Remember, I beseech you, that you have made me as the clay; and will you bring me into dust again?
Read Chapter 10
Gregory The Dialogist
AD 604
For he, who declares himself both “made and fashioned altogether round about” by God, leaves to the people of darkness no part either in his spirit or in his flesh. For he described himself as “molded” in virtue of the interior image, but he spoke of being “fashioned altogether round about” insofar as he consists of a covering of flesh. Yet, it is to be observed that he declares himself made by the hands of God. He is setting before the divine mercy the dignity of his creation. For though all things were created by the Word which is coeternal with the Father, yet in the very account of the creation it is shown how greatly humankind is preferred above all animals; how much greater than celestial things that are without sense. - "Morals on the Book of Job 9.74–75"
77. As if he begged openly, saving, ‘Remember, I pray Thee, that by the flesh I came from earth, and by the death thereof, I tend to earth, Thus regard the substance of my origin, and the penalty of my end, and be the readier to spare the sin of a transient being;’ but as he has given out the sort and kind of man as created.
76. The spirits of the Angels did for this reason sin without forgiveness, because they might have stood the stronger in proportion as no mixture with flesh held them in bonds. But man for this reason obtained pardon after sin, that in a body of flesh he got that wherein he should be beneath himself. And hence in the eye of the Judge this frailty of the flesh alone is a ground for shewing pity; as where it is said by the Psalmist, But He is full of compassion, and will forgive their iniquity, and not destroy them; yea, many a time turned He His anger away from them, and did not stir up all His wrath, and remembered that they were but flesh. [Ps. 78, 38. 39.] And so man was ‘made as the clay’ in that he was taken out of clay, for the making of him. For clay is made, when water is sprinkled [se conspergit] in with earth. Therefore man is made as clay, in that it is as if water moistened dust, while the soul waters the flesh. Which name the holy man excellently represents to the pi...
