A View of Antiquity Presented, Part 5

A View of Antiquity Presented · Part 5

p. 111Tertullianus.

HE stiles himself in the Titles prefixed to his Books by the name of Quintus Septimius Florens Tertullianus; Pamel. in vitâ Tertull.perhaps to distinguish himself from some others, whose names did in part agree with his own. For his Country, he was an African, and had for the place of his Birth there the famous City of Carthage, foreign (as it's called by Strabo) Rome's Corrival,Geograph. lib. 10. Hist. natural. lib. 15. cap. 18. de terrarum orbe aemula (saith Pliny) that contended with it for the Empire of the world. And 'tis observed as memorable, that in his time two of his Countrymen held the places of highest Dignity both Civil and Ecclesiastical,Pamel. ibi… viz. Septimius Severus and Victor, both Africans, the one being Emperour, and the other Bishop of Rome.

His Father was a Centurion,Hieron. in catalog. … one of eminent Rank, as bearing the office of a Proconsul, who took care to have his Son from his tender years to be well educated, and trained up in the Schools;Baron. ad an. 197. §. 18. where, having a pregnant wit and excellent parts, he proved a notable proficient, and soon attained unto such a measure of knowledge in Philosophy and all kind of Learning, that he was by all esteemed for one of the most exquisite and best accomplished Scholars of his time.

p. 112He for some years professed and taught the art of Rhetorick in Carthage with approbation and applause;Sixt. Senens. lib. 3. from which, after a while he proceeded to the practice of the Law (to the study whereof he had formerly applied himself, and became well skilled therein, as Eusebius testifieth, stiling him a man well experienced in the Roman Laws) accuratâ legum (inquit Nicephorus) & actorum Rom… norum peritiâ clarus) performing the office of an Advocate,Lib. 2. cap. 2. in pleading the causes of such Clients as entertained him,Lib. 2. cap. 8. with much dexterity. But he is designed unto a more high and honourable employment, viz. to plead the cause of God, and to publish the glorious mysteries of the Gospel: in order whereunto the divine goodness finds out a way for the translating of him from the School of the world into the Shool of Christ, by his conversion from Gentilism to Christianity.

As touching the time and manner thereof, though nothing be lef… upon Record, either by himself, or others directly pointing it out, and acquainting us therewith; yet are then some things to be found from whence it may be probably conjectured, that it fell out while he was yet but young, and in the prime of his years. For

1. He wrote a Treatise of the troubles attending Marriage, cum adhuc esset adoleseens, when (saith Ierom) he was but a young man: yet Baronius conceives it most likely to have been done by him after his conversion;Advers. Jovinian. lib. 1. Ad an. 197. § 19. for (saith he) I cannot think that Ierom would have directed Eustochium (whom he wished to read that Book of his) unto the writing… p. 113of an Heathen for her instruction in that particular.

2. Ierom and others report concerning him,In catalog. Nicephor. lib. 4. c. 34. that he continued an orthodox Presbyter in the Church, usque ad statam mediamque aetatatem, unto his middle age; and afterwards fell away unto the Heresie of the Montanists: but now evident it is, that he wrote the most of his Books before that time, to the doing whereof, and furnishing for such a work, a great deal of time must needs be requisite. In the judgment of Pamelius, In vitâ Ter-Tertull.and according to his computation, he became a Christian in the third year of the Reign of Severus, in which also he is of opinion, that he wrote his Book de P…llio, or of the Cloak; and so continued year after year to put forth some or other of his Labours unto the time of his defection, which fell out in the eighteenth year of that Emperour's Reign: so that he remained in the Church after his conversion about fifteen years before he arrived unto his middle age, and therefore could be of no great age when first he gave up his name to Christ.

That which gave the occasion of his relinquishing the Heathenish,In Apolog. and embracing the Christian Religion, some conceive (taking a hint hereof from a passage of his own) to have been this,Pamel. in vitâ Tertull. viz. that the Devils being sometimes adjured, did, though unwillingly, confess that they were the Gods of the Gentiles. This put him upon the search and study of the Scriptures, whose great antiquity (as transcending all other writings in this regard) asserted their authority, and the truth of the predictions contained in them (testified by p. 114answerable events) was a sufficient argument of their Divinity: which two, duly considered, could not but prove strong inducements to perswade him, that the Doctrine and Religion therein taught and discoursed, must needs be the truest, and above any other most worthiest to be believed and embraced: To which he added, as no small help hereunto, the diligent perusal of those writings of his Predecessors, wherein they had testified against the Gentiles their profane practices and abominable Idolatries.

Having after his conversion spent some time in Carthage (where he was promoted unto the degree and office of a Presbyter) he afterward came to Rome, Euseb. lib. 2. cap. 2.in which City he was had in great estimation,Clericorum nominatissimis Romanae urbis. Opus detemporib. mundi. being famous among those learned men who flourished there at that time. Upon what occasion he came to Rome, and how long he made his abode there is uncertain:In vitâ Tertull. Pamelius conceives th… his Book de coronâ militis was there writte… in the sixteenth year of Severus, in the eighteenth year of whose Reign he made his defection from the Church, upon which he was excommunicated, and consequently in al… likelyhood then left that place, returning again unto Carthage. But how long or short soever his continuance was there, it prove… too long for him, in regard of the mischi… that there betided him; for in this place … was, that he split and dashed himself upon the Rock of Montanism, either through … overlargeness of the Sails of self-conceit, … the impetuous gusts of his own passions.

p. 115Ierom and divers other Historians do agree in this,In catalog. cent. Rhenan Platina. Nicephor, &c. that his defection took beginning from the envy conceived against, and contumelies cast upon him by the Romish Clergy; moved hereunto, either by his Learning and Virtue (wherein haply he might go beyond and outshine them,Cent. 3. cap. 10. and so seem to detract from their worth, and eclipse their Glory) or for that being extremely studious of continence and chastity,Pa…el. in vitâ. they thought him to lean toward, and too much favour (though closely) the Heresie of Montanus: or lastly, because in some of his Books he had too sharply reprehended the vices which he had observed among them: hereupon, being a man of a cholerick and violent spirit, impatient and unable to brook and bear such injuries (Cum ingenio & calamo omnia vinceret, Scultet … Medull.impatientiam vincere non potuit, inquit Scultet. Miserrimus ego (inquit Tertullianus ipse) semper aeger caloribus impatientiae, Lib. de patient.patientiae sanitatem suspicem necesse est) he openly joyned himself unto that Sect, which being once faln to, he as zealously laboured to defend and plead for, as he had formerly opposed it; proving as vehement an adversary of the Orthodox, as he had been of the Hereticks. Some conceive the occasion of his fall might be,Pamel. in vit…. concil. tom. 1 Binnii notae invit. Victor. because that after the death of Agrippinus he suffered a repulse, and was put by the Bishoprick of Carthage: Rhenan. in argument. lib. Tertull. advers. Valentinian.(Sic Valentinus, cum cujusdam Ecclesiae Episcopatum ambiret, & ipsius non fuisset habita ratio, offensus hac re, veteris cujusdom opinionis praestigias adversus orthodoxos docere caepit, hoc videlicet pacto sui contemptum ulturus) whereunto may be added as a step to p. 116his fall, that he was a man of an easie belief, and of no great judgement,Baron. ad an. 201. controvers. Tract. 2. q. 23. § 23. (saith Rivet) insomuch as he was apt to give credit unto the feigned Relations of every silly woman, and to prefer them before the most certain and Catholick Doctrines.

These things thus making way for it, the work became the more facile and easie;Baron. ad an. 201. § 10. 11. whereof one Proclus was the unhappy instrument, reputed a most eloquent man and one of the more moderate followers of Montanus: with this Man being then at Rome Tertullian grew familiar, having him in admiration for his eloquence and Virgin old age: ut, Proculus (inquit) nostrae Virginis senectae & Christians eloquentiae dignitas: loqui autem eum de P… culo seu Proclo Montanistâ apparet, Lib. advers. Valentinianinquit P… melius, de quo suprà auctor lib. de praescri…. advers. haeretic. Proclus making his advantage hereof,In annotat. in loc. soon deceived him, telling him that the Doctrine which he professed, he had received not from Man, but from the Paracle… that descended first upon Montanus: Baron. …ibid.he highly commended chastity, injoyned fasting to be observed in the strictest manner, as by the instinct of the spirit, multiplyed watchings and prayers, and so much extolled martyrdom that he held it unlawful to fly, or use a… means for the preservation of life. What … thus confidently taught and delivered, was …greedily taken in by Tertullian, in so much … he quickly became giddy, yea even drunk… with his Fanatical opinions; which as he entertained with facility, so did he retain the… with pertinacy: in whom we find this verified; that eminent gifts may occasion a … p. 117fall, but cannot keep him from falling: it being Grace alone that makes the soul steddy, and secures it against all the impetuous blasts of temptation.

Great par…s expose men to hazard.

1. Through pride, which is too often the companion of them, and begotten by them: hence they soar aloft, prying into things secret, not content to walk in the common and safe road: they would (as he, Acts 8. 9.) be some body more than ordinary; and so transcending the limits of sobriety, they do foreign: upon which precipice being once gotten, they soon fall into the snare of the Devil.

2. Through envy, which for the most part follows them, as the shadow the substance: this blasting their reputation, and being as a dead fly in the pot of their precious ointment; they betake them unto factions: chusing rather to side with the erroneus in esteem, then with the orthodox in disgrace.

3. Through ambition, they would fain be as eminent in place as in parts: accounting themselves injured when others are preferred before them: hence it comes to pass, that sometime in way of discontent and by way of revenge, they have deserted, yea set themselves against the truth, because they would make opposition against those that have stood in their way, and crost them in their expectations.

