1. After this, it remains for us to investigate whether there was another world before the present world. If it was, was it the same, or a little different from it, or inferior to it, or was there no peace at all, but something like our idea of a future end when the kingdom would be delivered over to God and the Father? The previous world had the same end, but the diverse fall of rational beings prompted God to create this diverse and diverse world. It is also necessary to investigate the possibility of correction for sinners after [the end of] this world. We are talking about a severe and suffering correction through teaching, with the help of which sinners will comprehend the truth following the example of those who in our lives have given themselves over to podvigs and, having purified their minds, have already here received the ability to comprehend divine wisdom. And whether there will not be a general end again after this. Will not a new world[148] appear again for the correction and perfection of the needy, which will be like the present, better, or much worse? And whatever this subsequent world will be, how long will it exist? And will there ever be a time when there will be no peace at all? Or perhaps there was a time when there was no peace at all? Or have there been and will be many more worlds? And does it happen that one world comes out in everything similar to another to the point of indifference.<... >

Kn. 2, ch. 9 3. About the world and the movements of intelligent creatures

1. Now let us return to the discussion of the beginning of creation, no matter how the mind of the Creator, God, contemplates this principle. It must be thought that in this beginning God created a certain number of rational or spiritual creatures (which we have called minds above), as much as He foresaw that could be sufficient. For it should not be thought that there is no end to creatures, as some wish, because where there is no end, there is no knowledge, and no description is possible. If this were so, then God could not contain the created or control it, because the infinite is by nature unknowable. And the Scriptures say that God "arranged all things by measure, number, and weight" (Wis. 11:21), so it is fair to apply quantitative characteristics to rational beings. There are as many of them as can be distributed, managed, and maintained by divine Providence. In accordance with this, it is necessary to apply a measure to matter, which was created by God in such quantities as could be sufficient to adorn the world. So, this is what God created in the beginning, that is, first of all. We think that this is indicated by the beginning which Moses mysteriously introduces when he says: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" (Gen. 1:1). For it is not the firmament or the land that is spoken of here, but of the heaven and earth from which these visible heavens and earth borrow their names.

2. Rational beings were in the beginning created out of nothing, that is, they did not exist before, but (later) began to exist, so that they necessarily received a changeable being, because virtue was not inherent in them by nature, but was produced by the grace of the Creator. And their very being is not their own and not always, but given by God. Everything that is given can be taken away and cease. The reason for this cessation will be that the movements of souls are not directed in accordance with law and truth. For the Creator has given the minds He created voluntary and free movements, of course, so that the good may be their own good, if it is preserved of its own will. But laziness and disinclination to work in the matter of preserving the good, as well as disgust and disdain for the best, laid the foundation for the apostasy from the good. To depart from good means nothing else than to do evil. For it is known that evil is a lack of good. From this it follows that to the extent that someone fell away from good, to the same extent he gave himself up to evil. Consequently, every mind, despising the good, was drawn into the opposite of the good, that is, evil. From this the Creator received certain seeds and causes of difference and variety, so that He created the world different and diverse, according to the difference of minds, i.e., rational creatures, the difference which these creatures received, it must be assumed, for the above reason. And what exactly we call different and diverse, we will now point out.<... >

Kn. 3, ch. 6 5. About the End of the World

2. Although in the end, according to the promise, God will be all and in all, yet it should not be thought on this basis that animals, cattle, or beasts will reach this end. Otherwise, it would be necessary to recognize that God will also be present in animals, cattle and beasts. It is the same with trees and stones, otherwise it would be necessary to say that God will be present in them as well. Nor should it be thought that any vice will reach this end. Otherwise, we would have to say that when God is in everything, then He will also be in some vessel of evil. True, we say that now God is also present everywhere and in everything, since nothing can be free from God. But He is not present in such a way as to make up everything in that in which He is present. Therefore it is necessary to consider more carefully what exactly will be the perfect blessedness and the end of all things, when God will not only be in everything, but will also constitute everything in everything. Let us therefore examine what is this "all" that God will be in all things?<... >

6. All this bodily substance of ours will be brought to this state when everything is restored to its original unity, and God is all in all. But this will not happen suddenly, but gradually over endless and innumerable centuries. Purification and correction will be accomplished gradually and separately for each being. Some will go ahead and will strive for the higher degrees more quickly, others will follow at the closest distance, and others will go far behind. In this way, through many and countless ranks of those who are reunited with God, from the state of enmity, [turn] will come to the last enemy, which is called death, and he will also be destroyed, so that he will no longer be an enemy. When all rational souls are restored to this state, then the nature of this body of ours will be raised to the glory of the spiritual body. We see that rational creatures who have lived in ignominy are no other creatures than creatures who have been called to blessedness for their merits. The same beings who were formerly sinful are later called to blessedness when they are converted and reunited with God. In the same way, we need to think about the nature of the body. The body which we shall use in incorruption, in power, and in glory, will be no other than that which we use now, in humiliation, in corruption, and in weakness; but the same body, freed from the infirmities in which it now exists, will change into a state of glory and become spiritual. That which was a vessel of infamy, after purification will become a vessel of honor and a dwelling place of bliss. In this state, the body will always remain unchanged, according to the will of the Creator. The authenticity of this is confirmed by the saying of the Apostle: "... we have a habitation not made with hands, eternal in heaven" (2 Corinthians 5:1). The faith of the Church does not recognize, as some Greek philosophers do, that in addition to the four elements of which the body is composed, there is a fifth element. After all, on the basis of the Holy Scriptures, no one can even form any assumption about this. In the same way, the very examination of things does not allow us to recognize it, especially since the Apostle clearly determines that those who have risen from the dead are not given any new bodies, but they receive the same bodies that they had in life, [only] transformed from worse to better. He says: "... the natural body is sown, the spiritual body rises: it is sown in corruption, it rises in incorruption; it is sown in weakness, it rises in strength; is sown in humiliation, rises in glory" (1 Corinthians 15:42-44). It is known that man has a certain perfection: at first he is a natural man and does not understand the things of the Spirit of God, and then, by means of teaching, he comes to the point where he becomes spiritual and judges everything, while he himself is not judged by anyone[151]. In the same way, one should think about the state of the body. Now the body serves the soul and is therefore called the soul. But when the soul, united with God, becomes one spirit with Him, then this same body will serve the spirit and, through some improvement, will attain a spiritual state and quality, since the corporeal nature easily assumes the quality that God wills or circumstances require<. >

