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| Seraphim |
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| Cherubim |
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| Kuriotetes (Lordships) |
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| Arches/Archangelos (Archangels) |
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| Archangels St. Michael and St. Gabriel |
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| Exousias (Authorities) chaining Satan |
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| Dunameis (Powers) |
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| Angelos (Angels) |
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| Throne room of God with the ministering spirits of fire sent to minister to those to receive salvation |
Parousia of Jesus Christ Our Lord: Eternal faith and beliefs: The Justice of God: The New Age is the same old lie of Satan and all of paganism
See this link above first.
We reject all of the New Age and lies of Satan.
The below is a prayer for wisdom and the aid and deliverance of God in all things based on the Book of Wisdom, a canonical book of the Septuagint. The Septuagint is the text quoted in the New Testament for all the Old Testament quotations in the New Testament. The Septuagint is Canonical and inspired, the entire early Church held that and the Church has continued to hold that truth.
Baruch Adonai Yahweh Elohim eth He Creator and Artificer of all our only Teacher
He Spirit absolute intelligence Holy unique
manifold subtle agile
clear unstained certain
not baneful loving the good keen
unhampered beneficent kindly
firm secure tranquil
all-powerful all-seeing and pervading all spirits though they be intelligent pure and very subtle seven holy elect blessed orders
of mighty Doxas holy Seraphim, Cherubim, Kuriotetes, Arches especially Saint Michael and Saint Gabriel holy Archangelos
Exousias, Dunameis, Angelos
uncreated Wisdom mobile beyond all motion He penetrates and pervades all things by reason of His purity for He is an aura of the might of God and a pure effusion of the Glory of the Almighty therefore nought that is sullied enters into Him for
He is the refulgence of eternal light the
spotless mirror of the energy of God the image of his goodness he who is one can do all things and renews everything while Himself perduing by His breath passing into holy souls from
age to age he produces friends of God and prophets for there is not God loves be it not one who dwells with wisdom for he is fairer than the sun and surpasses every constellation of the stars compared to light he takes precedence for that indeed night might supplant but wickedness prevails not over wisdom
indeed he reaches from end to end mightily and governs all
things well.
There is much talk in the New Age about angels and healing. The early Church held to the seven orders of angels in the New Testament which accurately repeated what is recorded in that regard in the Old Testament. It was only later that the scholastic theologians changed the seven orders to nine, because they liked the number nine better and that was because nine was a so-called "sacred" number in paganism. They did it by repeating orders: the Arches as Archangelos - they are only one order, but made into two by the Scholastics; and by inserting the Seraphim and Cherubim together as a third - the "thrones" in addition to the two orders of Seraphim and Cherubim (Seraphim and Cherubim are in fact referred to as the thrones of God, for God reigns seated upon the Cherubim with the Seraphim as His canopy, but they equal only the two orders of angels, namely: Seraphim and Cherubim.)
There are exactly seven main covenants of God, four main with three more sub covenants. All of God's covenants center on the Lord Jesus Christ. The final covenant of God is in the revealed Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, Incarnate. That is the final and eternal covenant that the first six point to.
The Justice of God: SEVEN COVENANTS OF GOD are totally opposed to the False Prophet who is damned and all who follow the False Prophet are damned with it
SEVEN COVENANTS OF GOD
GOD is the Truth
GOD is the Truth. The Most Holy Trinity is God and none other is God. The Most Holy Trinity is Three Persons Who are One God. These Three Persons are The Father and the Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. This God alone has Aseity, that He is immortal without beginning and without end, self sustained in existence, which is infinite. This God is above all that He has created and transcendent in all that He has created. There is nothing apart from nor outside of God that He has not created. He created all that has been created ex nihilo, that is from nothing by His infinite power. Nothing that is created has aseity. Time is only an aspect of that which has been created by God. Time is therefore part of God's creation. God is not limited by His creation, this includes that God is not limited by time. God is Omnipotent and Omniscient and Ubiquitos: Almighty and All seeing and knowing and equally present everywhere. There is no way to God but through the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity Who is the Lord Jesus Christ, in Whom alone there is salvation by His Most Holy Cross and Resurrection.
