Chapter XVIII.
Therefore, every day, God of majesty creates and infuses souls into already formed bodies, as Moses the lawgiver testifies concerning pregnant women: those who have a formed or unformed infant. (Exodus 21:23-24). The Lord confirms this, saying: 'My Father works until now, and I work' (John 5:17). Just as it is impious to say that the soul of a human is of the substance of God, or that a soul is from a soul, so it is impious to say that it was made before the formation of the body; since Adam himself declares, saying: 'This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh' (Genesis 2:23). Therefore, God is one thing, the soul of man is another; because it is made by Him, not of Him. For God is invisible, incorruptible, impenetrable, uncontaminated, who cannot be corrupted in any way, and who cannot be harmed in any way: but the soul of man, which is not God, is susceptible to sin, and is embroiled in suffering, and is led astray by falsehood, is tempted, blinded, troubled, corrupted, and taken captive; and therefore it needs the power of a liberator. Therefore, this change of soul and this variety clearly show me that the soul of man is neither God nor of His substance. For if the soul of man is the substance of God, according to those who say this, then the substance of God is saddened, killed, blinded, corrupted, and captured. And now it is judged, and on the day of judgment, having taken on flesh, it will be damned with the devil in eternal fire. This is how impious it is, understood by anyone who is sane. The Lord himself cries out, strengthening his apostles, and says: Do not fear those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul; but fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell (Matt. 10:28). Will God judge according to these insane people, as it has already been said, their portion or nature? Far be it. And therefore, in the very bodies from which we were born, and from which our souls departed when we died, in those same bodies our souls will enter after the resurrection, by the command of God; and they will rise, if they have done good, to receive the resurrection of life and the glory of the heavenly kingdom; but if they have done evil, to receive the resurrection of judgment and eternal reproach and confusion. This is confirmed by the blessed Apostle who says: We must all be revealed before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad (2 Corinthians 5:10). For at that time, according to the prophecy of the prophet Isaiah, there will be no distinction between noble and common, priest and layperson, slave and master, mistress and her female servant, rich and poor, lender and borrower, buyer and seller (St. Jerome, Commentary on Isaiah). Therefore, all will stand before the tribunal of Christ on equal terms, and there will be no partiality with God. This is also announced by the Holy Job in almost the same words, saying: 'Both the small and the great are there, and the servant is free from his master' (Job 3:19). And the Savior in the Gospel, to whom all judgment has been given because of the glorious passion of man, testifies in plain words, saying: 'For when the Son of Man comes in the glory of His Father with His holy angels, He will render to each one according to his deeds' (Matthew 25:31). All these things, therefore, are future; because what is to come, the Lord has spoken through the prophets, who says: I have multiplied visions, and I have been likened to the hand of the prophets (Hosea 12:10).