With good cause [is it said] God
poured out upon us. For an angel will remain in the state of being an
angel, and the same with other beings (whether they are counted among the
elements or with matter or among the heavenly lights or in other things of this
sort), all of which have been produced and generated by God. But the soul
amongst all of these has merited more from God, both the greatest gift and
great riches, when knowing God—albeit by means of the will of God infused in it
by Jesus Christ—the soul, accepted among the sons of God, is granted to be bear
to God and to the Son, that is, to Jesus Christ. Still, [all this comes about]
through Christ himself, as the soul, made out as a co-heir of eternity and
majesty, is granted the name and position of son. (Marius Victorinus,
Commentary on Ephesians, Book 1, in Metaphysics and Morals in Marius
Victorinus' Commentary on the Letter to the Ephesians [trans. Stephen
Andrew Cooper; Series V Philosophy vol. 155; New York: Peter Lang, 1995],
53-54)
