Philocalia or Selections from the works of Origen made by Basil and Gregory of Nazianzus (ch. 23, 25-27)

 of those concerning the stars, so that what is said by them may not be an unproven declaration, let them try to bring us more compellingly, by present

 to her a sign, saying: This is the sign which the Lord spoke, saying: Behold, the altar shall be rent, and the fat that is upon it shall be poured out

 of certain observations, or also from the teaching of angels who had transgressed their own order and, for the ruin of our race, taught certain things

 to be mistaken, but it is possible concerning things that are contingent to happen and not to happen to think that they happen and that they do not ha

 these past events are not in our power, it being possible on the basis of the same past events to do other things than what we do. But if anyone seeks

 It is fated for you to have children or not to have children in vain then you have relations with a woman. For just as in this case, since it is impo

 they will reasonably agree that nothing concerning human affairs comes from the stars, but, as we have said before, if anything, they are signified A

 argument, that humans are able to comprehend the heavenly configurations and the signs and what they are signs of, let us now examine if this is true.

 of human nature, not in a human way but in a divine way they are taught the secrets just as Paul, saying: I heard unspeakable words, which it is not

 they read the book of God and thus they do what is incumbent upon them. But as we said before, what we do, or what the opposing energies accomplish i

 they do away with sayings, also using the one: “The sinners were estranged from the womb,” spoken in the psalms. Now to this it is easy to reply, by a

 troubling our argument since Paul says: “But we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called accordin

 the deeds foreknown beforehand but happening later, each from the apostolic preparation and choice. But now to apply this to the saying from the psalm

 Health, of course, and bodily strength are a good. The text reads thus: ‘If you will not hearken to do all the words of this law that are written in t

 it is necessary to raise a further question to those who suppose, whether the prophets, whose sins are not spoken against, have kept the law for exam

 of whom the prophet also finds fault with those who are in such states, saying: 'From the feet to the head, there is neither wound, nor bruise, nor fe

 who was once the morning star, rising in the morning, but later was shattered upon the earth. For not only among the sons of men, if one is perfect, i

 that the sound account concerning this Scripture is also among the hidden things. But those who claim there is another god besides the creator wish hi

 they suppose concerning God, nor to what they dogmatize concerning natures, does the argument from the reading now under examination contribute, as th

 leading him into the open and perhaps exhausting him through the action, so that having brought to completion all the outbursts of his indwelling wick

 chasten me” the one praying these things is asking not to need the reproof that comes through the wrath of God and the chastisement that comes throug

 Good masters, being long-suffering toward their sinning servants, are accustomed to say: I have ruined you and: I have made you wicked showing with

 the heart of Pharaoh” whether they believe that these things are said truly by God through the inspired Moses or falsely. For if falsely, then accord

who was once the morning star, rising in the morning, but later was shattered upon the earth. For not only among the sons of men, if one is perfect, in the absence of the wisdom from God, is it true that he is reckoned as nothing; but also upon the angelic order and the ruling one and every one which is divine inasmuch as God is present to them. Perhaps, then, the holy apostle, seeing that our own choice is much less than the power of God for the acquisition of good things, says that the end 'is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy'; not as if God shows mercy without our willing and running, but as if our willing and running are nothing in comparison with the mercy of God; and for this reason the credit for what is good is rightly ascribed rather to the mercy of God than to human willing and running. 26.8 We have examined these things, though seeming to have digressed at length, being persuaded that they are necessary for the passage: 'Many say, Who will show us good things?' For, as far as was possible, the discourse has presented and shown to the many who say, 'Who will show us good things?' what are the good things, and it is clear also what are the evil things; so that through both disciplines and prayers we may acquire the good things and cast out the evil things from our souls. But since in speaking it is possible sometimes to speak literally, and sometimes to use a word improperly, it is not surprising if we sometimes find the designation of 'good' and 'evil' applied to bodily things and what are called external things by those who do not hold sound doctrines; as for instance in Job: 'If we have received good things from the hand of the Lord, shall we not endure evil things?' and in Jeremiah: 'Evils have come down from the Lord to the gates of Jerusalem.' For instead of saying: 'If we have received such things as are useful and pleasant, which have come to us from providence, shall we not readily bear the bitter and painful things?' it is said: 'If we have received good things from the hand of the Lord, shall we not endure evil things?' And instead of saying: 'According to providence, these things have happened to Jerusalem for the discipline of its inhabitants,' it is written: 'Evils have come down from the Lord to the gates of Jerusalem.' Therefore, understanding the matters, it will be necessary not to be stingy about the names, but to apprehend when these are properly assigned to the things, and when through a poverty of names, in a figurative sense. And if the Savior also healed certain things, and bestowed health and sight and hearing on people; their spiritual meaning must first be sought, as the Word is shown to heal the passions of the soul through these accounts. But it is not absurd in such cases to understand also that the things reported in the narrative happened for the astonishment of the people of that time; so that those who were not persuaded by demonstrative and didactic words, being shamed by the prodigious powers, might assent to the one who was teaching. 27.1n On: 'The Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart.' 'And the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he was not willing to let them go.' The phrase often found in Exodus, 'The Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart,' and 'I will harden Pharaoh's heart,' disturbs almost everyone who comes across it, both those who disbelieve it and those who say they believe. For to the unbelievers, along with many other things, this seems to be a cause of unbelief, because things unworthy of God are said about God; and it is unworthy of God to effect a hardening of anyone's heart, and to effect hardening so that the one being hardened disobeys the will of the one hardening him; and how, they say, is it not absurd for God to bring something about in order for his will to be disobeyed? For it is clear that he does not want Pharaoh to be obedient to what he commands. But among those who are thought to believe, no small disagreement has arisen because of: 'The Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart.' For some, being persuaded that there is no other God besides the Creator, think that by predestination God 'has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens,' with there being no cause for this one being shown mercy by him and that one being hardened. But others, taking a better position than these, say that many and other meanings of the scripture are hidden from them, and not because of this are they turned from sound faith; but one

