{"author":null,"backreferences":[{"context_html":"<p class=\"c006\">7. But even holy Scripture does not appear to me to be\r\naltogether silent on the nature of this secret, as when the\r\nApostle Paul, in discussing the case of Jacob and Esau, says:\r\n“For the children being not yet born, neither having done\r\nany good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election\r\nmight stand, not of works, but of Him who calleth, it\r\nwas said, The elder shall serve the younger, as it is written,\r\nJacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.”<a id=\"r312\"></a><a class=\"c007 pginternal\" href=\"#f312\"><sup>[312]</sup></a> And after\r\nthat, he answers himself, and says, “What shall we say\r\nthen? Is there unrighteousness with God?” And that he\r\nmight furnish us with an opportunity of inquiring into these\r\nmatters, and of ascertaining how these things do not happen\r\nwithout a reason, he answers himself, and says, “God forbid.”<a id=\"r313\"></a><a class=\"c007 pginternal\" href=\"#f313\"><sup>[313]</sup></a>\n<span class=\"pageno\" id=\"Page_134\">134</span>For the same question, as it seems to me, which is\r\nraised concerning Jacob and Esau, may be raised regarding\r\nall celestial and terrestrial creatures, and even those of the\r\nlower world as well. And in like manner it seems to me,\r\nthat as he there says, “The children being not yet born,\r\nneither having done any good or evil,” so it might also be\r\nsaid of all other things, “When they were not yet” created,\r\n“neither had yet done any good or evil, that the decree\r\nof God according to election may stand,” that (as certain\r\nthink) some things on the one hand were created heavenly,\r\nsome on the other earthly, and others, again, beneath the\r\nearth, “not of works” (as they think), “but of Him who\r\ncalleth,” what shall we say then, if these things are so? “Is\r\nthere unrighteousness with God? God forbid.” As, therefore,\r\nwhen the Scriptures are carefully examined regarding Jacob\r\nand Esau, it is not found to be unrighteousness with God\r\nthat it should be said, before they were born, or had done\r\nanything in this life, “the elder shall serve the younger;”\r\nand as it is found not to be unrighteousness that even in the\r\nwomb Jacob supplanted his brother, if we feel that he was\r\nworthily beloved by God, according to the deserts of his previous\r\nlife, so as to deserve to be preferred before his brother;\r\nso also is it with regard to heavenly creatures, if we notice\r\nthat diversity was not the original condition of the creature, but\r\nthat, owing to causes that have previously existed, a different\r\noffice is prepared by the Creator for each one in proportion\r\nto the degree of his merit, on this ground, indeed, that each\r\none, in respect of having been created by God an understanding,\r\nor a rational spirit, has, according to the movements\r\nof his mind and the feelings of his soul, gained for\r\nhimself a greater or less amount of merit, and has become\r\neither an object of love to God, or else one of dislike to\r\nHim; while, nevertheless, some of those who are possessed\r\nof greater merit are ordained to suffer with others for the\r\nadorning of the state of the world, and for the discharge of\r\n<span class=\"pageno\" id=\"Page_135\">135</span>duty to creatures of a lower grade, in order that by this\r\nmeans they themselves may be participators in the endurance\r\nof the Creator, according to the words of the apostle: “For\r\nthe creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but\r\nby reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope.”<a id=\"r314\"></a><a class=\"c007 pginternal\" href=\"#f314\"><sup>[314]</sup></a>\r\nKeeping in view, then, the sentiment expressed by the\r\napostle, when, speaking of the birth of Esau and Jacob, he\r\nsays, “Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid,”\r\nI think it right that this same sentiment should be carefully\r\napplied to the case of all other creatures, because, as we\r\nformerly remarked, the righteousness of the Creator ought\r\nto appear in everything. And this, it appears to me, will be\r\nseen more clearly at last, if each one, whether of celestial or\r\nterrestrial or infernal beings, be said to have the causes of\r\nhis diversity in himself, and antecedent to his bodily birth.\r\nFor all things were created by the Word of God, and by His\r\nWisdom, and were set in order by His Justice. And by the\r\ngrace of His compassion He provides for all men, and encourages\r\nall to the use of whatever remedies may lead to\r\ntheir cure, and incites them to salvation.</p>","headings":["The Writings of Origen, Vol. 1 of 2","ORIGEN DE PRINCIPIIS.","BOOK II.","CHAPTER IX. ON THE WORLD AND THE MOVEMENTS OF RATIONAL CREATURES, WHETHER GOOD OR BAD; AND ON THE CAUSES OF THEM."],"marker_anchor":null,"paragraph_id":"pg70561-paragraph-177"}],"canonical_references":[],"date_end":null,"date_start":null,"deduplication_fingerprint":"82c50097f8448cb37091157c751fa93849bac6a8ca97366226dbb37636a84107","edition_title":"The writings of Origen, Vol. 1 (of 2)","edition_translators":["Frederick Crombie"],"edition_year":1869,"explicit_reference_candidates":[{"book":"ROM","chapter":9,"kind":"unreviewed","source_notation":"Rom. ix. 11","verse":11,"verse_end":11}],"headings":[],"id":"pg70561-f312","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":"f312","source_ebook":70561,"source_html":"<div class=\"footnote\" id=\"f312\">\n<p class=\"c006\"><span class=\"label\"><a class=\"pginternal\" href=\"#r312\">312</a>. </span><abbr title=\"Romans\">Rom.</abbr> <abbr title=\"nine\">ix.</abbr> 11, 12.</p>\n</div>","source_sha256":"de125e213d16053354f22b34a1c8d477ac23f201e660e4f4841b2ed7e05bb367","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/70561/pg70561-images.html#f312","text_sha256":"d282600b13d88101dc0968db2e10b63a211d3ca07b1b39b8378979c66ba42f3b","verified":false,"work_id":null}