Origen, in which he is
represented as having invoked an angel to come down from heaven, to
succour him and his fellow-creatures on earth. The passage purports to
be part of Origen's comment on the opening verse of the prophecy of
Ezekiel, "The heavens were opened." After the fullest investigation, and
patient weighing of the whole section, I am fully persuaded, first, that
the passage is an interpolation, never having come from the pen of
Origen; and secondly, that, whoever were its author, it can be regarded
only as an instance of those impassioned apostrophes, which are found in
great variety in the addresses of ancient Christian orators. But since
some of the most respected writers of the Church of Rome have regarded
it as genuine, and deemed it worthy of being cited in evidence, I feel
it incumbent to state at length, for those readers who may desire to
enter at once fully into the question, the reasons on which my judgment
is founded; whilst others, who may perhaps consider the discussion of
the several points here as too great an interruption to the general
argument, may for the present pass this section, and reserve it for
subsequent inquiry.

It will be, in the first place, necessary to quote the whole passage
entire, however long; for the mere extract of that portion which is
cited as Origen's prayer to an {152} angel, might leave a false
impression as to the real merits of the case.

"The heavens are opened. The heavens were closed, and at the coming of
Christ they were opened, IN ORDER THAT THEY BEING LAID OPEN THE HOLY
GHOST MIGHT COME UPON HIM in the appearance of a dove. For he could not
come to us unless he had first descended on one who partook of his own
nature. Jesus ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, he received
gifts for men. He who descended is the same who ascended above all
heavens, that he might fill all things; and he gave some as apostles,
some as prophets, some as evangelists, some as pastors and masters, for
the perfecting of the saints." [Vol. iii. p. 358. Hom. i. in Ezek.]

"[The heavens were opened. It is not enough for one heaven to be opened:
very many are opened, that not from one, but from all, angels may
descend to those who are to be saved; angels who ascended and descended
upon the Son of man, and came to him, and ministered to him. Now the
angels descended because Christ first descended, fearing to descend
before the Lord of all powers and things commanded. But when