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| Chapter XV. Necessity of a Union with the Holy Spirit.
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Chapter XV.—Necessity of a Union with the Holy Spirit.
But further, it becomes us now to seek for what
we once had, but have lost, to unite the soul with the Holy Spirit,
and to strive after union with God. The human soul consists of many
parts, and is not simple; it is composite, so as to manifest itself
through the body; for neither could it ever appear by itself without
the body, nor does the flesh rise again without the soul. Man is not,
as the croaking philosophers say, merely a rational animal, capable of
understanding and knowledge; for, according to them, even irrational
creatures appear possessed of understanding and knowledge. But man alone
is the image and likeness of God; and I mean by man, not one who performs
actions similar to those of animals, but one who has advanced far beyond
mere humanity—to God Himself. This question we have discussed more
minutely in the treatise concerning animals. But the principal point to be
spoken of now is, what is intended by the image and likeness of God. That
which cannot be compared is no other than abstract being; but that which
is compared is no other than that which is like. The perfect God is
without flesh; but man is flesh. The bond of the flesh is the soul;466
| 466 [δεσμὸς
δὲ τοῦ
σαρκὸς
ψυχὴ.] | that which encloses the
soul is the flesh. Such is the nature of man’s constitution; and,
if it be like a temple, God is pleased to dwell in it by the spirit, His
representative; but, if it be not such a habitation, man excels the wild
beasts in articulate language only,—in other respects his manner of
life is like theirs, as one who is not a likeness of God. But none of the
demons possess flesh; their structure is spiritual, like that of fire or
air. And only by those whom the Spirit of God dwells in and fortifies are
the bodies of the demons easily seen, not at all by others,—I
mean those who possess only soul;467
| 467 Comp. 1
Cor. ii. 14, 15. [The ψυχικοὶ,
of whom we are to hear so much in Tertullian. Comp. cap. xii.,
supra, p. 70.] | for the inferior has not the ability
to apprehend the superior. On this account the nature of the demons
has no place for repentance; for they are the reflection of matter
and of wickedness. But matter desired to exercise lordship over the
soul; and according to their free-will these gave laws of death to
men; but men, after the loss of immortality, have conquered death by
submitting to death in faith;468
| 468
[But Kaye would translate, “by dying to the world through
faith.”] | and by repentance a call has been given to them,
according to the word which says, “Since they were made a little
lower than the angels.”469
And,
for every one who has been conquered,
it is possible again to conquer, if he rejects the condition which
brings death. And what that is, may be easily seen by men who long for
immortality.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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