FROM THE GREEK,.
10. But since they say that they regard Him as a just God, and we as one who is at the same time good and just, Iet us consider how the good and just God could harden the heart of Pharaoh. See, then, whether, by an illustration used by the apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrews, we are able to prove that by one operation’ God has mercy upon one man while He hardens another, although not intending to harden; but, [although] having a good purpose, hardening follows as a ma of the inherent principle of wickedness in such persons,” and so He is said to harden him who is hardened. “ The earth,” he ayo: “which drinketh in the rain I evepy tie 2 bie To THs xaxlas UroxEievoy TOU Tap’ ExUTOIS KaxXdD.
Cap. 1. | ORIGEN DE PRINCIPIS. 177 FROM THE LATIN.
it is dressed, will receive blessing from God; but that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto curs- ing, whose end is to be burned.”* Now from those words of Paul which we have quoted, it is clearly shown that by one and the same act on the part of God—that, viz. by which He sends rain upon the earth—one portion of the ground, when carefully cultivated, brings forth good fruits; while another, neglected and uncared for, produces thorns and _thistles. And if one, speaking as it were in the person of the rain,” were to say, “It is I, the rain, that have made the good fruits, and it is I that have caused the thorns and thistles to vrow,” however hard® the statement might appear, it would nevertheless be true; for unless the rain had fallen, neither fruits, nor thorns, nor thistles would have sprung up, whereas by the coming of the rain the earth gave birth to both. Now, although it is due to the beneficial action of the rain that the earth has produced herbs of both kinds, it is not to the rain that the diversity of the herbs is properly to be ascribed; but on those will justly rest the blame for the bad sced, who, although they might have turned up the ground by frequent ploughing, and have broken the clods by re- peated harrowing, and have extirpated all useless and noxious FROM TIE GREEK. that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them for whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God; but that which bearceth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh to cursing, whose end is to be burned.”’ As respects the rain, then, there is one operation; and there being one operation as regards the rain, the ground which is cultivated produces fruit, while that which is neglected and is barren produces thorns. Now, it might seem profane’ for Him who rains to say, “I produced the fruits, and the thorns that are in the earth;” and yet, although profane, it is true. For, had rain not fallen, there would have been neither fruits 1 Heb. vi. 7, 8. 2 dueGnuoy. ORIG. M 178 ORIGEN DE PRINCIPIIS. [Book m1.
FROM THE LATIN.
weeds, and have cleared and prepared the fields for the coming showers by all the labour and toil which cultivation demands, have nevertheless neglected to do this, and who will accordingly reap briers and thorns, the most appropriate fruit of their sloth. And the consequence therefore is, that while the rain falls in kindness and impartiality’ equally upon the whole earth, yet, by one and the same operation of the rain, that soil which is cultivated yields with a blessing useful fruits to the diligent and careful cultivators, while that which has become hardened through the neglect of the husband- man brings forth only thorns and thistles. Let us therefore view those signs and miracles which were done by God, as the showers furnished by Him from above; and the purpose and desires of men, as the cultivated and uncultivated soil, which is of one and the same nature indeed, as is every soil compared with another, but not in one and the same state of cultivation. From which it follows that every one’s will,? if untrained, and fierce, and barbarous, is either hardened by the miracles and wonders of God, growing more savage and thorny than ever, or it becomes more pliant, and yields itself up with the whole mind to obedience, if it be cleared from vice and subjected to training.
11. But, to establish the point more clearly, it will not be 1 Bonitas et equitas imbrium. 2 Propositum.
FROM THE GREEK. nor thorns; but, having fallen at the proper time and in moderation, both were produced. The ground, now, which drank in the rain which often fell upon it, and yet produced thorns and briers, is rejected and nigh to cursing. The bless- ing, then, of the rain descended even upon the inferior land; but it, being neglected and uncultivated, yielded thorns and thistles. In the same way, therefore, the wonderful works also done by God are, as it were, the rain; while the differing purposes are, as it were, the cultivated and neglected Jand, being [yet], like earth, of one nature.
