23. Nor, in that the Law
orders a man to be purified even after intercourse with a wife,
doth it show it to be sin: unless it be that which is allowed by
way of pardon, which also, being in excess, hinders prayers. But,
as the Law sets1999
many
things in sacraments and
shadows of things to come; a certain as it
were material formless
state of the
seed, which having received
form will hereafter produce the body of man, is set to signify a
life formless, and untaught: from which formless
state, forasmuch
as it behoves that man be cleansed by form and teaching of
learning; as a sign of this, that purification was ordered after
the emission of
seed. For neither in
sleep also doth it take place
through
sin. And yet there also a purification was commanded. Or,
if any think this also to be
sin, thinking that it comes not to
pass
save from some
lust of this
kind, which without doubt is
false; what? are the ordinary menses also of
women sins? And yet
from these the same old
Law commanded that they should be cleansed
by expiation; for no other cause,
save the material formless
state
itself, in that which, when conception hath taken place, is added
as it were to build up the body, and for this reason, when it flows
without form, the
Law would have signified by it a
soul without
form of
discipline, flowing and loose in an unseemly manner. And
that this ought to receive form, it signifies, when it commands
such flow of the body to be
purified. Lastly, what? to
die, is that
also a
sin? or, to bury a dead person, is it not also a good
work
of
humanity? and yet a purification was commanded even on occasion
of this also; because also a dead body,
life abandoning it, is not
sin, but signifies the sin of a soul abandoned by righteousness.
2000
E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