By this means he lost both his repute, and also his place in the Church, which excommunicated and owned him no longer. Hence also it came to pass,Hilar. in Math. …. that having erred so fouly, his writings were of little authority p. 118and lost much of their esteem: being prohibited to be read by Gelasius: Gratian. par. 1. distinct. 15.and because absurd opinions were in them,Cent. 3. c. 10. mingled with other things, they were by the orthodox condemned and reckoned in the number of Apocryphal books.Rivet. crit. sac. He was (saith Bellarmine) an arch Heretick, and in matters dogmatical of very small account: Ierom therefore being by Helvidius prest with the authority of Tertulian: Tom. 2. Epist. 1.in his heat thus …oundly replies; I say no more of him but that he was no man of the Church. Nevertheless, that especially for which he was adjudged and proceeded against as an Heretick, was this, that betaking him to the Cataphrygians or Montanists, Augustin. de haeres. c. 86.(whom before he had opposed) he began to condemn second marriages (contrary to the Doctrine of the Apostle, 1 Tim. 5. 14.) as no better then fornication:Praefat. ant. opera Tert. which opinion he was the rather moved to embrace, (saith Rhenanus) because he thought that the last day (which elegantly he calls diem expeditionis lib. 1. ad uxorem.) was near at hand,Rhenan. in argument. in Tertul. exhort. ad castitat. as also did Ierom and other of the Ancients grounding upon that of the Apostle, 1 Cor. 7. 29. … time is short, Hoc tum Apostolis, tum …ypriano (in exhortat.it remaineth that they that … wives, be as though they had none. … hereto he added (which compleated his fault) that being divided from the Cataphrygians, Martyri… quoniam inquit, in fine …he … length gathered conventicles of his own, and became the Authour of that s…ct, which from p. 119him are called and known by the name of Tertullianists.August. de haeres. c. 86.

Doubtless the fall of this worthy Man struck a very great fear with admiration into the hearts of the faithful,Baron ad an. 216. § 17. when they saw one so eminent, and learned, such a lover of truth, and in every regard so accomplished, to miscarry.

In this sad condition did he remain unto the end of his life, for ought that appears in History to the contrary: which mentions his fall, but not his rise and recovery: herein greatly to be pittied, that having with so much zeal and strength maintained the Doctrine of Christianity against the adversaries thereof, he should at length unworthily desert the truth, and become a champion of the grossest errours.Gal. 2. 1….Gal 2:1 It is iniquity, and maketh a Man a transgressor, to build again the things which he had destroyed,Gal. 3. 3.Gal 3:3 and a point of greatest folly to begin in the spirit,1 Cor. 10. 12.1 Cor 10:12 but to end in the flesh; let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall.

Yet I shall not omit to give you the judgement and charitable thoughts of the learned Daille concerning him;Treatise of the use of the Fath…rs lib. 2. cap. 4. We are to take notice (saith he) that his Montanism put no separation at all betwixt him and other Christians, save only in point of Discipline, which he, according to the severity of his nature, would have to be most harsh and rigorous:Vid. lib. de Mon. cap. 2. Et li. contr. Psych. cap. …. S… also Meri… Casaubon, it's true he bacame a M…nt…nist or was … so at least; though in very deed he never was of his Congre…ation or Belief, generally: but in matter of private Revelations only. Treatise of Enthusias…. for as for his Doctrine, it is very evident, that p. 120he constantly kept to the very same rule, and the same Faith that the Catholicks did. And this is evident enough, out of all those books which were written by him, during the time of his being a Montanist: wherein he never disputeth or contendeth about any thing, save only about Discipline.

§ 2. He is a very ancient Authour, nea… neighbour unto the Apostles times,Rhenan. in praefat. & in annotat. in lib. de cor. milit. item in arg…m. in li. de carne Christi. primus Latinorum qui quidem extet. the very first among all the Latin Fathers, and Ecclesiastical Writers, whose works are come to our hands, then whom the Christian World scarce hath an Elder: who preceeded all the Councils, (those in the Acts only excepted) and the first that strenuously asserted and vindicated the Doctrines of the Gospel against all the cunning cavils and bold attempts of prophane Hereticks.Theologus Aventi… annal. Rhenan. in praefat.

He was a Man of a sharp wit, and vehement spirit,Hieronym. in catalog. very bold and undaunted, which he notably discovered in his plea and Apology for the Christians, wherein he budgeth not a jot from that constancy that became him,Zeph. in argum in apogoletic. not caring and little curious to curry favour, as knowing well he had a just and honest cause in hand. Vehementi ardore magnoque affectu pro orthodoxâ religione scribit, Rhenan. in argu…. in lide patient.disputa…, pugnat, ut liqueat, eum nihil fingere, verae pietatis atque Martyrii amantibus semper gratissimus. … institut. lib. 5. … 1.So accomplisht was he and exactly skilful in all kind of Learning,…. Mag… as no Man more in the judgement of Ierom; in so much as he accounted that what himself had, was but very little in comparison:Epist. 128. also I pray (saith he to Fabiola) ne meam … p. 121comparetis: compare not my drop to his stream: Rhenan. in praefat.vir undecunque doctissimus: being excellently insighted into Philosophy,Cent. 3. c. 10. a most accurate disputant, throughly exercised in the Art of Rhetorick, and most compleatly furnished with the knowledge of all Antiquity. He had diligently perused all sorts of Authors (a large Catalogue whereof is set down by Pamelius) Grammarians,Pamel. in vitâ. Poets, Historians, Philosophers, Mathematicians, Orators, Civilians, &c. from whence this industrious and busie Bee, as from so many flowers, gathered that honey wherewith his Hive was so replenished. He was no less acquainted with the Greek, then with the Latin Tongue, as appears from his being conversant in Authors as well Greek as Latin (the most of Ecclesiasticks that had gone before him, having written in Greek.) Shortly,In praefat. in Hilarium. in the judgement of Erasmus, he was inter Latinos Theologus multò omnium doctissimus.

After his conversion he bent his studies to Divinity, and spent night and day in reading not only Ecclesiastical Writers, but chiefly the sacred Scriptures,Pamel. in vitâ. wherein his books shew him to be more than ordinarily versed: in citing whereof he follows the Interpretation of the Septuagint in the old Testament, and the Greek Text in the new: in translating whereof in a peculiar manner and different from all others, it's very manifest that he was no mean Grecian but familiarly acquainted with that Tongue. He had a notably faculty in teaching, and could do much that way wherein as also in writing,Cent. 3. c. 10. he excelled both in fulness and gravity: yet would he sometimes p. 122have such sprinklings of the salt of his wit among;Erasm. in prolegom. a…te Grigen. Cent. 3. c. 10. as that he would move laughter in his Auditors with his merry conceits: whom herein Ierom too often imitates.

He was as eminent and as exemplary in his life as other ways, non loquitur solùm magna, Rhenan. argum. in lib. de patient.verùm etiam indubiè vixit, not only speaking great things, but without doubt acting and living accordingly: as Minutius Felix his contemporary; in his Octavio: speaks of the Christians of that time,Danzus. in Aug. de haeres. cap. 86. non eloquimur magn…, sed vivimus. Of a comely behaviour, innocent and harmless, ubique, mirum, magnumque animi Zelum in Deum spirat: full of zeal toward God and of great austerity, insomuch as his over-valuing of continence, watchings, fastings,Baro. ad an. …01. §. 8. &c. gave Proclus his Seducer no small advantage, and became one of those baits whereby he was at length insnared. These things had made his name and memory sweet and precious amongst Men unto this day, had not the dead fly corrupted and marr'd the savour of the fragrant oyntment.

Let Vincentius Lyrniensis be heard, (an ancient Father too) and if any thing be wanting above,Contra haeres. c. 24. he will supply it, and make his encomium full. He is (saith he) accounted the chief among the Latins, for who more learned then this Man? who more exercised in things both divine and humane? In the wonderful vastness and capacity of his mind, he comprehended all Philosophy, and all the sects of Philosophers, the authors and assertors of those sects, together with all their Discipline: all variety of History, yea of all kinds of study. Was not his Wit so weighty and vehement, p. 123that he propounded almost nothing to himself, to be overcome and master'd by him, which he either brake not through with the sharpness, or else dash… in pieces with the ponderousness of it? Moreover, who can set forth the praises of his speech, which is so invironed with I know not what strength of reason, that whom he could not perswade, he doth even force to yeild to his consent: in whom there are as many sentences as words, and as many victories as reasons: as Marcion, Apelles, Praxeas, Herm…genes, the Jews, the Gentiles, Gnosticks and others knew full well, whose blasphemies he overthrew, with the many and mighty mounts and batteries of his Volumes, as it were with certain thunderbolts. And yet even this man, by much more eloquent than happy, not holding the ancient Faith, even he also became in Ecclesiâ magna tentatio, a great temptation in the Churc… of God.

§ 3. As he was a Man of great abilities, s… was he of no less industry: as appears by those lasting monuments of his learned and elaborate Volumes; Acutus Scriptor & gravis (inquit Danaeus) & qui totum hominem desideret, imò etiam saepè ingenii communem captum superet, In Aug. in heres. c. 86.who was had in great estimation, especially by holy Cyprian; so that he suffered no day to pass, without the diligent reading and perusal of some part of him: testifying the extraordinary respect which he bare toward him by the words he was wont to use,Hieronym… in catal. when he called for him, saying, Da Magistrum, reach hither my Master: whom also in many p. 124things he imitated, borrowing even his words and expressions from him,Pamel. in vitâ. and transcribing many passages out of him, which he inserted into his own books: many other also of the Ancients that followed him made use of him, viz. Ierom, Ambrose, Fortunatus, Basil, Isidore, &c, which plainly shews that they had him in great veneration. As the ancient Ethnicks honoured Homer the Prince of Poets,Diogen. Laert. in vitâ ejus. and particularly Arcesilaus the Academick, who was so delighted with, and studious of him, that he would always read somewhat of him before he went to sleep, as also in the morning when he arose, saying that he went, ad Amasium, to his beloved.

Of his works some are wanting,Fertur multa, quae non extant opuscula condididi…le. Hieron. in cata. Hieronym. advers. Jovinian. lib. 1. In vitâ Tertul. annal. ad an▪ 197. § 20. but the most remaining unto this day. Of the first sort are.

1. His Treatise of the troubles attending marriage, unto a Philosopher his friend: which he wrote when he was but young, ( …um adhuc esset adolescens lusit in hac materiâ) before, as Pamelius thinks, but in the judgement of Baronius, after his conversion.

