{"collection":"chr","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/chr/ecf/105/1050740.htm","path":"chr/ecf/105/1050740.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/chr/ecf/105/1050740.htm","text":"Chapter 8 [VI.]\u2014Victor\u2019s Second Error. (See Above in Book I. 26 [XVI.].)\nDo not, I pray you, believe, say, or teach that \u201cThus is God ever giving souls through infinite time, just as He who gives is Himself ever p. 347 existent,\u201d if you wish to be a catholic. For a time will come when God will not give souls, although He will not therefore Himself cease to exist. Your phrase, \u201cis ever giving,\u201d might be understood \u201cto give without cessation,\u201d so long as men are born and get offspring, even as it is said of certain men that they are \u201cever learning, and never coming to the knowledge of the truth.\u201d 2443 For this term \u201cever\u201d is not in this passage taken to mean \u201cnever ceasing to learn,\u201d inasmuch as they do cease to learn when they have ceased to exist in this body, or have begun to suffer the fiery pains of hell. You, however, did not allow your word to be understood in this sense when you said \u201cis ever giving,\u201d since you thought that it must be applied to infinite time. And even this was a small matter; for, as if you had been asked to explain your phrase, \u201cever giving,\u201d more explicitly, you went on to say, \u201cjust as He is Himself ever existent who gives.\u201d This assertion the sound and catholic faith utterly condemns. For be it far from us to believe that God is ever giving souls, just as He is Himself, who gives them, ever existent. He is Himself ever existent in such a sense as never to cease to exist; souls, however, He will not be ever giving; but He will beyond doubt cease to give them when the age of generation ceases, and children are no longer born to whom they are to be given.","title":"Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Vol. V: A Treatise on the...","type":"page"}