Testimonia

{"author":null,"backreferences":[{"context_html":"<p class=\"c006\">Celsus has made a statement regarding evils of the following\r\nnature, viz., that “although a thing may seem to you to be evil,\r\nit is by no means certain that it is so; for you do not know what\r\nis of advantage to yourself, or to another, or to the whole world.”\r\nNow this assertion is made with a certain degree of caution;<a id=\"r756\"></a><a class=\"c008 pginternal\" href=\"#f756\"><sup>[756]</sup></a>\r\nand it hints that the nature of evil is not wholly wicked, because\r\nthat which may be considered so in individual cases, may contain\r\nsomething which is of advantage to the whole community.\r\nHowever, lest any one should mistake my words, and find a\r\npretence of wrongdoing, as if his wickedness were profitable to\r\nthe world, or at least <i>might</i> be so, we have to say, that although\r\nGod, who preserves the free-will of each individual, may make\r\nuse of the evil of the wicked for the administration of the\r\nworld, so disposing them as to conduce to the benefit of the\r\nwhole; yet, notwithstanding, such an individual is deserving of\r\ncensure, and as such has been appointed for a use, which is a\r\nsubject of loathing to each separate individual, although of\r\nadvantage to the whole community.<a id=\"r757\"></a><a class=\"c008 pginternal\" href=\"#f757\"><sup>[757]</sup></a> It is as if one were to say\r\n<span class=\"pageno\" id=\"Page_236\">236</span>that in the case of a city, a man who had committed certain\r\ncrimes, and on account of these had been condemned to serve in\r\npublic works that were useful to the community, did something\r\nthat was of advantage to the entire city, while he himself was\r\nengaged in an abominable task,<a id=\"r758\"></a><a class=\"c008 pginternal\" href=\"#f758\"><sup>[758]</sup></a> in which no one possessed of\r\nmoderate understanding would wish to be engaged. Paul also,\r\nthe apostle of Jesus, teaches us that even the very wicked will\r\ncontribute to the good of the whole, while in themselves they\r\nwill be amongst the vile, but that the most virtuous men, too, will\r\nbe of the greatest advantage to the world, and will therefore on\r\nthat account occupy the noblest position. His words are: “But\r\nin a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver,\r\nbut also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some\r\nto dishonour. If a man therefore purge himself, he shall be a\r\nvessel unto honour, sanctified and meet for the Master’s use, prepared\r\nunto every good work.”<a id=\"r759\"></a><a class=\"c008 pginternal\" href=\"#f759\"><sup>[759]</sup></a> These remarks I have thought it\r\nnecessary to make in reply to the assertion, that “although a\r\nthing may seem to you to be evil, it is by no means certain that\r\nit is so, for you do not know what is of advantage either to\r\nyourself or to another,” in order that no one may take occasion\r\nfrom what has been said on the subject to commit sin, on the\r\npretext that he will thus be useful to the world.</p>","headings":["The writings of Origen, Vol. 2 of 2","BOOK IV.","Chapter LXX."],"marker_anchor":null,"paragraph_id":"pg70693-paragraph-291"}],"canonical_references":[],"date_end":null,"date_start":null,"deduplication_fingerprint":"85206baa8b7f359723b0e6cd749ab4b6f111771c5ff96f28156657df87b18e53","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-f757","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":"f757","source_ebook":70693,"source_html":"<div class=\"footnote\" id=\"f757\">\n<p class=\"c007\"><span class=\"label\"><a class=\"pginternal\" href=\"#r757\">757</a>.  </span><span lang=\"grc\">καὶ ὡς ψεκτὸς κατατέτακται εἰς χρείαν ἀπευκταίαν μὲν ἑκάστῳ, χρήσιμον\r\nδὲ τῷ παντί.</span></p>\n</div>","source_sha256":"76ed9a9fd752c1d5095189e38fe3dcbbea0fd23d6be719db17360e4da14552fa","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/70693/pg70693-images.html#f757","text_sha256":"dbfd6cf5b81ad582299024d15e2a554eab606d1506b7b4377e7fe8f5cc45c1ef","verified":false,"work_id":null}

references: [] | work_id: | origin: existing-private-derived-record | source: https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/70693/pg70693-images.html#f757