2. His book of the Garments of Aaron, which Ierom mentions in his Epistle to Fabiola.Epist. 128.

3. Of the hope of the faithful: wherein he declares himself to be a Millenary:Hieronym. in catal. de Papiâ. himself mentions it, advers. Marcionem, lib. 3.

4. Of Paradise, which he thus speaks of himself, lib. de A…imâ. cap. 55.habes etiam de Paradiso a nobis libellum, quo constituimus omnem animum apud inferos sequestrari in die Domini.Tertul. lib. de carne Christi c. 8. Epiphan. haeres. 44.

5. Against Apelles; who (with Lucian the Heretick) having been the Disciple of p. 125Marcion; and falling upon errours of his own, differing from his Master, became the author of a Sect, that from him have the name of Apelletiani, (as Tertullian stiles them) or Apelleiani (as Epiphanius) or Apellitae (as Augustine) or Apelliaci (as Rhenanus) alluding unto them,De heraes. c. 23. In annot. in li. de carne Christi. Ter. as the denyers of the Flesh of Christ (which was their errour) Quasi sine pelle, sive cute, hoc est, carne; ut Horatius Iudaeum vocat Apellam, Pamel. fragment. Tert.quòd sine pelle sit, nempe quòd praeputium non habeat. Against these Hereticks did Tertullian write this Book, inscribed adversus Apelletianos.

6. Six Books foreign, Of Rapture; which (saith Pamelius) seem rather to have been written in Greek than Latine;Hieronym. in cat. and a seventh, which he wrote particularly against Appollonius; (who with Victor are the only two Latin Fathers that preceded Tertullian, who hath the third place among them in Ieroms Catalogue) wherein he endeavours to defend whatever the other reproved him for. These were written after his defection against the Church, containing in them divers of his wild, Montanistical conceits; which therefore may well be wanting without any detriment, the bad by much over-weighing the good that was in them; they might haply be suppress'd by some, who wished well unto the peace of the Church;Rhenan. praefat. in opera Tertu. and surely the loss of them would have proved a gain, had the errours contained in them, been with them buried in everlasting oblivion. It's a mistake of Platina to say,In vitâ Calisti. that he wrote six Books of Ecstacy against Apollonius; whereas 'twas only a seventh: So it is also of Honorius p. 126Augustodunensis, De Script. Eccles. cap. 54.who reckons but five of Ecstasie, and six against Apollonius: and of Trithemius, who records but one of each, which he saith he had seen;De Script. Eccles. so that they seem to have been extant, even unto his time.

7. A Book against Marcion, Contra Marcion. lib. 1.as he himself intimates; written by him in his yonger years, somewhat overhastily: as Ierom speaks of an Allegorical exposition of the Prophet Obadiab composed by himself in his youth; liberè profiteor illud fuisse puerilis ingenii; Abdiam Prophet.in libris quo que contra Marcionem Septimius Tertullianus hoc idem passus est.

8. Of the submission of the Soul.Inproleg. ante lib. Tertul. ad Nationes.

9. Of the superstition of that age, these two, saith Gothfredus, among the rest were in the Index of the Books of Tertullian, which was prefix'd unto that Ancient Manuscript, out of which he took those two Books of his ad Nationes which he published.

10. That the Soul is corporeal,In argumen. lib. Trrtul. de resurrect. …arn. volumen hoc suppressum putamus, inquit Rhenanus. To which added.

11. De Fato.

12. De Nuptiarum angustiis ad Amicum philosophum.

13. De mundis & immundis animalibus.

14. De circumcisione.

15. De Trinitate.

16. De censu animae adversus Hermogenem: which Pamelius hath in his Catalogue also.

17. Trithemius sets down in his Catalogue a Book of his Contra omnes Haereses; p. 127which begins with Divorum Haereticorum.

18. The Book of English Homilies, tom. 2. part. 2. against the peril of idolatry, mentions his Book, Contra coronandi morem; which I find no where else spoken off: unless it be the same with his Book, De coronâ Militis.

19. Bishop Andrews in his Speech against Mr. Traske, mentions a Book of Tertullian's De Sabbato Iudaico, which (saith he) we have lost.

His Works that are extant follow here in their order, as Rhenanus, and others have set them down.

1. Of Patience,Hyper. de rat. stud. Theolog. wherein he ingeniously describes that grace, presenting us with a lively draught of it, pressing with divers notable arguments to it, and proving that neither losses in Estate,Scultet. Medull. nor provocations, reproaches, nor the death of friends, the desire of revenge, nor divine castigations are just causes of impatience.

2. Of the Flesh of Christ;Rhenan. argument. in l…b. that it was true and real Humane Flesh which he took: against Marcion, affirming him to be clothed only with imaginary flesh, and not born, also against Apelles, who granted him to have a solid body, but withal held that he took it not of the Virgin Mary, but borrowed it of the Stars and Coelestial Substances,August de heres. cap. 23. which he restored again, when he ascended.

3. Of the Resurrection of the Flesh:In Apolog. pro Zuingl. Cent. 3. cap. 4. Liber verè aure us; a truly golden Book, saith Gu…lther: wherein he proves it, luculentismis p. 128& firmissimis argumentis, most clearly and strongly:Scultet. in Medull. 1. Because the dignity of the flesh is such, that it ought to be raised. 2. The Power of God is such, that it may be raised. 3. The Justice of God requires that it should be raised up. 4. The Testimonies of Scripture are clear, that it shall be raised.

4. Of Prescriptions against Hereticks: an expression borowed from the Civil Law:Mynfinger. Schol. in mistitut. Just. lib. 2. In vocabulario. used by Civilians, pro exceptione perpetuâ: Pr…escriptio (inquit Altenstaig) est jus ex tempore capiens firmitatem. In what sense it is here to be understood, take Scultetus his words. Cum (inquit) vindicanti rem suam domino possessio longi temporis objicitur, In Medull.praescribi ei dicitur; ea que See also Chamier. tom. 1. lib. 2. cap. 8.praescriptio longi temporis praecisâ locuti… pro Praescriptio ex longi temporis possessione appellatur. Sic Praescriptionem haereticorum & Ecclesiae vocat Tertullianus illud omne, quod j…ri… cujusdam specie, haeretici Ecclesiae, & contrà haereticis Orthodoxi opponebant. A most excellent, eloquent and convincing Commentary; a choice and truly golden piece (saith Zanchy) wherein being willing to put a stop,Baron. ad an. 201. § 8. Epist. de discer. Spi…itib. if possible, to that spreading gangrene, he delivers unto the Faithful certain Rules, by which they might be enabled to discern, who are Hereticks; and the better know how to deal with them.

5. Against the Jews: wherein he convinceth them of their errours,Rhenan. in argument. Pamel. in arg…ment. in denying the Gentiles admittance unto the Gospel (as 1 Thess. 2. 16.) in ascribing too much unto the Law of Moses, and urging the Ceremonies as necessary unto Salvation, which he proves to be temporary and mutable; and that p. 129they were accordingly changed by the coming of Christ, as was fore-prophesied; whom they deny to come; therefore doth he from the Scriptures largely discourse of, and prove the Nativity, Kingdom and Passion of Christ; as also the calling of the Gentiles, rejection of the Jews, destruction of Ierusalem, and the second coming of Christ.

6. Five Books against Marcion; of whom Eusebius reports,lib. 4. cap. 14. that meeting Polycarp, and asking him; Dost thou know us? Polycarp, replyed, I know thee to be first born of Sathan: Among other his wicked errours, this was one: That there were two Gods: one who was the Father of Christ, whom he called good, clement and merciful: the other the Creator of the World, whom he called not only just, (as Cerdon his Master had done from whom he sprung) but also cruel and evil; for which cause he is justly branded by Clement of Alexandria with this Note,Epiphan. haeres. 42. Augustin. de haeres. cap. 22. foreign; an ungrateful wretch towards his Creator, the God of Nature. This our Author strongly confutes, proving the the Creator of the World to be the only true God, and the Father of Christ.

7. Against Hermogenes; Rhenan. in annotat.who was an African, our Authors Country-man; and by Profession a Painter. The Errour he held, (which here Tertullian confutes) was, that the matter whereof all things were made, was coeternal with God; which errour he therefore embraced,Rhenan. in argument. because he hoped by this means to excuse God from being the author of evil, Which (saith he) proceeded p. 130not from the Creator, but from the matte… whereof things were created:Idem. in annotat. Vix alibi … est argumentis: Scarce any where doth he arg… more strongly than in dealing with this Heretick, whom he followeth closely, and press… hardly every where.

8. Against the Valentinians; who brought in and mixed their strange Platonical Fable… (crimina potiùs quàm numina inquit Tertullianus) with the Doctrines of Christianity… fancying no less than thirty Aeones, Dan…us in August. de haeres. cap. 11.(crimi… potius, &c.) Gods, Male and Female, Born, Ma… rying and begotten;Nicet. Choniat. Thesaur. Orth. …id. lib. 4. cap. 4. not unlike the Heath… Poet Hesiod. Errours so gross and sott… that they are altogether unworthy of a gra… discussion; the bare narration of them … ing a sufficient confutation; etiam sol… modò demonstrare, Pamel. & Rhenan. in argument.destruere est: which th… fore our Author for the most part cont… himself withal, as deserving rather scorn …derision,Rhenan. Ibid. Pamel. in vita. than a serious consideration. … in this Book makes mention of Irenaeus, … before him had written on this Subject quem penè ad verbum est imitatus; for its apparent he took his relation from th… adding little thereto, beside quips and jests▪

9. Against Praxeas; Rhenan. in argument.who deny'd the … of persons in the Godhead: affir… that there was no God, but the Father … that he was born of the Virgin Mary, … upon the Cross, and was Jesus Christ: … Hereticks who held this opinion, as they … the name of Praxeani from their Author, … also of Patripassiani from their Errour,Augustin. de haeres. cap. 41. Danaeus in hunc lib. …ap. 36. … they said it was God the Father that suffe… Which Heresie Tertullian re…els, proving … p. 131sundry arguments the Doctrine of the Trinity. This Book he wrote after his middle age, and when he was tainted with Montanism: for herein we have him speaking of the Paraclete and new Prophesie:Pamel. in paradox. Tertull. its therefore warily to be read; In nullo libro c…ntiùs legi debit (inquit Rhenanus) quam in eo quem adversus Praxeam scripsit, In admonit. de Tertull. dogmat.unde periculum esse possit imprudenti lectori.