Just as there are 7 days of creation, so are there 7 days of covenant of salvation with God in Jesus Christ Our Only Lord and Saviour Holy God in His true Gospel alone, the Only Author of Covenant of Salvation; there are 6 days (ages) of covenant of salvation and then the 7th, the last which is the first encompassing all of them for it is Jesus Christ come in the flesh as He promised Adam in the garden (the first 6 are Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David and Daniel. The 7th is the Incarnation and Kenosis-Sacrifice and Transfiguration and Cross (the ultimate Kenosis) and Resurrection and Ascension of Christ Jesus and the gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and the Parousia of Christ Jesus in the future (the Parousia is the 7th day which heralds in the eighth day of the eternal reign of Jesus Christ visibly in His recreated universe). The seven are:
ADAM’S COVENANT SHOWN FORTH BY THE FACE SEEN BY EZECHIEL OF A LION PREFIGURING THE GOSPEL OF JOHN SHOWING FORTH THE ROYAL POWER AND AUTHORITY OF CHRIST THE IMMORTAL SON WORD WISDOM AND POWER OF GOD THROUGH WHOM GOD THE FATHER BY THE HOLY SPIRIT CREATED ALL OF CREATION WHO BECAME INCARNATE FOR OUR REDEMPTION IN THE FLESH AS ADAM HAD SINNED IN THE FLESH
NOAH’S COVENANT SHOWN FORTH BY THE FACE SEEN BY EZECHIEL OF A CALF PREFIGURING THE GOSPEL OF LUKE SHOWING FORTH THE SACRIFICE OF CHRIST WHO IS OUR HOLY ONLY PRIEST VICTIM SACRIFICE ALTAR TEMPLE TABERNACLE REDEEMER SALVATION IMMORTAL IMMACULATE GOLDEN ARK OF THE COVENANT SHOWING HIMSELF FORTH AS THE ONLY BEGOTTEN REDEEMER IN HIS EPIPHANY OF FIREY GLORY AT HIS BAPTISM IN THE JORDAN
ABRAHAM’S COVENANT SHOWN FORTH BY AN EPIPHANY OF THE LORD AND TWO ANGELS PREFIGURING THE TRANSFIGURATION OF CHRIST WITH: MOSES, A TYPE OF THE FAITHFUL DEPARTED AT THE FUTURE RESURRECTION, AND ELIJAH, A TYPE OF THE FAITHFUL LIVING AT THE FUTURE RESURRECTION, CHRIST CONDEMNING FOR ALL TIME THE DARKNESS OF IDOLATRY WHICH HAS NO COMMUNION WITH LIGHT - THE GRACE OF THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST
MOSES’ COVENANT SHOWN FORTH BY THE FACE SEEN BY EZECHIEL OF A MAN PREFIGURING THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW SHOWING FORTH THE GOD - MAN PROPHET, THE CHRIST, WHO MOSES AND DAVID AND ISAIAH AND HABBAKUK AND EZRA FORETOLD ISRAEL WOULD EITHER HEED OR BE DESTROYED BY REJECTING, HE WHO IS OUR ONLY LORD AND SAVIOUR BY HIS MOST HOLY CROSS BY WHICH HE TREAD DOWN SATAN AND CAST HIM OUT OF CREATION
DAVID’S COVENANT SHOWN FORTH BY THE GIFT OF PROPHECY, ESPECIALLY OF THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST
DANIEL’S COVENANT SHOWN FORTH BY HIS VISION OF THE ANCIENT OF DAYS PREFIGURING THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST ESPECIALLY HIS ASCENSION
Christ Jesus Immortal Son most Holy Angel of Almighty Counsel, Captain of the hosts of the Lord, the giver of all covenants with God shown forth by his promise of the keys of Himself the Messiah to Peter and to all who believe in Him - Christ Jesus our only Lord and Saviour, the final covenant shown forth by the face seen by Ezechiel of an eagle and through him to the Father does all glory redound in the unity and power of the Holy Spirit, he given at Pentecost, especially proclaimed by the Gospel of Mark of the preaching of the salvation of Christ Jesus throughout the world, Christ Jesus our Lord and Saviour who descended from the third heaven from the Father's right hand and became flesh by the Holy Spirit, the immaculate conception and was truly born of the blessed virgin Mary on earth, 70 generations from Adam and your creation of all of creation, thus subsuming flesh of Adam and of all men to yourself to restore your Image and Likeness to all the saints from the first Adam to the last saint, by you Christ Jesus our Lord and Saviour, the only Immaculate Lamb of God who alone takes away the sin of the whole world of those who are saved, by your most Holy Cross and Holy Blood, Christ Jesus our Lord and Saviour and Holy Spirit of the Father and the Son Christ Jesus our Lord and Saviour, covering the whole earth and cleansing the whole universe, Christ Jesus our Lord and Saviour, the only first born from the dead in the flesh, the only one resurrected, ascended, assumed bodily in the flesh, seated at the right hand of God, Baruch Adonai Yahweh El Olam eth Abba Our Father in the third heaven in the unity and power of the Holy Spirit our Paraclete
Holy Holy Holy Lord God Pantocrator
and Who, Christ Jesus our Lord and Saviour, shall return from the Father’s right hand in the same flesh with all the elect angels and raise, first, the saints in the flesh, our same spirits souls and bodies reunited and then all other men in the flesh, their same souls and bodies reunited, from throughout the whole world and all of time from the beginning of your creation until that time - known to you alone Holy Immortal Undivided Trinity, in the future at your Parousia Christ Jesus our Lord and Saviour, your saints to inherit paradise recreated then with all the elect angels worshiping you face to face in the glory of the Father and the union of the Holy Spirit unto the endless ages of ages - and the rest to be cast into the lake of fire forevermore unto the same endless ages of ages to come.
