Chapter XI.
How animals were brought to Adam; what the sleep of Adam and the building of his rib teaches us; what the mentioned animals brought into paradise signify; and how the righteous are translated into paradise?
49. Now consider why God, after fashioning all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the sky, brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. By what reasoning was this done, when God only brought the beasts of the field and the birds of the sky to Adam? For there were cattle according to their kind. Finally, you have below: Because Adam gave names to all the cattle and all the beasts of the field. But for Adam, a helper like him was not found (Gen. II, 20). Therefore, what is absolution, if not that untamed beasts and birds of the sky are brought to man by divine power? However, man had the power to gather tamed livestock. Therefore, that was the work of divinity, this of human diligence. At the same time, consider for what reason everything was derived from Adam, so that in all things he might see that the substance of nature consists of both sexes, that is, male and female, and he himself might recognize by use and example that the companionship of woman was necessary for him.
And God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept. Who is this sleep, except that for a little while we direct our attention and our thoughts to the joining together in marriage, as if we seem to have turned our gaze intently to the kingdom of God, and to be inclined and bent toward a certain sleep of this world, and to sleep for a little while in divine things, while we rest in earthly and worldly matters? After God caused the sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept, then the Lord God built up the rib which he had taken from Adam into a woman. Well done, he said, when he was speaking about the creation of woman, because in man and woman a certain perfection of the household seems to be complete. He who is without a wife is like someone without a home, so it is considered. Just as a man is esteemed more capable for public duties, so a woman is esteemed more capable for domestic duties. Consider that he took a rib from the body, not a portion from the soul; that is, not soul from soul, but bone from my bones and flesh from my flesh, she shall be called woman.
Therefore, we have recognized the cause of human generation. But because it moves many people who look more closely, whether it was a great gift of God at first to place humans in paradise or later a reward for great merits, that each just person is snatched up to paradise, it is also said that there were animals and wild animals, and birds of the sky, in paradise. Hence, many have wanted paradise to be the soul of humans, in which certain seeds of virtues have sprouted: but man is placed both to work and to guard paradise, that is, the mind of man, whose virtue seems to cultivate the soul, not only to cultivate it, but also to guard it once it has been cultivated. But the beasts of the field and the birds of the sky that are brought to Adam are our irrational movements, because the passions of beasts or livestock are diverse, either more turbulent or even weaker. But what else do we consider the birds of the sky to be, if not empty thoughts that, like birds, fly around our soul and often transfer it here and there with various movements? Therefore, no helper similar to our mind has been found, except for sensation, that is, perception. Our mind alone could find a similar one to itself.
52. But perhaps you may argue that God also placed these things in the intimate paradise, that is, the passions of the body, and a certain emptiness of fluctuating or empty thoughts, because He Himself was the author of our error. Consider what He says: Have dominion, He says, over the fish of the sea, and the birds of the sky, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth (Gen. I, 28). You see that He has granted you dominion, so that you should judge about all things, to discern the varieties of judgment with a sober definition. God called to you, so that above all you would know your own mind. Why did you not find things similar to yourself, and desire to join and unite yourself? Surely He gave you a sense by which you would know all things, and by knowing, judge them. And rightly were you cast out from that fruitful field of paradise, because you were unable to keep the commandment. For God knew that you were weak, He knew that you could not judge; therefore, He said, as to the weaker ones: Judge not, that you may not be judged (Matthew VII, 1). Therefore, because he knew that you were weak in judgment, he wanted you to be obedient to his command; therefore, he gave the command. But if you had not transgressed, you would not have been subject to the danger of uncertain judgment. Therefore, since you wished to judge, he added: 'Behold, Adam has become like one of us, knowing good and evil' (Gen. III, 22). You desired to arrogate judgment to yourself, therefore you should not reject the punishment of unjust judgment. However, he placed you against Paradise, so that you cannot abolish its memory.
53. Finally, the righteous are often snatched into paradise, just as Paul was snatched into paradise and heard unspeakable words. And if you, by the power of your mind, are snatched from the first heaven to the second, from the second to the third, this means that first each person is bodily, secondly animalistic, thirdly spiritual. If you are so snatched to the third heaven, to see the radiance of spiritual grace (for the animalistic human does not know the things of the spirit of God), and therefore the ascent to the third heaven is necessary for you, so that you may be snatched into paradise: you are now snatched without danger, so that you may judge all things, because the spiritual person judges all things, but is judged by no one. And perhaps, as if still fragile, you will hear ineffable words that it is not permissible for a man to speak: and then what you have received, keep to yourself, and what you have heard, guard. The apostle Paul kept watch lest he should fall, or at least cause others to err. Or perhaps Paul says this because it is not permissible for a man to speak (II Cor. XII, 6 and 7) ; because he was still in the body, that is, he saw the sufferings of this body, he saw the law of his flesh resisting the law of his mind (Vid. S. Aug. l. II contra Julian. Pel., c. 5, n. 13). For in this evil do we wish to be understood, lest we appear to be throwing about a certain terror of future danger. For if it is on account of this life's security, so that we fear no snares of prevarication after this, then whoever shall be in paradise by the ascent of virtue will hear those secret and hidden mysteries of God: he will hear the Lord saying to that thief who turned from his wickedness to confession, and from robbery to faith: Today you shall be with me in paradise (Luke 23:43).