10. Of the Souldiers crown or garland,Tertull. principio lib. Rhenan. in argumen… ▪ which was written upon this occasion. A Christian Souldier coming to the Tribune to receive the Emperous donative, brought his Crown or Garland of Flowers in his hand; which the rest (as the manner was) wore on their heads: for which being question'd, he boldly alledged this reason, that he was a Christian, and therefore that it was not lawful for him to observe that Ethnick Custom: hereupon he was hal'd unto the prison to be punished. This act of his being censured by many as unadvised and needless,Scultet. in Medull. Tertullian in this Book undertakes the defence of it, proving it to be unlawful for Christians to comply with the Heathens therein:Rhenan. ibid. 1. From Custom and Tradition (instancing in many particulars observed by Tradition, and shewing the force of it.) 2. From Nature. 3. From the Original of wearing those Crowns, in honour of the Heathen Gods. Wherein he with much zeal opposeth whatsoever becometh not the profession of Christianity; earnestly pressing Christians unto constancy in that way, which they have entred into without …rgiversation. He in this tract also discovers his Montanism; for, answering the censurers p. 132of the Souldier; planè superest, (inquit) … etiam martyria recusare meditentur, …e kins. problemat.qui prophetias ejusdem Spiritus Sancti respuerunt: it … therefore written after he was a Montani…: from whom he received all those idle Ceremonies which here he makes mention of, … the Centurists very profitably conjecture; though Pamelius would fain have it otherwise.In Annotat. numb 30.

11. To the Martyrs:Rhenan. in argument. which Book he … unto those that were in prison, whom h… stiles Designatos, destined unto suffering for the Testimony of Jesus; comforting, confirming, and exhorting them to constancy; shewing the commodity or benefit of a prison; that the Spirit is ready, though the … be weak; and that even Heathens for … glory have endured the utmost.

12. Of the vailing of Virgins;Rhenan. in annotat. Pamel. in annotat. this … wrote as well in Greek as in Latin; whi… may be collected from those his first wor… Proprium jam negocium passus meae opini… Latinè quo que ostendam, virgines nostras … oportere. Wherein he proves that Virg… ought to wear a veil upon their heads: … he was moved to do by a contrary custom … those of Carthage, whose Virgins used … come into the Congregations unveiled, … so they might the more easily get them Husbands. And whereas some objected that … Apostle, 1 Cor. 11. 10. Spake of married Women only, our Author shews that he meant … of Virgins also. He concludes this Bo… with these words, which plainly shew it … be his: Haec cum bonâ pace legentibus, &c. … those who with good and peaceable … p. 133read these things, preferring profit before custom, peace and grace from our Lord Jesus be multiplyed upon them, with Septimius Tertullian, whose work this is.

13. Of the habit of Women: wherein he exhorts,Rhenan. in argum. unto Christian modesty, wishing them to avoid excess in their apparel, and for this end to remember the condition that Eve hath brought them into; that evil Angels were the first inventers of strange fashions, and that gold and silver were not ordained of God for such an use.

14. Of the decking or adorning of women,Pamel. in argum. a Book of a much like subject with the foregoing; only herein he particularly blames curiosity about their hair and skin, exhorting them not to addict themselves unto paintings, and what might set off their Beauty.

15. Unto his Wife, two Books; wherein 1. He adviseth her,Rhenan. in argum. in case he should die before her, not to marry again. 2. He exhorts Christian Women to abstain from marrying with Heathens, setting down the inconveniences of such Marriages, viz. that they cannot so freely attend the Duties of Christianity; and commends those of one Christian with another, because such may have full liberty in their whole Duty, which he thus particularly sets down,Tertul. ad uxor. lib. 2▪ sub finem. Liberè aeger visitatur, indigens sustentatur, eleemosynae sine tormento, sacrificia sine scrupulo, quotidiana diligentia sine impedimento; non furtiva signatio, non trepida gratulatio, non mutae benedictio, sonant inter duos Psalmi & Hymni, & mutuò provocant, quis Deo meliùs …anat; talia Christus videns & audiens gaudet.

16. Of flight in time of persecution; being p. 134consulted by one Fabius a Presbyter,Rhenan. in argum▪ whether it were lawful to flie at such a time; … wrote this Treatise by way of answer, whe… in he holds that in such cases a Christi… ought not to flie, but rather valiantly to … for the name of Christ: and that that Precept, Matth. 10. 23. When they shall persecute you in one City, flee ye into another, … temporal, and concern'd that time and stated the Church only. But (saith Peter Mony) who will so diligently weigh his reasons, … find that they have in them much more ele…gancy than strength.…pist. de fu… in persecut. This Book was … written against the Church after his defect… the errour herein maintained being one … those he had learned from Montanus; of … Baronius taxeth him somewhat tartly; … Montanistarum (inquit) de non … nec securitatem redimendo, Tertullianus in p… ceps semel infeliciter actus, …d an. 205. § 15.edito eâ de … mentario validissimè tutari conatus est, & … admodum.

17. Unto Scapula the President of C… thage, whom (because he threatened the C… stians with utmost punishment,Rhenan. in argum. unless … would abjure and deny Christ) he depre… and admonisheth not to persist in his … lest he should bring the wrath of God … himself and the whole City, as it had … others, whereof he giveth divers instances▪

18. An exhortation to Chastity, wh… he perswadeth his Friend,Rhenan. …n argum. who had lost … wife, to abstain from marrying again; c…cluding from those words, 1 Cor. 7. 29. … time is short: That the last day was not … off, and therefore he should forbear, as … p. 135because of the impediment arising from marriage. Here in his heat he condemns second marriage, accounting it (as Montanus had done) but little better than adultery. This Book is another of those which he wrote against the Church.

1. Of once marrying, or single marriage, wherein he shews this discipline not to be new,Scultet. in M…dull. but ancient, and peculiar unto Christians. What in the former Treatise he only perswaded,Rhenan. in argum. in this he magisterially enjoyns, more openly condemning second marriage: they are both of the same subject,Pamel. in vitâ. Hieronym. in catalog. and in divers places agreeing even in the same words. This is the fifth of those Books which he wrote against the Church after his defection.

20. Of the Cloak;Rhenan. in argum. written upon this occasion, when Tertullian had laid aside his Gown (the Roman Weed) and taken on a Cloak, as more becoming Christian Simplicity, he was by one branded with the note of inconstancy: hereupon (in vindication of himself) he writes this Book, therein shewing the antiquity and commodious use of the Cloak. This being the Garment of the Greeks, which they were wont to cast over their other Garments: hence it came to pass, that by way of reproach, the Christians using it, were called Grecians; and when they went abroad, they commonly heard this nickname or taunt, foreign alluding unto their Garment. Also because of the simplicity or meanness both of it and those that used it, it grew into contempt; and it became a Proverb among the Carthaginians, a togâ ad pallium, from the Gown to the p. 136Cloak, noting the change from a more eminent to a meaner estate and condition, from riches to poverty.

21. Of the testimony of the Soul: wherein by a prosopopoea he fetcheth arguments from the Soul it self, Pamel. in argum.even of Ethnicks, whereby he convinceth them of their Atheism and abominable Idolatries: among the rest, from those speeches frequent in the mouths of such as are not Christians, e. g. Si Deus voluerit, Deus bonus est,Tertul. de … animae. benedicat te Deus, Deus videt omnia, Deo commendo, Deus reddet, Deus inter nos judicabit, &c. His last words in this Treatise are remarkable, which are these, M… ritò igitur omnis anima rea & testis est, in tantum & rea erroris, in quantum testis veritati… ▪ & stabit ante aulas Dei die judicii nihil habens dicere: Deum praedicabas & non requirebas; Daemonia abominabaris, & il…a adorabas; judicium Dei appellabas, nec esse credebas; inferna supplicia praesumebas, & non praecavebas; Christianum nomen sapiebas, & Christianum pers… quebaris.

22. Of the Soul: wherein he handles divers questions▪ Scultet. in Medull.and discusseth many controversies with the Philosophers about the essence, operations, adjuncts and various state of the Soul: which he would have to be corporeal, endued with form and figure, and to be propagated and derived from the substance of the Father to the body of the Son, and engendred with the body, encreasing and extending it self together with it; and many other the like dreams he hath, in the maintaining whereof, he useth so much subtilty, strength of reason and eloquence, as that (they are the p. 137words of the learned Daille) you will hardly meet with,Treatise of the right use of the Fathers, lib. 2. cap. 4. throughout the whole stock of Antiquity, a more excellent and more elegant piece than this Book of his: yet was it composed by him when he was turned Cataphrygian.Lord Digby's second Letter. Hence Bellarmine having made use of a passage taken from hence for the proof of Purgatory, the most Reverend Vsher thus replies,In his answer to the Iesuits challenge. he must give us leave (saith he) to put him in mind with what spirit Tertullian was lead when he wrote that Book de animâ, and with what authority he strengt…e…eth that conceit of mens paying in Hell for their small faults before the Resurrection; namely, of the Paraclete,cap. ult. d… animâ. by whom, if he mean Montanus the Arch-Heretick (as there is small cause to doubt that he doth) we need not much envy the Cardinal for raising up so worshipful a Patron of his Purgatory.

23. Of Spectacles or Plays,Pamel. in vitâ Tertul. written (as Pamelius conceives) in the twelfth year of Severus the Emperour, in which were exhibited unto the people those plays that were called Ludi seculares, because they were presented only once in an age or an hundred years, unto which therefore the people were solemnly invited by a publick cry made in these words,Brisson. de formul. li. 8. Convenite ad ludos spectandos, quos neque spectavit quisquam, neque spectaturus est: Come ye unto those Spectacles which no man now beheld, or shall behold again. Hereupon Tertullian in this Book (which he wrote both in Greek and Latine) makes it evident that these plays had their original from idolatry, and were full of all kind of cruelty and obscenity, and that therefore it was utterly unlawful for Christians to behold them, and p. 138that they should provoke the truth of God against them,Baron. ad an. 206. § 4. should they not fear to be present at them.Pamel. in annotat. num. 1. Therefore Constantine the Great did by a law prohibit the setting forth and frequenting of such kind of plays. And herein our Author doth so largely treat of the several sorts of play which then were wont to be made use of, that a curious Reader needs no other commentary fully to acquaint himself with those Antiquities.

