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

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 through His anger, as if some will be reproved by the wrath of God and chastised by His anger. 27.8 But that we may better understand what is said, we must also use similar sayings from the New Testament, with the Savior saying: “I came to cast fire upon the earth, and would that it were already kindled”; for unless the fire He came to cast upon the earth were salutary, and salutary for men at least, the Son of the good God would not have said these things. But also Peter, having slain by his word Ananias and Sapphira, who sinned in lying not to men but to the Lord, was not only concerned with the edification of those who, from seeing what had happened, would be more reverent toward the faith of Christ, but also for those who were dying; wishing them, purified by their sudden and unexpected death, to be freed from the body, having some justification, since they had given at least half of their possessions for the need of the poor. And Paul, blinding by his word “the one with the proconsul Sergius Paulus,” through these pains turns him to piety, saying to him: “O full of all deceit and all recklessness, son of the devil, enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to make crooked the straight ways of the Lord? And now you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a season.” For what season, except that when, rebuked and tormented for his sins, he was about to become worthy through repentance to see the sun in both ways: both in body, so that the divine power might be proclaimed in the restoration of his sight; and in soul, when as a believer he was about to profit from piety? But also Demas and Hermogenes, whom he delivered to Satan “so that they may be taught not to blaspheme,” have suffered something similar to those mentioned before. And the one in Corinth who had his father's wife is himself also “delivered to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.” It is not surprising, then, if even the things concerning Pharaoh who was hardened and finally encompassed by such punishments are administered by the goodness of God. Let these things, as they have occurred to us, be said for the present concerning: “But the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh.” But if anyone, preserving piety toward God, finds better things that in no way touch upon impiety, with testimonies from the divine scriptures, he should use those instead. 