so that what was a vessel of dishonour may, when cleansed, become a vessel unto honour, and an abode of blessed- ness. And in this condition, also, we are to believe, that by the will of the Creator it will abide for ever without any change, as is confirmed by the declaration of the apostle, when he says, “ We have a house, not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” For the faith of the church does not admit the view of certain Grecian philosophers, that there is besides the body, composed of four elements, another fifth body, which is different in all its parts, and diverse from this our present body; since neither out of sacred Scripture can any produce the slightest suspicion of evidence for such an opinion, nor can any rational inference from things allow the reception of it, especially when the holy apostle mani- festly declares, that it is not new bodies which are given to those who rise from the dead, but that they receive those identical ones which they had possessed when living, trans- formed from an inferior into a. better condition. For his words are: “ It is sown an animal body, it will rise a spiritual body: it issown in corruption, it will arise in incorruption: it is sown in weakness, it will arise In power: it Is sown in dishonour, it will arise in glory.”* As, therefore, there is a kind of advance in man, so that from being first an animal being, and not understanding what belongs to the Spirit of God, he reaches by means of instruction the stage of being made a spiritual being, and of judging all things, while he himself is judged by no one; so also, with respect to the state of the body, we are to hold that this very body which now, on account of its service to the soul, is styled an animal body, will, by means of a certain progress, when the soul, united to God, shall have been made one spirit with Him (the body even then ministering, as it were, to the spirit), attain to a spiritual condition and quality, especially since, as we have often pointed out, bodily nature was so formed by the Creator, as to pass easily into whatever condition He should wish, or the nature of the case demand.
7. The whole of this reasoning, then, amounts to this: Cuap. v1. | ORIGEN DE PRINCIPITS. 271 that God created two gencral natures,—a visible, z.e. a cor- poreal nature; and an invisible nature, which is incorporeal. Now these two natures admit of two different permutations. That invisible and rational nature changes in mind and purpose, because it is endowed with freedom of will, and is on this account found sometimes to be engaged in the practice of good, and sometimes in that of the opposite. But this corporeal nature admits of a change in substance; whence also God, the arranger of all things, has the service of this matter at His command in the moulding, or fabrication, or re-touching of whatever He wishes, so that corporeal nature may be transmuted, and transformed into anv forms or species whatever, according as the deserts of things may demand; which the prophet evidently has in view when he says, “It is God who makes and transforms all things.”?
8. And now the point for investigation is, whether, when God shall be all in all, the whole of bodily nature will, in the consummation of all things, consist of one specics, and the sole quality of body be that which shall shine in the indescribable glory which is to be regarded as the future possession of the spiritual body. For if we rightly understand the matter, this is the statement of Moses in the beginning of his book, when he says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”? For this is the beginning of all creation: to this beginning the end and consummation of all things must be recalled, i.e. in order that that heaven and that earth may be the habitation and resting-place of the pious; so that all the holy ones, and the meek, may first obtain an inheritance in that land, since this is the teaching of the law, and of the prophets, and of the gospel. In which land I believe there exist the true and living forms of that worship which Moses handed down under the shadow of the law; of which it is said, that “they serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things”*—those, viz., who were in subjection in the law. To Moses himself also was the in- 3 Heb. viii. 5.
272 ORIGEN DE PRINCIPIIS. _ [Boox mr.
junction given, “ Look that thou make them after the form and pattern which were showed thee on the mount.”* From which it appears to me, that as on this earth the law was a sort of schoolmaster to those who by it were to be conducted to Christ, in order that, being instructed and trained by it, they might more easily, after the training of the law, receive the more perfect principles of Christ; so also another earth, which receives into it all the saints, may first imbue and mould them by the institutions of the true and everlasting law, that they may more easily gain possession of those per- fect institutions of heaven, to which nothing can be added; in which there will be, of a truth, that gospel which is called everlasting, and that Testament, ever new, which shall never grow old.