24. Of Baptism, against Quintilla one of the Disciples of Montanus, who denyed or took away Baptism by water; of whom he scoffingly thus speaks,Tertul. de baptism. Optimè novit pisciculo… necare, de aquâ auferens. He therefore proves, that it is not an empty or idle Ceremony,Pamel. in argum. but of great force and virtue,Scultet. in Medul. setting down the form and manner, together with the Rites observed by the Ancients in the administration thereof, and resolves divers questions about it. This also was written both in Greek and Latine.

25. Scorpiacum, In annot. in hunc lib.a Book against the Gnosticks; so called from one Scorpianus an Heretick, against whom particularly it was intended, saith Pamelius: but more probably from the nature of it, being an antidote against the bite and sting of the Scorpion, to which purpose Ierom thus speaks,Advers. Vigilant. Scribit adversum haer… sim tuam, quae olim erupit contra Ecclesiam (ne & in hoc quasi repertor novi sceleris glorieris) Tertullianus vir eruditissimus, insigne volumen, quod Scorpiacum vocat rectissimo nomine, quia arcuato vulnere in Ecclesiae corpu… v…nena diffudit, quae olim appellabatur Cain… Haeresis, & multo tempore dormiens, vel p. 139sepult…, nunc à dormitantio suscitata est. These Hereticks vilified Martyrdom,Baron. ad an… 205. § 19. This was also the Doctrine of Basilides the Heretick▪ See Origen. Tom. 2. in Math. Tract. 28. teaching that it was not to be undergone, because God would not the death of a Sinner, and Christ had died that we might not die. By this Doctrine they did much harm to many weak ones in the Church, who, to save themselves, would deny Christ and offer incense. Against these Tertullian herein opposeth himself, proving Martyrdom to be good, and setting forth the excellency thereof by many examples. And in thus doing he deserved well, had he not (unhappy man) ran afterwards into the other extreme of the Montanists, who magnified Martyrdom too much (denying the lawfulness of flight to avoid danger in that case) as these did too much undervalue it.

26. Of Idolatry,Pamel. in vita Tertul. written about the same time, with his Book de spectaculis; wherein, being desirous to take away all kind of idolatry,Pamel. in argum. lest Christians should longer labour under gross ignorance herein;Scultet. in Medul. he shews the original of it, and how many ways (and not only in the worshipping of Idols) they may be guilty of it, all which they ought to beware of and avoid, and not to comply with Idolaters in their Festivals, Solemnities and such like observations.

27. Of Chastity,Baron. ad an. 216. § …. In hoc libr… est vehementior. which was written upon this occasion; Zephyrinus Bishop of Rome having published an Edict, in which he gave notice unto all the faithful, that the Catholick Church receives such as repent, though they had fallen into the sins of Fornication and Adultery:Lib. de pudicit. paulo post initium▪ Tertullian herein opposeth him, as may be gathered from his own words: I do p. 140hear, saith he, that there is an Edict published, and that a p…remptory one: Pontifex scilicet maximus Episcopus Episcoporum, Veteres boni ominis causa… Bonū factū praefari solebant in edictis. Tu… neb. adversa. l. 3. c. 22.dicit▪ ego & moechiae & fornicationis delicta paenitentiae functis dimitto. O edictum, cui adscribi non poterit Bonum factum.—Erit ergò & hic adversus Psychicos: so he used to call the Orthodox after he became a Montanist. Scultet. in Medull.And herein he undertakes to answer all the arguments brought for this practice; denying that such ought to be received. Ierom saith that he wrote this book against repentance,Epist. Damaso. num. 146. and wonders at the man that he should think those publicans and sinners with whom Christ did eat,Math. 9. 6.Matt 9:6 to be Gentiles and not Jews, the better to defend his error, weakly grounding his opinion upon that in Deut. 23. non erit pende…s vectigal ex filiis Israel. This book he wrote against the Church.

28. Of Fasting, against the Psychiici: So, as we have said,…ame. in adnotat. he contumeliously calls the Orthodox;See Rhenan. annot. in lib. Tertul. advers. Praxe… Scultet. in Medul. accounting those to be carnal, who rejected the prophesie of Montanus, and those only spiritual (alluding unto, 1 Cor. 2.) who received and embraced it. Herein he defends the set Fasts and stations observed by the Montanists. Of the name Psychicus, Baronius gives us this account. Ignominiae caus… Orthodoxos Psychicos nominare, fuit (ut autor est Irenaeus. lib. 1. cap. 1.) Valentini haeresiarchae inventum, Baron. ad an. 201. § 14.qui Psychicos nominabat homines qui non essent, sicut ipse, ut aiebat, spirituales. Transiit vox eadem ad Cataphrygas, qui aequè omnes non suscipientes Paracletum, Psychicos appellabant.

p. 14129. Of prayer;Comment. in Math. Scult…t. in Medul. which Hilary calls, volumen aptissimum; wherein he commendeth and commenteth upon the Lords Prayer, adding somewhat of the adjuncts of prayer. The title and subject hereof seem to intimate that it was a mistake in Sixtus Senensis, to imagine that he wrote two books upon this subject,Biblioth. sanct. l. 4. one whereof he intitles in orationem dominicam, the other de oratione.

30. An Apology against the Gentiles in the behalf of the Christians;This was written by him in the Latine Tongue, saith Nicephorus, l. 2. c. 8. but translated into Greek. wherein he notably and at large defends their innocency, clearing them of the crimes falsely charged upon them, and fully evincing the groundlesness of the adversaries hatred to, and unjust proceedings against them; imitating herein Iustin and Aristides who had undertaken the same task before him, who yet he far transcends, both in sharpness of wit and soundness of Learning:Pamel. in argument. how boldly doth he stand up against the Gentiles? how constantly maintain the purity of our faith? what Authors doth he not read? which of their disciplines doth he not touch? so that this book alone is abundantly sufficient to convince the pertinacy of the Gentiles?In Epist. ad Magnum. 84 Zephyr. in argument. It contains in it (saith Ierom) cunctam saeculi disciplinam: wherein he is more elegant than ordinary: the strength whereof was such, that in likelyhood it was the thing that prevaii'd to the mitigation of the enemies fury, and, in some measure,Panel. in vitâ Tertul. the cessation of the persecution then raised against the Christians. It was written by him,Ibid. as both Pamelius and Baronius conj…ct…, in the seventh year of the Emperor Severus, Baro. ad an. 201. § 37.An. Christi 201. Of the p. 142excellency hereof Prateolus thus speaks; proculdubiò, De haeres. lib. 18.inquit, verum est; quum acris & ardentis ingenii non ferens gentilium insolentiam at que saevitiam quâ in Christianos ferebantur omnes ingenii sui nervos in borum defensionem intendit, incomparabiles interim eruditionis & eloquentiae suae opes isthic oftentans.

31. Ad nationes; In prolego. ante notas in l. Tertul. ad nationes.libri duo: set forth and published singly, by Iacobus Cothofr…dus, I.C. which by divers arguments he would prove to be Tertullians; also that they were written before his Apologetick, as a Prodrome or preparatory to it; as his book de testimonio anim… followed after and was added as a third way whereby he attempted the Gentiles, viz. by testimonies drawn from the soul, and by those forms of speech, wherein they named God in common use among them. He also shews it to differ from his Apologetick, because in these books he directs himself unto the Nations in general; but in that, only unto the Governors and Presidents of the Roman Empire: besides, these are purely Elenctical, wherein he undertakes not to defend the cause of the Christians (as in the other he doth) but reproves the iniquity of the Nations against the Christians,Epist. ad Magnū. 84. Novatianus scripsit de cibis Judaicis. Honor. Augusto dunens. descrip. Eccles. also, Hieronym. in catalog. Scultet. in Medul. and shews the vanity of the Gentile Gods. Ierom mentions these books contra gentes, as distinct from his Apology: quid, inquit, Tertulliano eruditius? quid acutius? Apologeticus ejus, & contra gentes libri cunctam saeculi continent Disciplinam.

Of these following, it is doubted whether they be his or no.

p. 1431. An Epistle, concerning Judaical meats: wherein he shews that the difference between clean and unclean meats injoyned unto the Jews, is taken away and abolished under the Gospel.Pamel. edit. Tertull. Pamelius thinks this Epistle to be none of his, but rather Novatians, whose name therefore he prefixeth to it, thus, Novatiani Romanae Ecclesiae presbyteri de cibis Iud…icis epistola. In catalog. script.It seems (saith Bellarmine) to have been sent by some Bishop unto his own people; but Tertullian was no Bishop: yet I determine nothing.Ctitic. Sac. Both the Stile (saith Rivet) and the Texts of Scripture otherwise Translated then in Tertullian; as also that the Author remembers his withdrawing in the time of persecution; (which Tertullian is every where against) plainly shew it to be none of his.

