De principiis

 To one who has received instruction and has practiced the ticklings and irritations occur, but reason, having been greatly strengthened and nourished

 He speaks to us as having free will and being the cause of our own destruction or salvation for he says, or do you despise the riches of his goodnes

 Since it was possible for him to be persuaded, and he certainly would have been persuaded, not being of an earthly nature, when constrained by the won

 In the underlying matter, from the one heat the wax is melted, but the clay is dried so the one energy working through moses on the one hand exposed

 In proportion to the unspeakable beneficence, to the greatest possible degree of blessedness they have attained. 3.1.13 therefore, he who is abandoned

 Stony hearts” and places in them “fleshy ones,” so that “his ordinances may be kept” and the commandments observed, it is not in our power to put away

 From the old [testament], being accused of such things. but if they seek a defense concerning the gospel, it must be said to them, unless they act rep

 Such things, by which having been seen and heard, the sin of those who after such great and numerous things have not believed is proven to be heavier

 Therefore, that which is from god is manifoldly and exceedingly more for salvation than that which is in our power. therefore, i think the saying mean

 Of the body, according to what he has done, whether it be good or bad” is it sound, when those who have done evil things have come to this course of a

 To advance to better things, while others fall from better things to worse, and some are preserved in good things or ascend from good things to better

 Nor when the teachers were many, to be preached everywhere in the world, so that greeks and barbarians, wise and foolish were added to the worship

 “grace is poured out on his lips”? for a proof of the “grace poured out on his lips” is that after a short time of his teaching (for he taught for abo

 In the sun and moon and stars and is not so manifest in the events of human life, as in the souls and the bodies of animals, since the “for what purp

 They thought, since the creator was imperfect and not good, that the savior had come announcing a more perfect god, whom they say is not the creator,

 You did not enter, and you hindered those who were entering.” 4.2.4 the way, therefore, that appears to us for how one ought to approach the scripture

 Character. but a spiritual interpretation for the one who is able to show of what “heavenly things the pattern and shadow” the jews “according to the

 Is so great upon the earth, and if not only upon the earth, but also elsewhere, it is necessary for us to learn. 4.2.8 these things, and others like t

 Like a farmer, that god 'planted a paradise in eden toward the east,' and made in it a 'tree of life,' visible and perceptible, so that by tasting of

 But also the saying “to be struck on the right jaw” is most improbable, since everyone who strikes, unless he happens to have some unnatural condition

 Every part has the spiritual, but not every part the corporeal for in many places the corporeal is shown to be impossible. therefore, much attention

 Of us.” and in another epistle: “but you have come to mount zion and to the city of the living god, the heavenly jerusalem, and to myriads of angels,

 Of israel or of those being far off, and the “descent into egypt of the seventy souls”, that there they might become “as the stars of heaven in number

of the body, according to what he has done, whether it be good or bad” is it sound, when those who have done evil things have come to this course of action because they were created “vessels of dishonor,” and those who have lived according to virtue have done what is good because from the beginning they were prepared for this and have become “vessels of honor”? Furthermore, how does the idea—as they suppose from the sayings we have quoted—that a vessel is honorable or dishonorable due to the Creator's causality not conflict with what is said elsewhere: “In a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and of earth, and some to honor and some to dishonor. If therefore a man purge himself, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful to the master, prepared for every good work”? For if he who cleanses himself becomes a “vessel for honor,” but he who has neglected to cleanse himself becomes a “vessel for dishonor,” as far as these words are concerned, the Creator is in no way the cause. For the Creator makes “vessels of honor and vessels of dishonor,” not from the beginning according to foreknowledge, since he does not pre-condemn or pre-justify according to it, but he makes “vessels of honor” those who have cleansed themselves and “vessels of dishonor” those who have neglected to cleanse themselves; so that from older causes of the making of “vessels for honor and for dishonor” one becomes for honor and another for dishonor. 3.1.22 But if we once admit that there are certain older causes for the “vessel of honor” and the “vessel of dishonor,” what is absurd in going up to the topic concerning the soul <to conceive> that older causes for Jacob’s being loved and Esau’s being hated occurred in the case of Jacob before his embodiment and in the case of Esau before he was in Rebecca’s womb? At the same time it is also clearly shown that as far as the underlying nature is concerned, just as one “clay” is subject to the potter, from which “lump” are made “vessels for honor and for dishonor,” so with every soul being of one nature subject to God and, so to speak, being of one “lump” of rational substances, certain older causes have made “these to be for honor and those for dishonor.” But if the Apostle’s saying rebukes, which says: “Nay but, O man, who are you that replies against God?” perhaps it teaches that he who has boldness toward God and is faithful and has lived well would not hear: “who are you that replies against God?” such a one was Moses; “For Moses spoke, and God answered him by a voice;” and as God answers Moses, so also does the holy man answer God. But he who has not acquired this boldness, that is, having either lost it or inquiring about these things not out of a love of learning but out of a love of contention, and for this reason saying: “Why does he yet find fault? For who has resisted his will?” this man would be worthy of the rebuke which says: “Nay but, O man, who are you that replies against God?” 3.1.23 But to those who introduce natures and use this saying, these things must be said. If they maintain that those who are perishing and those who are being saved are made “from one lump,” and that the creator of those being saved is also the creator of those perishing, and if he who makes not only the spiritual but also the earthy is good (for this follows for them), it is nevertheless possible for one who has now become a vessel of honor from certain prior good actions, and having not done similar things nor things consistent with a vessel of honor, to become in another age a vessel of dishonor; as again it is possible for one who has become here a vessel of dishonor through <causes> older than this life, having been set right in the “new creation,” to become “a vessel of honor, sanctified and useful to the master, prepared for every good work.” And perhaps the present Israelites, not having lived worthily of their noble birth, will fall away from their race, as if changing from vessels of honor into a vessel of dishonor; and many of the present Egyptians and Idumeans, having come over to Israel, when they have borne more fruit, “will enter into the congregation of the Lord,” no longer being reckoned as Egyptians and Idumeans but being Israelites; so that according to this, through their choices, some indeed from worse