Noah’s covenant shows the Kenosis-Sacrifice of Christ to bring man back to God. Only the infinitely pure and powerful Sacrifice of Christ can do this. This is applied only to believers in Jesus Christ, in Whom alone is salvation by faith.
Moses’ covenant is very particular, for by this one alone does God send death upon the Egyptians and send his people to conquer Canaan by the sword. The people of Canaan had in their time there degenerated into such idolatrous and diabolic depraved murderous cruelty that God sent judgment upon them by His people just as God Himself by supernatural means judged the Egyptians for the same utter apostasy from Himself.
Christ is the only Eternal Priest of God, so that it is He Who will send this kind of judgement again upon the Diabolic and Apostate at the end of this age of Grace (this age of Grace is the sixth day: of the Sacrifice of Christ upon His Most Holy Cross and His Resurrection and His Ascension and the Gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost).
Satan prevaricated and fell three times. 1) From heaven when he lied to God and said he would hold to his place and serve God by aiding man (God knew this and therefore did He warn Adam). 2) In the garden of Eden when he lied to man. 3) When he tempted Jesus Christ in the desert and claimed that the world belonged to him and was his to give. The world and all of creation belongs to God the Father Who gave it to His Son Jesus Christ. The Antichrist will sum up in himself the triple prevarication and malice of the Devil, for the Antichrist is the counterfeit by Satan of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the Only Supernatural Messiah. The Antichrist will be sent by God for the eternal destruction of all of those who like the ancient Egyptians and Canaanites –and the crowd who said at the Crucifixion of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ that they will not have God’s Christ to rule over them; see:
Jn:19:
12 And from henceforth Pilate sought to release him. But the Jews cried out, saying: If thou release this man, thou art not Caesar's friend. For whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar.
13 Now when Pilate had heard these words, he brought Jesus forth and sat down in the judgment seat, in the place that is called Lithostrotos, and in Hebrew Gabbatha.
14 And it was the parasceve of the pasch, about the sixth hour: and he saith to the Jews: Behold your king.
15 But they cried out: Away with him: Away with him: Crucify him. Pilate saith to them: shall I crucify your king? The chief priests answered: We have no king but Caesar.
16 ¶ Then therefore he delivered him to them to be crucified. And they took Jesus and led him forth.
17 And bearing his own cross, he went forth to the place which is called Calvary, but in Hebrew Golgotha.
Had there been no fall of our first parents in the garden of Eden then:
Age and Covenant
1 Creation –Adam’s Covenant Would have been completed at the end of 1,000 years of Adam’s life and everyone on earth would have entered into immortality with God. The 1,000 years would have been the preparation by God for that. Equal to the New Jerusalem.
2 Flood –Noah’s Covenant Would then have been the fruit of the Tree of Life (Who is Jesus Christ) given all men at the end of age/covenant 1 and would be eternal. Equal to the Garden of Eden with the Tree of Life given to men.
3 Abraham –Abraham’s Covenant Would have been the gifts given men in the heavenly kingdom which St. Paul alluded to in 2Cor:12:1 ¶ If I must glory (it is not expedient indeed) but I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.
2 I know a man in Christ: above fourteen years ago (whether in the body, I know not, or out of the body, I know not: God knoweth), such a one caught up to the third heaven.
3 And I know such a man (whether in the body, or out of the body, I know not: God knoweth):
4 That he was caught up into paradise and heard secret words which it is not granted to man to utter. (DRV)
Equal to communion with God face to face in heaven.
4 Moses – Moses’ Covenant Would have been the return to earth and the establishment of heaven on earth by men under the close supervision of God Himself.
5 David - Babylonian Captivity – David’s Covenant Would have been the establishment of the heavenly kingdom throughout the universe.
6 Babylonian Captivity - Jesus Christ the Messiah – Daniel’s Covenant Would have been the fruition of the heavenly kingdom throughout the universe.
