Chapter VI.—Why the Holy Ghost
Should Have Been Mentioned After the Mention of Heaven and
Earth.
7. But what was the cause, O Thou true-speaking
Light? Unto Thee do I lift up my heart, let it not teach me vain
things; disperse its darkness, and tell me, I beseech Thee, by our
mother charity, tell me, I beseech Thee, the reason why, after the
mention of heaven, and of the earth invisible and formless, and
darkness upon the deep, Thy Scripture should then at length mention
Thy Spirit? Was it because it was meet that it should be spoken of
Him that He was “borne over,” and this could not be said,
unless that were first mentioned “over” which Thy Spirit may be
understood to have been “borne?” For neither was He “borne
over”
the Father, nor
the Son, nor could it rightly be said that He was “borne over”
if He were “borne over” nothing. That, therefore, was first to
be spoken of “over” which He might be “borne;” and then He,
whom it was not meet to mention otherwise than as having been
“borne.” Why, then, was it not meet that it should otherwise be
mentioned of Him, than as having been “borne over?”