11. And as if the sun, uttering a voice, were to say, “I Cup. 1. | ORIGEN DE PRINCIPIIS. 179 FROM THE LATIN.
superfluous to employ another illustration, as if, e.g., one were to say that it is the sun which hardens and liquefies, although liquefying and hardening are things of an opposite nature. Now it is not incorrect to say that the sun, by one and the same power of its heat, melts wax indeed, but dries up and hardens mud:' not that its power operates one way upon mud, and in another way upon wax; but that the qualities of mud and wax are different, although according to nature they are one thing,” both being from the earth. In this way, then, one and the same working upon the part of God, which was administered by Moses in signs and wonders, made mani- fest the hardness of Pharaoh, which he had conceived in the intensity of his wickedness, but exhibited the obedience of those other Egyptians who were intermingled with the Israelites, and who are recorded to have quitted Egypt at the same time with the Hebrews. With respect to the state- ment that the heart of Pharaoh was subdued by degrees, so that on one occasion he said, “ Go not far away; ye shall go a three days’ journey, but leave your wives, and your chil- dren, and your cattle,”* and as regards any other statements, 1 Limum. 2 Cum atique secundum naturam unum sit. 3 Malitize suze intentione conceperat. * Cf. Ex. viii. 27-29.
FROM THE GREEK.
liquefy and dry up,” liquefaction and drying up being oppo- site things, he would not speak falsely as regards the point in question;' wax being melted and mud being dried by the same heat; so the same operation, which was performed through the instrumentality of Moses, proved the hardness of Pharaoh on the one hand, the result of his wickedness, and the yielding of the mixed Egyptian multitude who took their departure with the Hebrews. And the brief statement? that the heart of Pharaoh was softened, as it were, when he said, “ But ye shall not go far: ye will go a three days’ journey, and leave your wives,”* and anything else which he said, 1 apd ro UToxElwEvoy. 2 nal ro xaTa ro Bpaxy b¢ dvaveypatbas.
180 ORIGEN DE PRINCIPIIS. [ Book 111.
FROM THE LATIN. according to which he appears to yield gradually to the signs and wonders, what else is shown, save that the power of the signs and miracles was making some impression on him, but not so much as it ought to have done? For if the harden- ing were of such a nature as many take it to be, he would not indeed have given way even in a few instances. But I think there is no absurdity in explaining the tropical or figurative * nature of that language employed in speaking of “hardening,” according tocommon usage. For those masters who are remarkable for kindness to their slaves, are fre- quently accustomed to say to the latter, when, through much patience and indulgence on their part, they have become insolent and worthless: “It is I that have made you what you are; I have spoiled you; it is my endurance that has made you good for nothing: I am to blame for your per- verse and wicked habits, because I do not have you imme- diately panisnee for every delinquency according to your deserts.” For we must first attend to. the tropical or figurative meaning of the language, and so come to sce thie force of the expression, and not find fault with the word, 1 Tropum vel figuram sermonis.
FROM THE GREEK.
yielding little by little before the signs, proves that the wonders made some impression even upon him, but did not accomplish all [that they might]. Yet even this would not have happened, if that which is supposed by the many—the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart—had been produced by God Himself. And it is not absurd to soften down such expres- sions agreeably to common usage:? for good masters often say to their slaves, when spoiled by their kindness and for- bearance, “I have made you bad, and I am to blame for offences of such enormity.” For we must attend to the character and force of the phrase, and not argue sophistic: eu. disregarding the meaning of the expression. Paul according] 1 2 cox krowoy Of xal awo cuyynbilas TH Tovrea Tapauvdsourias. GuxoT avrTety.
Cuap. 1. ] ORIGEN DE PRINCIPIIS. 181 FROM THE LATIN. whose. inner meaning we do not ascertain. Finally, the Apostle Paul, evidently treating of such, says to him who remained in his sins: “ Despisest thou the riches of His goodness, and forbearance, and long-suffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? but, after thy hardness and impenitent heart, treasurest up unto thyself wrath on the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God.”! Such are the words of the apostle to him who is in his sins. Let us apply these very expressions to Pharaoh, and see if they also are not spoken of him with propriety, since, according to his hardness and im- penitent heart, he treasured and stored up for himself wrath on the day of wrath, inasmuch as his hardness could never have been declared and manifested, unless signs and wonders of oe number and magnificence had been performed.
. Butif the proofs which we have adduced do not appear “ enough, and the similitude of the apostle seem wanting FROM THE GREEK, having examined these points clearly, says to the sinner: “ Or despisest thou the riches of His coodness, and forbearance, and long-suffering; not knowing that the goodness of God Jeadeth thee to mipen ene? but, after thy hardness and lmpenitent heart, treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of WI ath and revelation of the righteous judement of God.”? Now, let what the apostle says to the sinner be addressed to Pharaoh, and then the announcements made to him will be understoud to have been made with peculiar fitness, as to one who, according to his hardness and unrepentant heart, was treasuring up to himself wrath; seeing that his hard- ness would not have been proved nor made manifest unless miracles had been performed, and miracles, too, of such magnitude and importance.