9. In this way, accordingly, we are to suppose that at the consummation and restoration of all things, those who make a gradual advance, and who ascend [in the scale of improve- ment], will arrive in due measure and order at that land, and at that training which is contained in it, where they may be prepared for those better institutions to which no addition can be made. For, after His agents and servants, the Lord Christ, who is King of all, will Himself assume the kingdom; i.e., after instruction in the holy virtues, He will Himself instruct those who are capable of receiving Ilim in respect of Ilis being wisdom, reigning in them until He has subjected them to the Father, who has subdued all things to Himself, ze. that when they shall have been made capable of receiving God, God may be to them all in all. Then accordingly, as a‘necessary consequence, bodily nature will obtain that highest condition’ to which nothing more can be added.
* Jerome (Epistle to Avitus, No. 94) says that Origen, ‘after a most lengthened discussion, in which he asserts that all bodily nature 1s to be changed into attenuated and spiritual bodies, and that all substance is to be converted into one body of perfect purity, and more brilliant than any splendour (mundissimum et omni splendore purius), and such as the human mind-cannot now conceive,” adds at the last, ‘*‘ And God will be ‘all in all,’ so that the whole of bodily nature may be reduced into that substance which is better than all others, into the divine, viz., Cup. vi] ORIGEN DE PRINCIPITIS, 273 Having discussed, up to this point, the quality of bodily nature, or of spiritual body, we leave it to the choice of the reader to determine what he shall consider best. And here we may bring the third book to a conclusion.
than which none is better.” From which, since it secms to follow that God possesses a body, although of extreme tenuity (liret tenuissimum), Rufinus has either suppressed this view, or altered the meaning of Origen’s words (Ruzeus).
ORIG. 8 BOOK IV.
TRANSLATED FROM THE LATIN OF RUFINUS.
CHAPTER I. THAT THE SCRIPTURES ARE DIVINELY INSPIRED.
1. Bur as it is not sufficient, in the discussion of matters of such importance, to entrust the decision to the human senses and to the human understanding, and to pronounce on things invisible as if they were seen by us,’ we must, in order to 1 Visibiliter de invisibilibus pronunciare.
TRANSLATION FROM THE GREEK.
CHAPTER I.
ON THE INSPIRATION OF HOLY SCRIPTURE, AND HOW THE SAME IS TO BE READ AND UNDERSTOOD, AND WITAT IS THE REASON OF THE UNCERTAINTY IN IT3 AND OF THE IMPOSSIBILITY OR IRRATIONALITY OF CERTAIN TUINGS IN IT, TAKEN ACCORDING TO THE LETTER.
[The translation from the Greek is designedly literal, that the difference between the original and the paraphrase of Rufinus may be more clearly seen. ] 1. SINCE, in our investigation of matters of such import- ance, not satisfied with the common opinions, and with the clear evidence of visible things,’ we take in addition, for the proof of our statements, testimonies from what are believed 1 57 tvacysin Tay BAETOMIvuY, Cuar. 1. ] ORIGEN DE PRINCIPIIS. 279 FROM THE LATIN, establish the positions which we have laid down, adduce tlic testimony of Holy Scripture. And that this testimony may pro- duce a sure and unhesitating belief, either with regard to what we have still to advance, or to what has been already stated, it seems necessary to show, in the first place, that the Scriptures themselves are divine, ¢.e. were inspired by the Spirit of God. We shall therefore with all possible brevity draw forth from the Holy Scriptures themselves, such evidence on this point as may produce upon us a suitable impression, [making our quotations] from Moses, the first legislator of the Hebrew nation, and from the words of Jesus Christ, the Author and Chief of the Christian religious system.’ For although there have been numerous legislators among the Greeks and Bar- barians, and also countless teachers and philosophers who professed to declare the truth, we do not remember any legis- Jator who was able to produce in the minds of foreign nations an affection and a zeal [for him] such as led them either voluntarily to adopt his laws, or to defend them with all the 1 Principis Christianorum religionis et dogmatis.
