In Defense of the True Church of God, Treatise · Section 6
Of Origen.
Origen recytyng the examples and ſentences of the Apoſtles,Origen was Bi…hop of Alexan…ria. Anno 235 …n ſome points …e is a witnes …rofitable. and of the auncient Churches, is a witneſſe very profitable for the poſterity concerning ſome articles touching the Trinity, touching the twoo natures in Chriſt touching Baptiſing of Infantes, Originall ſinne, vſe of the Lordes ſupper, and certeine other things.
But he hath mixed many falſe and abſurde opinions with his writinges,With his wri…ings he mixed …any falſe and …ſurde opini…ns. whereof ſome were diſallowed euen in his tyme. Hee fayned, or imagined that before this world there were many moe worldes. Hee imagigined; that the tormentes ordayned for Diuels, and damned perſons ſhould hauehave an end. Theſe thinges did that his age reprehend, and diſalowe.
VponUpon the Romanes 3. Where hee handleth this propoſition: Wee are iuſtified by fayth, not by woorkes, Hee vnderſtandeth by a figure Synecdoche, wee are iuſte by fayth, that is too ſay, through a perfect fayth conteyning all vertues, that he declareth: he ſaith the ſame may be ſpoken of other vertues: as by mercy wee are iuſt, namely beyng perfect comprehending all other vertues. This is to ſay none other thing,Origen Error touching righteouſnes. but that men may by reaſon of theyr woorkes and vertues hauehave remiſſion of ſinnes, and are iuſte. And when they doe not diligently conſider what Saynt Paule goeth about,His error touching workes and vertues. what hee calleth Fayth, what that excluſiue particle (not of woorkes) meaneth, he addeth heerein confuſed and troubleſom interpretations, neither doth he agree with himſelfe.
For, ſometimes hee vttereth ſome one tollerable ſaying, but the ſame doeth hee afterwardes corrupte: Like as that in the fourth to the Romanes where he thus argueth that the beginning of iuſtificatiō from God, is fayth, which beleeueth in hym that iuſtifieth,… fault in Origen where he afterwardes corrupteth that which before he applyed wel. and this faith when ſhe is iuſtified, a…ideth firme in the grounde of the ſoule, as the roote of a tree beeyng watered with a ſhewre, that when by the lawe of God it beginneth too bee tilled, ſtreight way out of the ſame there ſpringes braunches which beare the frutes of woorkes. Not therefore out of woorkes, the roote of righteouſnes, but frō the roote, the fruite of woorkes doth growe, that is to ſay, from the roote of righteouſnes wherby God accepteth righteouſnes without woorkes.
In the 3. cap.He alle…geth …ſtification by …aith. Rom. where he intreateth vppon this ſentence, Where is then thy glorying? hee nowe ſeemeth to come nearer vntoo the minde of Saint Paule: he graunteth this excluſiue particle, that Men by fayth onelyonly are iuſtified: and he alleageth the theefe vponupon the croſſe, and the women mencioned by S. Luk cap. 28. Thy fayth hath ſaued thee. But after declaring theſe thinges, he ſeemeth thus too meane, that a man at the beginning doeth obtayne remiſſion of ſinnes by faith onelyonly. Afterwardes that he is iuſt through other vertues, like as he ſayeth afterwardes: Faith is reputed for righteouſneſſe vntounto him which is conuerted, but afterwardes righteouſneſſe is rekoned vntounto righteouſneſſe.
Furthermore there is a meruailous varietie and doubtfulneſſe of his interpretation, although he graunteth in the beginning,Variety in hys interpretation. that Man may obtaine remiſſion of ſinnes onelyonly by Fayth, yet notwithſtanding if afterwardes he imagine, that ſuch as are conuerted, be without ſinne, by reaſon of other vertues: hee then diſagreeth from Saint Paule and the reſt of diuine Scriptures, according to that ſaying of Dauid, No man lyuing ſhall be iuſtified in thy ſight. Pſal. 143. Agayne, If we ſay, wee hauehave no ſinne. &c. 1 Iohn 1.
In ye 7. Chap. he ſaieth playnely, that the holy ones doe reſemble in thēſelues the perſon of others, when they attribute ſinne vntounto thē ſelues, as it is manyfeſt in Daniel. His corrupting of ſentences greeuouſly erronyous.Not in our righteouſneſſe, but in thy mercy, thou wilte heare vsus. Suche like ſentences doth hee corrupt, and teacheth either truſt in a mans own righteouſneſſe, or els deſperation.
Chap. 3. Ro. he ſaith Without the law is the righteouſneſſe of God made manifeſt. That is to ſay, without the naturall lawe: there are newe lawes giuen vsus in the Goſpel, as that which is mencioned in Matth. 6. Let not the right hande knowe what the lefte hande doeth. This lawe, (ſaith he) was before vnknowne: Agayne: the lawe is ſpirituall. He vnderſtandeth onelyonly touching the allegory, that is ceremonies hauehave their allegorie,Origen vnderſtandeth the holy Ghoſt amiſſe. and oftentimes hee vnderſtandeth the holy Ghoſt amiſſe, not conceauing of the motions of the holy Ghoſt, but onelyonly of the allegoricall interpretation or meaning.
In the eight chapter, that which was impoſſible vntounto the Law, bycauſe it was weakened through the fleſh, he applieth the fleſhe vntounto the Lawe: the fleſhe of the Lawe was weakened, that is, ceremonies were impoſſible, vnprofitable. &c. But S. Paule meaneth the fleſh, the nature of man, The lawe was weakened by fleſhe, that is, it coulde not bee fulfilled by humane nature. Theſe places doe ſhewe that Origen ranne clene beſide the high way, and did not vnderſtand here what Saint Paul meant.
I could collect many light or ſiēder matters, as where he ſayth,Note his error in preferring Peter aboue all the reſt of the Apoſtles. Mat. 16. Mat. 20. That Peter excelled the reſt, becauſe it is ſayde vntounto him in the plural number: it ſhall be looſed in the heauens, and to al the whole cōpany of the Apoſtles it is ſayd in the ſinguler nūber, it ſhall be looſed in heauen. But theſe trifles I let paſſe, yet it proficeth the learned and ſuch as apply their iudgementes to reade the auncient writinges: firſt by reaſon of hiſtoricall teſtimonies, & thē bicauſe the cōference of them, ſharpneth the wits & exerciſeth the ſtudious. So ſhal the reading of Origen profite them, which before are rightly inſtructed, & doe holde faſt the ſumme & principles of chriſtian doctrine.