27.9n And in other places concerning the same thing: Furthermore, I am considering in the passages related to this topic whether, just as physicians dealing with those bitten by rabid dogs draw the poison to the surface, so that it does not spread within and destroy the person, they cause more severe conditions and inflammations; so God, through His medical art, draws out to the exterior the evil that is hidden and lurking in the depths of the soul, so that it may become manifest and more evident, in order that after this He might apply the subsequent therapy. And I consider the sayings in Deuteronomy to be of such a kind, having this manner: “And you shall remember all the way which the Lord your God led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might afflict you and test you, and that the things in your heart might be known, whether you would keep his commandments or not. And he afflicted you and made you hunger, and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know; that he might declare to you that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God shall man live.” For observe in these things that God afflicts and tests, so that the things in each one's heart may be known, being present but lying in the depth and coming to light through the afflictions. Such is also that which was declared in Job by the Lord through a whirlwind and clouds to Job, thus: “Do you think I have dealt with you in any other way than that you might be revealed as righteous?” for He did not say: that you might become righteous; but that you might be revealed; being such even before the trials, but revealed in the things that happened. 27.10n And again in another place in the same notes on Exodus: But one of our people, explaining the matter in question from custom, used to say that often the

παιδεύσῃς με»· τοῦ ταῦτα εὐχομένου δεομένου μὴ δεηθῆναι ἐλέγχου τοῦ διὰ θυμοῦ θεοῦ καὶ παιδεύσεως τῆς διὰ τῆς ὀργῆς αὐτοῦ, ὥς τινων ἐλεγχθησομένων τῷ θυμῷ τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ παιδευθησομένων τῇ ὀργῇ αὐτοῦ. 27.8 Ἵνα δὲ μᾶλλον προσιώμεθα τὰ λεγόμενα, καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς καινῆς διαθήκης παραπλησίοις ῥητοῖς χρηστέον, τοῦ μὲν σωτῆρος λέγοντος· «Πῦρ ἦλθον βαλεῖν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν, καὶ εἴθε ἤδη ἐκάη»· οὐκ ἂν γάρ, μὴ σωτηρίου ὄντος τοῦ πυρὸς ὃ ἦλθε βαλεῖν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν, καὶ ἀνθρώποις γε σωτηρίου, ἔλεγε ταῦτα ὁ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ θεοῦ υἱός. Ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁ Πέτρος ἀνελὼν τῷ λόγῳ τὸν Ἀνανίαν καὶ τὴν Σάπφειραν, ἁμαρτήσαντας ἐν τῷ ψεύδεσθαι οὐκ ἀνθρώποις ἀλλὰ τῷ κυρίῳ, οὐ μόνον πεφροντικὼς τῆς οἰκοδομῆς τῆς τῶν ἐκ τοῦ ὁρᾷν τὸ γεγενημένον εὐλαβεστέρων ἐσομένων εἰς τὴν Χριστοῦ πίστιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν ἀποθνῃσκόντων· βουλόμενος αὐτοὺς κεκαθαρμένους τῷ αἰφνιδίῳ θανάτῳ καὶ παρὰ προσδοκίαν ἀπαλλάξαι τοῦ σώματος, ἔχοντάς τι καὶ δικαιώσεως, ἐπεὶ κἂν τὸ ἥμισυ τῶν ὑπαρχόντων δεδώκασιν εἰς τὴν χρείαν τῶν δεομένων. Καὶ Παῦλος δὲ «τὸν σὺν τῷ ἀνθυπάτῳ Σεργίῳ Παύλῳ» τῷ λόγῳ τυφλῶν διὰ τῶν πόνων ἐπιστρέφει εἰς τὴν θεοσέβειαν, λέγων αὐτῷ· «Ὦ πλήρης παντὸς δόλου καὶ πάσης