FROM THE GREEK, by us to be divine writings, viz. from that which is called the Old Testament, and that which is styled the New, and endeavour by reason to confirm our faith; and as we have not yet spoken of the Scriptures as divine, come and let us, as if by way of an epitome, treat of a few points respecting them, laying down those reasons which lead us to regard them as divine writings. And before making use of the words of the writings themselves, and of the things which are exhibited in them, we must make the following statement regarding Moses and Jesus Christ,—the lawgiver of the Ilebrews, and the Introducer of the saving doctrines accord- ing to Christianity. For, although there have been very many legislators among the Greeks and Barbarians, and teachers who announced opinions which professed to be the truth, we have heard of no legislator who was able to imbue other nations with a zeal for the reception of his words; 276 ORIGEN DE PRINCIPIIS. [ Book iv.
FROM THE LATIN. efforts of their mind. No one, then, has been able to intro- duce and make known what seemed to himself the truth, among, I do not say many foreign nations, but even amongst the individuals of one single nation, in sach a manner that a knowledge and belief of the same should extend to all. And vet there can be no doubt that it was the wish of the legis- lators that their laws should be observed by all men, if possible; and of the teachers, that what appeared to them- selves to be truth, should become known to all. But knowing that they could by no means succeed in producing any such inighty power within them as would lead foreign nations to obey their laws, or have regard to their statements, they did not venture even to essay the attempt, lest the failure of the undertaking should stamp their conduct with the mark of imprudence. And yet there are throughout the whole world —throughout all Greece, and all foreign countries—count- Jess individuals who have abandoned the laws of their country, and those whom they had believed to be gods, and have yiclded themselves up to the obedience of the law of FROM THE GREER, and although those who professed to philosophize about truth brought forward a great apparatus of apparent logical demon- stration, no one has been able to impress what was deemed by him the truth upon other nations, or even on any number of persons worth mentioning in a single nation. And yet not only would the legislators have liked to enforce those laws which appeared to be good, if possible, upon the whole human race, but the teachers also to have spread what they imagined to be truth everywhere throughout the world. But as they were unable to call men of other languages and from many nations to observe their laws, and accept their teaching, they did not at all attempt to do this, considering not unwiscly the impossibility of such a result happening to them. Whicreas all Greece, and the barbarous part of our world, contains innumerable zealots, who have deserted the laws of their fathers and the established gods, for the observance of the NY ~] aT: Cuap. 1. ] ORIGEN DE PRINCIPIS.
FROM THE LATIN.
Moses, and to the discipleship and worship of Christ; and have done this, not without exciting against themselves the intense hatred of the worshippers of images, so as frequently to be exposed to cruel tortures from the latter, and sometimes even to be put to death. And yet they embrace, and with all affection preserve, the words and teaching of Christ.
2. And we may see, moreover, how that religion itself grew up in a short time, making progress by the punishment and death of its worshippers, by the plundering of their goods, and by the tortures of every kind which they endured; and this result is the more surprising, that even the teachers of it themselves neither were men of skill,’ nor very numerous; and yet these words are preached throughout the whole world, so that Greeks and Barbarians, wise and foolish, adopt the doctrines of the Christian religion.” From which it is no doubtful inference, that it is not by human power or might that the words of Jesus Christ come to prevail with all faith and power over the understandings and souls of all men. For, that these results were both predicted by Him, and 1 Satis idonci. 2 Religionem Christiane doctrine.
FROM THE GREEK, laws of Moses and the discipleship of the words of Jesus Christ; although those who clave to the law of Moses were hated by the worshippers of images, and those who accepted the words of Jesus Christ were exposed, in addition, to the danger of death.
2. And if we observe how powerful the word has become in a very few years, notwithstanding that against those who acknowledged Christianity conspiracies were formed, and some of them on its account put to death, and others of them lost their property, and that, notwithstanding the small num- ber of its teachers,’ it was preached everywhere throughout the world, so that Greeks and Barbarians, wise and foolish, gave themselves up to the worship that is through Jesus, we have no difficulty in saying that the result is beyond 1 odd: tay Sidnrxeray rAsovelovTay. 2 =7 01% Inood beooe Bese.
