Chapter III.
After the universal flood, the entire human race began to multiply so that we may attribute the increase in children to the goodness granted by divine benevolence, and acknowledge the punishments imposed on us due to our wickedness.
6. Not only did the holy Noah abound in the generation of his sons, but the whole generation poured forth itself as much as possible at that time. This does not seem to be useless. For, considering the coming flood, the grace of fertility should not be regarded as lacking in that generation, which the floods absorbed: so that the abundance of the human race may be attributed to divine grace; what followed the flood may be attributed to our iniquities, by which we turn away the mercy of the Lord due to our sins. And in the following passages, you will find that the fertility of the following years preceded the sterility of Egypt. (Gen. XLI, 26 and 27). For it is the principal of virtue to begin with acts of kindness and to sow the seeds of gratitude. Thus, David said: I will sing of mercy and judgment to you, O Lord. (Ps. c, 1). The grace of kindness precedes, and the sober discipline of correction follows. Therefore, what is good is divine, and what is changing is human.
7. God himself declares this, saying: My spirit shall not remain in men, because they are flesh (Gen. VI, 3). The Holy Spirit is the spirit of wisdom, the spirit of knowledge. Therefore, he has wisdom, he also has discipline, as seen in Bezalel who was commanded by divine oracle to make the sacred tabernacle, as Scripture says: Because he is filled with the spirit of wisdom and discipline (Exod. XXXI, 3). This spirit is given to men, but does not remain. But by what reasoning it does not endure, the cause is evident, because they are fleshly. For the nature of the flesh is contrary to discipline, because it obeys pleasure. Finally, it is written about the Lord Jesus himself: Upon whom you shall see the Spirit descending and remaining upon him, he it is who baptizes with the Holy Spirit (John 1:33). In him indeed it remained, whom no corruptible impediments of the flesh called back, so that he might hold the order of discipline incorrupt and unmixed, whose flesh did not see corruption.