ῥᾳδιουργίας, υἱὲ διαβόλου, ἐχθρὲ πάσης δικαιοσύνης, οὐ παύσῃ διαστρέφων τὰς ὁδοὺς κυρίου τὰς εὐθείας; Καὶ νῦν ἔσῃ τυφλός, μὴ βλέπων τὸν ἥλιον ἄχρι καιροῦ.» Ποίου γὰρ καιροῦ, ἢ τοῦ ὅτε ἐπιπληχθεὶς καὶ βασανισθεὶς διὰ τὰ ἁμαρτήματα ἔμελλε μετανοῶν ἄξιος γενέσθαι ἀμφοτέρως τὸν ἥλιον ἰδεῖν· καὶ κατὰ σῶμα, ἵνα ἐξαγγέληται ἡ θεία δύναμις ἐπὶ τῇ ἀποκα ταστάσει τῆς ὄψεως αὐτοῦ· καὶ κατὰ ψυχήν, ὅτε ἔμελλεν ὡς πιστεύων ὄνασθαι τῆς θεοσεβείας; Ἀλλὰ καὶ ∆ημᾶς καὶ Ἑρμογένης, οὓς παρέδωκε τῷ Σατανᾷ «ἵνα παιδευθῶσι μὴ βλασφημεῖν», παραπλήσιόν τι πεπόνθασι τοῖς προειρη μένοις. Καὶ ὁ ἐν Κορίνθῳ τὴν γυναῖκα τοῦ πατρὸς ἐσχηκὼς καὶ αὐτὸς «παραδίδοται τῷ Σατανᾷ εἰς ὄλεθρον τῆς σαρκός, ἵνα τὸ πνεῦμα σωθῇ ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τοῦ κυρίου.» Οὐ θαυμαστὸν οὖν εἰ καὶ τὰ περὶ τὸν Φαραὼ τὸν σκληρυ νόμενον καὶ ἐπὶ τέλει τοιαύταις κολάσεσι περιβαλλόμενον ἀπὸ ἀγαθότητος οἰκονομεῖται θεοῦ. Ταῦτα δὲ ἡμῖν ἐπὶ τοῦ παρόντος, ὡς ὑπέπεσεν, εἰρήσθω περὶ τοῦ· «Ἐσκλήρυνε δὲ κύριος τὴν καρδίαν Φαραώ.» Ἐὰν δέ τις τὸ πρὸς θεὸν εὐσεβὲς τηρῶν κρείττονα καὶ μηδαμῶς ἀσεβείας ἐφαπτόμενα εὑρίσκῃ μετὰ μαρτυριῶν τῶν ἀπὸ τῶν θείων γραφῶν, ἐκείνοις μᾶλλον χρηστέον. 27.9n Καὶ ἐν ἄλλοις περὶ τοῦ αὐτοῦ· Ἔτι δὲ ἐφίστημι ἐν τοῖς κατὰ τὸν τόπον μήποτε, ὥσπερ οἱ ἰατροὶ τῶν λυσσοδήκτων τὸν ἰὸν ἐπισπώμενοι εἰς τὴν ἐπιφάνειαν, ἵνα μὴ ἔνδον νεμόμενος διαφθείρῃ τὸν ἄνθρωπον, χαλεπωτέρας ἐμποιοῦσι διαθέσεις καὶ φλεγ μονάς· οὕτως ὁ θεὸς τὴν ἐγκρυπτομένην καὶ ἐμφωλεύουσαν τοῖς βάθεσι τῆς ψυχῆς κακίαν, διὰ τῆς αὐτοῦ ἰατρικῆς ἐπισπᾶται ἐπὶ τὰ ἔξω, ὥστε φανερὰν αὐτὴν καὶ ἐναργεστέραν γενέσθαι, ἵνα μετὰ τοῦτο τὴν ἑξῆς ἐπαγάγῃ θεραπείαν. Τοιαῦτα δὲ ἡγοῦμαι καὶ τὰ ἐν ∆ευτερονομίῳ ῥητά, τοῦτον ἔχοντα τὸν τρόπον· «Καὶ μνησθήσῃ πᾶσαν τὴν ὁδὸν ἣν διήγαγέν σε κύριος ὁ θεός σου τοῦτο τεσσαρακοστὸν ἔτος ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, ὅπως κακώσῃ σε καὶ πειράσῃ σε, καὶ διαγνωσθῇτὰ ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου, εἰ φυλάξῃ τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ ἢ οὔ. Καὶ ἐκάκωσέν σε καὶ ἐλιμαγχόνησέν σε, καὶ ἐψώμισέν σε τὸ μάννα ὃ οὐκ ᾔδεις σὺ καὶ οὐκ ᾔδεισαν οἱ πατέρες σου· ἵνα ἀναγγείλῃ σοι ὅτι οὐκ ἐπ' ἄρτῳ μόνῳ ζήσεται ἄνθρωπος, ἀλλ' ἐπὶ παντὶ ῥήματι ἐκπορευομένῳ διὰ στόματος θεοῦ ζήσεται ὁ ἄνθρωπος.» Τήρει γὰρ ἐν τούτοις ὅτι κακοῖ ὁ θεὸς καὶ ἐκπειράζει, ἵνα διαγνωσθῇ τὰ ἐν τῇ ἑκάστου καρδίᾳ, ὡς ὄντα μὲν ἐναποκείμενα δὲ τῷ βάθει καὶ εἰς φανερὸν διὰ τῶν κακώσεων ἐρχόμενα. Τοιοῦτόν ἐστι καὶ τὸ ἐν τῷ Ἰὼβ ὑπὸ τοῦ κυρίου διὰ λαίλαπος καὶ νεφῶν ἀπαγγελλόμενον πρὸς τὸν Ἰὼβ οὕτως· «Οἴει δέ με ἄλλως σοι κεχρημα τικέναι ἢ ἵνα ἀναφανῇς δίκαιος;» οὔτε γὰρ εἶπε· ἵνα γένῃ δίκαιος· ἀλλ' ἵνα ἀναφανῇς· τοιοῦτος ὢν μὲν καὶ πρὸ τῶν πειρασμῶν, ἀναφανεὶς δὲ ἐν τοῖς συμβεβηκόσιν. 27.10n Καὶ πάλιν ἐν ἄλλῳ τόπῳ ἐν ταῖς αὐταῖς εἰς τὴν Ἔξοδον σημειώσεσιν· Ἔλεγε δέ τις τῶν καθ' ἡμᾶς, ἀπὸ τῆς συνηθείας τὸ ζητούμενον παραμυθούμενος, ὅτι πολλάκις οἱ