12. But since such narratives are slow to secure assent,” and are considered to be forced,’ let us see from the prophetical 182 ORIGEN DE PRINCIPIIS. [Book m1.
FROM THE LATIN. in applicability,’ let us add the voice of prophetic authority, and see, what the prophets declare regarding those who at first, indeed, leading a righteous life, have deserved to receive numerous proofs of the goodness of God, but afterwards, as being human beings, have fallen astray, with whom the prophet, making himself also one, says: “ Why, O Lord, hast Thou made us to err from Thy way? and hardened our heart, that we should not fear Thy name? Return, for Thy servants’ sake, for the tribes of Thine inheritance, that we also for a little may obtain some inheritance from Thy holy hill.”? Jeremiah also employs similar language: “ O Lord, Thou hast deceived us, and we were deceived; Thou hast held [us], and Thou hast prevailed.”* The expression, then, “Why, O Lord, hast Thou hardened our heart, that we should not fear Thy name?” used by those who prayed for mercy, is to be taken in a figurative, moral acceptation,* as if one were to say, “ Why hast Thou spared us so long, and 1 Et apostolicee similitudinis parum munimenti habere adhuc videtur assertio.
*JIsa. Ixili. 17, 18. Here the Septuagint differs from the Masoreiic text.
nt 0 ie, ay 4 Morali utique tropo accipiendum.
FROM THE GREEK, declarations also, what those persons say, who, although thev have experienced the great kindness of God, have not liv el virtuously, but have afterwards sinned. “ Why, O Lord, hast Thou made us to err from Thy ways? Why hast Thou hardened our heart, so as not to fear Thy name? Return for Thy servants’ sake, for the tribes of Thine inheritance, that we may inherit a small portion of Thy holy mountain.”' And in Jeremiah: “Thou hast deceived me, O Lord, and I was deceived; Thou wert strong, and Thou didst prevail.” ° For the expression, “ Why hast Thou hardened our heart, so as not to fear Thy name?” uttered by those who are begging to receive mercy, is in its nature as follows: “ Why Cuap. 1. ] ORIGEN DE PRINCIPIIS. 183 FROM THE LATIN, didst not requite us when we sinned, but didst abandon us, that so our wickedness might increase, and our liberty of sinning be extended when punishment ceased?” In like manner, unless a horse continually feel the spur’ of his rider, and have his mouth abraded by a bit,? he becomes hardened. And a boy also, unless constantly disciplined by chastisement, will grow up to be an insolent youth, and one ready to fall headlong into vice. God accordingly abandons and neglects those whom He has judged undeserving of chastisement: “For whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth.”* From which we are to suppose that those are to be received into the rank and affection of sons, who have deserved to be scourged and chastened by the Lord, in order that they also, through endurance of trials and tribulations, may be able to say; “’ Who shall separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus? shall tribulation, or anguish, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?”* For by ail theses each one’s resolution manifested and displayed, and the firmness of his perseverance made known, not so much to God, who knows all things before they happen, as to the rational and heavenly virtues,’ who have obtained a part in the work of procuring human salvation, as being a sort of assistants and 1 Ferratum calcem. 2 Frenis ferratis. 3 Heb. xii. 6. 4 Rom, viii. 35. 5 Rationabilibus coelestibusque virtutibus.
FROM THE GREEK, hiast Thou spared us so long, not visiting us because of our sins, but deserting us, until our transgressions come to a height?” Now He leaves the greater part of men un- punished, both in order that the habits of each one may be examined, so far as it depends upon ourselves, and that the virtuous may be made manifest in consequence of the test applied; while the others, not escaping notice from God —for He knows all things before they exist—but from the rational creation and themselves, may afterwards obtain the means of cure, seeing they would not have known the benefit 184 ORIGEN DE PRINCIPIIS. [Book m1.
