To sum up all in one word — what the soul
is in the body, that are Christians in the world.
The soul is dispersed through all the members
of the body, and Christians are scattered through
all the cities of the world. The soul dwells in
the body, yet is not of the body ; and Chris-
tians dwell in the world, yet are not of the
world. 7 The invisible soul is guarded by the
visible body, and Christians are known indeed
to be in the world, but their godliness remains
invisible. The flesh hates the soul, and wars
against it,^ though itself suffering no injury, be-
cause it is prevented from enjoying pleasures ;
the world also hates the Christians, though in
nowise injured, because they abjure pleasures.
The soul loves the flesh that hates it, and [loves
also] the members ; Christians likewise love
those that hate them. The soul is imprisoned
in the body, yet preserves 9 that very body ; and
Christians are confined -in the world as in a
prison, and yet they are the preservers ^ of the
world. The immortal soul dwells in a mortal
tabernacle ; and Christians dwell as sojourners
in corruptible [bodies], looking for an incorrup-
" tible dwelling '° in the heavens. The soul, when
but ill-provided with food and drink, becomes
better ; in like manner, the Christians, though
subjected day by day to punishment, increase