublimitatem conversationis: Phil. 3: nostra conversatio in caelis est. Now, according to the deeper reality, the apostles, in whom God dwells as in the heavens, are understood by the heavens. And they are called the heavens because of the heights of their conversation. Our conversation is in heaven (Phil 3:20). Item stellati, propter multarum virtutum abundantiam: Eccl. 43: species caeli gloria stellarum: Is. 55: sicut exaltati sunt caeli a terra et cetera quia lucidi per doctrinam et exemplum: Matth. 5: sic luceat lux vestra coram hominibus, ut videant opera vestra bona, et glorificent Patrem vestrum qui in caelis est. Likewise, they are the stars because of their many virtues: the glory of the stars is the beauty of heaven (Sir 43:10). As the heavens are exalted above the earth, so are my ways exalted above your ways, and my thoughts above your thoughts (Isa 55:9), because they shine by their teaching and example: so let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven (Matt 5:16). Quia volubiles per obedientiam et discursum praedicationis: Eccl. 24: gyrum caeli circuivi sola, et in fluctibus maris ambulavi, et profundum abyssi penetravi, et in omni terra steti, et in omni populo et in omni gente primatum tenui. They fly through obedience and the discourse of their preaching: I alone have compassed the circuit of heaven, and have walked in the waves of the sea and have penetrated into the bottom of the deep, and have stood in all the earth, and in every people and in every nation I have had the chief rule (Sir 24:8–10). Isti enarrant gloriam Dei, scilicet Patris, in qua est Christus. Et quia Christus est aequalis Patri; et quod est Deus, et quod gratis peccata dimittit: Isa. 52: gratis venumdati estis, et sine argento redimemini. They show forth the glory of God, namely, of the Father, in whom Christ is. And that Christ is equal to the Father and that he is God and that he freely forgives sin. You were sold freely, and you shall be redeemed without money (Isa 52:3). Item apostoli dicuntur firmamentum, quia firmati virtute spiritus sancti: Luc. ult. Sedete in civitate donec induamini virtute ex alto. The apostles are likewise called the firmament because they are made firm by the power of the Holy Spirit: stay you in the city till you be endued with power from on high (Luke 24:49–50). Et annuntiant opera manuum ejus, id est mirabilia quae fecit Christus, scilicet nativitatem, passionem, resurrectionem, et ascensionem: Eccle. 42: nonne Deus fecit sanctos enarrare omnia mirabilia ejus? Isa. 12: annunciate hoc in universa terra. Ps. 95: annuntiate inter gentes gloriam ejus, in omnibus populis mirabilia ejus. And they declare the work of his hands, that is, the marvels which Christ accomplished: his Nativity, Passion, Resurrection, and Ascension. Has not the Lord made the saints to declare all his wonderful works? (Sir 42:17). Show this forth in all the earth (Isa 12:5). Declare his glory among the gentiles, his wonders among all people (Ps 95:3). Vel caeli enarrant, quia caeli novam stellam miserunt, ortum salvatoris nuntiantem: Matth. 2: vidimus stellam ejus in oriente. Or: the heavens show forth because the heavens sent forth a new star, risen as an announcement of the Savior. For we have seen his star in the east (Matt 2:2). 151. Dies. Hic excludit impedimentum doctrinae: et excludit triplex impedimentum. 151. Day to day utters speech. Here he removes obstacles to the doctrine, and he removes a threefold obstacle. Aliquando impeditur doctrina, ut non possit addisci, ex tempore: Sometimes there is an obstacle so that doctrine cannot be learned because of the time, aliquando ex linguarum varietate: sometimes because of a difference in language, aliquando ex locorum diversitate. and sometimes because of a difference in place. Primum impedimentum est de nocte: non enim est tempus legendi, cum sit tempus quiescendi: et secundum diversa tempora convenit docere et discere. Et primo dicendum est de materialibus diebus qui causantur secundum naturam ex motu caeli: et ideo non solum substantiam caelorum oportet considerare, sed etiam motum firmamenti: et sic oportet accipere in hac vicissitudine sapientiam: Eccl. 33: quare dies diem superat, et lux lucem, et annus annum a sole? A domini scientia separati sunt, id est dispositi supra. Et ideo dicit dies, succedens, diei eructat verbum, id est diem sapientiae, id est manifestat