2. Of the Trinity:Ruffin. in apolog. pro Origin. Pamel. in argument. Sixt. Seneus. Bibloth. Sanct. l. 4. concerning which Ruffin and others do report that certain of the Macedonian Hereticks, who were foreign, finding somewhat in Tertullians book of the Trinity which was for their advantage inserted it among the Epistles of Cyprian, causing them to be dispersed about Constantinople and sold at a low rate, that so being the more bought up and read, what was unsound therein might be the sooner embraced for the Authority of so great an Author, by which means, as they supposed, their cause would be credited and promoted. But (saith Ierom) there is no such matter;In Apolog. advers. Ruff. for that book of the Trinity is neither Tertullians nor Cyprians, but Novatians; as both by the title and propriety of the stile doth evidently appear; characterem alium & genus p. 144dieendi nitidius in eo notat Laurentius. Hence Ierom speaking of Novatian: Rivet. Crit. Sac. In Catalog. Parker. de descens. l. 4. § 10.He wrote, saith he, grande volumen, a great volum of the Trinity, making as it were, an Epitome of Tertullians work upon this subject, which many ignorantly think to be Cyprians: this piece of Novatians exceeding in bulk that of Tertullians now extant,Pamel. in frag. Tertul. it must needs refer unto some book of his on that subject, now wanting; unless we will make (which is absurd) the Epitome to be larger then the book it self, whose compend it is. Bellarmine supposeth it to be beyond all doubt,In Catalog. script. & controvers. de Christo. l. 1. c. 10. that this book is none of Tertullians, because the heresie of Sabellius (which began almost an hundred years after Tertullians time) is therein by name refuted,Pamel. in argument. with whom Pamelius accords, adding this as another reason of his confidence, that the Author in the sixth Chapter denieth Corporeal Lineaments in God, which Tertullian more then once affirms. How ever it be; it is a learned and elegant book;Cent. 3. l. 10. (though yet there are some things to be found in it,In Medul. not agreeable to the Christian Faith) and I conclude, saith Sculteius, that whoever was the Author, it is written according to the genius of Tertullian, and therefore deservedly set forth under his name; seeing it agrees so well with that Noble work of his against Praxeas. Ba…on ad an. 116. § 19Baronius tells us, that those of the Eastern Church did receive it as the legitimate writing of Tertullian.

3. Of Repentance:Rhenar. in argument. wherein he discourseth of the excellency and utility thereof: perswading to beware of recidivation and returning p. 145unto sin again after repentance: particularly directing himself unto the Catechumens, who for that they believed their sins would be all blotted out and wash'd away in Baptism, were not so careful, as they should have been, to abstain from it. Est autem hic commentarius ejusmodi, Ibid.ut theologi eum debeant ad unguem ediscere: nam egregium monumentum est antiquitatis; tam sanctè docet, tam piè suadet, tam instanter urget rem ecclesiasticae disciplinae summopere necessariam. Scultet. in Medull.In the argument of this book Rhenanu… that expert Antiquary & solertiss…nus Tertulliani interpres, hath spoken so much and so freely against the Auricular Confession of the Romish Synagogue,Index expurgat. pe… Francise. Junium. (crudelis illa conscientiarum carnificina, that cruel rack of consciences) that the Council, or rather that politick and pack'd Conventicle of Trent, took order that the most part of it should be expunged, as unskilful, rash, false, heretical, and otherways scandalous: as, they did also, by somewhat contained in the argument of his book de carne Christi; because it suited not with their Doctrine of the perfection of the Virgine Mary; a short way, were it as safe and honest, to make all sure. But this book also, in the judgment of the quick-sighted Erasmus, grounded upon the difference of the stile from that of Tertullian, Cent. 3. c. … Rivet. Crit. Sac.is none of his but of some other, very studious in our Author, and living about the same time: to whom Rhenanus subscribes,In argumen…. though the author use many words and figures, agreeable to and borrowed from Tertullian. I am of opition, saith Daille, that both the birth and p. 146fortune of that piece de paenitentiâ hath been,Treat. of the use of the Fathers part. 1. cap 3. if not the very same, yet at least not much unlike that of the Trinity; though Pamelius and Baronius be of another mind,In argum. ad an. 216. § 18. and would fain it should be his.

4. His Poems; which are diverse according to Pamelius, Pamel. Edit. Tom 4.viz.

1. Against Marcion 5. books.

2. Of the Judgement of the Lord.

3. Genesis.

4. Sodom.

5. His Poem to a Senator that turned from the Christian Religion to the service of Idols. But should we reject them all as Apocryphal (seeing neither Ierom nor Eusebius make any mention of them) together with Iuret's,Biblioth. Patr. Tom. 8. Ionab and Nineveh (notwithstanding the Authority of his old Manuscript) I suppose that neither our Authour nor the Commonwealth of Learning would at all be injured hereby.Praefat. in Tom. 4. Pamelius tells us, that in his Edition of Cyprian's works he had entituled them unto him as the composer of them; but thinks it not amiss to follow the censure of Sixtus Senensis who ascribes the Poem of Sodom unto Tertullian, induced hereunto by the fidelity (as he supposeth) of some Manuscripts: and because the stile is the same with that of the other, he concludes that all three were his, viz. Genesis, Sodoma & ad Senatorem. A weak ground for him to change his mind, and build such confident conclusions upon, as well may we deny them to be either Tertullians or Cyprians, and so leave him to seek a Father for them.

p. 147§ 4. For his stile and manner of writing, he hath a peculiar way of his own, s…us quidam est character, saith Erasmus: sufficiently elegant;In Epist. ante …ilar. de …eres. ca. 86. Nicephor. Hieronym. Epist. 13. Sixt. Senens. lib. 4. ejus opuscula eloquentissimè scripta, inquit Augustinus; eloquentiâ admodum pollens est: full of gravity, and becoming a Learned man; creber est in sententiis, sed difficilis in loquendo: very sententious, and of much strength and vehemency, but hard, difficult and too elaborate:In vitâ Ter. varius est (inquit Rhenanus) in phrasi; in disputationibus dilucidior & simplicior, in locis communibus, velut de pallio, Lactant. inst. lib. 5. cap. 1.&c. est durior & affectatior, Not so smooth and fluent as many others, and therefore not in so much esteem as otherwise he might have been.Instit. lib. … ▪ cap. 13. § 28. His expressions, (saith Calvin) are somewhat rough and thorny, and therefore dark and obscure,In argum. in Apologetic. certè magis stridet quàm loquitur, idem in Epist. 339. Phraseos Character (inquit Zephyrus) minùs semper c…mptus, multùmque brevis & obscurus fuisse videtur. Commata enim potiùs habet qùam …ol…, & frequentes periodos, qualia decent gravi vehementique stilo, quo semper ipse usus est. Casau…. exercitat. facundia ejus fe…rea.So that, durè & Tertullianicè loqui, to speak harshly, and like Tertullian are equivalent phrases. And the causes whence this proceeded might be chiefly these four.

1. His Country, being an African, of the City of Carthage, which was a Province of the Roman Empire: Now those that were Provincials,Erasm. E… ▪ ante Hilar. scarce any of them could attain unto the purity of the Latin Tongue, except such only as were brought up at Rome from their child-hood: as was Terence, our Authour's Country…man, Romam perductus, cum p. 148in tenerâ aetate foret, comoedias sex composuit, easque ab Apollodoro & Menandro Poetis Graecis in Sermonem Latinum convertit,Pet Crinitus. lib▪ 1. de poetis Lat. tantâ Sermonis elegantiâ & proprietate, ut eruditorum judicio nihil perfectiùs aut absolutiùs in eo scribendi genere habitum sit apud Latimos: Cicero in Epist. ad A…icum refert Terentium esse optimum autorem Latinitatis. De honest. disciplin. li. 8. cap 3.The same Author elsewhere speaking of the difference in this language among those living in several Countries, thus observes: Romani omnes (inquit) in suo genere, pressi, elegantes & proprii: Hispani autem florentes, acuti & qui ad peregrinum inclinent: Punici & Carthagiuenses, duri, audaces, improbi: palam aberrantes vitium virtuti praetulerunt: ut Tertullianus, Apuleius, & Cyprianus. It's also the observation of Loys le Roy, Lib. 2.in his discourse of the variety of things: Every thing, saith he, by how much the farther it is from its original spring, is the less pure, as the Gauls, Spaniards, and Africans, did not speak Latin so purely as the Romans, for although their words were Latin, yet they retained the phrase of their own Country: insomuch, that speaking Latin they were always known for Strangers.Lib. de tradend. discip. Perturbatissime loquitur Tertullianus (inquit Ludovicus Vives) ut Afer. Epist. ante Hilar.And in the decrees of the Africans (many whereof Augustin relates) you may perceive (saith Erasmus) an anxious affectation of eloquence,Epist. 3. ad He…iodor. yet so as that you may know them to be Africans. 'Tis no wonder then Ierom should say,Pamel. in vit… Tertul. Brerewoods Inquiries cap▪ 4. that the stile of Tertul…ian and also of other Africans, was easily discerned by Nepotian: and it appeareth by Augustin in sundry places, that the Roman p. 149Tongue was imperfect among the Africans, even in the Colonies.

2. His calling and profession:Pamel. Inadnot. in lib. de praescript. num. 1. for before his conversion he had studied and practised the Law: wherein he was very skilful: hence it comes to pass,Pamel. in vitâ Tertul. In Aug. do haeres. c. 8…. that using many Law terms (& juris verborum erat retinentissimus) and phrases borrowed from thence, his Language comes to be more perplex and obscure. It's apparent (saith Danaeus) from his continual stile and manner of speaking, that he was a most expert Lawyer, and by reason of the unusual novelty of his words,Biblioth. sanct. lib. 4. his stile is very obscure, saith Sixtus Senesis.

3. His constitution and natural temper,Novator vocabulorum Tertullianus Pamel. in adnot. in lib. de prescript. num. 125. & Rhenan. in annot. in lib. eundem. Epist. ante Hilar. for words are the mind's Interpreters, and the clothing of its conceptions, wherein they go abroad, which therefore are in a great measure fashioned by it and receives a tincture from it. Hence it is that most Mens stiles do differ as well as their faces: suus cuique stilus est (inquit Erasmus) & quisque suum quendam habet gustum peculiarem: every one hath somewhat peculiar to him in this partic… lar. Accordingly our Author,Hieronym. in …atal. duri in genil. being a Man, …cris & vehementis Ingenii, of a rough, sharp, and vehement spirit, Baron ad …n. 197. § 19.makes use of a stile answerable, viz. quick and crabbed, and consequently harsh and obscure: which he did of purpose,Pamel. in … pist. dedicat. Rhenan. in argum. lib. ad ers. Valentin. affecting it as most agreeable to his Genius; so that his expressions are such even in things that are plain and easie. This Rhenanus▪ renders, as the reason why his writings had so many faults,In praefat. ante Tertul▪ or Errataes in them, viz. …eglectus aut…ris, quo multis annis non est lectotum manibus tritus, & ips…m dicendi g…nus p. 150affectatum & Africanum (& affectati stili durities molestiam addit) quod etiam magis effecit,Bond. in Ep…st. ad lectorem. ut minùs leg…retur, quàm quidvis aliud. Which betided the Poet Persius, qui consul…ò est obscurus, suisque scriptis caliginem & tenebras exindustriâ objecit: for being by one taken in hand, and perceived to be so dark and cloudy, he was fairly laid aside with such like words as these: Si nol…t intelligi, non legetur.

