6

would willingly undergo all the hatred Origen had met with, if he had but also his knowledge of the scriptures. In a letter written when he was not in the humour to bestow excessive commendations upon Origen, he says: That ¶ he was a great man from his childhood, and the true son of a martyr; that he trampled the world under foot, vanquishing both the love of pleasure and of riches; and ' that he had the scriptures by heart, and laboured day and 'night in studying and explaining them.' To conclude, in another place he says, He thinks Origen ought to be read 'sometimes, because of his learning; just as we read Ter'tullian, Novatus, Arnobius, Apollinarius, and some other ' ecclesiastical writers both Greek and Latin, taking what is good in them, and leaving what is otherwise; according to the rule of the apostle, who says, "Prove all things, hold fast that which is good." This may be reckoned a good rule to be observed, not only in reading these writers here mentioned, but all the rest of the fathers; and all books in general, except the holy scriptures.

6

6

Sulpicius Severus, beside other things concerning Origen, says, Hes wonders how one and the same man 'could be so different from himself: that where he is in the right, he had not an equal since the apostles; and where he is in the wrong, no man ever erred more shamefully.' Vincentius Lirinensis, who was far from being favourable to Origen's sentiments, celebrates his virtue, fine genius, vast learning, eloquence, fame, and many other advantages, in a character' so long, that I can only refer to it.

To sum up Origen's character:-He had a capacious mind, and a large compass of knowledge; and throughout

quod vellem cum invidiâ nominis ejus habere etiam scientiam scripturarum, flocci pendens imagines umbrasque larvarum, &c. Præf. in libr. Heb. Quæst. in Genesim. 9 Vult aliquis laudare Origenem ? Laudet ut laudo. Magnus vir ab infantiâ et vere martyris filius-voluptates in tantum fugit, ut zelo Dei, sed tamen non secundum scientiam, ferro truncaret genitalia calcavit avaritiam; scripturas memoriter tenuit; et in studio explanationis earum diebus desudavit et noctibus. Ep. 41. al. 65.

Et quia meæ parvitatis quæris sententiam, utrum secundum fratrem Faustinum penitus respuendus sit, an secundum quosdam legendus ex parte? ego Origenem propter eruditionem sic interdum legendum arbitror, quomodo Tertullianum, Novatum, Arnobium, Apollinarium, et nonnullos ecclesiasticos scriptores Græcos pariter et Latinos; ut bona eorum eligamus, vitemusque contraria, &c. Ep. 56. al. 76. Ego miror unum eundemque hominem tam diversum a se esse potuisse, ut in eâ parte, quâ probatur, neminem post apostolos habeat æqualem; in eâ vero, quæ jure reprehenditur, nemo deformius doceatur errâsse. Sulp. Sev. Dial. i. cap. 6.

t

S

sed tanta etiam vis ingenii, tam profundi, tam acris, tam ele, gantis, ut omnes pene multum longeque superaret. Vincent. Lir. Commonit.

his whole life was a man of unwearied application in studying and composing works of various sorts, some o. them extremely tedious and laborious; and in teaching by word of mouth, in the way of catechetical instruction, public discourse to the people, and conference. He had the happiness of uniting different accomplishments, being at once the greatest preacher, and the most learned and voluminous writer of the age; nor is it easy to say which is most admirable, his learning or his virtue. In a word, it must be owned that Origen, though not perfect nor infallible, was a bright light in the church of Christ, and one of those rare personages that have done honour to the human nature.

II. As Origen's virtue is one of those things by which he is most distinguished; and one design of this work is, to promote true piety by giving my readers some idea of the spirit of the christians of the first ages; I hope it will be allowed me to transcribe some passages conducive to that end from a writer whose works were so numerous, before I proceed to his testimony to the scriptures.

6

1. There are in Origen many marks of unaffected modesty and true humility. In a homily, which we now have only in Latin, he has a thought, that angels may offer first-fruits to God, which they collect out of the fields of this world: The fields of the angels,' says he, are our hearts; each one of them, therefore, out of the field which he cultivates, offers first-fruits to God. If I should be able to produce to-day some choice interpretation, worthy to be presented to the supreme High Priest; so that out of all those things which we speak and teach, there should be somewhat considerable, which may please the great High Priest; it might possibly happen that the angel who presides over the church, out of all our words, might choose something, and offer it as a kind of first-fruits to the Lord, out of the small field of my heart. But I know I do not deserve it; nor am I conscious to myself that any interpretation is discovered by me, which the angel who cultivates us should judge worthy to offer to the Lord, as first-fruits, or first-born. And I wish that what we speak and teach may be such, that we may not deserve to be condemned for our words: that will be favour enough for us.'