7 Jesus Christ the Messiah – to the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and His eternal reign in His recreated universe. Would have been the eternal aeons of the heavenly kingdom after the fruition of it that will now take place after whatever time of preparation by God in Christ is necessary for men before entering into. This preparation will take place for the elect after the Second Coming of Jesus Christ and the General Resurrection and Judgement.
See: 1Cor:15:1 – 58
The Mark, the Name, the Number of the beast and the Tower of Babel = Ecumenism: Cardinal Ratzinger and the Rise of the Black Internationale - 1 - this is the False Prophet, to follow this, to receive its mark is to be damned forever.
In all the New Age talk about spirit and soul and mind etc., the correct, the Biblical order of the constitution of a human being created by God is neglected or warped or otherwise confused and incorrect.
The correct, the Biblical order is Spirit, Soul, Body - no more and no less. The uncreated Energy of God is one with the Holy Spirit and Immortal with the Holy Trinity since the third Person of the Holy Trinity is the Holy Spirit. The uncreated Wisdom of God is the Son of God, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, and the uncreated Wisdom of God is also the Holy Spirit who is also called the Spirit of Christ. Both proceed from the Father with no confusion, first the Son and then the Holy Spirit through the Son. That portion of the uncreated Energy of God that is given to man, resides in the synteresis, the divine spark of the Holy Spirit which is at the essential core and is the base of each person's soul - and which is also the conscience of a man and that synteresis, the divine spark, is what sets a man APART from the animals as it is the reason that a man's soul is eternal and does not die with the body as the soul of all animals die when the animal's body dies. At the general resurrection of all men, all will be raised in the flesh, that is their individual bodies and souls reunited. The souls of the just will be reunited to their bodies by the Holy Spirit-Uncreated Energy of God and they will inherit Immortality with God and His elect angels. The souls of the damned will be reunited with their bodies in union with the Diabolic/Demonic spirits they courted in life and together with the Devils (the fallen angels, the Diabolic spirits) and Demons they will burn in unimaginable terror and horror and pain and anguish in hell fire forever.
Spirit Soul Body
(1-shen, 2-ch'ing and 3-ch'i are Chinese words equivalent to 1-spirit, 2-essence which is the synteresis base of the soul and 3-vital energy of the body.)
Let us pray:
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Supernatural Fire Holy Spirit Breath Holy Water Blood Holy Energy Earth
Of Christ Jesus Our Only Lord and Saviour
Cleanse heal sanctify strengthen vindicate us who profess You unceasingly
QUICKEN EACH OF US OUR ETERNAL
SPIRIT, shen (spirit),
SOUL, ch 'ing (essence),
BODY, ch'i (vital energy of the body)
THE
FIRE
SPIRIT BREATH
WATER BLOOD
ENERGY EARTH
OF YOUR CREATION
THE HOLY SPIRIT IS OUR HELMET OF SALVATION
THE HOLY SPIRIT BREATH IS THE LORD OF STRENGTH
CHRIST’S HOLY CROSS IS OUR SHIELD OF FAITH
CHRIST'S POWER FOLLOWS HIS LIGHTNING SPEED
Transform each of us who profess You, our spirit soul body according to Yours Christ Jesus Our Only Lord and Saviour
For the body is not possessed of greater power than the soul, since indeed the former is inspired, and vivified, and increased, and held together by the latter; but the soul possesses and rules over the body.
(symbols: Eagle, Man, Ox, Lion are from Ezechiel. The Eagle is the symbol of the Gospel of Mark and the covenant of Christ's everlasting Gospel in the Holy Spirit representing the Holy Spirit. The Man is the symbol of the Gospel of Matthew and the covenant of Moses representing the Manhood of Christ. The Ox is the symbol of the Gospel of Luke and and the covenant of Noah representing the Sacrifice of Christ. The Lion is the symbol of the Gospel of John and the covenant of Adam representing the Power and Authority of Christ the Creator Redeemer. [The Scholastics switched the Lion from John to Mark and the Eagle from Mark to John. It should be the original, with the Lion the symbol of the Gospel of John and the Eagle the symbol of the Gospel of Mark.])
