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| Chapter LVI
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Chapter LVI.
Moreover, since Celsus asserts that “the
soul is the work of God, but that the nature of body is different; and
that in this respect there is no difference between the body of a bat,
or of a worm, or of a frog, and that of a man, for the matter is the
same, and their corruptible part alike,”—we have to say in
answer to this argument of his, that if, since the same matter
underlies the body of a bat, or of a worm, or of a frog, or of a man,
these bodies will differ in no respect from one another, it is evident
then that these bodies also will differ in no respect from the sun, or
the moon, or the stars, or the sky, or any other thing which is called
by the Greeks a god, cognisable by the senses.3933
For the same matter, underlying
all bodies, is, properly speaking, without qualities and without
form, and derives its qualities from some (other) source, I know not
whence, since Celsus will have it that nothing corruptible can be the
work of God. Now the corruptible part of everything whatever,
being produced from the same underlying matter, must necessarily be the
same, by Celsus’ own showing; unless, indeed, finding himself
here hard pressed, he should desert Plato, who makes the soul arise
from a certain bowl,3934
and take refuge
with Aristotle and the Peripatetics, who maintain that the ether is
immaterial,3935
and consists of a
fifth nature, separate from the other four elements,3936
| 3936 πέμπτης
παρὰ τὰ
τέσσαρα
στοιχεῖα
εἷναι
φύσεως. | against which view both the Platonists and
the Stoics have nobly protested. And we too, who are despised by
Celsus, will contravene it, seeing we are required to explain and
maintain the following statement of the prophet: The heavens
shall perish, but Thou remainest: and they all shall wax old as a
garment; and as a vesture shalt Thou fold them up, and they shall be
changed: but Thou art the same.”3937
These remarks, however, are sufficient
in reply to Celsus, when he asserts that “the soul is the work of
God, but that the nature of body is different;” for from his
argument it follows that there is no difference between the body of a
bat, or of a worm, or of a frog, and that of a heavenly3938
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