V

6

W

2. In a homily upon Ezekiel he says, The devil has

" In Num. Hom. xi. T. ii. p. 308. B. C. Benedict. Atque utinam tale sit quod loquimur et docemus, ut non pro verbis nostris condemnari mereamur: sufficeret nobis hæc gratia. Ibid.

▾ Mihi ipsi, qui in ecclesiâ prædico, laqueos sæpe tendit, ut totam eccle

many snares. He often lays snares for me, who preach in the church, that he may shake the whole church by my conversation. And therefore they who are in public stations are attacked by the enemy, that by the fall of one man which cannot be hid, all may be offended, and the faith be obstructed by the wicked life of a few clergymen.' How modest, says a commentator upon this place, is Origen! of whom nevertheless Eusebius X says, that he was such in his conversation as he was in his doctrine; and that he did not so much recommend the faith by his preaching, as by his life.

6

3. In another Homily, recommending the hearing of the word of God with an honest heart and good disposition of the mind, and censuring some faults of hearers, which he fears are in some of the catechumens, and perhaps also in some that have received baptism, he says, For all are not Israel, who are of Israel.' Rom. ix. 6. Nor are all who have been baptized with water, baptized also with the Holy Spirit; as, on the contrary, not all who are catechumens are strangers, or destitute of the Holy Spirit. For I find in the divine scriptures some catechumens accounted worthy of the Holy Spirit, and others after baptism unworthy of the gifts of the Spirit. Cornelius was a catechumen, and before he came to the water deserved to receive the Holy Spirit. Simon had been baptized, but because he asked hypocritically, he was refused the gift of the Holy Spirit. And I would not that you should doubt that there are now some Corneliuses among the catechumens, to whom it may be said, 66 Thy alms and thy prayers are come up to heaven," Acts x. 4. And again, among the people of the faithful, there are some Simons, to whom it may be said, "O full of all subtilty, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness," Acts xiii. 10. These things I speak by way of reproof of myself, and not of the hearers only; for I also am one of them that hear the word of God.'

4. Origen, in his books of Principles, where he gives himself a liberty to discourse of abstruse and difficult siam ex meâ conversatione confundat. Et ideo plus hi, qui sunt in medio, oppugnantur ab inimico, ut per ruinam unius hominis, quæ celari non potest, omnibus scandalum fiat, et impediatur fides per pessimam conversationem clericorum. In Ezech. Hom. vii. T. ii. p. 642. Basil. 1571.

* Οἷον γεν τον λογον, τοιονδε φασι τον τροπον και οἷον τον τροπον, τοιονδε και τον λογον επεδείκνυτο. Διο δη μάλιςα, συναιρόμενης αυτῳ δυναμεως θειας, μύριες ενηγεν επι τον αυτ8 ζηλον. Eus. 1. vi. cap. 3. p. 205. Α.

y In Num. Hom. iii. T. ii. p. 280. A. B. C. Bened.

Neque omnes qui loti sunt aquâ, continuo etiam Sancto Spiritu loti sunt. Ibid. A.

points, and advances propositions justly disputable, often uses expressions of caution and diffidence. And in his Homilies likewise to the people it is very common with him to desire his hearers to judge and examine what he says, whether it be just or not, and not to take things upon trust. This is polite, as well as modest.

5. He tells Ambrose in one of his prefaces, that to write commentaries upon the scriptures, and publish them to the world, was a thing above his strength; but out of his goodness he was pleased to think him fit for such a work. Since he had been one great means of his writing so much, he tells him that he must bear witness to God for him, when he shall be called to account for his life and writings, with what purpose and disposition of mind he had acted. And earnestly entreats him to pray to God for him, that he may seek the truth in a right manner, and may be able to discover it.

d

6. Pamphilus, in his apology for Origen, mentioning several of his virtues, says, that his humility was the most amiable of them all. Indeed I do not remember to have observed one proud or conceited thought or expression in all his writings. It should be owned, however, that after his removal from Alexandria, he wrote a letter to his friends in that city, in which he complains of injustice done him on several accounts. But as we have not that letter in Greek, nor entire in Latin, it is not very easy to form a judgment upon it: and even here he leaves his enemies to the mercy of God, and professes his obligation rather to pity than hate them; and to pray for them, rather than wish them ill. Moreover, in his Commentaries upon St. John's

a Quæ quidem a nobis etiam cum magno metu et cautelâ dicuntur, discutientibus magis et pertractantibus quam pro certo ac definito statuentibus. -Nunc autem disputandi specie magis quam definiendi, prout possumus, exercemur. De Princip. l. i. c. 6. T. i. p. 69. B. C. Bened.