4. His converse in the Greek Authors whom he diligently read, being very skilful in that Tongue, idenim temporis nihil extaba… (inquit Rhenanus) apud Latinos in sacris, In annot. in lib. Tertul. advers. Valentin.praeter testamentum utrumque, tantum Victor & Apollonius scripserant opuscula: hence it is, that transcribing much from them, he retains their phrases: (though he quote not his Authors;Hoc erat illius aetatis praeter S. Scripturas neminem nominatim citare Eras. Epist. ante Hilar. In vita Tertul. which was the manner of the first ages, viz. to cite none by name, but the sacred Scriptures only; especially if they had drawn the Water out of the Wells of the Greeks) and imitates their manner of speaking. By his assiduous perusal of their Books, (saith Pamelius) adeò Graecas loquendi formulas imbiberit, ut etiam Latinè seribens illarum oblivisci nequiret: he so drank in their forms of speech, that when he comes to write in Latin, he cannot forget them: Rhenan. in annot. in lib. a…vers. Valentin.and both himself and Rhenanus have taken notice of many phrases in him, which he borrows from the Greeks, and wherein he conforms unto them.

Most of these, I find observed by that Learned French-man Mr. Iohn Daille, lib. 1. cap. 5.in his choice Treatise concerning the right use of the Fathers. What shall I say (saith he) of Tertullian, who besides his natural harshness p. 151and roughness which you meet with in him throughout, and that Carthagmian spirit and genius, which is common to him with the rest of the African writers, hath yet shadowed and over-cast his conceptions with so much learning, and with so many new terms and passages out of the Law, and with such variety of all visions, subtilties and nice points, as that the greatest stock both of learning and attention that you can bring with you, will be all little enough to fit you for a perfect understanding of him.

§ 5. This father is full fraught with and abounds in grave and excellent sentences; some few whereof I shall here insert; which may serve a little to acquaint us with the state of those times in reference unto both the Doctrine and Discipline then professed and practised in the Chuches of Christ.

1. Take a view of his Symbol or Creed, containing a summary of the faith which was generally received and maintained in his time:Lib. de veland. virg. l. de praes…rip. ad…er. h…res. pri…oomniū emissu…. Altogether one, the only immoveable and irreformable rule, as he stiles it: which is this. To believe that there is but one God, nor he any other beside the Creator of the world, who made all things of nought, by his word, first of all sent forth: Colos. 1. 16, 17. That word to be call'd his Son; in the name of God variously seen by the Patriarchs:Delatum. always heard by the Prophets; last of all brought down, by the Spirit of God the Father, and Power, into the Virgin Mary, made flesh in her womb, and of her born a man, and that he is Jesus Christ; p. 152moreover that he preached a new law, and a new promise of the Kingdom of Heaven: that he wrought or did wonders, was fastned to the Cross, arose the third day; that being taken up into heaven, he sate down on the right of the Father;Vicariā vim Sp Sancti. qui agat. sent the power of the Ghost in his stead, that he might guide or act believers: that he shall come in glory to take the Saints into the fruition of eternal life,Factâ utrius…; partis resuscitatione. and heavenly promises, and to adjudge the wicked unto perpetual fire; a resurrection of each part being made with the restitution of the flesh. This rule instituted by Christ, as shall be proved, hath no question made of it among us, but which Heresies bring in, and which makes Hereticks.

A compend or brief hereof is to be seen in the beginning of his book of the veiling of Virgins, as also in that against Praxeas the Heretick: unto which he subjoyns these words. This Law of Faith remaining, other things that concern discipline and conversation, do admit of a newness of Correction; the grace of God working and making a proficiency unto the end. So that where there is a consent in the fundamental and substantial truths of the Gospel, differences in things of less moment may be born with, nor should they cause divisions among Christians.…. B. That rule holding here, that Opinionum varietas, & opinantium unitas non sunt foreign. He adds, that this rule hath ran down from the beginning of the Gospel, even before any heresie sprung up;Lib. advers. … insomuch as from hence this appears to be a firm Truth; id esse verum p. 153quodcun que primum; id esse adulterum, quodcun que posterius.

Again, The Church acknowledgeth one God, Creatour of the universe: and Jesus Christ, of the Virgine Mary, the Son of God the Creator; and the resurrection of the flesh: it mingleth the Law and the Prophets, with the Evangelical and Apostolical writings; and from thence drinks in that faith. It signs with water,De praescrippotat. clotheth with the holy Ghost (which Pamelius understands of confirmation) feeds with the Eucharist,Pamel. in notis. exhorteth with Martyrdom;Martyrio exhortatnr. and so receives none against this institution.

2. He prescribes and lays down this for a sure rule,Lib. de praescript. by which the truth may be known, viz. If the Lord Jesus Christ did send out the Apostles to Preach, other Preachers are not to be received then those whom Christ did institute: because neither doth any other know the Father but the Son, and he to whom the Son hath revealed him; neither doth the Son seem to have revealed him unto any others, save to the Apostles whom he sent to Preach. Now what they have preached, (i.e. what, Christ revealed to them) ought no other way to be proved, then by the same Churches which the Apostles themselves founded; preaching unto them as well by a lively voice, as they say, as afterward by Epistles. If these things be so, it is then evident, that every Doctrine which agrees with the faith of those Apostolical, Mother and Original Churches, is to be accounted the truth … undoubtedly holding that which the Churches received from the Apostles, the p. 154Apostles from Christ, Christ from God: but all other Doctrine to be adjudged false, which savoureth contrary unto the truth of the Churches, and of the Apostles, and of Christ, and of God.

3. As touching their Church Meetings at that time, and the exercises about which in them they were imployed, he gives us this account.In Apolog. quasi manu factâ ambiamus. We come together, saith he, into the congregation, that we may as it were with an Army; besiege God without prayers; which violence is pleasing unto God. We pray for the Emperors and for their Ministers and inferior powers,Pro…statu sculi. pro morâ finis. for the state of the world for the peaceable condition of affairs, and for the delay of the end. We are assembled for the rehearsal of the Divine Scriptures, if the quality of the present times doth need any thing by way of Premonition or recognition. Surely with the holy Word do we feed our faith,Densamus. raise up our hope, settle our affiance, nevertheless we do strengthen the discipline with inculcation of precepts: There are also exhortations, castigations, and the Divine censure: and judgment is past with a great deal of weight and authority; as among those who are certain of the presence, or inspection, of God: and it is the highest prognostick of the judgment to come for one so to offend, as to be cast out or removed from Communion of Prayer, and our assemblies, and all holy Commerce. Approved Elders are Presidents who have attained this honour not by price but testimony. Every one brings some small piece of mony to the chest if he can, one day in a month, or when he will: p. 155for no man is compell'd, but gives freely. This is, as it were a pious depositum; for it is not laid out in feasts, or gluttony or gormundizing; but for the feeding and interring of the poor; and for Boys and Girls that are destitute of Estate and Parents; also for such as are aged, and for such as have suffered shipwrack: and for any who are condemned vntounto the Mines, are banished into Islands, or are in Prison, &c.

4. Of their Love feasts, thus; Of how great cost soever they be 'tis …gain to be at ex…ence for pieties sake;In Apolog. seeing that the needy are holpen by this refreshing.Praegustetur No baseness or immodesty is admitted; they sit not down … prayer to God be first made: they eat as much as hungry ones use to take, to satisfie their hunger only: they drink as much as is meet for sober men to do: they are so filled, as who remember, they must even in the night worship God: they so discourse as those who know that God hears. After water for the hands is brought, as any one is able from the holy Scriptures, or of his own invention, he is invited to sing unto God in the midst of all: hence it appeareth how hath he drank: likewise prayer concludes the feast.

5. We pray with our hands stretched out,In Apolog. because innocent; with our heads uncovered, because we blush not; lastly, without a Monitor, because from our brest or heart.

6. The power of casting out Divels continued unto his time;In Apolog. & lib. ad Scapulam. for hereof he thus speaks. The Devils by our touch and breathing do unwillingly grieving and blushing (because p. 156you Gentiles are present) depart out of the bodies, which they possessed.

7. Afflict,In Apolog. torment, condemn, break us in pieces; your iniquity is the trial of our innocency: therefore doth God permit that we should suffer these things.—Your exquisite cruelty, speaking to the persecutors of the Christians, will avail nothing at all: it is rather an allurement unto our Sect: we become the more, the oftner we are cut down by you; the blood of Christians is seed; that very obstinacy which you upbraid us withal is a mystery; for who is not moved by beholding it, to inquire, what is in the matter? who having inquired, comes not unto us? and coming, desires not to suffer? &c.

8. Take away from Hereticks those things which they hold with Ethnicks,Lib. de resurrect. carn. that they may ground their questions upon the Scriptures only; and they are not able to stand.— Again; we need no curiosity after Jesus Christ, nor inquisition after the Gospel; when once we believe it, we desire to believe nothing else; for this is the first thing that we believe, that there is nothing more which we ought to believe.

9. The greatest Antiquity challengeth the chiefest Authority unto the Sacred Scriptures or Instruments:In Apolog. the Cabinet of one Prophet, viz. Moses, for age surpasseth all your Originals; the veins of your ancient stile, the most Nations, your famous Cities, the very effigies of your Letters, yea even your very Gods themselves, their Temples, Oracles and Sacred Rites.

p. 15710. Of the sufficiency and perfection of the Scriptures;Lib. advers. Hermogen. adoro scripture plenitudi…em; I do adore, saith he, the fulness of the Scripture.

