hated, that it may be kept to eternal life; so do you, who have them, hate also wife and children, and brethren and sisters, that you may be profitable to those you hate.And as it was said to those who were of the seed of Abraham, John viii. 37, 39, "I know that ye are Abraham's seed;" again, " If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do his works;" so it will be said to your children, I know that ye are the children of Ambrose; and, if ye were the seed of Ambrose, ye would do his works. And perhaps they will do so, you helping them more after your departure than if you had continued with them.'

8. Still, in the same work: Christ m has laid down his life for us. Let us therefore also lay down our life, I will not say for him, but for ourselves, and for those who may be edified by our martyrdom.' Once more: And" perhaps, as we are redeemed by the blood of Christ, Jesus having received a name above every name; so some will be redeemed by the blood of martyrs.'

9. It is glorious to write in this manner to a beloved and excellent friend, upon whom too a man has his chief dependence, as Origen had upon Ambrose. This is true friendship; this is to esteem heaven above the world, and to prefer religion to our own private interest. Such exhortations as these may be reckoned, next to suffering for Christ ourselves, some of the best proofs of our integrity, and of our true love both of Christ and our friends.

10. The conclusion of that work is admirable. Says Origen, These things I have written unto you according to my ability, praying likewise that they may be of some use to you in the present combat. But if the abundant knowledge of the mysteries of religion, with which you are favoured, especially in your present honourable condition, affords you better counsel, and more effectual to the purpose, insomuch that you cannot but look upon what I have offered as childish and contemptible, it is no more than I could wish. My aim is not that you should obtain the crown by my assistance, but by any means whatever. And may it be obtained by what is most divine and excellent, and surpassing all human capacity, the words and wisdom

of God.'

1 Ibid. sect. 38. p. 299. E.

m

Ὑπερ ἡμων εθηκεν Ιησες την ψυχην και ἡμεις εν θωμεν αυτην, εκ ερω ύπερ αυτό, αλλ' ὑπερ ἑαυτων· οιμαι δ' ότι καν ὑπερ των εν τῷ μαρτυρι ἡμων οικοδομηθησομενων. sect. 41. p. 301. D.

* Ταχα δε και ὥσπερ τιμιῳ αἱματι τε Ιησε ηγοράσθημεν, Ιησε λαβοντος το όνομα το ύπερ παν ονομα· οὕτως τῳ τιμιῳ αἱματι των μαρτυρων αγορασ Onσovrai Tives. sect. 50. p. 309. C. • Exh. ad Martyr. p. 310.

11. Origen impartially teaches the duties of the pastors, as well as of the people, of Christ's church. He mightily recommends humility and condescension to bishops and presbyters. He complains of the pride and haughtiness of some bishops in his time, especially in great cities. He says it is not to be thought that the clergy will be universally saved; for many presbyters will perish, and many of the laity will be found among the blessed. He earnestly dissuades from committing the care of churches to covetous, tyrannical, ignorant, and irreligious bishops, or presbyters, or deacons, which he compares to selling doves in the temple: and elsewhere declares, that for the most part the government of the churches was bestowed upon men qualified to teach, and of a good life; not upon such as were ambitious of authority, but upon those who out of modesty were unwilling to accept so great a charge. And he says, more" will be expected of him, as a presbyter, than of a deacon; more of a deacon than of a layman; but from a bishop most of all. Whence it appears that Origen preached to himself, as well as to others.

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III. To these passages, showing the pious disposition of Origen's mind, and, as I apprehend, strongly recommending

P Qui vocatur ergo ad episcopatum, non ad principatum vocatur, sed ad servitutem totius ecclesiæ. In Esaiam, Hom. vi. p. 563. init. Tom. i. Basil. Quanti presbyteri constituti obliti sunt humilitatis! quasi idcirco fuerint ordinati, ut humiles esse desisterent. Quin potius humilitatem sequi debuerant, quia dignitatem fuerant consecuti. In Ezech. Hom. ix. p. 647. fin. Hæc autem diximus, volentes ostendere, quod ecclesiarum principes principum mundialium imitatores esse non debent, sed imitari debent Christum, accessibilem, et mulieribus loquentem, et pueris manus imponentem, &c. In Matth. Tr. xi. p. 87. Tom. ii. Basil.

