Eighty-three Different Questions : a new translation.

43. Why did the Son of God Appear as a Man and the Holy Spirit as a Dove?

74 ST. AUGUSTINE ing sense impressions-a hidden order, to be sure, but nonetheless , a true and determinate order submitted to Divine Providence. Therefore one should not think, because there are differing choices, that the natures of souls are different, since even the choice of one soul varies with the changing of time. Indeed, at one time the soul longs to be rich; at another time, contemptuous of riches, it desires to be wise. Even in the desire for temporal things, at one time the business world pleases a given man, at another time a military career pleases him. 41. SINCE GOD HAS MADE EVERYTHING, WHY DID HE NOT MAKE EVERYTHING EQUAL? Because there would not be everything if everything were equal. For there would not be the many kinds of things which make up the universe in its hierarchy of Ereated things from the first and second levels of created things right down to the last. This kind of universe is what is meant by the word everything. 42. HOW WAS CHRIST BOTH IN HIS MOTHER'S WOMB AND IN HEA VEN? In the same manner as a man's spoken word which, even though many hear, each hears as a whole. 43. WHY DID THE SON OF GOD APPEAR AS A MAN AND THE HOLY SPIRIT AS A DOVE?! Because the Son of God came to show men a pattern for living, whereas the Holy Spirit made his appearance to indicate the gift which virtuous living attains. Moreover, both of these events came about in a visible manner for the sake of 1 Cf. Mt 3.16, Mk 1.10, Lk 3.22, andJn 1.32. QUESTIONS 43-44 75 the carnal, who must pass by degrees through the sacraments from those things which are seen with the physical eyes to those things which are understood by the mind. For words make a sound and then pass away; nevertheless, when something divine and eternal is expressed in speech, that which is signified by the words does not likewise pass away. 44. WHY DID THE LORD JESUS CHRIST COME SO LONG AFTER MAN SINNED AND NOT IN THE BEGINNING? Because everything beautiful comes from the highest beauty which is God, and temporal beauty is achieved by the passing away and succession of things. Moreover, in each individual man each individual period of life from infancy to old age possesses its own beauty. Therefore, just as it is absurd for someone to want only youth in a man subject to time (for he would begrudge the other beauties which in the other years of a man's life have their own place and order), thus is it absurd for someone to desire one particular age for the whole of mankind, for even the race itself, in the fashion of an individual man, passes through its own sequence of ages. Nor was it necessary for a teacher to come from heaven except in the time of mankind's youth, a teacher whose example would direct man to the best morals. To this is applicable the Apostle's remark! that we were kept under the law like children kept under a tutor2 until he should come whom the tutor served, he who was promised by the prophets . It is indeed one thing for Divine Providence to deal 1 Gal 3.23-24. 2 Cf. R 1.26 (PL 32.626): "after I mentioned that the ages of mankind were as the ages of an individual man, I said: 'Nor was it necessary for a teacher to come from heaven except in the time of mankind's youth, a teacher whose example would direct man to the best morals.' And I added: 'To this is applicable the Apostle's remark that we were kept under the Law like children kept under a tutor' (Gal 3.23-24). But one can ask why we have said elsewhere that Christ has come in the sixth age of mankind, as if in mankind's old age. [See below, Q, 58.2, and cf. DGnM 1.23.40 (PL 34.192-93).] Well then, what was said of ...