Testimonia

{"author":null,"backreferences":[{"context_html":"<p class=\"c012\">But even if it be exceedingly difficult to effect a change in\r\nsome persons, the cause must be held to lie in their own will,\r\nwhich is reluctant to accept the belief that the God over all\r\nthings is a just Judge of all the deeds done during life. For\r\ndeliberate choice and practice<a id=\"r449\"></a><a class=\"c008 pginternal\" href=\"#f449\"><sup>[449]</sup></a> avail much towards the accomplishment\r\nof things which appear to be very difficult, and, to\r\nspeak hyperbolically, almost impossible. Has the nature of\r\nman, when desiring to walk along a rope extended in the air\r\nthrough the middle of the theatre, and to carry at the same\r\ntime numerous and heavy weights, been able by practice and\r\nattention to accomplish such a feat; but when desiring to live\r\nin conformity with the practice of virtue, does it find it impossible\r\nto do so, although formerly it may have been exceedingly\r\nwicked? See whether he who holds such views does not bring\r\na charge against the nature of the Creator of the rational\r\nanimal<a id=\"r450\"></a><a class=\"c008 pginternal\" href=\"#f450\"><sup>[450]</sup></a> rather than against the creature, if He has formed the\r\nnature of man with powers for the attainment of things of such\r\ndifficulty, and of no utility whatever, but has rendered it incapable\r\nof securing its own blessedness. But these remarks may\r\nsuffice as an answer to the assertion that “entirely to change\r\na nature is exceedingly difficult.” He alleges, in the next place,\r\nthat “they who are without sin are partakers of a better life;”\r\nnot making it clear what he means by “those who are without\r\nsin,” whether those who are so from the beginning [of their\r\nlives], or those who become so by a transformation. Of those\r\nwho were so from the beginning of their lives, there cannot\r\npossibly be any; while those who are so after a transformation\r\n[of heart] are found to be few in number, being those who\r\n<span class=\"pageno\" id=\"Page_149\">149</span>have become so after giving in their allegiance to the saving\r\nword. And they were not such when they gave in their allegiance.\r\nFor, apart from the aid of the word, and that too the\r\nword of perfection, it is impossible for a man to become free\r\nfrom sin.</p>","headings":["The writings of Origen, Vol. 2 of 2","BOOK III.","Chapter LXIX."],"marker_anchor":null,"paragraph_id":"pg70693-paragraph-207"}],"canonical_references":[],"date_end":null,"date_start":null,"deduplication_fingerprint":"f6766f51100b6f1b07a571c8349b96e0087df234c0367245deeb782c85b004c1","edition_title":"The writings of Origen, Vol. 2 (of 2)","edition_translators":["Frederick Crombie","W. H. Cairns"],"edition_year":1872,"explicit_reference_candidates":[],"headings":[],"id":"pg70693-f449","license_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html","public_import_allowed":false,"record_kind":"original-editor-translator-note","review_required":["work and recension attribution","original-work chronology","Bible reference numbering and citation kind","English edition rights and attribution"],"review_status":"needs_review","rights_evidence":"Project Gutenberg metadata: Public domain in the USA. Existing 1872 English edition; listed translators died 1889 and 1872. Electronic transcription subject to Project Gutenberg reuse terms.","source_anchor":"f449","source_ebook":70693,"source_html":"<div class=\"footnote\" id=\"f449\">\n<p class=\"c007\"><span class=\"label\"><a class=\"pginternal\" href=\"#r449\">449</a>.  </span><span lang=\"grc\">προαίρεσις καὶ ἄσκησις.</span></p>\n</div>","source_sha256":"76ed9a9fd752c1d5095189e38fe3dcbbea0fd23d6be719db17360e4da14552fa","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/70693/pg70693-images.html#f449","text_sha256":"9e7c80da33e108ac80f8279524eee6634cc8dedaa16f981cd3505f0b4765f733","verified":false,"work_id":null}

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