278 ORIGEN DE PRINCIPIIS. [Book tv.
FROM THE LATIN. established by divine answers proceeding from Hin, is clear from His own words: “ Ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.” And again: “ This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached among all nations.”? And again: “ Many shall say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not eaten and drunk in Thy name, and in Thy name cast out devils? And I will say unto them, Depart from me, ye workers of iniquity, I never knew you.”* If these sayings, indeed, had been so uttered by Him, and yet if these predictions had not been fulfilled, they might perhaps appear to be untrue,* and not to possess any authority. But now, when His declarations do pass into fulfilment, seeing they were predicted with such power and authority, it is most clearly shown to be true that He, when He was made man, delivered to men the precepts of salvation.° 3. What, then, are we to say of this, which the prophets 1Matt.x.18. ‘° 2 Cf. Matt. xxiv. 14. 3 Cf. Matt. vii. 22, 23.' * Fortasse minus vera esse viderentur. 5 Salutaria precepta.
FROM THE GREEK.
any human power,’ Jesus having taught with all authority and persuasiveness that His word should not be overcome; so that we may rightly regard as oracular responses’ those utterances of Ilis, such as, “ Ye shall be brought before gover- nors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles;”° and, “ Many shall say unto me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not eaten in Thy name, and drunk in Thy name, and in Thy name cast out devils? And I shall say unto them, Depart from me, ye workers of iniquity, I never knew you.”* Now it was perhaps [once] probable that, in uttering these words, He spoke them in vain, so that they were not true; but when that which was delivered with so much authority has come to pass, it shows that God, having really become man, delivered to men the doctrines of salvation.
3. And what need is there to mention also that it was L cecizey q xared dybowroy To wpayum sive. 2 venomous. 8 Matt. x. 15. 4Cf. Matt. vil. 22, 23. © gut ipl OOY {Ler ae Cuap. 1] ORIGEN DE PRINCIPIIS. 279 FROM THE LATIN. had beforehand foretold of Him, that princes would not cease from Judah, nor leaders from between his thighs, until He should come for whom it has been reserved (viz. the kingdom), and until the expectation of the Gentiles should come? For it is most distinctly evident from the history itself, from what is clearly seen at the present day, that from the times of Christ onwards there were no kings amongst the Jews. Nay, even all those objects of Jewish pride,’ of which they vaunted so much, and in which they exulted, whether regarding the beauty of the temple or the ornaments of the altar, and all those ‘sacerdotal fillets and robes of the high priests, were all destroyed together. For the prophecy was fulfilled which had declared, “ For the children of Israel shall abide many days without king and prince: there shall be no victim, nor altar, nor priesthood, nor answers.”” These testimonies, accordingly, we employ 1 Illz omnes ambitiones Judaica. 2 Cf. Hos. iti. 4.
FROM THE GREEK. predicted of Christ’ that then would the rulers fail from Judah, and the leaders from his thighs,? when He came for whom it is reserved (the kingdom, namely); and that the expectation of the Gentiles should dwell in the land?®? For it is clearly manifest from the history, and from what is seen at the present day, that from the times of Jesus there were no longer any who were called kings of the Jews s* all those Jewish institutions on which they prided themselves—I mean those arrangements relating to the temple and the altar, and the offering of the service, and the robes of the high priest —having been destroyed. For the prophecy was fulfilled which said, “ The children of Israel shall sit many days, there being no king, nor ruler, nor sacrifice, nor altar, nor priest- hood, nor responses.”° And these predictions we employ to answer those who, in their perplexity as to the words spoken 1 3 2 SX THY LY CwY.
wourlazsudy o Noirs. ELGG 7TH. nux sti Basiarsts Tovoniay tyorueriony.