τοῦ σώματος, πρὸς ἃ ἔπραξεν, εἴτε ἀγαθὸν εἴτε φαῦλον» ὑγιές ἐστι, τῶν τὰ φαῦλα πεποιηκότων διὰ τὸ ἐκτίσθαι αὐτοὺς «σκεύη ἀτιμίας» ἐπὶ τοῦτο πράξεως ἐληλυθότων, καὶ τῶν κατ' ἀρετὴν βιωσάντων τῷ ἀρχῆθεν αὐτοὺς ἐπὶ τούτῳ κατ εσκευάσθαι καὶ «σκεύη τιμῆς» γεγονέναι τὸ καλὸν πεποιηκότων; ἔτι δὲ πῶς οὐ μάχεται τῷ, ὡς ὑπολαμβάνουσιν ἐξ ὧν παρεθέμεθα ῥητῶν, παρὰ τὴν αἰτίαν τοῦ δημιουργοῦ ἔντιμον ἢ ἄτιμον εἶναι σκεῦος τὸ ἀλλαχοῦ λεγόμενον· «ἐν μεγάλῃ οἰκίᾳ οὐκ ἔστι μόνον σκεύη χρυσᾶ καὶ ἀργυρᾶ ἀλλὰ καὶ ξύλινα καὶ ὀστράκινα, καὶ ἃ μὲν εἰς τιμὴν ἃ δὲ εἰς ἀτιμίαν. ἐὰν οὖν τις ἐκκαθάρῃ ἑαυτόν, ἔσται σκεῦος εἰς τιμὴν ἡγιασμένον καὶ εὔχρηστον τῷ δεσπότῃ, εἰς πᾶν ἔργον ἀγαθὸν ἡτοι μασμένον»; εἰ γὰρ ὁ ἐκκαθάρας ἑαυτὸν γίνεται «σκεῦος εἰς τιμήν», ὁ δὲ ἀπερικάθαρτον ἑαυτὸν περιϊδὼν «σκεῦος εἰς ἀτιμίαν», ὅσον ἐπὶ ταύ ταις ταῖς λέξεσιν οὐδαμῶς αἴτιος ὁ δημιουργός. ποιεῖ μὲν γὰρ ὁ δημιουργὸς «σκεύη τιμῆς καὶ σκεύη ἀτιμίας» οὐκ ἀρχῆθεν κατὰ τὴν πρόγνωσιν, ἐπεὶ μὴ κατ' αὐτὴν προκατακρίνει ἢ προδικαιοῖ, ἀλλὰ «σκεύη τιμῆς τοὺς ἐκκαθάραντας ἑαυτοὺς» καὶ «σκεύη ἀτιμίας» τοὺς ἀπε ρικαθάρτους ἑαυτοὺς περιϊδόντας· ὥστε ἐκ πρεσβυτέρων αἰτιῶν τῆς κατασκευῆς «τῶν εἰς τιμὴν καὶ εἰς ἀτιμίαν σκευῶν» γίνεσθαι ὃν μὲν εἰς τιμὴν ὃν δὲ εἰς ἀτιμίαν. 3.1.22 Εἰ δ' ἅπαξ προσιέμεθα εἶναί τινας πρεσβυτέρας αἰτίας τοῦ «σκεύους τῆς τιμῆς» καὶ τοῦ «σκεύους τῆς ἀτιμίας», τί ἄτοπον ἀνελ θόντας εἰς τὸν περὶ ψυχῆς τόπον <νοεῖν> πρεσβύτερα αἴτια τοῦ τὸν Ἰακὼβ ἠγαπῆσθαι καὶ τὸν Ἠσαῦ μεμισῆσθαι γεγονέναι εἰς τὸν Ἰακὼβ πρὸ τῆς ἐνσωματώσεως καὶ εἰς τὸν Ἠσαῦ πρὸ τοῦ εἰς τὴν κοιλίαν τῆς Ῥεβέκκας γενέσθαι; ἅμα δὲ σαφῶς δηλοῦται ὅτι ὅσον ἐπὶ τῇ ὑποκειμένῃ φύσει, ὥσπερ εἷς ὑπόκειται τῷ κεραμεῖ «πηλός», ἀφ' οὗ «φυράματος» γίνεται «εἰς τιμὴν καὶ εἰς ἀτιμίαν σκεύη», οὕτω μιᾶς φύσεως πάσης ψυχῆς ὑποκειμένης τῷ θεῷ καὶ ἵν' οὕτως εἴπω ἑνὸς «φυράματος» ὄντος τῶν λογικῶν ὑποστάσεων, πρεσβύτερά τινα αἴτια πεποίηκεν «τούσδε