I am of opinion, then, so far as appears to me, that the preceding discussion has sufficiently proved that it is neither from want of discrimination, nor from any accidental cause, either that the principalities hold their dominion, or the other orders of spirits have obtained their respective offices; but that they have received the steps of their rank on account of their merits, although it is not our privilege to know or inquire what those acts of theirs were, by which they earned a place in any particular order. (Book I, Chapter 8, Part 4)

Living, writing, and dying in a hierarchical and spiritual age, Origen perceives an ordered universe where reward and punishment is dispensed by a just God.

Living and writing in a more democratic and empirical age, I am skeptical of the entire angelic order.

Moreover, I doubt that free choice will often deserve much merit. It seems to me that even the best of (wo)men depend mostly on the grace of God.