FROM THE LATIN, * FROM THE LATIN, * ministers to God. Those, on the other hand, who do not yct offer themselves to God with such constancy and affection, and are not ready to come into His service, and to prepare their souls for trial, are said to be abandoned by God, #.e. not to be instructed, inasmuch as they are not prepared for in- struction, their training or care being undoubtedly postponed to a later time. These certainly do not know what they will obtain from God, unless they first entertain the desire of being benefited’; and this finally will be the case, if a man come first toa knowledge of himself, and feel what are his defects, and understand from whom he cither ought or can seck the supply of his deficiencies. For he who does not know beforehand of his weakness or his sickness, cannot seek a physician; or at least, after recovering his health, that man will not be grateful to his physician who did not first recog- nise the dangerous nature of his ailment. And so, unless a man has first ascertained the defects of his life, and the evil nature of his sins, and made this known by confession from his own lips, he cannot be cleansed or acquitted, lest he should be ienorant that what he possesses has been bestowed on him by favour, but should consider as his own property what flows from the ‘ligne liberality, which idea undoubtedly generates arrogance of mind and pride, and finally becomes the cause of the individual’s ruin. And this, we must believe, was the FROM THE GREEK, had they not condemned themselves. It is of advantage to each one, that he perceive his own peculiar nature} and the grace of Goa: For he who does not perceive his own weak- ness and the divine favour, althouch he receive a benefit, yet, not having made trial of himself, nor having comlennnal himself, will imagine that the bencae conferred upon him by the grace of Ieaven is his own doing. And this imagi- nation, producing also vanity,” will be the cause of a down- fall: which, we conceive, was the case with the devil, who attributed to himsclf the priority which he possessed ak in Cua. 1. ] ORIGEN DE PRINCIPIIS. 185 FROM THE LATIN. case with the devil, who viewed as his own, and not as given him by God, the primacy’ which he held at the time when he was unstained;” and thus was fulfilled in him the decla- ration, that “every one who exalteth himself shall be abased.”” From which it appears to me that the divine mysteries were concealed from the wise and prudent, according to the state- ment of Scripture, that “ no flesh should glory before God,”* and revealed to children—to those, namely, who, after they have become infants and little children, ze. have returned to the humility and simplicity of children, then make progress; and on arriving at perfection, remember that they have ob- tained their state of happiness, not by their own merits, but by the grace and compassion of God.
13. It is therefore by the sentence of God that he is aban- doned who deserves to be so, while over some sinners God exercises forbearance; not, however, without a definite prin- ciple of action.” Nay, the very fact that He is long-suffering conduces to the advantage of those very persons, since the 1 Primatus. 2 Immaculatus. 3 Tuuke xviii. 14. 41 Cor. i, 29. 5 Non tamen sine cert ratione. FROM TIHID GREEK.
a state of sinlessness. “ Kor every one that exalteth himself shall be abased,” and “every one that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”? And observe, that for this reason divine things have been concealed from the wise and prudent, in order, as says the apostle, that “no flesh should glory in the presence of God;”° and they have been revealed to babes, to those who after childhood have come to better things, and who remember that it is not so much from their own effort, as by the unspeakable gooduess [of God], that they have reached the greatest possible extent of blessedness.
13. It is not without reason, then, that he who is aban- doned, is abandoned to the divine judgment, and that God is long-suffering with certain sinners; but because it will be for their advantage, with respect to the immortility of 186 ORIGEN DE PRINCIPUIS. [Boox mt.
FROM THE LATIN. soul over which He exercises this providential care is im- mortal; and, as being immortal and everlasting, it is not, although not immediately cared for, excluded from salvation, which is postponed to a more convenient time. For perhaps it is expedient for those who have been more deeply imbued with the poison of wickedness to obtain this salvation at a later period. For as medical men sometimes, although they could quickly cover over the scars of wounds, keep back and delay the cure for the present, in the expectation of a better and more perfect recovery, knowing that it is more salutary to retard the treatment in the cases of swellings caused by wounds, and to allow the malignant humours to flow off for a while, rather than to hasten a superficial cure, by shutting up in the veins the poison of a morbid humour, which, ex- cluded from its customary outlets, will undoubtedly creep into the inner parts of the limbs, and penetrate to the very vitals of the viscera, producing no longer mere disease in the body, but causing destruction to life; so, in like manner, God also, who knows the secret things of the heart, and fore- knows the future, in much forbearance allows certain events to happen, which, coming from without upon men, cause to FROM THE GREEK. the soul and the unending world,’ that they be not quickly brought” into a state of salvation, but be conducted to it more slowly, after having experienced many evils. For as physicians, who are able to cure a man quickly, when they suspect that a hidden poison exists in the body, do the reverse of healing, making this more certain through their very desire to heal, deeming it better for a considerable time to retain the patient under inflammation and sickness, in order that he may recover his health more surely, than to appear to produce a rapid recovery, and afterwards to cause a relapse, and [thus] that hasty cure last only for a time; in the same way, God also, who knows the secret things of the heart, and foresees future events, in His long-suffering, permits [certain events liroy dretpoy aiave. 2 cuvepyndnvecs.
