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Chapter L.
Celsus has not explained how error accompanies the
“becoming,” or product of generation; nor has he expressed
himself with sufficient clearness to enable us to compare his ideas
with ours, and to pass judgment on them. But the prophets, who
have given some wise suggestions on the subject of things produced by
generation, tell us that a sacrifice for sin was offered even for
new-born infants, as not being free from sin.4798 They say, “I was shapen in
iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me;”4799 also, “They are estranged from the
womb;” which is followed by the singular expression, “They
go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies.”4800 Besides, our wise men have such a
contempt for all sensible objects, that sometimes they speak of all
material things as vanity: thus, “For the creature was made
subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him that subjected
the same in hope;”4801 at other times as
vanity of vanities, “Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, all
is vanity.”4802 Who has given
so severe an estimate of the life of the human soul here on earth, as
he who says: “Verily every man at his best estate is
altogether vanity?”4803 He does not
hesitate at all as to the difference between the present life of the
soul and that which it is to lead hereafter. He does not say,
“Who knows if to die is not to live, and if to live is not
death”4804
4804 Euripides. [See
De la Rue’s note ad loc. in his edition of
Origen’s Works. S.] | But he boldly
proclaims the truth, and says, “Our soul is bowed down to the
dust;”4805 and, “Thou
hast brought me into the dust of death;”4806
and similarly, “Who will deliver me from the body of this
death?”4807 also, “Who
will change the body of our humiliation.”4808 It is a prophet also who says,
“Thou hast brought us down in a place of
affliction;”4809 meaning by the
“place of affliction” this earthly region, to which Adam,
that is to say, man, came after he was driven out of paradise for
sin. Observe also how well the different life of the soul here
and hereafter has been recognised by him who says, “Now we see in
a glass, obscurely, but then face to face;”4810 and, “Whilst we are in our home in the
body, we are away from our home in the Lord;” wherefore “we
are well content to go from our home in the body, and to come to our
home with the Lord.”4811
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