ἑωσφόρον ποτὲ γενόμενον πρωῒ ἀνατέλλοντα, ὕστερον συντετριμμένον ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν. Οὐ μόνον γὰρ ἐπὶ τοῖς υἱοῖς τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ἐάν τις τέλειος ᾖ, τῆς ἀπὸ θεοῦ σοφίας ἀπούσης, ἀληθὲς τὸ εἰς οὐδὲν αὐτὸν λογισθῆναι· ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς ἀγγελικῆς τάξεως καὶ ἀρχικῆς καὶ πάσης τῆς ὅσον θεὸς πάρεστιν αὐταῖς θείας τυγχανούσης. Τάχα γοῦν ὁρῶν ὁ ἱερὸς ἀπόστολος πολὺ ἔλαττον τὸ ἡμέτερον προαιρετικὸν τῆς τοῦ θεοῦ δυνάμεως πρὸς τὴν κτῆσιν τῶν ἀγαθῶν, φησὶ τὸ τέλος «οὐ τοῦ θέλοντος εἶναι οὐδὲ τοῦ τρέχοντος, ἀλλὰ τοῦ ἐλεοῦντος θεοῦ»· οὐχ ὡς χωρὶς τοῦ θέλειν καὶ τρέχειν ἐλεοῦντος θεοῦ, ἀλλ' ὡς οὐδενὸς ὄντος τοῦ θέλειν καὶ τρέχειν συγκρίσει τοῦ ἐλέου τοῦ θεοῦ· καὶ διὰ τοῦτο τὴν ἐπιγραφὴν τοῦ καλοῦ δεόντως μᾶλλον ἀνατιθέναι τῷ ἐλέῳ τοῦ θεοῦ ἤπερ τῷ ἀνθρωπίνῳ θέλειν καὶ τρέχειν. 26.8 Ταῦτα δὲ ἐπὶ πολὺ παρεκβεβηκέναι δοκοῦντες ἐξητά σαμεν, πειθόμενοι ἀναγκαῖα αὐτὰ εἶναι πρὸς τό· «Πολλοὶ λέγουσι· τίς δείξει ἡμῖν τὰ ἀγαθά;» Κατὰ τὸ δυνατὸν γὰρ ὁ λόγος τοῖς λέγουσι πολλοῖς· Τίς δείξει ἡμῖν τὰ ἀγαθά; παρέστησε καὶ ἔδειξε τίνα τὰ ἀγαθά, δῆλον δὲ ὅτι καὶ τίνα τὰ κακά· ἵνα διά τε ἀσκήσεων καὶ εὐχῶν κτησώμεθα τὰ ἀγαθὰ καὶ ἀνατρέψωμεν τὰ κακὰ ἀπὸ τῶν ψυχῶν ἡμῶν. Ἀλλ' ἐπείπερ ἐστὶν ἐν τῷ φράζειν ὁτὲ μὲν κυριολεκτεῖν, ὁτὲ δέ που καὶ καταχρῆσθαι, οὐ θαυμαστὸν εἴ ποτε εὑρήσομεν τὴν τῶν ἀγαθῶν καὶ κακῶν προσηγορίαν κειμένην ἐπὶ τῶν σωματικῶν καὶ τῶν ἐκτὸς λεγομένων παρὰ τοῖς οὐχ ὑγιῆ δόγματα ἔχουσιν· οἷον ἐν τῷ Ἰώβ· «Εἰ τὰ ἀγαθὰ ἐδεξάμεθα ἐκ χειρὸς κυρίου, τὰ κακὰ οὐχ ὑποί σομεν;» καὶ ἐν τῷ Ἱερεμίᾳ· «Κατέβη κακὰ παρὰ κυρίου ἐπὶ πύλας Ἱερουσαλήμ.» Ἀντὶ γὰρ τοῦ εἰπεῖν· εἰ τὰ τοιάδε τινὰ χρηστὰ καὶ ἡδέα τυγχάνοντα ἐδεξάμεθα παρὰ τῆς προνοίας εἰς ἡμᾶς ἐφθακότα, τὰ πικρὰ καὶ ἐπίπονα οὐχὶ προθύμως ἐνεγκοῦμεν; λέγεται τό· Εἰ τὰ ἀγαθὰ ἐδεξάμεθα ἐκ χειρὸς κυρίου, τὰ κακὰ οὐχ ὑποίσομεν; Καὶ ἀντὶ τοῦ φάναι· κατὰ πρόνοιαν τάδε τινὰ τῇ Ἱερουσαλὴμ ὑπὲρ τοῦ παιδευθῆναι τοὺς ἐνοικοῦντας ἐν αὐτῇ γεγένηται, γέγραπται τό· Κατέβη κακὰ παρὰ κυρίου ἐπὶ πύλας Ἱερουσαλήμ. ∆εήσει τοίνυν τὰ πράγματα συνιέντας μὴ γλίσχρους εἶναι περὶ τὰ ὀνόματα, ἀλλὰ καταλαμβάνειν πότε κυρίως κατὰ τῶν πραγμάτων ταῦτα τέτακται, καὶ πότε διὰ τὴν στενοχωρίαν τῶν ὀνομάτων ἐν καταχρήσει. