Psalms 107:20

"He sent His Word, and healed them" [Psalm 107:20]. See what evil there is in satiety; see whence He delivers, to whom he cries that loathes his food. "He sent His Word, and healed them, and snatched them," from whence? Not from wandering, not from hunger, not from the difficulty of overcoming sins, but "from their corruption." It is a sort of corruption of the mind to loathe what is sweet.

Now among the Greeks I know there was only one Phaedon, not a second, and one Polemon, who devoted themselves to philosophy, after a licentious and most wicked life. However, with Jesus there were not only at the time we are speaking of, the twelve disciples, but many more at all times, who, becoming a band of temperate people, speak in the following way of their former lives: "For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Savior toward humankind appeared, by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, which he shed on us richly," we became such as we are. For "God sent forth his Word and healed them and delivered them from their destructions," as the prophet taught in the book of Psalms.

Becoming confused by his efforts to accuse us, Celsus contradicts himself, appearing at one time to know a person "without sin" and "a righteous individual who can look up to God [adorned] with virtue from the beginning." At another time he accepts our statement that there is no human being who is altogether righteous or without sin. He seems to admit this truth when he remarks, "This is indeed apparently true, that somehow the human race is naturally inclined to sin." In the next place, as if all people were not invited by the word, he says, "All people, then, without distinction, ought to be invited, since all indeed are sinners." And yet, in the preceding pages, we have pointed out the words of Jesus: "Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." All people, therefore, laboring and being heavily burdened on account of the nature of sin, are invited to the rest spoken of in the word of God, "for God sent his Word, and healed them and delivered them from their destructions."