Chapter XII.—Allegorical
Explanation of Genesis, Chap. I., Concerning the Origin of the
Church and Its Worship.
13. Proceed in thy confession, say to the Lord
thy God, O my faith, Holy, Holy, Holy, O Lord my God, in Thy name
have we been baptized, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, in Thy name do
we baptize, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, because among us also in His
Christ did God make heaven and earth, namely, the spiritual and
carnal people of His Church. Yea, and our earth, before it
received the “form of doctrine,” was invisible and formless, and we
were covered with the darkness of ignorance. For Thou correctest
man for iniquity, and “Thy judgments are a great
deep.” But
because Thy Spirit was “borne over the waters,” Thy mercy
forsook not our misery, and Thou saidst, “Let there be
light,” “Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Repent ye, let there be light. And because our soul was troubled within us, we remembered Thee, O Lord, from the land of Jordan, and that mountain equal unto Thyself, but little for our sakes; and upon our being displeased with our darkness, we turned unto Thee, “and there was light.” And, behold, we were sometimes darkness, but now light in the Lord.