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ὁ σωτὴρ τάδε τινὰ ἰάσατο, καὶ ἐδωρήσατο ὑγείαν καὶ ὄψεις καὶ ἀκοὰς ἀνθρώποις· προηγουμένως μὲν τὴν ἀναγωγὴν αὐτῶν ζητητέον, τοῦ λόγου τὰ τῆς ψυχῆς πάθη θεραπεύειν διὰ τούτων τῶν ἱστοριῶν δηλουμένου. Οὐκ ἄτοπον δὲ ἐπὶ τοῖς τοιούτοις καὶ τὰ κατὰ τὴν ἱστορίαν ἀπαγγελλόμενα νοεῖν γεγονέναι ὑπὲρ καταπλήξεως τῶν τότε ἀνθρώπων· ἵνα οἱ μὴ πειθόμενοι λόγοις ἀποδεικτικοῖς καὶ διδασκαλικοῖς δυσωπηθέντες τὰς τεραστίους δυνάμεις συγκαταθῶνται τῷ διδάσκοντι. 27.1n Εἰς τό· «Ἐσκλήρυνε κύριος τὴν καρδίαν Φαραώ.» «Ἐσκλήρυνε δὲ κύριος τὴν καρδίαν Φαραώ, καὶ οὐκ ἠβουλήθη ἐξαποστεῖλαι αὐτούς.» Πολλάκις ἐν τῇ Ἐξόδῳ κείμενον τό· «Ἐσκλήρυνε κύριος τὴν καρδίαν Φαραώ»· καί· «Ἐγὼ σκληρυνῶ τὴν καρδίαν Φαραώ»· σχεδὸν πάντας τοὺς ἐντυγχάνοντας ταράσσει, τούς τε ἀπιστοῦντας αὐτῇ καὶ τοὺς πιστεύειν λέγοντας. Τοῖς μὲν γὰρ ἀπιστοῦσι μετ' ἄλλων πολλῶν καὶ τοῦτο αἴτιον ἀπιστίας εἶναι δοκεῖ, ὅτι λέγεται περὶ θεοῦ τὰ ἀνάξια θεοῦ· ἀνάξιον δὲ θεοῦ τὸ ἐνεργεῖν σκλήρυνσιν περὶ καρδίαν οὑτινοσοῦν, καὶ ἐνεργεῖν σκλήρυνσιν ἐπὶ τῷ ἀπειθῆσαι τῷ βουλήματι τοῦ σκληρύνοντος τὸν σκληρυνόμενον· καὶ πῶς, φασίν, οὐκ ἄτοπον τὸν θεὸν ἐνεργεῖν τινὰ ἐπὶ τῷ ἀπειθεῖν αὐτοῦ τῷ βουλήματι; δῆλον γὰρ ὅτι μὴ βουλο μένου πειθόμενον ἔχειν οἷς προστάσσει τὸν Φαραώ. Τοῖς δὲ πιστεύειν νομιζομένοις διαφωνία οὐχ ἡ τυχοῦσα γεγένηται διὰ τό· «Ἐσκλήρυνε κύριος τὴν καρδίαν Φαραώ.» Οἱ μὲν γὰρ πειθόμενοι μὴ ἄλλον εἶναι θεὸν παρὰ τὸν δημιουργὸν φρονοῦσιν ὡς ἄρα κατὰ ἀποκλήρωσιν ὁ θεὸς «ὃν θέλει ἐλεεῖ, ὃν δὲ θέλει σκληρύνει», αἰτίαν οὐκ ἔχοντος τοῦ τόνδε μὲν ἐλεεῖσθαι τόνδε δὲ σκληρύνεσθαι ὑπ' αὐτοῦ. Ἕτεροι δὲ βέλτιον παρὰ τούτους φερόμενοί φασι πολλὰ καὶ ἄλλα κεκρύφθαι τῆς γραφῆς αὐτοῖς νοήματα, καὶ οὐ παρὰ τοῦτο τῆς ὑγιοῦς πίστεως τρέπεσθαι· ἓν δὲ