In fragments in the gospel of John XI (concerning John 1:16), we read the following:
Τών άρετών τό μέν
οϊκοθεν έχομεν καί παρ' έαυτών, ο προαιρετικώς κτώμεθα, τό δε έκ θεού,
πιστεύσαντες γούν τώ σωτήρι καί τω πατρί αύτου ως ενεδέχετο έκ τού έφ' ήμιν
γενέσθαι, λείπεται ήμιν καί τό έκ θεου αίτεϊν, καθώς καί οί μαθηταί Ίησού φασίν
αύτφ» Πρόσθες ήμιν πίστινς, ή γάρ λέξις ή >>Πρόσθες<< σημαίνει
άπαιτεϊν αύτούς θεοδώρητον πίστιν πρός ή είχον προαιρετικώς, αμέλει καί ο
Παϋλος γράφων φησί> Κατ' αναλογίαν πί >στεως της ενούσης έκ του έφ' ήμιν
τάς δωρεάς τού πνεύματος δίδοσθαι»Ετέρφ δίδοται πίστις, φησίν, εν τφ αύτώ
πνεύματις. εί δε πίστις δίδοταί τινι κατά αναλογίαν ής έχει πίστεως, φανερόν
ότι τη έφ' ήμιν κατορθωθείση ή θεόπεμπτος παραγίνεται πίστις. άπερ δε περί
πίστεως είρηται, λεκτέον καί περί τών λοιπών άρετών. επεί ούν ή άρετή χάρις
έστι κεχαριτωμένον ποιούσα τον έχοντα, όταν ήμιν προαιρετικώς κατορθωθή
αύτή, τηνικαύτα τό έκ θεού παραγίνεται, και τουτό έστι το δίδοσθαι παρά θεο
χάριν άντί χάριτος. (Origen, Fragments on John, XI, in Origenes Werke, ed. Erwin
Preuschen [Leipzig: J. C. Hinrichs,1903], 4:493-94)
Of the desirable
things we have, there are those that come from our own household and among
ourselves—that is, what we obtain by our own predestined (or chosen)
condition—and there is that which is from God. Having believed in the Savior
and in His Father, inasmuch as it was granted that this should come upon us
from what is already present with us, it remains for us also to ask for that
which is from God. Just as the disciples of Jesus speak of Him, “Add to us
faith” (for the word “add” signifies demanding from them a faith bestowed by
God according to what they had received by predestination), and Paul, writing,
says, “According to the measure of the faith that is in us, the gifts of the
Spirit are given.” He adds that faith is given in the same Spirit; and if faith
is given to someone in proportion to the faith he has, then it is evident that
by what is already upon us the God-sent (or divinely appointed) faith will be
accomplished. But as far as faith is concerned, this has already been spoken—so
too must it be said of the other desirable things. Now, since the virtue of
grace exists, having been fully endowed with grace and thereby working
on the one who possesses it—when this has been accomplished for us by
predestination—the very thing that comes from God is thereby manifested; and
this is that which is given by God as grace in place of grace.
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