9. Thus, in the accomplishment and restoration of all things, the work will take place in this way. Gradually prospering and ascending, [the saints] will first reach the land and the knowledge that is in it, in order to prepare themselves here for better institutions, to which nothing can be added. At the same time, after the helpers and rulers, Christ the Lord Himself, the king of all, will receive the kingdom, that is, after teaching by the holy powers, Christ Himself will instruct those who can perceive Him as Wisdom. He will reign over them until they are able to receive God, and God will be all in all things to them. Then the corporeal nature will assume that higher state, to which nothing can be added. Hitherto we have discussed the essence of the corporeal nature or spiritual body. We leave it to the will of the reader to choose what he recognizes as the best. We will end the third book here.<... >

III. The Angelology of Origen. 1, ch. 7

4. Next, it is necessary to consider whether the luminaries were animated with the creation of the bodies, or whether God put souls into them after their bodies were created. I suppose that the spirit is imparted from without, but this supposition still has to be proved from the Holy Scriptures, because it is established on the basis of the testimony of the Scriptures in any case with greater difficulty than with the help of mere conjectures. And by means of conjectures, this proposition can be proved in the following way. If the human soul is not created together with bodies, but is imported from without, then how much more must this be said of the souls of living beings, which are called celestial. As for people, can it be thought that the soul of the one who kicked his brother in the womb, i.e., the soul of Jacob, is formed together with the body? (Gen. 25:22). Was the soul of him created and formed together with the body, who, while still in his mother's womb, was filled with the Holy Spirit? I mean John the Baptist, who leaped in his mother's womb and played with great admiration, when the voice of Mary's greeting reached the ears of Elizabeth his mother (Jacob 1:41). Was the soul of him created and formed together with the body, who was known to God before he was formed in the womb and was sanctified by Him even before he came out of the womb? (Jeremiah 1:5). Of course, it is not without judgment and merit that God fills some people with the Holy Spirit, just as He sanctifies them not without merit. And, indeed, how can we avoid the voice that says: "Is it unrighteousness with God? No way!" (Romans 9:14). Or, "Is there respect of persons with God?" (cf. Rom. 2:11). But it is precisely this conclusion that follows from the proposition which affirms the existence of the soul together with the body.

Therefore all that the reason and authority of the Scriptures show concerning men, must also think of the heavenly [bodies].

5. But let us see if we cannot find in the Holy Scriptures evidence of the heavenly beings themselves. Such a testimony is given by the Apostle Paul: "The creation was subjected to vanity, not of its own free will, but according to the will of him who subjected it; in the hope that the creation itself will be freed from slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God" (Romans 8:20-21). To what vanity, I ask, did the creature submit, what creature, and why not voluntarily, and in what hope? And how will the creation itself be freed from slavery to corruption? In another place the same Apostle says: "Creation awaits with hope the revelation of the sons of God" (Romans 8:19). Again: not only we, but also "the whole creation groans together and is tormented until now" (Romans 8:22). And so, it is still necessary to inquire what this lamentation is, and what kind of suffering is meant here. But first, let us see what is the vanity to which the creation has subdued.

I think that this vanity is nothing but bodies, for although the body of the saints is ethereal, it is still material. That is why Solomon also calls every bodily nature as burdensome in some way and restraining the power of spirits, he says: "Vanity of vanities, said Ecclesiastes. The vanity of vanities is all vanity, with... >I have seen all the works that are done under the sun, and behold, all vanity and anguish of spirit" (Ecclesiastes 1:2; 14). It is to this vanity that creation is subdued, including that which has in its power the greatest and highest authority in this world, i.e. the sun, moon and stars. These luminaries are subject to vanity, they are clothed with bodies and are destined to shine on the human race. "Creation did not submit to vanity of its own free will" (Romans 8:20). In fact, the creation did not accept the service of vanity of its own free will, but because it was the desire of Him who subdued it. For the sake of the Conqueror, Who at the same time promised to the creatures who were unwittingly subject to vanity, that after the service of the great cause, when the time came for the redemption of the glory of the sons of God, they would be freed from slavery to corruption and vanity. Having received this hope and hoping for the fulfillment of this promise, the whole creation now groans together, having love for those whom it serves, and sympathizes with patience, waiting for the promise. See now if the following exclamation of Paul can be applied to these creatures: "I have a desire to depart and be with Christ, because this is incomparably better" (Phil. 1:23). I think that the sun could say in a similar way: "I have a desire to depart and be with Christ, for this is much better." But Paul adds: "But it is more necessary for you to remain in the flesh" (Phil. 1:24). And the sun can say: "It is more necessary to remain in this heavenly and bright body for the sake of the revelation of the sons of God." The same thing must be thought and said about the moon and the stars.<... >

V. The Ethics of Origen. 3, ch. 4 1. On Human Temptations