{"author":null,"backreferences":[{"context_html":"<p class=\"c005\">16. There was after this the passage from the Gospel, where\r\nthe Saviour said, that for this reason did He speak to those\r\nwithout in parables, that “seeing they may not see, and hearing\r\nthey may not understand; lest they should be converted,\r\nand their sins be forgiven them.”<a id=\"r507\"></a><a class=\"c007 pginternal\" href=\"#f507\"><sup>[507]</sup></a> Now, our opponent will\r\nsay, “If some persons are assuredly converted on hearing\r\nwords of greater clearness, so that they become worthy of\r\nthe remission of sins, and if it does not depend upon themselves\r\nto hear these words of greater clearness, but upon him\r\nwho teaches, and he for this reason does not announce them\r\nto them more distinctly, lest they should see and understand,\r\nit is not within the power of such to be saved; and if so,\r\nwe are not possessed of free-will as regards salvation and\r\ndestruction.” Effectual, indeed, would be the reply to such\r\narguments, were it not for the addition, “Lest they should\r\nbe converted, and their sins be forgiven them,”—namely, that\r\nthe Saviour did not wish those who were not to become good\r\nand virtuous to understand the more mystical [parts of His\r\nteaching], and for this reason spake to them in parables;\r\nbut now, on account of the words, “Lest they should be converted,\r\nand their sins be forgiven them,” the defence is more\r\ndifficult. In the first place, then, we must notice the passage\r\nin its bearing on the heretics, who hunt out those portions from\r\nthe Old Testament where is exhibited, as they themselves\r\ndaringly assert, the cruelty<a id=\"r508\"></a><a class=\"c007 pginternal\" href=\"#f508\"><sup>[508]</sup></a> of the Creator of the world<a id=\"r509\"></a><a class=\"c007 pginternal\" href=\"#f509\"><sup>[509]</sup></a> in\r\nHis purpose of avenging and punishing the wicked,<a id=\"r510\"></a><a class=\"c007 pginternal\" href=\"#f510\"><sup>[510]</sup></a> or by\r\nwhatever other name they wish to designate such a quality,\r\nso speaking only that they may say that goodness does not\r\nexist in the Creator; and who do not deal with the New\r\nTestament in a similar manner, nor in a spirit of candour,<a id=\"r511\"></a><a class=\"c007 pginternal\" href=\"#f511\"><sup>[511]</sup></a>\r\nbut pass by places similar to those which they consider censurable\r\nin the Old Testament. For manifestly, and according\r\nto the Gospel, is the Saviour shown, as they assert, by His\r\nformer words, not to speak distinctly for this reason, that men\r\nmight not be converted, and, being converted, might become\r\ndeserving of the remission of sins: which statement of itself\r\nis nothing inferior<a id=\"r512\"></a><a class=\"c007 pginternal\" href=\"#f512\"><sup>[512]</sup></a> to those passages from the Old Testament\r\nwhich are objected to. And if they seek to defend the\r\nGospel, we must ask them whether they are not acting in a\r\nblameworthy manner in dealing differently with the same\r\nquestions; and, while not stumbling against the New Testament,\r\nbut seeking to defend it, they nevertheless bring a\r\ncharge against the Old regarding similar points, whereas\r\nthey ought to offer a defence in the same way of the passages\r\nfrom the New. And therefore we shall force them, on\r\naccount of the resemblances, to regard all as the writings of\r\none God. Come, then, and let us, to the best of our ability,\r\nfurnish an answer to the question submitted to us.</p>","headings":["The Writings of Origen, Vol. 1 of 2","ORIGEN DE PRINCIPIIS.","BOOK III.","FROM THE GREEK."],"marker_anchor":null,"paragraph_id":"pg70561-paragraph-228"}],"canonical_references":[],"date_end":null,"date_start":null,"deduplication_fingerprint":"6672af030fe143e51a50b495b6ba6b1c770fbbf5f4299ae655700750bfaf3a5c","edition_title":"The writings of Origen, Vol. 1 (of 2)","edition_translators":["Frederick Crombie"],"edition_year":1869,"explicit_reference_candidates":[],"headings":[],"id":"pg70561-f509","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":"f509","source_ebook":70561,"source_html":"<div class=\"footnote\" id=\"f509\">\n<p class=\"c006\"><span class=\"label\"><a class=\"pginternal\" href=\"#r509\">509</a>. </span><span lang=\"grc\">δημιουργοῦ.</span></p>\n</div>","source_sha256":"de125e213d16053354f22b34a1c8d477ac23f201e660e4f4841b2ed7e05bb367","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/70561/pg70561-images.html#f509","text_sha256":"3724a97fc43cb4c43912af9c99ee4139519874b2a605e7776cf54afbc73c74f5","verified":false,"work_id":null}