Nos autem tales sumus, ut etiam malorum principum mundi excedere superbiam videamur: et non solum quærimus sicut reges acies præcedentes, et terribiles nos et accessu difficiles maxime pauperibus exhibemus.Et est videre in quibusdam ecclesiis, præcipue civitatum maximarum, principes populi christiani nullam affabilitatem habentes, vel adire ad se permittentes. In Matth. Tr. xi. p. 86. fin.

r

Ιςε δε ότι 8 παντως ὁ κληρος σωζει πολλοι γαρ και πρεσβύτεροι απολενται πολλοι και λαϊκοι μακαριοι αποδειχθήσονται. In Jerem. Hom. xi. p. 113. E. Tom. i. Huet. • Και νομίζω άρμοζειν τον περι των πωλεντων τας περιτερας λογον τοις παραδίδωσι τας εκκλησίας αισχροκερδεσι, και τυραννικοις, και ανεπιςημοσι, και ανευλαβεσιν επισκόποις, η πρεσβυτέροις, n diakovoic. Comm. in Matth. p. 442. B. Huet,

t

Τες δυνατες λογῳ και βιῳ υγιει χρωμένες επι το αρχειν εκκλησιων παραKaλSμɛv. K. λ. Contr. Cels. 1. viii. p. 798. C. Tom. i. Bened.

Η Πλειον εγω απαιτεμαι παρα τον διακονον, πλεῖον ὁ διάκονος παρα τον λαϊκον· ὁ δε την παντων ἡμων εγκεχειρισμενος αρχην αυτην την εκκλησιαςικήν επι πλειον απαιτείται. In Jerem. et Hom. xi. p. 114. A. Huet.

the like to others, I would add a few miscellaneous observations worthy of our notice.

V

1. Origen was of opinion that the light of nature, duly cultivated, is of use to bring men to embrace the christian religion. For having quoted Rom. ii. 15, he says, ' that God gave the law of nature to mankind, and wrote it in the minds of all. This affords seeds and principles of truth: and if we rightly cultivate those seeds, they will bring forth the fruit of life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.'

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2. Origen affirms, That they are the wisest christians, who have most carefully examined the several sects of judaism and christianity.'

3. Origen was a man of generous sentiments, and he represents the moderation of christians toward men of different opinions as very remarkable. Celsus had said that the several sects of christians were very rigid, and full of enmity toward each other. Origen answers: 'Such of us as follow the doctrine of Jesus, and endeavour to be conformed to his precepts, in our thoughts, words, and actions," being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it; being defamed, we entreat." Nor do we say injurious things of those who think differently from us. We labour indeed all that is in our power to convert men to the service of the only true God, the creator of the world, and to engage them to act in all respects as they that shall be judged. But they who consider the words of our Lord, "Blessed are the peaceable," and "Blessed are the meek,” will not hate those who corrupt the christian religion, nor give opprobrious names to those who are in

error.'

a

4. Origen believes there will be different degrees of glory and happiness in the future state, according to men's works in the present world. Having quoted 1 Thess. iv. 15, 16, 17, he says, 'A diversity of translation, and a ▾ Quis autem scripsit in cordibus eorum, nisi Deus digito suo? Legem utique naturalem, quam dedit Deus humano generi, et in cunctorum mentibus scripsit: unde et initia sumimus, ac semina quædam ad perscrutandam capimus veritatem: quæ semina, si bene excolamus, fructum vitæ afferent in nobis in Christo Jesu Domino nostro. In Numeros Hom. x. T. ii. p. 303. C. Bened. * Ούτως ειποιμ' αν και τον επιμελως ενίδοντα ταις ιεδαϊσμο και χρισιανισμο αἱρεσεσι, σοφωτατον χρισιανον γενεσθαι. Contr. Cels. 1. iii. p. 119. Cant. p. 455. C. Bened.

* Contr. Cels. 1. v. p. 273. Cant. p. 627. B. C. D. Bened.

* Και εκ αν ῥητα και αῤῥητα λεγοιμεν τις αλλα δοξαζοντας. Ibid.

* Ουκ αν αποςυγησαιεν τες παραχαράττοντας τα χρισιανισμό, εδε Κιρκας

και κυκηθρα αἱμυλα λεγοιεν τες πεπλανημένες. Ibid.

a Diversitas autem translationis et gloriæ ex meritis sine dubio et actibus uniuscujusque præstabitur, et erit unusquisque in eo ordine quem sibi gestorum

different glory undoubtedly will be given to every one, according to the merits of his actions; and every one will be in that order which the merits of his works have procured for him.'

5. He has a fine observation in his books against Celsus: "That when God designed true religion should obtain among the Gentiles, he had so ordered things by his providence, that they should be under the one empire of the Romans; lest, if there had been many kingdoms and nations, the apostles of Jesus should have been obstructed in fulfilling the command he gave them, saying, Go and teach all nations.It would,' says he, have been a great impediment to the spreading of the doctrine of Christ all over the world, if there had been many kingdoms. For, not to mention other things, these might have been at war with each other; and then men would have been obliged to be every where in arms, and fight for the defence of their country.'

b

6. I shall add here but one passage more, concerning the success of the christian doctrine; which, considering the age of our author, is very valuable. When Origen wrote his books against Celsus, the church had peace. 'By the good providence of God,' says he, the christian religion has so flourished, and continually increased, that it is now preached freely, without molestation, although there were a thousand obstacles to the spreading the doctrine of Jesus in the world. But as it was the will of God that the Gentiles should have the benefit of it, all the counsels of men against the christians were defeated. And by how much the more emperors, and governors of provinces, and the people, every where strove to depress them; so much the more have they increased, and prevailed exceedingly.'

