Sacred Texts  Christianity  Early Church Fathers  Index  Previous  Next 

Chapter XI.—Immortality of the Soul.

“And though by the dissolution of the body you should escape punishment, how shall you be able by corruption to flee from your soul, which is incorruptible?  For the soul even of the wicked is immortal, for whom it were better not to have it incorruptible.  For, being punished with endless torture under unquenchable fire, and never dying, it can receive no end of its misery.  But perhaps some one of you will say, ‘You terrify us, O Peter.’  Teach us then how we can be p. 287 silent about these things, and yet tell you things as they are, for not otherwise can we tell you them.  But if we should be silent, you should be ensnared by evils through ignorance.  But if we speak, we are suspected of terrifying you with a false theory.  How then shall we charm that wicked serpent that lurks in your soul, and subtilely insinuates suspicions hostile to God, under the guise of love of God?  Be reconciled with yourselves; for in order to your salvation recourse is to Him with well-doing.  Unreasonable lust in you is hostile to God, for by conceit of wisdom it strengthens ignorance.