Supernatural Fire Holy Spirit Breath Holy Water Blood Holy Energy Earth
Of Christ Jesus Our Only Lord and Saviour
Cleanse heal sanctify strengthen vindicate us unceasingly
HOLY SPIRIT LIFE QUICKENING BREATH OF LIFE
Shown forth by the Gospel of Mark, symbolized by the Eagle and Seraphim - Canopy of Our Lord
Christ Jesus Our Only Lord and Saviour
deliver us
deliver us
HOLY SUPERNATURAL FIRE SPIRIT OF TRUTH
Shown forth by the Gospel of Matthew, symbolized by the Man, Jesus Christ Our Lord and Saviour
of the all covenants of God including those of
of the all covenants of God including those of
Abraham, Moses, David, Daniel
(Moses is one of the four main covenants with those of Adam, Noah and Christ Himself in the Flesh with the everlasting Gospel in the Holy Spirit. Abraham and David and Daniel are sub-covenants.)
Christ Jesus Our Only Lord and Saviour
deliver us
HOLY MIGHT DUNAMIS
Shown forth by the Gospel of Luke, Cross of Christ (Ox), Thrones of Our Lord - Cherubim
of the covenant of God with Noah
Christ Jesus Our Only Lord and Saviour
deliver us
HOLY ENERGY
Shown forth by the Gospel of John, Lion, Angel of Almighty Counsel Immortal Divine Warrior Jesus Christ Our Lord, who is Captain of the hosts of the Lord, His holy
Seraphim
Cherubim
Seraphim
Cherubim
Kuriotetes - Lordships
His captain of the Hosts of the Lord St. Michael (who is like unto the Lord) Arches/Archangelos - Rulers
Exousias - Authorities
Dunameis - Powers
Angelos - Angels
first revealed to Adam son of God
Christ Jesus Our Only Lord and Saviour
deliver us
Kannawn annawim
deliver us into Your kingdom
God Our Father
and the Son Jesus Christ Our Only Lord and Saviour
and the Holy Spirit our Paraclete. Amen.
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IRENAEUS AGAINST HERESIES -- BOOK II (CHAP. XVIII to CHAP. XXXV)
CHAP. XXXII.--FURTHER EXPOSURE OF THE WICKED AND BLASPHEMOUS DOCTRINES OF THE HERETICS.
CHAP. XXXII.--FURTHER EXPOSURE OF THE WICKED AND BLASPHEMOUS DOCTRINES OF THE HERETICS.
1. Moreover, this impious opinion of theirs with respect to actions--namely, that it is incumbent on them to have experience of all kinds of deeds, even the most abominable--is refuted by the teaching of the Lord, with whom not only is the adulterer rejected, but also the man who desires to commit adultery;(1) and not only is the actual murderer held guilty of having killed another to his own damnation, but the man also who is angry with his brother without a cause: who commanded [His disciples] not only not to hate men, but also to love their enemies; and enjoined them not only not to swear falsely, but not even to swear at all; and not only not to speak evil of their neighbours, but not even to style any one "Raca" and "fool;" [declaring] that otherwise they were in danger of hell-fire; and not only not to strike, but even, when themselves struck, to present the other cheek [to those that maltreated them]; and not only not to refuse to give up the property of others, but even if their own were taken away, not to demand it back again from those that took it; and not only not to injure their neighbours, nor to do them any evil, but also, when themselves wickedly dealt with, to be long-suffering, and to show kindness towards those [that injured them], and to pray for them, that by means of repentance they might be saved--so that we should in no respect imitate the arrogance, lust, and pride of others. Since, therefore, He whom these men boast of as their Master, and of whom they affirm that He had a soul greatly better and more highly toned than others, did indeed, with much earnestness, command certain things to be done as being good and excellent, and certain things to be abstained from not only in their actual perpetration, but even in the thoughts which lead to their performance, as being wicked, pernicious, and abominable,--how then can they escape being put to confusion, when they affirm that such a Master was more highly toned [in spirit] and better than others, and yet manifestly give instruction of a kind utterly opposed to His teaching? And, again, if there were really no such thing as good and evil, but certain things were deemed righteous, and certain others unrighteous, in human opinion only, He never would have expressed Himself thus in His teaching: "The righteous shall shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father;"(2) but He shall send the unrighteous, and those who do not the works of righteousness, "into everlasting fire, where their worm shall not die, and the fire shall not be quenched."(3)
2. When they further maintain that it is cumbent on them to have experience of every kind(4) of work and conduct, so that, if it be possible, accomplishing all during one manifestation in this life, they may [at once] pass over to the state of perfection, they are, by no chance, found striving to do those things which wait upon virtue, and are laborious, glorious, and skilful,(5) which also are approved universally as being good. For if it be necessary to go through every work and every kind of operation, they ought, in the first place, to learn all the arts: all of them, [I say,] whether referring to theory or practice, whether they be acquired by self-denial, or are mastered through means of labour, exercise, and perseverance; as, for example, every kind of music, arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, and all such as are occupied with intellectual pursuits: then, again, the whole study of medicine, and the knowledge of plants, so as to become acquainted with those which are prepared for the health of man; the art of painting and sculpture, brass and marble work, and the kindred arts: moreover, [they have to study] every kind of country labour, the veterinary art, pastoral occupations, the various kinds of skilled labour, which are said to pervade the whole circle of [human] exertion; those, again, connected with a maritime life, gymnastic exercises, hunting, military and kingly pursuits, and as many others as may exist, of which, with the utmost labour, they could not learn the tenth, or even the thousandth part, in the whole course of their lives. The fact indeed is, that they endeavour to learn none of these, although they maintain that it is incumbent on them to have experience of every kind of work; but, turning aside to voluptuousness, and lust, and abominable actions, they stand self-condemned when they are tried by their own doctrine. For, since they are destitute of all those [virtues] which have been mentioned, they will [of necessity] pass into the destruction of fire. These men, while they boast of Jesus as being their Master, do in fact emulate the philosophy of Epicurus and the indifference of the Cynics, [calling Jesus their Master,] who not only turned His disciples away from evil deeds, but even from [wicked] words and thoughts, as I have already shown.