Cuapr. 1.] ORIGEN DE PRINCIPIIS. 187 FROM THE LATIN. come forth into the light the passions and vices which are concealed within, that by their means those may be cleansed and cured who, through great negligence and carelessness, have admitted within themselves the roots and seeds of sins, so that, when driven outwards and brought to the surface, they may in a certain degree be cast forth and dispersed.’ And thus, although a man may appear to be afflicted with evils of a serious kind, suffering convulsions in all his limbs, he may nevertheless, at some future time, obtain relief and a cessation from his trouble; and, after enduring his afflictions to satiety, may, after many sufferings, be restored again to his [proper] condition. For God deals with souls not merely with a view to the short space of our present life, included within sixty years? or more, but with reference to a perpetual and never-ending period, exercising His providential care over souls that are immortal, even as He Himself is eternal and immortal. For He made the rational nature, which He formed in His own image and likeness, incorruptible; and therefore the soul, which is immortal, is not excluded by the 1 Digcri. The rendering ‘ dispersed” secms to agree best with the nicaning intended to be conveyed. 2 In the Greck the term is zistaxouresslay.
FROM THE GREEK. to occur], and by means of those things which happen from without extracts the secret evil, in order to cleanse him who through carelessness has received the seeds of sin, that having vomited them forth when they come to the surface, although he may have been deeply involved in evils, he may afterwards obtain healing after his wickedness, and be renewed.’ Yor God governs souls not with reference, let me say, to the fifty’ vears of the present life, but with reference to an illimitable* ace: for He made the thinking principle immortal in its 1 gyacroiysmbives. 2 revrqxovtestiay. MRufinus has ‘ seraginta annos.” 3 xipavroy aiava.
N 188 ORIGEN DE PRINCIPIIS. [Book 11.
FROM THE LATIN. shortness of the present life from the divine remedies and cures.
14. But let us take from the Gospels also the similitudes of those things which we have mentioned, in which is de- scribed a certain rock, having on it a little superficial earth, on which, when a seed falls, it is said quickly to spring up; but when sprung up, it withers as the sun ascends in the heavens, and dies away, because it did not cast its root deeply into the ground.’ Now this rock undoubtedly represents the human soul, hardened on account of its own negligence, and converted into stone because of its wickedness. For God gave no-one a stony heart by a creative act; but each indi- vidual’s heart is said to become stony through his own wickedness and disobedience. As, therefore, if one were to blame a husbandman for not casting his seed more quickly upon rocky ground, because seed cast upon other rocky soil was seen to spring up speedily, the husbandman would cer- tainly say in reply: “I sow this soil more slowly, for this reason, that it may retain the seed which it has received; for 1 Cf. Matt. xiii. 5, 6.
FROM THE GREEK. nature, and kindred to Himself; and the rational soul is not, as in this life, excluded from cure.
14, Come now, and let us use the following image! from the Gospel. There is a certain rock, with a little surface- soil, on which, if seeds fall, they quickly spring up; but when sprung up, as not having root, they are burned and withered when the sun has arisen. Now this rock is a human soul, hardened on account of its negligence, and converted to stone because of its wickedness; for no one receives from Goda heart created of stone, but it becomes such in consequence of wickedness. If one, then, were to find fault with the hus- bandman for not sowing his seed sooner upon the rocky soil, when he saw other rocky ground which had received seed flourishing, the husbandman would reply, “I shall sow this l sixcys.
Cirap. 1. ] ORIGEN DE PRINCIPIIS. 189 FROM THE LATIN.
it suits this ground to be sown somewhat slowly, lest perhaps the crop, having sprouted too rapidly, and coming forth from the mere surface of a shallow soil, should be unable to with- stand the rays of the sun.” Would not he who formerly found fault acquiesce in the reasons and superior knowledge of the husbandman, and approve as done on rational grounds what formerly appeared to him as founded on no reason? And in the same way, God, the thoroughly skilled husband- man of all His creation, undoubtedly conceals and delays to another time those’ things which we think ought to have obtained health sooner, in order that not the outside of things, rather than the inside, may be cured. But if any one now were to object to us that certain seeds do even fall upon rocky ground, ze. on a hard and stony heart, we should answer that even this does not happen without the arrange- ment of Divine Providence; inasmuch as, but for this, it would not be known what condemnation was incurred by rashness in hearing and indifference in investigation,’ nor, certainly, what benefit was derived from being trained in an 1 Fee. * Perscrutationis improbitas.