5 Cf. Hos. iii. 4. Quoted from the Septuagint.
280 ORIGEN DE PRINCIPIIS. [Book rv.
FROM THE LATIN.
against those who seem to assert that what is spoken in Genesis by Jacob refers to Judah; and who say that there still remains a prince of the race of Judah—he, viz., who is the prince of their nation, whom they style Patriarch '—and that there cannot fail [a ruler] of his seed, who will remain until the advent of that Christ whom they picture to them- selves. But if the prophet’s words be true, when he says, “The children of Israel shall abide many days without king, without prince; and there shall be no victim, nor altar, nor priesthood;”? and if, certainly, since the overthrow of the temple, victims are neither offered, nor any altar found, nor any priesthood exists, it is most certain that, as it is written, princes have departed from Judah, and a leader from between his thighs, until the coming of him for whom it has been reserved. It is established, then, that he is come for whom it has been reserved, and in whom is the expectation of the Gentiles. And this manifestly seems to be fulfilled in the 1 On the Patriarch of the Jews, cf. Milman’s History of the Jews, vol. 2 Deut. xxx.
FROM THE GREEK. in Genesis by Jacob to Judah, assert that the Ethnarch,! being of the race of Judah, is the ruler of the people, and that there will not fail some of his seed, until the advent of that Christ whom they figure to their imagination. But if “the children of Israel are to sit many days without a king, or ruler, or altar, or priesthood, or responses;” and if, since the temple was destroyed, there exists no longer sacrifice, nor altar, nor priesthood, it is manifest that the ruler has failed out of Judah, and the leader from between his thighs. And since the prediction declares that “the ruler shall not fail from Judah, and the leader from between his thighs, until what is reserved for him shall come,” it is manifest that He is come to whom [belonzs] what is reserved—the expecta- tion of the Gentiles. And this is clear from the multitude 1 Termed by Rafinus * Patriarch.”
Cuap. 1.] ORIGEN DE PRINCIPIIS. 281 FROM THE LATIN. multitude of those who have believed on God through Christ out of the different nations.
4, In the song of Deuteronomy,' also, it is prophietically declared that, on account of the sins of the former people, there was to be an election of a foolish nation,—no other, certainly, than that which was brought about by Christ; for thus the words run: “They have moved me to anger with their images, and I will stir them up to jealousy; I will arouse them to anger against a foolish nation.”* We may therefore evidently see how the Hebrews, who are said to have excited God’s anger by means of those [idols], which "are no gods, and to have aroused His wrath by their images, were themselves also excited to jealousy by means of a foolish nation, which God hath chosen by the advent of Jesus Christ and His disciples. For the following is the language of the apostle: “For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not 1 Deut. xxxil. * Deut. xxxii. 21.
FROM THE GREEK. of the heathen who have believed on God through Jesus Christ.
4, And in the song in Deuteronomy,’ also, it is propheti- cally made known that, on account of the sins of the former people,’ there was to be an election of foolish nations, which has been bronght to pass by no other than by Jesus. “ For they,” T[e says, “moved me to jealousy with that which is not God, they have provoked me to anger with their idols; and I will move them to jealousy with those which are not a people, and will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.”* Now it is possible to understand with all clearness how the Hebrews, who are said to have moved God to jealousy by that which is not God, and to have provoked Him to anger by their idols, were [themselves] aroused to jealousy by that which was not a people—the foolish nation, namely, which God chose by the advent of Jesus Christ and His disciples. We see, indeed, “ our calling, that not many 1 Deut. xxxii. 2 tov weoTtpou Acov. * Deut. xxx. 21, 282 ORIGEN DE PRINCIPIIS. [Book rv.
FROM THE LATIN, many wise men among you after the flesh, not many inigheys not many noble (are called): but God has chosen the foolish things of the world, and the things which are not, to destroy the things which formerly existed.”* Carnal Israel, there- fore, should not boast; for such is the term used by the apostle: “No flesh, I say, should glory in the presence of God.”?