μὲν εἶναι εἰς τιμὴν τούσδε δὲ εἰς ἀτιμίαν». εἰ δὲ ἐπιπλήσσει ἡ λέξις τοῦ ἀποστόλου ἡ λέγουσα· «μενοῦνγε, ὦ ἄνθρωπε, σὺ τίς εἶ ὁ ἀνταποκρινόμενος τῷ θεῷ;» τάχα διδάσκει ὅτι ὁ μὲν παρρησίαν ἔχων πρὸς τὸν θεὸν καὶ πιστὸς καὶ εὖ βιοὺς οὐκ ἂν ἀκούσαι· «σὺ τίς εἶ ὁ ἀντα ποκρινόμενος τῷ θεῷ;» ὁποῖος ἦν Μωσῆς· «Μωσῆς γὰρ ἐλάλει, ὁ δὲ θεὸς αὐτῷ ἀπεκρίνατο φωνῇ»· καὶ ὡς ἀποκρίνεται ὁ θεὸς πρὸς Μωσέα, οὕτως ἀποκρίνεται καὶ ὁ ἅγιος πρὸς τὸν θεόν. ὁ δὲ ταύτην μὴ κτησάμενος τὴν παρρησίαν, δηλονότι ἢ ἀπολωλεκὼς ἢ περὶ τούτων οὐ κατὰ φιλομάθειαν ἀλλὰ κατὰ φιλονεικίαν ζητῶν καὶ διὰ τοῦτο λέγων· «τί ἔτι μέμφεται; τῷ γὰρ βουλήματι αὐτοῦ τίς ἀνθέστηκεν;» οὗτος ἂν ἄξιος εἴη τῆς ἐπιπλήξεως τῆς λεγούσης· «μενοῦνγε, ὦ ἄνθρωπε, σὺ τίς εἶ ὁ ἀνταποκρινόμενος τῷ θεῷ;» 3.1.23 Τοῖς δὲ τὰς φύσεις εἰσάγουσι καὶ χρωμένοις τῷ ῥητῷ ταῦτα λεκτέον. εἰ σώζουσι τὸ «ἀπὸ ἑνὸς φυράματος» γίνεσθαι τοὺς ἀπολλυ μένους καὶ τοὺς σωζομένους, καὶ τὸν δημιουργὸν τῶν σωζομένων εἶναι δημιουργὸν καὶ τῶν ἀπολλυμένων, καὶ εἰ ἀγαθὸς ὁ ποιῶν οὐ μόνον πνευματικοὺς ἀλλὰ καὶ χοϊκοὺς (τοῦτο γὰρ αὐτοῖς ἕπεται), δυ νατὸν μέντοι γε ἐκ προτέρων τινῶν κατορθωμάτων γενόμενον νῦν σκεῦος τιμῆς, καὶ μὴ ὅμοια δράσαντα μηδὲ ἀκόλουθα τῷ σκεύει τῆς τιμῆς, γενέσθαι εἰς ἕτερον αἰῶνα σκεῦος ἀτιμίας· ὡς πάλιν οἷόν τέ ἐστι διὰ πρεσβύτερα τούτου τοῦ βίου <αἴτια> γενόμενον σκεῦος ἀτιμίας ἐνθάδε, διορθωθέντα ἐν τῇ «καινῇ κτίσει» γενέσθαι «σκεῦος τιμῆς ἡγια σμένον καὶ εὔχρηστον τῷ δεσπότῃ, εἰς πᾶν ἔργον ἀγαθὸν ἡτοιμασμέ νον». καὶ τάχα οἱ νῦν Ἰσραηλῖται μὴ ἀξίως τῆς εὐγενείας βιώσαντες ἐκπεσοῦνται τοῦ γένους, οἱονεὶ ἀπὸ σκευῶν τιμῆς εἰς σκεῦος ἀτιμίας μεταβαλοῦντες· καὶ πολλοὶ τῶν νῦν Αἰγυπτίων καὶ Ἰδουμαίων τῷ Ἰσραὴλ προσελθόντες, ἐπὰν καρποφορήσωσιν ἐπὶ πλεῖον, «εἰσελεύσονται εἰς ἐκκλησίαν κυρίου», οὐκ ἔτι Αἰγύπτιοι καὶ Ἰδουμαῖοι εἶναι λελο γισμένοι ἀλλ' ἐσόμενοι Ἰσραηλῖται· ὥστε κατὰ τοῦτο διὰ τὰς προ αιρέσεις τινὰς μὲν ἐκ χειρόνων