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| On Incorporeal and Corporeal Beings.
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Chapter VII.—On Incorporeal and Corporeal Beings.
1. The subjects considered in the previous
chapter have been spoken of in general language, the nature of rational
beings being discussed more by way of intelligent inference than strict
dogmatic definition, with the exception of the place where we treated,
to the best of our ability, of the persons of Father, Son, and Holy
Spirit. We have now to ascertain what those matters are which it
is proper to treat in the following pages according to our dogmatic
belief, i.e., in agreement with the creed of the Church. All
souls and all rational natures, whether holy or wicked, were formed or
created, and all these, according to their proper nature, are
incorporeal; but although incorporeal, they were nevertheless created,
because all things were made by God through Christ, as John teaches in
a general way in his Gospel, saying, “In the beginning was the
Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same
was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him, and
without Him was nothing made.”2047
The
Apostle Paul, moreover, describing created things by species and
numbers and orders, speaks as follows, when showing that all things
were made through Christ: “And in Him were all things
created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and
invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or
powers: all things were created by Him, and in Him: and He
is before all, and He is the head.”2048
He therefore manifestly declares that
in Christ and through Christ were all things made and created, whether
things visible, which are corporeal, or things invisible, which I
regard as none other than incorporeal and spiritual powers. But
of those things which he had termed generally corporeal or incorporeal,
he seems to me, in the words that follow, to enumerate the various
kinds, viz., thrones, dominions, principalities, powers,
influences.
These matters now have been previously mentioned by us,
as we are desirous to come in an orderly manner to the investigation of
the sun, and moon, and stars by way of logical inference, and to
ascertain whether they also ought properly to be reckoned among the
principalities on account of their being said to be created in
᾽Αρχάς, i.e., for the government
of day and night; or whether they are to be regarded as having only
that government of day and night which they discharge by performing the
office of illuminating them, and are not in reality chief of that order
of principalities.
2. Now, when it is said that all things were
made by Him, and that in Him were
all things created, both things in heaven and things on earth, there
can be no doubt that also those things which are in the firmament,
which is called heaven, and in which those luminaries are said to be
placed, are included amongst the number of heavenly things. And
secondly, seeing that the course of the discussion has manifestly
discovered that all things were made or created, and that amongst
created things there is nothing which may not admit of good and evil,
and be capable of either, what are we to think of the following opinion
which certain of our friends entertain regarding sun, moon, and stars,
viz., that they are unchangeable, and incapable of becoming the
opposite of what they are? Not a few have held that view even
regarding the holy angels, and certain heretics also regarding souls,
which they call spiritual natures.
In the first place, then, let us see what reason
itself can discover respecting sun, moon, and stars,—whether the
opinion, entertained by some, of their unchangeableness be
correct,—and let the declarations of holy Scripture, as far as
possible, be first adduced. For Job appears to assert that not
only may the stars be subject to sin, but even that they are actually
not clean from the contagion of it. The following are his
words: “The stars also are not clean in Thy
sight.”2049
Nor is this
to be understood of the splendour of their physical substance, as if
one were to say, for example, of a garment, that it is not clean; for
if such were the meaning, then the accusation of a want of cleanness in
the splendour of their bodily substance would imply an injurious
reflection upon their Creator. For if they are unable, through
their own diligent efforts, either to acquire for themselves a body of
greater brightness, or through their sloth to make the one they have
less pure, how should they incur censure for being stars that are not
clean, if they receive no praise because they are so?2050
| 2050 [See note,
supra, p. 262. S.] |
3. But to arrive at a clearer understanding on
these matters, we ought first to inquire after this point, whether it
is allowable to suppose that they are living and rational beings; then,
in the next place, whether their souls came into existence at the same
time with their bodies, or seem to be anterior to them; and also
whether, after the end of the world, we are to understand that they are
to be released from their bodies; and whether, as we cease to live, so
they also will cease from illuminating the world. Although this
inquiry may seem to be somewhat bold, yet, as we are incited by the
desire of ascertaining the truth as far as possible, there seems no
absurdity in attempting an investigation of the subject agreeably to
the grace of the Holy Spirit.
We think, then, that they may be designated as
living beings, for this reason, that they are said to receive
commandments from God, which is ordinarily the case only with rational
beings. “I have given a commandment to all the
stars,”2051
says the
Lord. What, now, are these commandments? Those, namely,
that each star, in its order and course, should bestow upon the world
the amount of splendour which has been entrusted to it. For those
which are called “planets” move in orbits of one kind, and
those which are termed ἀπλανεῖς are
different. Now it manifestly follows from this, that neither can
the movement of that body take place without a soul, nor can living
things be at any time without motion. And seeing that the stars
move with such order and regularity, that their movements never appear
to be at any time subject to derangement, would it not be the height of
folly to say that so orderly an observance of method and plan could be
carried out or accomplished by irrational beings? In the writings
of Jeremiah, indeed, the moon is called the queen of heaven.2052
Yet if the stars are living and
rational beings, there will undoubtedly appear among them both an
advance and a falling back. For the language of Job, “the
stars are not clean in His sight,” seems to me to convey some
such idea.
