{"author":null,"backreferences":[{"context_html":"<p class=\"c005\">12. But if the proofs which we have adduced do not appear\r\nfull enough, and the similitude of the apostle seem wanting\r\nin applicability,<a id=\"r461\"></a><a class=\"c007 pginternal\" href=\"#f461\"><sup>[461]</sup></a> let us add the voice of prophetic authority,\r\nand see what the prophets declare regarding those who at\r\nfirst, indeed, leading a righteous life, have deserved to receive\r\nnumerous proofs of the goodness of God, but afterwards,\r\nas being human beings, have fallen astray, with whom the\r\nprophet, making himself also one, says: “Why, O Lord,\r\nhast Thou made us to err from Thy way? and hardened our\r\nheart, that we should not fear Thy name? Return, for Thy\r\nservants’ sake, for the tribes of Thine inheritance, that we\r\nalso for a little may obtain some inheritance from Thy holy\r\nhill.”<a id=\"r462\"></a><a class=\"c007 pginternal\" href=\"#f462\"><sup>[462]</sup></a> Jeremiah also employs similar language: “O Lord,\r\nThou hast deceived us, and we were deceived; Thou hast\r\nheld [us], and Thou hast prevailed.”<a id=\"r463\"></a><a class=\"c007 pginternal\" href=\"#f463\"><sup>[463]</sup></a> The expression, then,\r\n“Why, O Lord, hast Thou hardened our heart, that we\r\nshould not fear Thy name?” used by those who prayed for\r\nmercy, is to be taken in a figurative, moral acceptation,<a id=\"r464\"></a><a class=\"c007 pginternal\" href=\"#f464\"><sup>[464]</sup></a> as\r\nif one were to say, “Why hast Thou spared us so long, and\r\ndidst not requite us when we sinned, but didst abandon us,\r\nthat so our wickedness might increase, and our liberty of\r\nsinning be extended when punishment ceased?” In like\r\nmanner, unless a horse continually feel the spur<a id=\"r465\"></a><a class=\"c007 pginternal\" href=\"#f465\"><sup>[465]</sup></a> of his\r\nrider, and have his mouth abraded by a bit,<a id=\"r466\"></a><a class=\"c007 pginternal\" href=\"#f466\"><sup>[466]</sup></a> he becomes\r\nhardened. And a boy also, unless constantly disciplined by\r\nchastisement, will grow up to be an insolent youth, and one\r\nready to fall headlong into vice. God accordingly abandons\r\nand neglects those whom He has judged undeserving of\r\nchastisement: “For whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth,\r\nand scourgeth every son whom He receiveth.”<a id=\"r467\"></a><a class=\"c007 pginternal\" href=\"#f467\"><sup>[467]</sup></a> From which\r\nwe are to suppose that those are to be received into the rank\r\nand affection of sons, who have deserved to be scourged and\r\nchastened by the Lord, in order that they also, through\r\nendurance of trials and tribulations, may be able to say,\r\n“Who shall separate us from the love of God which is\r\nin Christ Jesus? shall tribulation, or anguish, or famine,\r\nor nakedness, or peril, or sword?”<a id=\"r468\"></a><a class=\"c007 pginternal\" href=\"#f468\"><sup>[468]</sup></a> For by all these is each\r\none’s resolution manifested and displayed, and the firmness\r\nof his perseverance made known, not so much to God, who\r\nknows all things before they happen, as to the rational and\r\nheavenly virtues,<a id=\"r469\"></a><a class=\"c007 pginternal\" href=\"#f469\"><sup>[469]</sup></a> who have obtained a part in the work of\r\nprocuring human salvation, as being a sort of assistants and\r\nministers to God. Those, on the other hand, who do not yet\r\noffer themselves to God with such constancy and affection,\r\nand are not ready to come into His service, and to prepare\r\ntheir souls for trial, are said to be abandoned by God, <i>i.e.</i> not\r\nto be instructed, inasmuch as they are not prepared for instruction,\r\ntheir training or care being undoubtedly postponed\r\nto a later time. These certainly do not know what they will\r\nobtain from God, unless they first entertain the desire of\r\nbeing benefited; and this finally will be the case, if a man\r\ncome first to a knowledge of himself, and feel what are his\r\ndefects, and understand from whom he either ought or can\r\nseek the supply of his deficiencies. For he who does not\r\nknow beforehand of his weakness or his sickness, cannot seek\r\na physician; or at least, after recovering his health, that man\r\nwill not be grateful to his physician who did not first recognise\r\nthe dangerous nature of his ailment. And so, unless a\r\nman has first ascertained the defects of his life, and the evil\r\nnature of his sins, and made this known by confession from\r\nhis own lips, he cannot be cleansed or acquitted, lest he should\r\nbe ignorant that what he possesses has been bestowed on him\r\nby favour, but should consider as his own property what flows\r\nfrom the divine liberality, which idea undoubtedly generates\r\narrogance of mind and pride, and finally becomes the cause\r\nof the individual’s ruin. And this, we must believe, was the\r\ncase with the devil, who viewed as his own, and not as given\r\nhim by God, the primacy<a id=\"r470\"></a><a class=\"c007 pginternal\" href=\"#f470\"><sup>[470]</sup></a> which he held at the time when\r\nhe was unstained;<a id=\"r471\"></a><a class=\"c007 pginternal\" href=\"#f471\"><sup>[471]</sup></a> and thus was fulfilled in him the declaration,\r\nthat “every one who exalteth himself shall be abased.”<a id=\"r472\"></a><a class=\"c007 pginternal\" href=\"#f472\"><sup>[472]</sup></a>\r\nFrom which it appears to me that the divine mysteries were\r\nconcealed from the wise and prudent, according to the statement\r\nof Scripture, that “no flesh should glory before God,”<a id=\"r473\"></a><a class=\"c007 pginternal\" href=\"#f473\"><sup>[473]</sup></a>\r\nand revealed to children—to those, namely, who, after they\r\nhave become infants and little children, <i>i.e.</i> have returned to\r\nthe humility and simplicity of children, then make progress;\r\nand on arriving at perfection, remember that they have obtained\r\ntheir state of happiness, not by their own merits, but\r\nby the grace and compassion of God.</p>","headings":["The Writings of Origen, Vol. 1 of 2","ORIGEN DE PRINCIPIIS.","BOOK III.","FROM THE LATIN."],"marker_anchor":null,"paragraph_id":"pg70561-paragraph-219"}],"canonical_references":[],"date_end":null,"date_start":null,"deduplication_fingerprint":"0e82496962b6531624470cfdc94c0d29ed88b0470c8e7d7db5bd47854f9b9fc4","edition_title":"The writings of Origen, Vol. 1 (of 2)","edition_translators":["Frederick Crombie"],"edition_year":1869,"explicit_reference_candidates":[],"headings":[],"id":"pg70561-f466","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 1869 English translation; translator died 1889. Electronic transcription subject to Project Gutenberg reuse terms.","source_anchor":"f466","source_ebook":70561,"source_html":"<div class=\"footnote\" id=\"f466\">\n<p class=\"c006\"><span class=\"label\"><a class=\"pginternal\" href=\"#r466\">466</a>. </span><span lang=\"la\">Frenis ferratis.</span></p>\n</div>","source_sha256":"de125e213d16053354f22b34a1c8d477ac23f201e660e4f4841b2ed7e05bb367","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/70561/pg70561-images.html#f466","text_sha256":"0c97a85f48fe93616fdaf5a95fe3581ed5c803eada28416941fe6a1030135e7d","verified":false,"work_id":null}