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| The Three Natures Again Adverted to. They are All Exemplified Amongst Men. For Instance, by Cain, and Abel, and Seth. PREVIOUS SECTION - NEXT SECTION - HELP
Chapter XXIX.—The Three
Natures Again Adverted to. They are All Exemplified Amongst Men. For
Instance, by Cain, and Abel, and Seth.
I will now collect from different sources, by way
of conclusion, what they affirm concerning the dispensation6866 of the whole human race. Having at first
stated their views as to man’s threefold
nature—which was, however, united in one6867 in
the case of Adam—they then proceed after him to divide it (into
three) with their especial characteristics, finding opportunity for
such distinction in the posterity of Adam himself, in which occurs a
threefold division as to moral differences. Cain and Abel, and Seth,
who were in a certain sense the sources of the human race, become the
fountain-heads of just as many qualities6868 of
nature and essential character.6869 The material
nature,6870
6870 Choicum: “the
clayey.” Having the doubtful issues, which arise from
freedom of the will (Oehler). | which had become
reprobate for salvation, they assign to Cain; the animal nature, which
was poised between divergent hopes, they find6871 in
Abel; the spiritual, preordained for certain salvation, they store
up6872 in Seth. In this way also they make a
twofold distinction among souls, as to their property of good and
evil—according to the material condition derived from Cain, or
the animal from Abel. Men’s spiritual state they derive over and
above the other conditions,6873 from Seth
adventitiously,6874 not in the way of
nature, but of grace,6875 in such wise that
Achamoth infuses it6876
6876 The “quos”
here relates to “spiritalem statum,” but expressing
the sense rather than the grammatical propriety, refers to the
plural idea of “good souls” (Oehler). | among superior
beings like rain6877 into good souls,
that is, those who are enrolled in the animal class. Whereas the
material class—in other words, those which are bad
souls—they say, never receive the blessings of
salvation;6878 for that nature
they have pronounced to be incapable of any change or reform in its
natural condition.6879
6879 We have tried to
retain the emphatic repetition, “inreformabilem naturæ
naturam.” | This grain, then,
of spiritual seed is modest and very small when cast from her hand, but
under her instruction6880 increases and
advances into full conviction, as we have already said;6881
6881 Above, in ch. xxv. p.
515. | and the souls, on this very account, so much
excelled all others, that the Demiurge, even then in his ignorance,
held them in great esteem. For it was from their list that he had been
accustomed to select men for kings and for priests; and these even now,
if they have once attained to a full and complete knowledge of these
foolish conceits of theirs,6882 since they are
already naturalized in the fraternal bond of the spiritual state, will
obtain a sure salvation, nay, one which is on all accounts their
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