4. And now we have to ascertain whether
those beings which in the course of the discussion we have discovered
to possess life and reason, were endowed with a soul along with their
bodies at the time mentioned in Scripture, when “God made two
great lights, the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light
to rule the night, and the stars also,”2053
or
whether their spirit was implanted in them, not at the creation of
their bodies, but from without, after they had been already made.
I, for my part, suspect that the spirit was implanted in them from
without; but it will be worth while to prove this from Scripture:
for it will seem an easy matter to make the assertion on conjectural
grounds, while it is more difficult to establish it by the testimony of
Scripture. Now it may be established conjecturally as
follows. If the soul of a man, which is certainly inferior while
it remains the soul of a man, was not formed along with his body, but
is proved to have been implanted strictly from without, much more must
this be the case with those living beings which are called
heavenly. For, as regards man, how could the soul of him, viz.,
Jacob, who supplanted his brother in the womb, appear to be formed
along with his body? Or how could his soul, or its
images, be formed along with
his body, who, while lying in his mother’s womb, was filled with
the Holy Ghost? I refer to John leaping in his mother’s
womb, and exulting because the voice of the salutation of Mary had come
to the ears of his mother Elisabeth. How could his soul and its
images be formed along with his body, who, before he was created in the
womb, is said to be known to God, and was sanctified by Him before his
birth? Some, perhaps, may think that God fills individuals with
His Holy Spirit, and bestows upon them sanctification, not on grounds
of justice and according to their deserts; but undeservedly. And
how shall we escape that declaration: “Is there
unrighteousness with God? God forbid!”2054
or this: “Is there respect of
persons with God?”2055
For such is
the defence of those who maintain that souls come into existence with
bodies. So far, then, as we can form an opinion from a comparison
with the condition of man, I think it follows that we must hold the
same to hold good with heavenly beings, which reason itself and
scriptural authority show us to be the case with men.
5. But let us see whether we can find in
holy Scripture any indications properly applicable to these heavenly
existences. The following is the statement of the Apostle
Paul: “The creature was made subject to vanity, not
willingly, but by reason of Him who subjected the same in hope, because
the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of
corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of
God.”2056
To what
vanity, pray, was the creature made subject, or what creature is
referred to, or how is it said “not willingly,” or
“in hope of what?” And in what way is the creature
itself to be delivered from the bondage of corruption? Elsewhere,
also, the same apostle says: “For the expectation of the
creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of
God.”2057
And again in
another passage, “And not only we, but the creation itself
groaneth together, and is in pain until now.”2058
And hence we have to inquire what are
the groanings, and what are the pains. Let us see then, in the
first place, what is the vanity to which the creature is subject.
I apprehend that it is nothing else than the body; for although the
body of the stars is ethereal, it is nevertheless material.
Whence also Solomon appears to characterize the whole of corporeal
nature as a kind of burden which enfeebles the vigour of the soul in
the following language: “Vanity of vanities, saith the
Preacher; all is vanity. I have looked, and seen all the works
that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is
vanity.”2059
To this
vanity, then, is the creature subject, that creature especially which,
being assuredly the greatest in this world, holds also a distinguished
principality of labour, i.e., the sun, and moon, and stars, are said to
be subject to vanity, because they are clothed with bodies, and set
apart to the office of giving light to the human race. “And
this creature,” he remarks, “was subjected to vanity not
willingly.” For it did not undertake a voluntary service to
vanity, but because it was the will of Him who made it subject, and
because of the promise of the Subjector to those who were reduced to
this unwilling obedience, that when the ministry of their great work
was performed, they were to be freed from this bondage of corruption
and vanity when the time of the glorious redemption of God’s
children should have arrived. And the whole of creation,
receiving this hope, and looking for the fulfilment of this promise
now, in the meantime, as having an affection for those whom it serves,
groans along with them, and patiently suffers with them, hoping for the
fulfilment of the promises. See also whether the following words
of Paul can apply to those who, although not willingly, yet in
accordance with the will of Him who subjected them, and in hope of the
promises, were made subject to vanity, when he says, “For I could
wish to be dissolved,” or “to return and be with Christ,
which is far better.”2060
For I think
that the sun might say in like manner, “I would desire to be
dissolved,” or “to return and be with Christ, which is far
better.” Paul indeed adds, “Nevertheless, to abide in
the flesh is more needful for you;” while the sun may say,
“To abide in this bright and heavenly body is more necessary, on
account of the manifestation of the sons of God.” The same
views are to be believed and expressed regarding the moon and
stars.
Let us see now what is the freedom of the creature, or
the termination of its bondage. When Christ shall have delivered
up the kingdom to God even the Father, then also those living things,
when they shall have first been made the kingdom of Christ, shall be
delivered, along with the whole of that kingdom, to the rule of the
Father, that when God shall be all in all, they also, since they are a
part of all things, may have God in themselves, as He is in all
things. E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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