3. Again, while they assert that they possess souls from the same sphere as Jesus, and that they are like to Him, sometimes even maintaining that they are superior; while [they affirm that they were] produced, like Him, for the performance of works tending to the benefit and establishment of mankind, they are found doing nothing of the same or a like kind [with His actions], nor what can in any respect be brought into comparison with them. And if they have in truth accomplished anything [remarkable] by means of magic, they strive [in this way] deceitfully to lead foolish people astray, since they confer no real benefit or blessing on those over whom they declare that they exert] supernatural] power; but, bringing forward mere boys(1) [as the subjects on whom they practise], and deceiving their sight, while they exhibit phantasms that instantly cease, and do not endure even a moment of time,(2) they are proved to be like, not Jesus our Lord, but Simon the magician. It is certain,(3) too, from the fact that the Lord rose from the dead on the third day, and manifested Himself to His disciples, and wasin their sight received up into heaven, that, inasmuch as these men die, and do not rise again, nor manifest themselves to any, they are proved as possessing souls in no respect similar to that of Jesus.
4. If, however, they maintain that the Lord, too, performed such works simply in appearance, we shall refer them to the prophetical writings, and prove from these both that all things were thus(4) predicted regarding Him, and did take place undoubtedly, and that He is the only Son of God. Wherefore, also, those who are in truth His disciples, receiving grace from Him, do in His name perform [miracles], so as to promote the welfare of other men, according to the gift which each one has received from Him. For some do certainly and truly drive out devils, so that those who have thus been cleansed from evil spirits frequently both believe [in Christ], and join themselves to the Church. Others have foreknowledge of things to come: they see visions, and utter prophetic expressions. Others still, heal the sick by laying their hands upon them, and they are made whole. Yea, moreover, as I have said, the dead even have been raised up, and remained(5) among us for many years. And what shall I more say? It is not possible to name the number of the gifts which the Church, [scattered] throughout the whole world, has received from God, in the name of Jesus Christ, who was crucified under Pontius Pilate, and which she exerts day by day for the benefit of the Gentiles, neither practising deception upon any, nor taking any reward(6) from them Ion account of such miraculous interpositions]. For as she has received freely(7) from God, freely also does she minister [to others].
5. Nor does she perform anything by means of angelic invocations,(8) or by incantations, or by any other wicked curious art; but, directing her prayers to the Lord, who made all things, in a pure, sincere, and straightforward spirit, and calling upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, she has been accustomed to work(9) miracles for the advantage of mankind, and not to lead them into error. If, therefore, the name of our Lord Jesus Christ even now confers benefits [upon men], and cures thoroughly and effectively all who anywhere believe on Him, but not that of Simon, or Menander, or Carpocrates, or of any other man whatever, it is manifest that. when He was made man, He held fellowship with His own creation, and(10) did all things truly through the power of God, according to the will of the Father of all, as the prophets had foretold. But what these things were, shall be described in dealing with the proofs to be found in the prophetical writings.
CHAP. XXXIII.--ABSURDITY OF THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRANSMIGRATION OF SOULS.
