CONCERNING THE TRINITY. 299
rivers.And afterthesethings,lesthe shouldnot alsoprovide
for the very delightsof the eyes,He has clothedallthings
with the variouscoloursof theflowersforthe pleasureof the
beholders. Even in the sea itself,moreover,althoughitwas
in itselfmarvellousboth foritsextentand itsutility,He has
made manifold creatures,sometimesof moderate,sometimes
of vastbodilysize,testifyingby the varietyof His appoint
ment to the intelligenceof the Artificer.And, not content
with these things,lestperchance the roaring and rushing
waters shouldseizeupon a foreignelement at the expenseof
itshuman possessor,He has encloseditslimitswith shores;
so thatwhen the ravingbillowand the foaming water should
come from itsdeep bosom, itshould returnagain unto itself,
and not transgressitsconceded bounds, but keep itspre
scribedlaws, so that man might the rather be carefulto
observe the divine laws, even as the elements themselves
observed them. And afterthesethingsHe alsoplacedman
at the head of the world,and man, too,made in the image of
God, to whom He impartedmind, and reason,and foresight,
that he might imitateGod ; and although the firstelements
of hisbody were earthly,yet the substancewas inspiredby a
heavenly and divinebreathing. And when He had given
him allthingsforhisservice,He willedthat he aloneshould
be free. And lest,again,an unbounded freedom shouldfall
into peril,He laiddown a command, inwhich man was taught
that therewas no evilin the fruitof the tree; but he was
forwarned thatevilwould ariseif perchancehe shouldexer
cisehisfreewill,in the contempt of the law thatwas given.
For, on the one hand, it had behoved him to be free,lest
the image of God shouldunfittinglybe in bondage ; and on
the other,the law was to be added, so that an unbridled
liberty might not break forth even to a contempt of the
Griver: so that he might receive as a consequence both
worthy rewards and a deserved punishment,having in his
own power that which he might choose to do, by the ten
dency of his mind in eitherdirection: whence, therefore,
by envy, mortalitycomes back upon him ; seeing that,
although he might escape it by obedience,he rushes into