--- title: "On the Unchangeableness of God" author: "Philo of Alexandria" translator: "C. D. Yonge" languages: [en] shelf: "Second Temple" section: 2 of 15 url: https://scriptura.si/works/philo-tlg008-yonge-ogl/2/ cite: "Philo of Alexandria, tr. C. D. Yonge, On the Unchangeableness of God, section 2. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/philo-tlg008-yonge-ogl/2/" --- # On the Unchangeableness of God *Philo of Alexandria, tr. C. D. Yonge* ## 2. Section 13 Source: https://scriptura.si/works/philo-tlg008-yonge-ogl/2/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/philo-tlg008-yonge-ogl/2/#p-N [¶0] It is therefore not incredible that the barren woman, not being one who is incapable of becoming fruitful, but one who is still vigorous and fresh, striving for the chief reward in the arena of fortitude, patience, and perseverance, may bring forth a seven, equal in honour to the unit, of which numbers, nature is very productive and prolific. ### Section 14 [¶2] And she says, that "she that had many children has become weak," speaking accurately and very plainly. For when the soul, although only one, brings forth many children when separated from the one, it then naturally becomes infinite in number; and then being weighed down and overwhelmed by the multitude of children who depend upon it, (and the greatest part of them are premature and abortive), it becomes weak. ### Section 15 [¶4] For it brings forth the desire of forms and colours, as gratified by the eyes, and the pleasures arising from sound, as gratified by the ears. It is pregnant 1 Samuel ii. 5. also of the pleasures of the belly and of the parts beneath the belly, so that, as many children are attached to it, it becomes exhausted by bearing this heavy burden, and drops its hands from weakness, and faints away. And in this way it comes to pass that all those things are subdued which bring forth perishable children to themselves, who are likewise perishable. ### Section 16 [¶6] But some persons, through their self-love, have incurred not only defeat but even death also. At all events Onan, "knowing that the seed should not be his," Genesis xxxviii. 9. did not desist from injuring the rational principle, which is the best thing in kind of all existing things, until he himself met with utter destruction. And this, too, very properly and deservedly; ### Section 17 [¶8] for if some men do all things for the sake of themselves alone, not with a view to the honour of their parents, or the proper regulation of their children, or the salvation of their country, or the guardianship of the laws, or the preservation of good morals, or with a view to the due performance of any public or private duty, or of a proper celebration of sacred rites, or the pious worship due to the gods, they will be deservedly miserable. ### Section 18 [¶10] For the sake of one of the objects which I have mentioned, it is glorious even to quit life itself. But these men say that, unless they are likely to gain some pleasure by the pursuit of them, they would disregard the whole lot of them— glorious objects as they are. Therefore, the incorruptible God banishes the wicked exposition of unnatural opinion, which is named Onan. ### Section 19 [¶12] And altogether these persons are to be detested who beget children for themselves, that is to say, who, pursuing their own private advantage alone, disregard all other objects, as if they had been born for themselves alone, and not for ten thousand other persons also, for their fathers, and their mothers, and their wives, and their children, and their country, and for all mankind. And if we must go further and add any thing to this enumeration, we may say for heaven, and earth, and the whole universe, and for the sciences, and for the virtues, and for the Father and Ruler of all; to every one of which a man ought to pay what is due to the best of his power, not looking upon all the world as an addition to himself, but on himself as an addition to the rest of the world. Genesis xxxviii. 9. ### Section 20 [¶14] However, we have said enough on this head; let us now connect what follows with it:— "the Lord God, therefore," says Moses, "seeing that the wickedness of man was multiplied upon the earth, and that every one of them was carefully studying wickedness in his heart all his days; God considered in his mind that he had made man upon the earth, and he thought upon it; and God said, I will destroy man whom I have made from off the face of the earth." Genesis vi. 5. ### Section 21 [¶16] Perhaps some very wicked persons will suspect that the lawgiver is here speaking enigmatically, when he says that the Creator repented of having created man, when he beheld their wickedness; on which account he determined to destroy the whole race. But let those who adopt such opinions as these know, that they are making light of and extenuating the offences of these men of old time, by reason of their own excessive impiety; ### Section 22 [¶18] for what can be a greater act of wickedness than to think that the unchangeable God can be changed? And this, too, while some persons think that even those who are really men do never hesitate in their opinions, for that those, who have studied philosophy in a sincere and pure spirit, have derived as the greatest good arising from their knowledge, the absence of any inclination to change with the changes of affairs, and the disposition, with all immovable firmness and sure stability, to labour at every thing that it becomes them to pursue. ### Section 23 [¶20] And it seems good to the lawgiver that the perfect man should should desire tranquillity; for it was said to the wise man in the character of God, "But stand thou here with me," Deuteronomy v. 31. this expression showing the unchangeable and unalterable nature of the mind which is firmly established in the right way; ### Section 24 [¶22] for it is really marvellous when any one touches the soul, like a lyre tuned in musical principles, not with sharp and flat sounds, but with an accurate knowledge of contrary tones, and employing only the best, not sounding any too loudly, nor on the other hand letting any be too weak, so as to impair the harmony of the virtues and of those things which are good by nature, and when he, preserving it in an equal condition plays and sings melodiously; ### Section 25 [¶24] for this instrument nature has made to be the most perfect of all, and to be the model of all instruments made by the hand. And if this Genesis vi. 5. Deuteronomy v. 31. be properly tuned, it will utter the most exquisite of all symphonies, which consists not in the combination and tones of a melodious voice, but in a harmonious agreement of all the actions in life;