1. We may subvert their doctrine as to transmigration from body to body by this fact, that souls remember nothing whatever of the events which took place in their previous states of existence. For if they were sent forth with this object, that they should have experience of every kind of action, they must of necessity retain a remembrance of those things which have been previously accomplished, that they might fill up those in which they were still deficient, and not by always hovering, without intermission, round the same pursuits, spend their labour wretchedly in vain (for the mere union of a body [with a soul] could not altogether extinguish the memory and contemplation of those things which had formerly been experienced(11)), and especially as they came [into the world] for this very purpose. For as, when the body is asleep and at rest, whatever things the soul sees by herself, and does in a vision, recollecting many of these, she also communicates them to the body; and as it happens that, when one awakes, perhaps after a long time, he relates what he saw in a dream, so also would he undoubtedly remember those things which he did before he came into this particular body. For if that which is seen only for a very brief space of time, or has been conceived of simply in a phantasm, and by the soul alone, through means of a dream, is remembered after she has mingled again with the body, and been dispersed through all the members, much more would she remember those things in connection with which she stayed during so long a time, even throughout the whole period of a bypast life.
2. With reference to these objections, Plato, that ancient Athenian, who also was the first(1) to introduce this opinion, when he could not set them aside, invented the [notion of] a cup of oblivion, imagining that in this way he would escape this son of difficulty. He attempted no kind of proof [of his supposition], but simply replied dogmatically [to the objection in question], that when souls enter into this life, they are caused to drink of oblivion by that demon who watches their entrance [into the world], before they effect an entrance into the bodies [assigned them]. It escaped him, that [by speaking thus] he fell into another greater perplexity. For if the cup of oblivion, after it has been drunk, can obliterate the memory of all the deeds that have been done, how, O Plato, dost thou obtain the knowledge of this fact (since thy soul is now in the body), that, before it entered into the body, it was made to drink by the demon a drug which caused oblivion? For if thou hast a remembrance of the demon, and the cup, and the entrance [into life], thou oughtest also to be acquainted with other things; but if, on the other hand, thou art ignorant of them, then there is no truth in the story of the demon, nor in the cup of oblivion prepared with art.
3. In opposition, again, to those who affirm that the body itself is the drug of oblivion, this observation may be made: How, then, does it come to pass, that whatsoever the soul sees by her own instrumentality, both in dreams and by reflection or earnest mental exertion, while the body is passive, she remembers, and reports to her neighbours? But, again, if the body itself were [the cause of] oblivion, then the soul, as existing in the body, could not remember even those things which were perceived long ago either by means of the eyes or the ears; but, as soon as the eye was turned from the things looked at, the memory of them also would undoubtedly be destroyed. For the soul, as existing in the very [cause of] oblivion, could have no knowledge of anything else than that only which it saw at the present moment. How, too, could it become acquainted with divine things, and retain a remembrance of them while existing in the body, since, as they maintain, the body itself is [the cause of] oblivion? But the prophets also, when they were upon the earth, remembered likewise, on their returning to their ordinary state of mind,(2) whatever things they spiritually saw or heard in visions of heavenly objects, and related them to others. The body, therefore, does not cause the soul to forget those things which have been spiritually witnessed; but the soul teaches the body, and shares with it the spiritual vision which it has enjoyed.
4. For the body is not possessed of greater power than the soul, since indeed the former is inspired, and vivified, and increased, and held together by the latter; but the soul possesses(3) and rules over the body. It is doubtless retarded in its velocity, just in the exact proportion in which the body shares in its motion; but it never loses the knowledge which properly belongs to it. For the body may be compared to an instrument; but the soul is possessed of the reason of an artist. As, therefore, the artist finds the idea of a work to spring up rapidly in his mind, but can only carry it out slowly by means of an instrument, owing to the want of perfect pliability in the matter acted upon, and thus the rapidity of his mental operation, being blended with the slow action of the instrument, gives rise to a moderate kind of movement [towards the end contemplated]; so also the soul, by being mixed up with the body belonging to it, is in a certain measure impeded, its rapidity being blended with the body's slowness. Yet it does not lose altogether its own peculiar powers; but while, as it were, sharing life with the body, it does not itself cease to live. Thus, too, while communicating other things to the body, it neither loses the knowledge of them, nor the memory of those things which have been witnessed.
5. If, therefore, the soul remembers nothing(4) of what took place in a former state of existence, but has a perception of those things which are here, it follows that she never existed in other bodies, nor did things of which she has no knowledge, nor [once] knew things which she cannot [now mentally] contemplate. But, as each one of us receives his body through the skilful working of God, so does he also possess his soul. For God is not so poor or destitute in resources, that He cannot confer its own proper soul on each individual body, even as He gives it also its special character. And therefore, when the number [fixed upon] is completed, [that number] which He had predetermined in His own counsel, all those who have been enrolled for life [eternal] shah rise again, having their own bodies, and having also their own souls, and their own spirits, in which they had pleased God. Those, on the other hand, who are worthy of punishment, shall go away into it, they too having their own souls and their own bodies, in which they stood apart from the grace of God. Both classes shall then cease from any longer begetting and being begotten, from marrying and being given in marriage; so that the number of mankind, corresponding to the fore-ordination of God, being completed, may fully realize the scheme formed by the Father.(1)
CHAP. XXXIV.--SOULS CAN BE RECOGNISED IN THE SEPARATE STATE, AND ARE IMMORTAL ALTHOUGH THEY ONCE HAD A BEGINNING.