5. What are we to say, moreover, regarding those pro- phecies of Christ contained in the Psalms, especially the one with the superscription, “ A song for the Beloved;”* in which it is stated that “ His tongue is the pen of a ready writer; fairer than the children of men;” that “ grace is poured into His lips?” Now, the indication that grace has been poured upon His lips is this, that, after a short period had elapsed— for He taught only during a year and some months—the whole world, nevertheless, became filled with His doctrine, 11 Cor. i. 26-28. Que erant prius.
FROM THE GREEK. wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble (are called); but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and base things, and things that are despised, hath God chosen, and things that an not, to bring to nought the things which formerly existed;”? and let not the Israel according to the flesh, which is called by the apostle “flesh,” boast in rile presence of God.
5. And what are we to say regarding the prophecies of Christ in the Psalms, there being a certain ode with the superscription “ For the Beloved,”’ whose “tongue” is said to be the “pen of a ready writer, who is fairer than the sons of men,” since “ grace was poured on His lips?” Fora proof that grace was poured on His lips is this, that although the period of His teaching was short—for He taught some- 1Cf. 1 Cor, i. 26-28. ‘The things which formerly existed, ra xp:- Cuar. 1] ORIGEN DE PRINCIPIIS. 288 FROM THE LATIN, and with faith in His religion. There arose, then, “in His days righteous men, and abundance of peace,”' abiding even to the end, which end is entitled “the taking away of the moon;” and “ His dominion shall extend from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth.”? There was a sign also given to the house of David. For a virgin conceived, and bare Emmanuel, which, when interpreted, signifies, “ God with us: know it, O nations, and be over- come.”*® For we are conquered and overcome, who are of the Gentiles, and remain as a kind of spoils of His victory, who have subjected our necks to His grace. Even the place of His birth was predicted in the prophecies of Micah, who said, “ And thou, Bethlehem, land of Judah, art by no means small among the leaders of Judah: for out of thee shall come forth a Leader, who shall rule my people Israel.”* The 1 Cf. Ps. Ixxii. 7. ° Ps. Ixxii. 8. 8 Cf. Isa. viii. 8,9. Quoted from the Septuagint. 4 Cf. Mic. v. 2 and Matt. ii. 6.
FROM THE GREEK.
where about a year and a few months—the world has been filled with His teaching, and with the worship of God [established] through Him. For there arose “in His days righteousness and abundance of peace,”* which abides until the consummation, which has been called the taking away of the moon; and He continues “ruling from sea to sea, and from the rivers to the ends of the earth.”* And to the house of David has been given a sign: for the Virgin bore, and was pregnant,’ and brought forth a son, and His name is Emmanuel, which is, “God with us;” and as the same prophet says, the prediction has been fulfilled, “God [is] with us; know it, O nations, and be overcome; ye who are strong, be vanquished:”* for we of the heathen have been overcome and vanquished, we who have been taken by the grace of Ilis 1 Ps. Ixxii. 7. 2 Ps. Ixxti. 8.
3 irene xaiev yaortpl toxs, nal Erexcy view.
4 Cf. Isa. viii. 8,9. Quoted from the Septuagint.
284 ORIGEN DE PRINCIPIS.: [Book iv.
FROM THE LATIN, weeks of years, also, which the prophet Daniel had predicted, extending to the leadership of Christ,’ have been fulfilled. Moreover, He is at hand, who in the book of Job? is said to be about to destroy the huge beast, who also gave power to His own disciples to tread on serpents and scorpions, and on all the power of the enemy, without being injured by him. But if any one will consider the journeys of Christ’s apostles throughout the different places, in which as His messengers they preached the gospel, he will find that both what they ventured to undertake is beyond the power of man, and what they were enabled to accomplish is from God alone. If we consider how men, on hearing that a new doctrine was introduced by these, were able to receive them; or rather, when desiring often to destroy them, they were prevented by 1 Cf. Dan. ix. 4. Ad ducem Christum; ‘To Messiah the Prince,” auth. vers,; 2 The allusion is perhaps to Job xii. 1.
