Chapter II.
The land, previously invisible, appeared when waters were poured over it and converged into the same place. The divine power bestowed stability and later fluidity to the waters, as is demonstrated by various examples. How remarkable that all waters could be contained in one place and that God could assign them their boundaries.
7. 'Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together into one place,' he said, 'and let the dry land appear.' And it was so. Perhaps someone may not have believed our previous words, in which we discussed that the earth was invisible because it was covered by waters and could not be seen with physical eyes. For the prophet referred this to himself, that is, to our condition, not to the majesty of divine nature, which certainly sees all things. But, in order that you may be aware that we undertook this task of treating (the subject) at your suggestion, not to make a display of our skill, but for the sake of your instruction, we testify that after the gathering together of the waters which were upon the earth, and after their separation into the seas, the dry land appeared. Let them cease, therefore, to raise objections to us on the ground of dialectical discussions, saying: How is it possible for the invisible earth, which has naturally inherent in it, in every part of it, both form and color, to be subject to the sight, when every color is subject to sight? The voice of God proclaims: Let the water be gathered together and let the dry land appear. And again Scripture says: The water was gathered together into one place, and the dry land appeared. Why was it necessary to repeat, unless the prophet wished to anticipate questions? Does it not seem to say: I did not say invisible according to nature, but according to the superabundance of waters? Finally, it added that the dry land appeared, the veil being removed, which was not seen before.
Moreover, they also raise other questions, saying: If there was water in different congregations, how is it that if those congregations were in higher places, the water did not flow down to the place to which it was directed after the command of the Lord? For the nature of water naturally flows downward. But if those congregations were in lower places, how does the water ascend to higher places against its nature? Therefore, either the natural course did not obey the command, or it could not advance against its nature by the command. I will easily answer this question, if I myself answer it before the commandment of the Lord that this was the nature of waters, that they would glide, that they would flow. For this does not have the use of the other elements, but a special and proper use: not from a certain order, but rather from the will and operation of the highest God. They hear what God has commanded. But the voice of God is the efficient cause of nature. The effect of operation fulfills that voice. The water began to glide and to gather into one congregation, which before was spread throughout the earth and clung to many receptacles. I haven't read his course before, I haven't learned his movement before, neither my eyes have seen, nor my ears have heard. The water stood in different places, moved at the voice of God. Does it not seem that this voice of God made such a nature for it? The creature followed the command, and made use of the law. For the law of the original constitution left a form for the future. Finally, he made the day and the night once: from that time, the succession of both continues, and the continuous renewal. Also the water is commanded to run together: from there it runs, springs flow into rivers, rivers flow into the seas, lakes are carried into the oceans; the water itself goes before, presses, and follows. There is one channel, one body. And although there is a different height, nevertheless the equality of its back is undivided. Therefore, I think it is called a sea because its surface is level.
9. I replied in accordance with their proposal; let them now respond to me, if they have never seen springs gushing forth from the depths, water rising from the ground. Who causes it? From where does it burst forth? How does it not run dry? How is it that the lowest parts of the sun emit waves? These are secrets of hidden nature. Moreover, who is unaware that, when descending rapidly to the lowest points, it rises up to higher places, and rises even to the summit of a mountain; and often, when directed through channels by the hand of an artist, it rises as much as it has descended? Therefore, if it is carried by its own impetus, or is led and lifted up against its own nature by the skill of the craftsman, are you amazed that by the divine operation of precept something has been added for its use, which was not present in its use before? Now let them tell me how, as it is written, he gathered the waters of the sea into a vessel (Ps. 32:7), how he brought forth water from a rock? He who was able to bring forth water from a rock that was not, was he not able to bring forth water that was? He struck the rock, and the waters flowed out (Ps. 77:20), exclaims David, and the torrents overflowed. And elsewhere: The waters will stand on the mountains (Ps. 104:6). You have in the Gospel (Matt. 8:24 et seq.) that when there was a severe storm and a great disturbance in the sea, so that the apostles were in danger of shipwreck and trembled, they woke up the sleeping Lord Jesus in the stern and He rose up and commanded the wind and the sea, and the storm was calmed, the tranquility was restored. Who was able to calm the entire sea with his authority, but was not able to move the waters with his authority? Yet during the flood we have learned that the fountains of the deep burst forth, and that afterwards the Spirit was sent and dried up the water. If they do not want to obey nature, and acknowledge that the use of the elements has been turned into the authority of God, let them at least concede that with the wind sent forth, the waters can flow, as we see every day in the sea, where the waters flow from where the wind has blown. If, at the time of Moses, with a strong south wind, the sea was dried up, in the same way the congregation of waters could not be dried up, and water could flow into the sea, which was later separated from the deep (2 Kings, 6:6)? But let them learn that nature can be changed, when water flowed from a rock, and iron floated on water, which certainly Elisha deserved to do by praying, not by commanding. Therefore, if Elisha lifted up iron against nature, could Christ not move the waters? But he moved, who was able to say: Lazarus, come forth (John 11:23), and he raised the dead; for God does what he commands. Therefore, take it as an equal example when it is said: Let the water be gathered, and it was gathered. But in saying let it be gathered, he not only moved it from its place, but he also established it in a place, so that it would not just flow by, but would remain.
Therefore, it is a greater miracle how all the congregations have flowed into one congregation, and one congregation has not been filled. For even the Scripture establishes this among its wonders, saying: All the rivers go to the sea, and the sea is not filled (Ecclesiastes 1:7). Therefore, both are by the command of God, that the water flows and does not overflow. Therefore, the seas are bounded by a set limit, so that they do not overflow the land and hinder the cultivation of the fields, depriving them of the gift of earthly fertility. Therefore, let them understand that these are divine commandments and the work of heaven. Moreover, the Lord, through a cloud, spoke to Job and, among other things, also about the boundaries of the sea: 'I determined its limits, set bars and doors for it. And I said to it: 'You may come this far, but no farther; here your proud waves will stop' (Job 38:10). Do we not ourselves see the sea frequently restless, so that when its waves rise high like a towering mountain of water, they crash against the shore, dissolve into foam, and, being pushed back by certain barriers of the low-lying sand, return, as it is written: 'Or will you not fear me?' declares the Lord. 'Will you not tremble in my presence? I made the sand a boundary for the sea, an everlasting barrier it cannot cross' (Jeremiah 5:22)? Therefore, the weakest force of all, the power of the sand's dust restrains the violence of the raging sea, and as if directed by heavenly reins, it is called back with a prescribed limit, and the violent movement of the water is broken into itself, and its surging waves are divided into their recessed bays.
11. Moreover, unless the force of the celestial ordinance were to inhibit it, what could prevent the Red Sea from mingling with the Egyptian Sea through the flat plains of Egypt, which are said to lie in the lowest valleys of the plain? Indeed, those who desired to connect these two seas and pour them into each other have taught this. Sesostris the Egyptian, who was older, and Darius the Mede, who desired to bring it into effect with a view to greater power, attempted what had been previously attempted by a native. This fact is evidence that the Indian Ocean is above the Red Sea, in which the Egyptian Sea below it flows. And perhaps so that the sea would not spread more widely, cascading from higher to lower areas, both kings recalled their respective efforts.