FROM THE GREEK, ground more slowly, casting in secds that will be able to retain their hold, this slower method being better for the ground, and more secure than that which receives the secd in a more rapid manner, and more upon tlic surface.” [The person finding fault] would yield his assent to the husband- man, as one who spoke with sound reason, and who acted with skill: so also the great Hlusbandman of all nature post- pones that benefit which might be deemed premature, that it may not prove superficial. But it is probable that here some one may object to us with reference to this: “ Why do some of the seeds fall upon the earth that has superficial soil, the soul being, as it were, a rock?” Now we must say, in answer to this, that it was better for this soul, which de- sired better things precipitately,” and not by a way which led THO. mpomerecTEepov, xal ovxl cow Ew avTae odevonoy.
190 ORIGEN DE PRINCIPIS. [ Book 11.
FROM THE LATIN. orderly manner. And hence it happens that the soul comes to know its defects, and to cast the blame upon itself, and, consistently with this, to reserve and submit itself to training, i.e. in order that it may see that its faults must first be removed, and that then it must come to receive the instruc- tion of wisdom. As, therefore, souls are innumerable, so also are their manners, and purposes, and movements, and appetencies, and incitements different, the variety of which can by no means be grasped by the human mind; and there- fore to God alone must be left the art, and the knowledge, and the power of an arrangement of this kind, as He alone can know both the remedies for each individual soul, and measure out the time of its cure. It is He alone then as. as we said, recognises the ways of individual men, and deter- mines by what way Ie ought to lead Pharaoh, that through him His name might be named in all the sae having pre- viously chastised him by many blows, and finally drowning him in the sea. By this drowning, however, it is not to be supposed that God’s providence as regards Pharaoh was ter- minated; for we must not imagine, because he was drowned, that therefore he had forthwith completely’ perished: for in 1 Substantialiter.
1 Substantialiter.
FROM THE GREEK. to them, to obtain its desire, in order that, condemning itself on this account, it may, after a long time, endure to receive the husbandry which is according to nature. For souls are, as one may say, innumerable; and their habits are innu- merable, and their movements, and their purposes, and their assaults, and their efforts, of which there is only one admir- able administrator, who knows both the seasons, and the fitting helps, and the avenues, and the ways, viz. the God and Father of all things, who knows how He conducts even Pharaoh by so great events, and by drowning in the sea, with which latter occurrence His superintendence of Pharaoh does not cease. For he was not annihilated when drowned: “For in the hand of God are both we and our words; all wisdom Cua. 1.] ORIGEN DE PRINCIPIIS. 191 FROM THE LATIN. the hand of God are both we and our words; all wisdom, also, and knowledge of workmanship,”* as Scripture declares. But these points we have discussed according to our ability, treating of that chapter? of Scripture in which it is said that God hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and agreeably to the statement, “ He hath mercy on whom He will have mercy, and whom He will He hardeneth.” * 15. Let us now look at those passages of Ezekiel where he says, “I will take away from them their stony heart, and I will put in them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances.* For if God, when He pleases, takes away a heart of stone and bestows a heart of flesh, that His ordinances may be observed and His com- mandments may be obeyed, it will then appear that it is not in our power to put away wickedness. For the taking away of a stony heart seems to be nothing else than the removal of the wickedness by which one is hardened, from whomsoever God pleases to remove it. Nor is the bestowal of a heart of 1 Wisd. vii. 16. 2 Capitulum.
FROM THE GREEK. also, and knowledge of workmanship.”* And such is a mode- rate defence with regard to the statements that “ Pharaoh’s heart was hardened,” and that “God hath mercy upon whom He will have mercy, and whom He will He hardeneth.”
15. Let us look also at the declaration in Ezekiel, which says, “I shall take away their stony hearts, and will put in them hearts of flesh, that they may walk in my statutes and keep my precepts.”* For if God, when He wills, takes away the stony hearts, and implants hearts of flesh, so that His precepts are obeyed and His commandments are observed, it is not in our power to put away wickedness. For the taking away of the stony hearts is nothing else than the taking away of the wickedness, according to which one is hardened, from him from whom God wills to take it; and the implant- 192 ORIGEN DE PRINCIPIIS. [Boox 11.