IV. I now proceed to Origen's testimony to the books of the New Testament.

In Eusebius's Ecclesiastical History is a chapter with this title: How Origen mentions the scriptures of both Testaments. The former part of that chapter contains a catalogue of the books of the Old Testament, in a passage merita contulerint. In Num. Hom. i. T. ii. p. 277. Bened. b Ην δε

αν εμπόδιον τε νεμηθηναι την Ιησε διδασκαλιαν εις πασαν την οικεμένην το, πολλας ειναι βασιλειας & μονον δια τα προειρημενα, αλλα και δια το αναγκα ζεσθαι ςρατευεσθαι και ύπερ των πατρίδων πολεμειν τες πανταχε. Contr. Cels. 1. ii. T. i. p. 412. D. E. Bened.

C

Όσῳ γαρ αυτες εταπεινεν βασιλεις, και εθνων ἡγεμενοι, και δημοι παν ταχε, τοσέτω πλείες εγίνοντο, και κατισχυον σφοδρα.-Contr. Cels. l. vii. p. 349. Cant. p. 713. A. Bened.

* Όπως των ενδιαθηκων γραφων εμνημονευσεν. Η. Ε. lib. vi. cap. 25.

of Origen taken from his exposition of the first Psalm; the latter part of the chapter concerns the books of the New Testament. I shall transcribe this part now at length, though it relates to several parts of the New Testament, and is taken from several pieces of Origen; that so we may have the benefit of Eusebius's connection, if indeed there is any benefit in it.

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Having then recited Origen's catalogue of the scriptures of the Old Testament, Eusebius proceeds: But in the 'first book of his Commentaries upon the gospel of Mat'thew, [Origen,] observing the ecclesiastical canon, de'clares that he knew only four gospels, expressing himself thus: "As I have learned by tradition concerning the 'four gospels, which alone are received without dispute by 'the whole church of God under heaven. The first was ' written by Matthew, once a publican, afterwards an apostle of Jesus Christ; who delivered it to the Jewish believers, composed in the Hebrew language. The second ' is that according to Mark, who wrote it as Peter dictated ' it to him; who therefore also calls him his son in his ca'tholic epistle, 1 Pet. v. 13, saying, " The church which is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you, and so doth Mark my son." The third is that according to Luke, the gospel commended by Paul, published for the 'sake of the Gentile converts. Rom. xvi. 25; 2 Tim. ii. 8. Lastly, that according to John." And in the first book ' of his expositions upon the gospel according to John, the same author speaks thus of the epistles of the apostles: Paul, who was made" an able minister of the New • Testament, not of the letter, but of the spirit; who fully preached the gospel from Jerusalem round about unto Illyricum," did not write to all the churches he had 'taught; and to those, to which he did write, he sent only a few lines, 2 Cor. iii. 6; Rom. xv. 19. Peter, on whom the church of Christ is built," against which the gates of 'hell shall not prevail," has left one epistle [universally]

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• Εν δε τῳ πρωτῳ των εις το κατα Ματθαιον ευαγγελιον, τον εκκλησιασικὸν φυλαττων κανονα, μονα τεσσαρα ειδεναι ευαγγελια μαρτυρεται, ὧδε πως γραφων ὡς εν παραδοσει μαθων περι των τεσσαρων ευαγγελιων, & και μονα αναν τιῤῥητα εςιν εν τῇ ύπο τον ουρανον εκκλησια τι θες ότι πρωτον μεν γεγραπ ται το κατα τον ποτε τελωνην, ύτερον δε αποςολον Ιησε Χριστε Ματθαιον, εκδεδωκότα αυτο τοις απο ιεδαϊσμε πιςεύσασι, γραμμασιν ̔Εβραϊκοις συντεταγ μενον δευτερον δε το κατα Μαρκον, ὡς Πετρος υφηγησατο αυτῷ ποιησαντα ὃν και υἱον εν τη καθολική επισολη δια τετων ώμολογησε φασκων και τρίτον τὸ κατα Λεκαν, το ύπο Παυλ8 επαινέμενον ευαγγελιον, τοις απο των εθνων τεποιηκοτα επι πασι το κατα Ιωαννην. Ibid. p. 226. Β. C.

f Ibid. p. 226. D. 227.