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Contra Faustum Manichaeum libri triginta tres
15.
quod cuncta animalium genera in arcam clauduntur: sicut omnes gentes, quas etiam Petro demonstratus discus ille significat, ecclesia continet; quod et munda et immunda ibi sunt animalia: sicut in ecclesiae sacramentis et boni et mali versantur; p. 345,9 quod septena sunt munda et bina immunda: non quia pauciores sunt mali quam boni, sed quia boni servant unitatem spiritus in vinculo pacis. Sanctum autem spiritum divina scriptura in septiformi operatione commendat sapientiae et intellectus, consilii et fortitudinis, scientiae et pietatis et timoris dei. Unde et ille numerus quinquaginta dierum ad adventum sancti spiritus pertinens in septies septenis, qui fiunt quadraginta novem, uno addito consummatur; propter quod dictum est: Studentes servare unitatem spiritus in vinculo pacis. Mali autem in binario numero ad schismata faciles et quodam modo divisibiles ostenduntur; quod ipse Noe cum suis octavus enumeratur: quia in Christo spes resurrectionis nostrae apparuit, qui octavo die, id est post sabbati septimum primo a mortuis resurrexit; qui dies a passione tertius, in numero autem dierum, qui per omne tempus volvuntur, octavus et primus est; p. 345,25
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Reply to Faustus the Manichaean
15.
That all kinds of animals are inclosed in the ark; as the Church contains all nations, which was also set forth in the vessel shown to Peter. That clean and unclean animals are in the ark; as good and bad take part in the sacraments of the Church. That the clean are in sevens, and the unclean in twos; not because the bad are fewer than the good, but because the good preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace; and the Spirit is spoken of in Scripture as having a sevenfold operation, as being "the Holy Spirit of wisdom and understanding, of counsel and might, of knowledge and piety, and of the fear of God." 1 So also the number fifty, which is connected with the advent of the Holy Spirit, is made up of seven times seven, and one over; whence it is said, "Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." 2 The bad, again, are in twos, as being easily divided, from their tendency to schism. That Noah, counting his family, was the eighth; because the hope of our resurrection has appeared in Christ, who rose from the dead on the eighth day, that is, on the day after the seventh, or Sabbath day. This day was the third from His passion; but in the ordinary reckoning of days, it is both the eighth and the first.