1. The Lord has taught with very great fulness, that souls not only continue to exist, not by passing from body to body, but that they preserve the same form(2) [in their separate state] as the body had to which they were adapted, and that they remember the deeds which they did in this state of existence, and from which they have now ceased,--in that narrative which is recorded respecting the rich man and that Lazarus who found repose in the bosom of Abraham. In this account He states(3) that Dives knew Lazarus after death, and Abraham in like manner, and that each one of these persons continued in his own proper position, and that [Dives] requested Lazarus to be sent to relieve him--[Lazarus], on whom he did not [formerly] bestow even the crumbs [which fell] from his table. [He tells us] also of the answer given by Abraham, who was acquainted not only with what respected himself, but Dives also, and who enjoined those who did not wish to come into that place of torment to believe Moses and the prophets, and to receive(4) the preaching of Him who was(5) to rise again from the dead. By these things, then, it is plainly declared that souls continue to exist that they do not pass from body to body, that they possess the form of a man, so that they may be recognised, and retain the memory of things in this world; moreover, that the gift of prophecy was possessed by Abraham, and that each class of souls] receives a habitation such as it has deserved, even before the judgment.
2. But if any persons at this point maintain that those souls, which only began a little while ago to exist, cannot endure for any length of time; but that they must, on the one hand, either be unborn, in order that they may be immortal, or if they have had a beginning in the way of generation, that they should die with the body itself--let them learn that God alone, who is Lord of all, is without beginning and without end, being truly and for ever the same, and always remaining the same unchangeable Being. But all things which proceed from Him, whatsoever have been made, and are made, do indeed receive their own beginning of generation, and on this account are inferior to Him who formed them, inasmuch as they are not unbegotten. Nevertheless they endure, and extend their existence into a long series of ages in accordance with the will of God their Creator; so that He grants them that they should be thus formed at the beginning, and that they should so exist afterwards.
3. For as the heaven which is above us, the firmament, the sun, the moon, the rest of the stars, andall their grandeur, although they had no previous existence, were called into being, and continue throughout a long course of time according to the will of God, so also any one who thinks thus respecting souls and spirits, and, in fact, respecting all created things, will not by any means go far astray, inasmuch as all things that have been made had a beginning when they were formed, but endure as long as God wills that they should have an existence and continuance. The prophetic Spirit bears testimony to these opinions, when He declares, "For He spake, and they were made; He commanded, and they were created: He hath established them for ever, yea, forever and ever."(6) And again, He thus speaks respecting the salvation of man: "He asked life of Thee, and Thou gavest him length of days for ever and ever;"(7) indicating that it is the Father of all who imparts continuance for ever and ever on those who are saved. For life does not arise from us, nor from our own nature; but it is bestowed according to the grace of God. And therefore he who shall preserve the life bestowed upon him, and give thanks to Him who imparted it, shall receive also length of days for ever and ever. But he who shall reject it, and prove himself ungrateful to his Maker, inasmuch as he has been created, and has not recognised Him who bestowed [the gift upon him], deprives himself of [the privilege of] continuance for ever and ever.(1) And, for this reason, the Lord declared to those who showed themselves ungrateful towards Him: "If ye have not been faithful in that which is little, who will give you that which is great?"(2) indicating that those who, in this brief temporal life, have shown themselves ungrateful to Him who bestowed it, shall justly not receive from Him length of days for ever and ever.
4. But as the animal body is certainly not itself the soul, yet has fellowship with the soul as long as God pleases; so the soul herself is not life,(3) but partakes in that life bestowed upon her by God. Wherefore also the prophetic word declares of the first-formed man, "He became a living soul,"(4) teaching us that by the participation of life the soul became alive; so that the soul, and the life which it possesses,must be understood as being separate existences. When God therefore bestows life and perpetual duration, it comes to pass that even souls which did not previously exist should henceforth endure [for ever], since God has both willed that they should exist, and should continue in existence. For the will of God ought to govern and rule in all things, while all other things give way to Him, are in subjection, and devoted to His service. Thus far, then, let me speak concerning the creation and the continued duration of the soul.
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