Chap. XIX.—Of the Soul, and It Given by God.

A question also may arise respecting this, whether the soul is produced from the father, or rather from the mother, or indeed from both. But I think that this judgment is to be formed as though in a doubtful matter.135    Sed ego id in eo jure ab ancipiti vindico.   For nothing is true of these three opinions, because souls are produced neither from both nor from either. For a body may be produced from a body, since something is contributed from both; but a soul cannot be produced from souls, because nothing can depart from a slight and incomprehensible subject. Therefore the manner of the production of souls belongs entirely to God alone.  

as Lucretius136    ii. 991.   says. For nothing but what is mortal can be generated from mortals. Nor ought he to be deemed a father who in no way perceives that he has transmitted or breathed a soul from his own; nor, if he perceives it, comprehends in his mind when or in what manner that effect is produced.  

From this it is evident that souls are not given by parents, but by one and the same God and Father of all, who alone has the law and method of their birth, since He alone produces them. For the part of the earthly parent is nothing more than with a sense of pleasure to emit the moisture of the body, in which is the material of birth, or to receive it; and to this work man’s power is limited,137    Et citra hoc opus homo resistit. The compound word “resistit” is used for the simple sistit—“stands.”   nor has he any further power. Therefore men wish for the birth of sons, because they do not themselves bring it about. Everything beyond this is the work of God,—namely, the conception itself, and the moulding of the body, and the breathing in of life, and the bringing forth in safety, and whatever afterwards contributes to the preservation of man: it is His gift that we breathe, that we live, and are vigorous. For, besides that we owe it to His bounty that we are safe in body, and that He supplies us with nourishment from various sources, He also gives to man wisdom, which no earthly father can by any means give; and therefore it often happens that foolish sons are born from wise parents, and wise sons from foolish parents, which some persons attribute to fate and the stars. But this is not now the time to discuss the subject of fate. It is sufficient to say this, that even if the stars hold together the efficacy of all things, it is nevertheless certain that all things are done by God, who both made and set in order the stars themselves. They are therefore senseless who detract this power from God, and assign it to His work.  

He would have it, therefore, to be in our own power, whether we use or do not use this divine and excellent gift of God. For, having granted this, He bound man himself by the mystery138    Sacramento   of virtue, by which he might be able to gain life. For great is the power, great the reason, great the mysterious purpose of man; and if any one shall not abandon this, nor betray his fidelity and devotedness, he must be happy: he, in short, to sum up the matter in few words, must of necessity resemble God. For he is in error whosoever judges of139    Metitur, “measures.”   man by his flesh. For this worthless body140    Corpusculum. The diminutive appears to imply contempt.   with which we are clothed is the receptacle of man.141    The expression is too general, since the body as well as the soul is a true part of man’s nature. [Perhaps so; but Lactantius is thinking of St. Paul’s expression (Philipp. iii. 21), “the body of our humiliation.”]   For man himself, can neither be touched, nor looked upon, nor grasped, because he lies hidden within this body, which is seen. And if he shall be more luxurious and delicate in this life than its nature demands, if he shall despise virtue, and give himself to the pursuit of fleshly lusts, he will fall and be pressed down to the earth; but if (as his duty is) he shall readily and constantly maintain his position, which is right for him, and he has rightly obtained,142    Quem rectum rectè sortitus est. In some editions the word “recte” is omitted.  —if he shall not be enslaved to the earth, which he ought to trample upon and overcome, he will gain eternal life.  

0073A CAPUT XIX. De anima, eaque a Deo data.

Illud quoque venire in quaestionem potest, utrumne anima ex patre, an potius ex matre, an vero ex utroque generetur. Sed ego id in eo jure ab ancipiti vendico. Nihil enim ex his tribus verum est, quia neque ex utroque, neque ex alterutro seruntur animae. Corpus enim ex corporibus nasci potest, quoniam confertur aliquid ex utroque; de animis anima non potest, quia ex re tenui et incomprehensibili nihil potest decedere. Itaque serendarum animarum ratio uni ac soli Deo subjacet. Denique, coelesti sumus omnes semine oriundi: Omnibus ille idem pater est,0073B ut ait Lucretius. Nam de mortalibus non potest quidquam nisi mortale generari. Nec putari pater debet, qui transfudisse, aut inspirasse animam de suo nullo modo sentit; nec, si sentiat, quando tamen, aut quomodo id fiat, habet animo comprehensum.

Ex quo apparet, non a parentibus dari animas, sed ab uno eodemque omnium Deo patre, qui legem rationemque nascendi tenet solus, siquidem solus efficit. Nam terreni parentis nihil est, nisi ut humorem 0074A corporis, in quo est materia nascendi, cum sensu voluptatis emittat, vel recipiat; et citra hoc opus homo resistit, nec amplius quidquam potest: et ideo nasci sibi filios optant, quia non ipsi faciunt. Caetera jam Dei sunt omnia, scilicet conceptus ipse, et corporis informatio, et inspiratio animae, et partus incolumis, et quaecumque deinceps ad hominem conservandum valent; illius munus est, quod spiramus, quod vivimus, quod vigemus. Nam praeterquam quod ipsius beneficio incolumes sumus corpore, et quod victum nobis ex variis rebus subministrat, sapientiam quoque homini tribuit, quam terrenus pater dare nullo modo potest. Ideoque et de sapientibus stulti, et de stultis sapientes saepe nascuntur; quod quidam fato, ac sideribus assignant. Sed non est nunc locus de fato disserendi. 0074B Hoc dicere satis est, quod etiamsi astra efficientiam rerum continent, nihilominus a Deo omnia fieri certum est, qui astra ipsa et fecit, et ordinavit. Inepti ergo, qui hanc potestatem Deo detrahunt, et operi ejus attribuunt.

Hoc igitur Dei munere coelesti atque praeclaro, an utamur, an non utamur, in nostra esse voluit potestate. Hoc enim concesso, ipsum hominem virtutis sacramento religavit, quo vitam posset adipisci. Magna 0075A est enim vis hominis, magna ratio, magnum sacramentum: a quo si quis non defecerit, nec fidem suam devotionemque prodiderit; hic beatus, hic denique (ut breviter finiam) similis Deo sit necesse est. Errat enim quisquis hominem carne metitur. Nam corpusculum hoc, quo induti sumus, hominis receptaculum est. Nam ipse homo neque tangi, neque aspici, neque comprehendi potest, quia latet intra hoc quod videtur. Qui si delicatus magis ac tener in hac vita fuerit, quam ratio ejus exposcit, si virtute contempta, desideriis se carnis addixerit, cadet, et premetur in terram. Sin autem (ut debet) statum suum, quem rectum recte sortitus est, prompte constanterque defenderit, 0076A si terrae, quam calcare ac vincere debet, non servierit, vitam merebitur sempiternam.