ordinem et bonitatem divinae sapientiae, in quantum una dies est major alia et cetera. Una die est major aestus quam alia: et sic de singulis. The first obstacle comes from the night, for it is not the time for reading, since it is a time for resting, and other times are appropriate for teaching and learning. And this is said first about the natural days which are caused by the natural motion of the heavens. Thus not only the substance of the heavens but also the motion of the firmament needs to be taken into account, and so one should recognize wisdom through understanding this changeability. Why does one day excel another, and one light another, and one year another year? By the knowledge of the Lord they were distinguished (Sir 33:7–8), that is, by his authoritative ordering. And so he says, day, passing, utters speech to day, that is, the day of wisdom shows the order and goodness of the divine wisdom, insofar as one day is greater than another. One day has greater heat than another, and so each is different. Et nox. Supra ostendit divinam sapientiam et ordinem dispositionis divinae, quia ordinate nox nocti succedit: et dicit quia dies eructat, quia tempus diei est tempus loquendi; et ideo est tempus verbi. Propter quod dicit, eructat verbum. Sed tempus noctis est tempus meditationis propter quietem; et ideo in quiete noctis homo meditatur, et adinvenit multa ex quibus fit sciens; et ideo est tempus scientiae. Et ideo dicit, et nox, succedens, nocti indicat scientiam, id est Dei; quia in una nocte est alia dispositio temporis quam in alia: et hoc totum a scientia Dei disponente. And night to night shows wisdom. Above, he shows the divine wisdom and the order of divine division, since night succeeds night according to an order. And he says that day utters speech, since the time of day is the time of speaking, and so it is the time of the word. So he says it utters speech. But, because of its quiet, the time of night is the time of meditation, and so man meditates in the quiet of night, and he discovers many things from those of which he has knowledge, and so it is the time of knowledge. And so he says, and night succeeding night shows knowledge, that is, of God, since in each night there is a different division of time than in another, and this whole comes from the arranging knowledge of God. Secundum veritatem apostoli dicuntur dies: et hoc est quod dicit, dies, id est apostoli, eructat verbum, divinae sapientiae: diei, id est perfectis: 1 Cor. 2: scientiam loquimur inter perfectos: non enim omnibus omnia praedicantur; sed clara claris, sancta sanctis, magnis magna praedicant. According to the deeper truth, the apostles are called the days, and this is what is meant: day, that is, the apostles, utters speech of divine wisdom, to day, that is, to the perfect. We speak wisdom among the perfect (1 Cor 2:6), for all things should not be preached to all, but the clear should be preached to the clear, the holy to the holy, and the great to the great. Item Apostolus in quantum est nox, id est in carne vivens et mortalis, infirmitati et ignorantiae rudium condescendens, tanquam nox indicat nocti, id est perfectis scientiam, sed de rebus humanis: 1 Cor. 3: non potui vobis loqui quasi spiritualibus, sed quasi carnalibus. Tamquam parvulis in Christo lac vobis dedi, non escam. Likewise, the Apostle is the night, that is, he is living in the flesh and mortal, reaching down to the weakness and ignorance of the uneducated, as night to night shows knowledge to the perfect, but in accordance with human things. I could not speak to you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal. As unto little ones in Christ I gave you milk, not meat (1 Cor 3:1–2). Vel dies, id est Gabriel, eructat verbum diei, id est virgini beatae proponit verbum salvatoris; sed, nox, id est diabolus, indicat scientiam nocti, id est Evae: Gen. 3: eritis sicut dii, scientes bonum et malum. Or, day, that is, Gabriel, to day utters speech, that is he tells the word of the Savior to the Blessed Virgin, but night, that is, the devil, to night shows knowledge, that is, to Eve. You shall be as gods, knowing good and evil (Gen 3:5). Item secundo impeditur doctrina, secundum varietatem linguarum; sed haec doctrina per hoc non impeditur, quia, non sunt loquelae neque sermones: id est, quaecumque sint illae linguae seu nationes, possunt erudiri de divina sapientia