FROM THE GEEK, teaching. The place also of His birth has been foretold in [the prophecies of] Micah: “For thou, Bethlehem,” he says, ‘land of Judah, art by no means the least among the rulers of Judah; for out of thee shall come forth a Ruler, who shall rule my people Israel.”* And according to Daniel, seventy weeks were fulfilled until [the coming of] Christ the Ruler.’ And He came, who, according to Job,’ has subdued the great fish,* and has given power to His true disciples to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and all the power of the enemy,’ without sustaining any injury from them. And let one notice also the universal advent of the apostles sent by Jesus to announce the gospel, and he will see both that the under- taking was beyond human power, and that the commandment came from God. And if we examine how men, on hearing new doctrines, and strange words, yielded themselves up to these teachers, being overcome, amid the very desire to plot 1 Cf. Mic. v. 2 with Matt. ii. 6. 2 Cf. Dan. ix. 24.
§ Cf. Job xl. and xli. 4 to miya x70. 5 Cf. Luke x. 19.
Cuap. 1. ] ORIGEN DE PRINCIPIIS. 289 FROM THE LATIN. a divine power which: was in them, we shall find that in this nothing was effected by human strength, but that the whole was the result of the divine power and providence,—signs and wonders, manifest beyond all doubt, bearing testimony to their word and doctrine.
6. These points now being briefly established, viz. regard- ing the deity of Christ, and the fulfilment of all that was prophesied respecting Him, I think that this position also has been made good, viz. that the Scriptures themselves, which contained these predictions, were divinely inspired, —those, namely, which had either foretold His advent, or the power of His doctrine, or the bringing over of all nations [to His obedience]. To which this remark must be added, that the divinity and inspiration both of the predic- tions of the prophets and of the law of Moses have been clearly revealed and confirmed, especially since the advent of Christ into the world. For before the fulfilment of those events which were predicted by them, they could not, although FROM THE GREEK. against them, by a divine power that watched over these [teachers}, we shall not be incredulous as to whether they also wrought miracles, God bearing witness to their words both by signs, and wonders, and divers miracles.
6. And while we thus briefly’ demonstrate the deity of Christ, and [in so doing] make use of the prophetic declara- tions regarding Him, we demonstrate at the same time that the writings which prophesied of Him were divinely inspired; and that those documents which announced His coming and Ilis doctrine were given forth with all power and authority, and that on this account they obtained the election from the Gentiles.?, We must say, also, that the divinity of the pro- phetic declarations, and the spiritual nature of the law of Moses, shone forth after the advent of Christ. For before the advent of Christ it was not altogether possible to exhibit manifest proofs of the divine inspiration of the ancient Scriptures; whereas His coming led those who might suspect Ws ty ETITOUN. O1% TOVTO THS AHO Tay EbyuY ExAOYVHS REXPATYXOT A.
286 ORIGEN DE PRINCIPITS. [ Book Iv.
FROM THE LATIN, true and inspired by God, be shown to be so, because they were as yet unfulfilled. But the coming of Christ was a declaration that their statements were true and divinely inspired, although it was certainly doubtful before that whether there would be an accomplishment of those things which had been foretold.
If any one, moreover, consider the words of the prophets with all the zeal and reverence which they deserve, it is certain that, in the perusal and careful examination thus given them, he will feel his mind and senses touched by a divine breath, and will acknowledge that the words which he reads were no human utterances, but the language of God; and from his own emotions he will feel that these books were the composition of no human skill, nor of any mortal eloquence, but, so to speak, of a style that is divine.’ The splendour of Christ’s advent, therefore, illuminating the law of Moses by the light of truth, has taken away that veil which had been placed over the letter [of the law], and has unsealed, for every one who believes upon Him, all the blessings which were concealed by the covering of the word.
7. It is, however, a matter attended with considerable 1 Divino, ut ita dixerim, cothurno.
FROM THE GREEK,