3. For as the heaven which is above us, the firmament, the sun, the moon, the rest of
the stars, and all 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.”643 And again, He thus speaks re-
specting the salvation of man: “He asked life of Thee, and Thou gavest him length of days
for ever and ever;”644 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
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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.645 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?”646
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,647 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,”648 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 exist-
ences. 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
643 Ps. cxlviii. 5, 6.
644 Ps. xxi. 4.
645 As Massuet observes, this statement is to be understood in harmony with the repeated assertion of Irenæus
that the wicked will exist in misery for ever. It refers not annihilation, but to deprivation of happiness.
646 Luke xvi. 11, quoted loosely from memory. Grabe, however, thinks they are cited from the apocryphal
Gospel according to the Egyptians.
647 Comp. Justin Martyr, Dial. c. Tryph., ch. vi.
648 Gen. ii. 7.
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Chapter XXXIV.—Souls can be recognised in the separate state, and are immortal…