{"author":null,"backreferences":[{"context_html":"<p class=\"c005\">11. But, to establish the point more clearly, it will not be\r\nsuperfluous to employ another illustration, as if, <i>e.g.</i>, one were\r\nto say that it is the sun which hardens and liquefies, although\r\nliquefying and hardening are things of an opposite nature.\r\nNow it is not incorrect to say that the sun, by one and the\r\nsame power of its heat, melts wax indeed, but dries up and\r\nhardens mud:<a id=\"r449\"></a><a class=\"c007 pginternal\" href=\"#f449\"><sup>[449]</sup></a> not that its power operates one way upon mud,\r\nand in another way upon wax; but that the qualities of mud\r\nand wax are different, although according to nature they are\r\none thing,<a id=\"r450\"></a><a class=\"c007 pginternal\" href=\"#f450\"><sup>[450]</sup></a> both being from the earth. In this way, then,\r\none and the same working upon the part of God, which was\r\nadministered by Moses in signs and wonders, made manifest\r\nthe hardness of Pharaoh, which he had conceived in\r\nthe intensity of his wickedness<a id=\"r451\"></a><a class=\"c007 pginternal\" href=\"#f451\"><sup>[451]</sup></a>, but exhibited the obedience\r\nof those other Egyptians who were intermingled with the\r\nIsraelites, and who are recorded to have quitted Egypt at\r\nthe same time with the Hebrews. With respect to the statement\r\nthat the heart of Pharaoh was subdued by degrees, so\r\nthat on one occasion he said, “Go not far away; ye shall go\r\na three days’ journey, but leave your wives, and your children,\r\nand your cattle,”<a id=\"r452\"></a><a class=\"c007 pginternal\" href=\"#f452\"><sup>[452]</sup></a> and as regards any other statements,\r\naccording to which he appears to yield gradually to the signs\r\nand wonders, what else is shown, save that the power of the\r\nsigns and miracles was making some impression on him, but\r\nnot so much as it ought to have done? For if the hardening\r\nwere of such a nature as many take it to be, he would\r\nnot indeed have given way even in a few instances. But\r\nI think there is no absurdity in explaining the tropical or\r\nfigurative<a id=\"r453\"></a><a class=\"c007 pginternal\" href=\"#f453\"><sup>[453]</sup></a> nature of that language employed in speaking of\r\n“hardening,” according to common usage. For those masters\r\nwho are remarkable for kindness to their slaves, are frequently\r\naccustomed to say to the latter, when, through much\r\npatience and indulgence on their part, they have become\r\ninsolent and worthless: “It is I that have made you what\r\nyou are; I have spoiled you; it is my endurance that has\r\nmade you good for nothing: I am to blame for your perverse\r\nand wicked habits, because I do not have you immediately\r\npunished for every delinquency according to your\r\ndeserts.” For we must first attend to the tropical or\r\nfigurative meaning of the language, and so come to see the\r\nforce of the expression, and not find fault with the word,\r\nwhose inner meaning we do not ascertain. Finally, the\r\nApostle Paul, evidently treating of such, says to him who\r\nremained in his sins: “Despisest thou the riches of His\r\ngoodness, and forbearance, and long-suffering; not knowing\r\nthat the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? but,\r\nafter thy hardness and impenitent heart, treasurest up unto\r\nthyself wrath on the day of wrath and revelation of the\r\nrighteous judgment of God.”<a id=\"r454\"></a><a class=\"c007 pginternal\" href=\"#f454\"><sup>[454]</sup></a> Such are the words of the\r\napostle to him who is in his sins. Let us apply these very\r\nexpressions to Pharaoh, and see if they also are not spoken of\r\nhim with propriety, since, according to his hardness and impenitent\r\nheart, he treasured and stored up for himself wrath\r\non the day of wrath, inasmuch as his hardness could never\r\nhave been declared and manifested, unless signs and wonders\r\nof such number and magnificence had been performed.</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-217"}],"canonical_references":[],"date_end":null,"date_start":null,"deduplication_fingerprint":"b01be9a71638c6ffc8c4c24067272931fb4252bb405217191f56e8910037ca84","edition_title":"The writings of Origen, Vol. 1 (of 2)","edition_translators":["Frederick Crombie"],"edition_year":1869,"explicit_reference_candidates":[],"headings":[],"id":"pg70561-f453","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":"f453","source_ebook":70561,"source_html":"<div class=\"footnote\" id=\"f453\">\n<p class=\"c006\"><span class=\"label\"><a class=\"pginternal\" href=\"#r453\">453</a>. </span><span lang=\"la\">Tropum vel figuram sermonis.</span></p>\n</div>","source_sha256":"de125e213d16053354f22b34a1c8d477ac23f201e660e4f4841b2ed7e05bb367","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/70561/pg70561-images.html#f453","text_sha256":"4aefb26fb3a129860e1a97f9614f3f300c41f8f57e76d22eb5b4067a57d9b0d2","verified":false,"work_id":null}