Origen of Alexandria, Against Celsus 8.56
Even if Celsus banishes us from life by his own decree, hoping that our kind may be utterly wiped off the earth, we will live by the laws of the One who created us, by the laws of God, refusing entirely to serve the laws of sin. If we choose, we will hold women in honor, and we will receive children given to us in marriage. And if it is necessary, we will also share in the things of this life, enduring the evils that have been appointed for us as trials of the soul. For it is the custom of divine words to name the things that happen among humans in this way: the human soul, like gold in fire, is tested — either convicted or revealed as admirable. So we have been prepared for the evils Celsus speaks of, so that we too can say: "Test me, Lord, and try me; burn my kidneys and my heart" (Psalm 26:2). Indeed no one "is crowned unless he competes lawfully" here on earth in the body of "humility" (2 Timothy 2:5). Moreover, we do not render the honors thought to be due to those whom Celsus says have been entrusted with authority here. For we "worship the Lord our God and serve Him only" (Matthew 4:10), praying to become imitators of Christ. When the devil said to Him, "I will give You all these things, if You fall down and worship me," He answered, "You shall worship the Lord your God and serve Him only" (Matthew 4:10). That is why we do not render the honors thought to be due to those Celsus says have been entrusted here, since "no one can serve two masters" (Matthew 6:24), and we cannot serve "God and mammon" at the same time, whether mammon is called by one name or many. But also if someone dishonors the lawgiver "through the transgression of the law," it is clear to us that two laws stand opposed to each other: the law of God and the law of mammon. It is more desirable for us "through the transgression of the law" of mammon to dishonor mammon, so that by keeping the law of God we may honor God, rather than "through the transgression of the law" of God to dishonor God, so that by keeping the law of mammon we may honor mammon.
Greek
Κἂν τῷ ἑαυτοῦ οὖν λόγῳ πασσυδὶ ἡμᾶς ἀποπέμπῃ τοῦ βίου ὁ Κέλσος, ἵν᾿, ὡς νομίζει, ἐρημωθῇ πάμπαν ἐπὶ γῆς τὸ τοιοῦτον ἡμῶν γένος, ἀλλ᾿ ἡμεῖς ἐν τοῖς τοῦ κτίσαντος ἡμᾶς κατὰ τοὺς τοῦ θεοῦ βιώσομεν νόμους, οὐδαμῶς δουλεύειν θέλοντες τοῖς τῆς ἁμαρτίας νόμοις. καὶ γυναῖκας. ἐὰν βουλώμεθα, ἀξόμεθα καὶ παῖδας διδομένους ἡμῖν ἐν τοῖς γάμοις ἡμῶν ληψόμεθα. ἐὰν δὲ δέῃ, καὶ τῶν ἐν τῷ βίῳ μεθέξομεν, ἀνεχόμενοι τῶν ἐπιτεταγμένων κακῶν· ὡς πειρασμῶν τῆς ψυχῆς. οὕτως γὰρ ἔθος τοῖς θείοις ὀνομάζειν λόγοις τὰ συμβαίνοντα ἐν ἀνθρώποις· ἐν οἷς ὡς χρυσὸς ἐν πυρὶ ἡ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου βασανιζομένη ψυχὴ ἤτοι ἐλέγχεται ἢ θαυμαστὴ εἶναι ἀναφαίνεται. καὶ οὕτως γε πρὸς ἃ λέγει κακὰ Κέλσος παρεσκευάσμεθα, ὥστε καὶ λέγειν ἡμᾶς· „δοκίμασόν με. κύριε, καὶ πείρασόν με, πύρωσον τοὺς νεφρούς μου καὶ τὴν καρδίαν μου.“ καὶ γὰρ οὐδεὶς „στεφανοῦται, ἐὰν μὴ νομίμως“ ἐνταῦθα καὶ ἐπὶ γῆς μετὰ σώματος τοῦ „τῆς ταπεινώσεως“ „ἀθλήσῃ.“ πρὸς δὲ τούτοις οὐδὲ ἀποδίδομεν τὰς νομιζομένας προσήκειν τιμὰς οἷς λέγει Κέλσος τὰ τῇδε ἐπιτετράφθαι. „κύριον“ γὰρ „τὸν θεὸν“ ἡμῶν προσκυνοῦμεν „καὶ αὐτῷ μόνῳ“ λατρεύομεν, εὐχόμενοι μιμηταὶ Χριστοῦ γίνεσθαι. ὃς τῷ εἰπόντι αὐτῷ διαβόλῳ· „ταῦτά σοι πάντα δώσω, ἐὰν πεσὼν προσκυνήσῃς μοι“ εἶπε τό· „κύριον τὸν θεόν σου προσκυνήσεις καὶ αὐτῷ μόνῳ λατρεύσεις.“ καὶ διὸ τοῦτό γε τὰς νομιζομένας προσήκειν τιμὰς οἷς φησι Κέλσος τὰ τῇδε ἐπιτετράφθαι οὐκ ἀποδίδομεν, ἐπεὶ „οὐδεὶς δύναται δυσὶ κυρίοις δουλεύειν“ καὶ οὐ δυνάμεθα ἅμα „θεῷ δουλεύειν καὶ μαμωνᾷ,“ εἴθ᾿ ὅ τι ποτὲ ἓν ἢ πλείονα καλουμένῳ. ἀλλὰ καὶ εἰ „διὰ τῆς παραβάσεως τοῦ νόμου“ ἀτιμάζει τις τὸν νομοθετοῦντα, σαφὲς ἡμῖν φαίνεται ὅτι δύο νόμων ἐναντιότητα πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἐχόντων. τοῦ νόμου τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ τοῦ νόμου τοῦ μαμωνᾶ. αἱρετώτερον ἡμᾶς „διὰ τῆς παραβάσεως τοῦ νόμου“ τοῦ μαμωνᾶ τὸν μαμωνᾶν ἀτιμάζειν, ἵνα διὰ τῆς τηρήσεως τοῦ νόμου τοῦ θεοῦ τὸν θεὸν τιμήσωμεν, ἢ „διὰ τῆς παραβάσεως τοῦ νόμου“ τοῦ θεοῦ τὸν θεὸν ἀτιμάζειν, ἵνα τηρήσει τοῦ νόμου τοῦ μαμωνᾶ τὸν μαμωνᾶν τιμήσωμεν.