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NEOSTOICISM AND THE CHRISTIAN UHUKCH 9 I*may be considered as one soul or reason." This one light of the sun, though it is Distributed owalls, mountains, and other things infinite. T.his one common substance, though it is distributedamong countless bodies, which have their severalqualities. There is one soul, though it is distributedamong infinite natures and individuals : one intelligentsoul, though it seems to be divided." l And tocomplete this view it must be remembered that thehuman soul is not merely, like all other living forces,a portion and effluence of the universal living force,but by its rationality stands in a peculiar relationshiptThus the basis of Stoicism was the physical * v idtity of the human soul with what they called " thedivine " :3 and as, they had not the conception ofimmateriality, it was an identity as well in quantityas in quality. To use their own expression, the souwas a part torn off from " the divine." * It is thiural identity which would stand in oppositionthe supernatural relationship of son bestowed on mding to the Christian faith, by the IA kinship founded in nature, belonging to the whrace, and so incapable of being lost, formed a strongcontrast with that filiation which is a pure gift,merited for the whole race by the Divine Redeemer,but finally bestowed only on the elect, and as threward of a battle won. When this contrast isstated, a sufficient ground is given for the deep-1 Seneca, Epist. xii. 66; Epictetus, Diss. i. 14, ii. 8; M/Aureliusxii. 26; v. 27 ; xii. 30.2 Zeller, iv. 184.3 r6 Q¬LQV. No translation conveys the force of this neuter andabstract term in the original. It is of very constant recurrence inGreek philosophical writers, and strongly suggestive of Pantheism.r* ^r