et virtute; et hoc sive per caelos, sive per apostolos: Doctrine can be impeded in a second way by a difference in languages, but this doctrine is not impeded by this, since there are no speeches nor languages, that is, all the languages and nations that there are can be taught by the divine wisdom and power, and this happens either through the heavens or through the apostles. sed secundum veritatem dicendum quod non sunt loquelae et cetera. Quorum non audiantur verba eorum, quia voces, sive praedicationes, sive doctrina apostolorum auditur a quolibet. But according to the reality it is said that there are no speeches nor languages where their voices are not heard, since the voices, or the preaching, or the doctrine of the apostles is heard by anyone. Sed de loquela apostolorum duplex est opinio. But there is a twofold opinion about the speech of the apostles. Quidam enim dicunt quod apostoli una lingua loquebantur; sed alii omnes eos intelligebant. For some say that the apostles spoke one language but all others were able to understand them. Sed contra hoc est Apostolus 1 Cor. 14: gratias ago Deo meo, quod omnium vestrum lingua loquor. Unde non sunt loquelae, in quibus non audiuntur loqui. Loquelae significant linguas principales; sed sermones significant varietates idiomatum in eadem lingua. Vel loquelae linguae, sermones sunt modi loquendi. Against this is what the Apostle says, I thank my God I speak with all your tongues (1 Cor 14:18). Thus, there are no speeches in which the speech is not heard. Speeches signifies the principal tongues, but languages signifies the idiomatic variations in each tongue. Or languages are tongues, and speeches are the ways of speaking. Est autem triplex modus loquendi: Now there is a threefold way of speaking: unus humilis, quem communiter loquimur; one is humble, in which we commonly speak; alius, quando est coloratus; one is colorful; et alius, quando est ornatus tantum. and another is rather ornate. Primus convenit docenti. The first is appropriate for teaching; Secundus persuadenti. the second for persuading; Tertius delectanti; and the third is for delighting. et quolibet istorum modorum loquebantur apostoli: Isa. 28: in loquela labii et lingua altera loquar ad populum istum. And the apostles spoke in each of these ways. For with the speech of lips, and with another tongue he will speak to this people (Isa 28:11). Item impedimentum doctrinae est diversitas et remotio loci: quia doctrina aliquando non vadit ad remotas partes; sed non ita est de ista; quia, in omnem terram exivit sonus eorum, scilicet caelorum, vel apostolorum: quia ubique est doctrina, qua caeli erudiunt: Another obstacle to doctrine is the difference and distance in respect to location, since doctrine sometimes does not reach remote places; but this is not true about this, since their sound, that of the heavens or of the apostles, has gone forth into all the earth, since their doctrine is wherever the heavens teach. sed de apostolis melius dicitur, quia dicit exivit, non exierunt, sonus, id est fama, et in fines orbis terrae verba eorum. Isa. 12: cantate domino, quoniam magnifice fecit; annuntiate hoc in universa terra: Matth. ult.: euntes docete omnes gentes. But this is better said about the apostles, since he says the sound, that is, the fame, has gone forth, not “they have gone forth,” and their words unto the ends of the world. Sing to the Lord, for he has done great things; show this forth in all the earth (Isa 12:5). Going teach all nations (Matt 28:19). Et ideo dicit, in fines orbis terrae verba eorum: quia sonus pervenit ad remota; et verba ad loca propinqua. Sed non est ita de apostolis; immo etiam verba, id est distinctio soni, pervenit ad fines orbis terrarum, vel prophetia aliqua, vel fama miraculorum. And so he says, their words unto the ends of the world, since sound reaches a distant place, but words can only reach a nearby place. This is not true about the apostles; no indeed, for their words, that is, the distinctions of their sounds, have reached the ends of the world, either in some prophecies or through the fame of their miracles. 152. In sole. Supra psalmista fecit mentionem de caelis; et hic ad ostendendam laudem creatoris agit de sole. 152. He has set his tabernacle in the sun. Above, the psalmist spoke about the heavens; here he discusses the sun to show forth the praise of the Creator.