b Et vos facite quod scriptum est, ut uno dicente omnes examinent [1 Cor. xiv. 29]. Me ergo dicente quod sentio, vos discernite et examinate, si quid rectum est, aut minus rectum. In libr. Jesu. Hom. xxi. T. ii. p. 448. ed. Benedict.

c

2

Ταυτα δε ύμιν εν προοιμιῳ λελεκται, εις μεγιςον αγωνα, και ὁμολογε μενως ὑπερ ἡμας,αναγκαζομενοις ὑπὸ τῆς πολλης σε φιλομαθείας, και δυσωπεμένοις ὑπο της χρηςοτητος, και της μετριότητος σε, ἱερε Αμβρόσιε, κατελθειν. -Μαρτυς εσο μοι προς Θεον, μεθ ̓ όλε τε βις, και περι των ὑπηγορευμενων εξεταζόμενον, ποια τε προθέσει τετο γεγενηται- -αξιωμεν τοινυν-όπως- -αιτήσεις δοθηναι ύμιν πρωτον καλως ζητειν, κ. λ. Orig. in Ps. i. T. ii. p. 526. C. D. E.

d non humilitatis, quæ supra cæteras omnes virtutes ejus maximam gratiam continet. Pamph. pro Or. Apol. p. 757. Basil.

e Quorum magis misereri quam eos odisse debemus; et orare pro illis, quam eis maledicere. Ep. ad Amicos Alex. T. i. p. 5. Á. Bened.

gospel, he speaks of the Alexandrian storm, and compares his escape to God's deliverance of the children of Israel out of Egypt. But I do not know that these things cast any reflection upon Origen's good temper, which is conspicuous in so many places. There is a remarkable passage taken notices of by Tillemont, where Origen speaks of the excesses and dangers of love, as well as hatred; which may serve to show, that he knew how to defend himself without pride or passion. Origen speaks of the different sentiments which men form of others, as a common case, relating to those who have any eminent station in the church: but it is likely there is a particular reference to his own case; though out of his prevailing modesty he brings in others to share with him, and speaks in the plural number. • Some there are,' says he, 'who love us more than we deserve, and speak more advantageously of us and our performances than we approve of. On the other hand, some defame our discourses, by accusing us of sentiments we never held. Neither the one nor the other of these keep to the rule of justice; but they both deviate from the truth, one through hatred, the other through excessive love.' Í suppose Tillemont's remarks upon this passage will be allowed to be well founded, that these complaints are made with as much humility as justice.

6

7. In the next place I would take a few passages out of Origen's Exhortation to Martyrdom. Having quoted Matt. xix. 27-29, he says to Ambrose, For the sake of these sayings I could wish to be rich as you, or richer, and then to be a martyr of Christ; that I may receive "manifold,” or, as in Mark x. 30, an hundred fold." Afterwards, having quoted Luke xiv. 26,—' But do you so hate your life, as that by hating it you may keep it" to life eternal;" being persuaded that it is a good and profitable hatred which Jesus teaches. John xii. 25. And a life must be

66

* Ει και ὁ κατα την Αλεξανδρειαν χειμων αντιπραττειν εδοκει. κ. λ. Comm. in Joh. Huet. T. ii. p. 94. A. B. C.

g Tillemont, Mem. Ecc. T. iii. P. iii. p. 266. Origene, art. 37.

1 Quod quidem in ecclesiâ patimur: plerique enim, dum plus diligunt quam meremur, hæc jactant et loquuntur, sermones nostros doctrinamque laudantes, quæ conscientia nostra non recipit. Alii vero tractatus nostros calumniantes, ea sentire nos criminantur, quæ nunquam sensisse nos novimus. Sed neque hi qui plus diligunt, neque illi qui oderunt, veritatis regulam tenent; et alii per dilectionem, alii per odium, mentiuntur. Unde oportet caritati frena imponere, &c. In Lucam Hom. xxv. p. 236. Basil.

i Τετων δε ένεκεν των ῥητων, ηυξαμην αν τοσαυτα κτησαμενος επι γης, όποσα εχεις, η και τετων πλειονα, γενεσθαι μαρτυς εν Χρισῳ τῷ Θεῷ, ἵνα πολλαπλασίονα λαβω, η, ὡς ὁ Μαρκος φησιν, ἑκατονταπλασίονα. Exh. ad Mart. sect. 14. T. i. p. 283. D. Bened. k Ibid. sect. 37. p. 299. C.