Philonos Ioudaiou Syngrammata / Omnia Quae Extant Opera (1691 Greek)

or dare beyond one's strength: not that we bring forward anything of our own privately, but from many things a few, which it is lawful to penetrate to the human mind, drawn by love and desire for wisdom. For just as the likenesses of Colossi are expressed even in a small ring: so perhaps even the outstanding beauty of the scripture declaring the creation of the world, striking the minds of readers with a certain splendor, will be told in a mediocre style: if they are first admonished of that which it would be worth the effort to be admonished of.

B For some, having admired the world more than its creator, assert that this [the world] is unmade and eternal: but they lie impiously that God dwells in deep leisure: when they should have, on the contrary, admired the power of this one as creator and parent, and not venerated the other beyond measure.

C But Moses, having reached the height of philosophy, and taught by oracle concerning the chief secrets of nature, noticed that two things are necessary in existence: one the active cause, the other that which is affected by the agent. Furthermore, that active [cause] is the mind of this universe, most sincere and most immense, more excellent than virtue or knowledge, indeed than the highest good itself and the highest beauty itself. The other, however, is that which is subject to passion, inanimate and immobile by its own nature, moved, formed, and animated by that mind, having been rendered a most absolute work.

D But those who deny that the world was made do not notice that they take away that which is most useful in life and most necessary to piety, namely providence. For reason teaches that the workmanship is not neglected by its creator and parent. For the father acts so that his progeny may remain, and likewise the creator provides for the longevity of the things created by him, warding off whatever seems about to bring damage or harm, providing in all ways against whatever is useful and convenient.

E But that which is not made has no connection with him who did not make it. But it is an absurd and useless opinion to introduce the world as a republic without a magistrate, over which no prefect, no governor, no judge presides, whom it might befit to dispense and govern all things. But that great Moses, thinking that the visible thing is distant by a very long interval from the unmade: since whatever is subject to the senses is subject to generation and change, it never remains in the same state: with the invisible and mind

Α the godly [task] and one must dare to speak beyond one's strength, not from oneself, but a few things instead of many, to which it is likely that the human mind reaches, being possessed by love and longing for wisdom. For just as even the smallest seal, when stamped, receives the impressions of colossal sizes, so perhaps the outstanding beauties of the creation of the world recorded in the laws, shadowing the souls of those encountering it with their sparkles, will be shown by smaller characters, when that is indicated first, which it is not worth keeping silent.

Β For some, having admired the world more than the cosmogony, declared it to be unbegotten and eternal; but they impiously lied about the great inactivity of God; whereas it was necessary to be struck on the contrary by the powers as of a creator and father, and not to revere the other more than is moderate.

C But Moses, having reached the very height of philosophy, and having been taught by oracles the many and most connective [things] of nature, knew indeed that it is most necessary among existing things, that one is the active cause, the other the passive; and that the active is the mind of the whole, most sincere and most pure, and better than virtue, and better than knowledge, or better than the good itself and the beautiful itself. The passive, however, is inanimate and motionless from itself, but having been moved and shaped and animated by the mind, it changed into the most perfect work.

D But those who say that the world is unbegotten, have escaped notice that they are cutting off the most useful and most necessary [part] of the things that come to piety, providence. For reason chooses that the father and maker takes care of that which is created. For a father cares for his offspring, and a creator for the things created, [aiming] at their persistence; and he pushes away by every machine [device] whatever is harmful and damaging; and whatever is useful and profitable, he desires to provide in every way.

E But toward that which is not begotten, there is no affinity to the one who has not made it. It is an indefensible and useless dogma to construct anarchy as in a city for this world, not having an overseer, or an umpire, or a judge, by whom it is lawful for all things to be managed and governed. But the great Moses, thinking that the unbegotten is most alienated from the visible; for all that is perceptible, being in generation and changes, never [remains] in the same [state]