And thus, in your Word, it was not the depth of the sea but "the earth," separated from the brackishness of the water, that brought forth, not "the creeping and the flying creature that has life," but "the living soul" itself! And now this soul no longer has need of baptism, as the heathen had, or as it did when it was covered with the waters—and there can be no other entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven, since you have appointed that baptism should be the entrance. Nor does it seek great, miraculous works by which to buttress faith. For such a soul does not refuse to believe unless it sees signs and marvels, now that "the faithful earth" is separated from "the waters" of the sea, which have been made bitter by infidelity. Thus, for them, "tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to those who do not believe." And the earth which you have founded above the waters does not need those flying creatures which the waters brought forth at your word. Send forth your word into it by the agency of your messengers. For we only tell of their works, but it is you who do the works in them, so that they may bring forth "a living soul" in the earth. The earth brings forth "the living soul" because "the earth" is the cause of such things being done by your messengers, just as the sea was the cause of the production of the creeping creatures having life and the flying fowl under the firmament of heaven. "The earth" no longer needs them, although it feeds on the Fish which was taken out of the deep, set out on that table which you prepare in the presence of those who believe. He was raised from the deep for this purpose: to feed "the dry land." And "the fowl," even though they were bred in the sea, will yet be multiplied on the earth. The preaching of the first evangelists was called forth because of man's infidelity, but the faithful also are exhorted and blessed by them in many ways, day by day. "The living soul" has its origin from "the earth," because only to the faithful is there any profit in restraining themselves from the love of this world, so that their soul may live to you. This soul was dead while it was living in pleasures—in pleasures that bear death in them—whereas you, Lord, are the living delight of the pure heart.
Now, therefore, let your ministers do their work on "the earth"—not as they did formerly in "the waters" of infidelity, when they had to preach and speak by miracles and mysteries and mystical expressions, in which ignorance—the mother of wonder—gives them an attentive ear because of its fear of occult and strange things. For this is the entry into faith for the sons of Adam who are forgetful of you, who hide themselves from your face, and who have become a darkened abyss. Instead, let your ministers work even as on "the dry land," safe from the whirlpools of the abyss. Let them be an example to the faithful by living before them and stirring them up to imitation. For in such a setting, men will heed, not with the mere intent to hear, but also to act. Seek the Lord and your soul shall live and "the earth" may bring forth "the living soul." Do not be conformed to this world; separate yourselves from it. The soul lives by avoiding those things which bring death if they are loved. Restrain yourselves from the unbridled wildness of pride, from the indolent passions of luxury, and from what is falsely called knowledge. Thus may the wild beast be tamed, the cattle subdued, and the serpent made harmless. For, in allegory, these figures are the motions of our mind: that is to say, the haughtiness of pride, the delight of lust, and the poison of curiosity are motions of the dead soul—not so dead that it has lost all motion, but dead because it has deserted the fountain of life, and so has been taken up by this transitory world and conformed to it.
But your Word, God, is a fountain of life eternal, and it does not pass away. Therefore, this desertion is restrained by your Word when it says to us, "Do not be conformed to this world," so that "the earth" may bring forth a "living soul" in the fountain of life—a soul disciplined by your Word, by your evangelists, by the following of the followers of your Christ. For this is the meaning of "after his kind." A man tends to follow the example of his friend. Thus, he [Paul] says, "Become as I am, because I have become as you are." Thus, in this "living soul" there shall be good beasts, acting meekly. For you have commanded this, saying: "Do your work in meekness and you shall be loved by all men."⁠a And the cattle will be good, for if they eat much they shall not suffer from satiety; and if they do not eat at all they will suffer no lack. And the serpents will be good, not poisonous to do harm, but only cunning in their watchfulness—exploring only as much of this temporal nature as is necessary in order that the eternal nature may "be clearly seen, understood through the things that have been made." For all these animals will obey reason when, having been restrained from their death-dealing ways, they live and become good.