11. He hath a most elegant resemblance of mans body unto the earth out of which it was taken:Lib. de carn. Christ. what is the blood,Glebae, saxa. calculi. saith he, but a red humor? what is the flesh; but earth turned into its figures? consider the several qualities; the muscles as clods; the bones as rocks or stones; also about the Paps, certain pebbles? Behold, the firm connexion of the nerves, as the traductions of roots; and the branchy running about of the veins as the windings of the rivers: the down, as moss; the hair as grass; and the hidden treasures of the marrow, as the metals of the flesh.

12. He gives us a lively draught or pourtraicture of the grace of Patience,Lib. de patient. together with a large encomium of it from the admirable sorce and excellent fruits thereof: in these words: It fenceth faith, helpeth love, armeth or instructeth humility, governs the flesh, secures the spirit, bridles the tongue, binds the hand, tramples upon temptations, drives away scandals, consummates Martyrdom. It comforts the poor, moderates the rich, it delights the believer, and invites the Gentile; it commends the servant unto the Master, and the Master unto God; it adorns the wife, and approves the husband, it is lovely in a child, laudable in a youth, and admired in the aged; it is amiable in every sexe and age. The patient man he thus describeth; he hath a serene and pleasant countenance, p. 158a smooth forehead, not furrowed with any wrinkle of grief or anger: his eyebrows alike remiss in a chearful manner:Remissa. his eyes cast down through humility, not adversity; his mouth sealed up with the honour of silence; his colour such as is that of secure and harmless ones; the motion of his head frequent against the Devil, and a threatning laughter; the attire about his breast candid and close to his body; as of one who is neither puffed up, nor disquieted.

13. The Flesh shall rise again,Lib. de resurrect. even all, the same, and the whole: For it is every where deposited with God,Fidelissimum sequestrem dei & hominum. by the most faithful Mediator between God and Men, Jesus Christ, who shall restore both God to Man, and Man to God, the Spirit to the Flesh, and the Flesh to the Spirit. For that which thou supposest to be the destruction thereof, know 'tis but a departure. Not only the soul is separated or laid aside;Seponitur. the Flesh also in the interim hath its receptacles in the Waters, Fires, Fowls, Beasts. When it seems to be dissolved into these, it is, as it were, poured into Vessels; if also the Vessels themselves shall fail, when it flits out of them, it is, as it were, by certain windings swallowed up again into its Mother Earth.

14. If thou wouldest spend the time of thy life in pleasures,Lib. de spectacul. why art thou so ungrateful, as not to acknowledge and account sufficient, so many and such pleasures as art afforded thee of God? For what is more than reconciliation with God the Father, than the Revelation of the Truth, than … p. 159calling to remembrance of our Errour, than the pardon of so many sins past? What greater pleasure than the loathing of pleasure it self? than the contempt of the whole World? than true Liberty, than a sound or good Conscience,Vita sufficiens. than a sufficient Life, then no fear of death? that thou tramplest upon the Gods of the Nations, that thou castest out Devils, that thou dost Cures, that thou coverest Revelations, that thou livest unto God?

15. How shall I be able to declare the happiness of that Marriage,Of Marriage. which the Church knits together,Lib. 2. ad uxorem. the oblation confirms, the Angels reports it sealed, the Father ratifies? For neither on Earth do Children rightly marry without the consent of their Parents.Angeli renunciant obsignatum. What a match is that of two Believers, of one hope, one vow, one discipline, the same service? Both Brethren, both Fellow-servants, no difference of Spirit or Flesh; but truly two in one Flesh:Volutantur. where the Flesh is one, and the Spirit one: they pray together, they are humbled and fast together, leading and exhorting one another: in distresses and refreshments neither concealeth, avoideth, or is grievous unto the other: the sick is freely visited, the poor sustained; alms are without torment,So Albaspin. in notis. sacrifices without scruple, (i.e. offerings for Ministers and the Poor) signing (viz. with the cross) is not by stealth, greeting not with trembling, nor benediction mute: Psalms and Hymns sound forth from two, and they mutally provoke one another, who shall sing best unto their God: Christ rejoyceth to behold and hear such things. p. 160Which words (saith Rhenanus) are worthy to be written in Letters of Gold.In annotat. in loc.

16. He would have these to be the Ornaments of Christian Women.Womans ornaments. They should (saith he) take whiteness from simplicity,Lib. de cult. foeminar. redness from modesty; their eyes should be painted with bashfulness, their spirits with silence, hanging in their ears the Word of God, tying about their necks the Yoke of Christ. Submit unto your Husbands (saith he) and you shall be sufficiently adorned: imploy your hands in wooll; let your feet keep at home; and you shall more please, than if deck'd with Gold. Cloth you with the Silk and Purple of Virtue, Holiness and Chastity; being thus beautified, you shall have God for your Lover.

17. A woman going unto the Theatre,Lib. de spectacul. returned from thence possessed of the Devil: wherefore in the Exorcism, being pressed how he durst adventure upon a Believer, he constantly replyed: I do it most justly: In meo eam inveni. For I found her upon mine own ground.

18. As touching the carriage and course of Hereticks,Lib. de praescript. he thus describes it: First of all, it is uncertain who among them is a Catechumen,Of Hereticks. and who a Believer: they congregate together, and hear together, pray together: if even heathens come in among them, they give that which is holy unto dogs, and cast pearls (though not true ones) before swine: they will have simplicity to be the prostration of Discipline; the care whereof among us they call an inticement: they also make peace every where with all: For it matters not with p. 161them, though they hold different opinions; so that they agree together for the overthrow of the Truth: they are all puffed up, they all promise knowledge; even heretical women how malepe…t, who dare teach, contend, ex…rcise, promise cures, and perhaps baptize too: Their ordinations are rash, light and inconstant; sometimes they place in novices, sometimes such as are addicted unto the World; sometimes our Apostates, that they may oblige them by Glory (or Preferment) whom they cannot by Truth: Proficiency is no where more facile,Ipsum esse illic pro. meter… est. than in the Camps of Rebels; where even to be a desertor is a stept to promotion; therefore one is a Bishop to day, to morrow another: to day he is a Presbyter, who to morrow is a Lay-man; he is to day a Deacon, who to morrow is a Reader: For even unto Laicks do they commit Pastoral Charges, or the Priestly Office. What should I speak of the Administration of the Word? Seeing their business is not to convert the Heathens, but to subvert ours: This glory they rather covet, if they may ruine those that stand, than raise up those that are fallen: Because their work proceeds not of their own proper building, but of the destruction of the Truth. Besides, they know not to respect or reverence those that are over them; and hence it is that there are scarce any Schisms amongst Hereticks; for when there be, they obey not. Finally, if we look narrowly into Heresies, we shall find them all in many things differing from their Authors: many of them have no Churches; they wander up and down, without a Mother, without a seat, destitute p. 162of the faith, like banished ones: it is also observed, that Hereticks have much acquaintance with Magicians, Juglers, Astrologers, Philosophers, being given to curiosity: every where minding that; Seek and ye shall find. So that the quality of their Faith, may be estimated from their manner of conversation. Doctrine is the Index of Discipline. They deny that God is to be feared: therefore all things are free and loose among them. &c.

§6. Though these and many such like excellent passages are to be found in his works throughout; yet is there a great deal of caution and judgement to be made use of in the perusal of them: For,

1. He hath many inconvenient and dangerous expressions, which without a favourable interpretation are not to be allowed of,Osiand. Epit. Hist. cent. 3. lib. 1. cap. 5. for although in some of them he haply thought more commodiously than he wrote: yet his absurd phrases are no way to be approved of,August. de Haeres. cap. 86. nor can some of them by any means well be excused: As, where he saith, that God is corporeal,Lib. advers. Praxeam. and hath a body, though not fashioned or figured: who (saith he) can deny that God hath a body, although God be a Spirit? which expression of his is very inconvenient, and unsuitable unto the most simple Nature of God. Yet hath the great Augustine herein pleaded his excuse:Aug. ibid. He might perhaps (saith he) by a body, mean the very Divine Nature, Substance or Essence: which term he therefore useth, lest he should seem to make God an empty Phantasm, and p. 163meer nothing. And indeed, comparing this expression with divers passages in the works of our Author, we shall find there was cause why he should conceive this to have been his meaning, and that he had ground sufficient for so friendly a construction of his words. As, where he saith, the very substance is the body of every thing:Lib. advers. Hermog. Also, every thing that is, is a body in its kind; nihil est incorporale, nis… quod non est: Lib. de carne Christi.Nothing is incorporeal, but what is not. Again, who will deny God to be a body, though he be a Spirit? For a Spirit is a body of its kinds in its shape and fashion:Lib. advers. Praxeam. The less reason had Alphonsus de Castro, Lib. 5. advers. haeres.to make Tertullian the first Author of the Heresie of the Anthropomorphites: (though they might abuse these expressions of his, and by them be confirmed in their opinion) confidering withal, that those Scriptures upon which they built their gross conceits of God, art otherwise understood by him, than they were by them, e. g. where the Scriptures do speak of the eye, ear, hand and feet of God, they understood them literally; but he metaphorically, and as spoken after the manner of men to our capacity: For (faith he) by those expressions the Divine operations are declared,Lib. de Trinitat. but not corporeal lineaments given or ascribed unto God: For by the eye is signified that he seeth all things;August. de▪ h…res. c. 86. by the ear, that be heareth all things, &c. this therefore made him not an Heretick.

Another such expression is this; that the father was before the Son;Lib. de Trinitat. and that the son had his original or beginning, when the p. 164Father would that he should proceed from him. Yet doth he in the same Book assert the Eternity of the Son; saying, That he was always in the Father, nor can time be assigned unto him, who was before all time.

Again,…ib. advers. Praxeam. the Father is the whole Substance; but the Son a derivation or portion of the whole.Controvers. de Christo. lib. 1. cap. 10. Of which words Bellarmine gives this favourable interpretation; Haec verba, inquit, intelligi debent de sola distinctione personali, quem iu toto libro intendit: vocat autem Filium portionem, & Patrem totam substantiam; quia Pater est fons & principium aliarum personarum, & in eâ ratione majoritatem quand…m habet. These and other the like dangerous expressions are scattered up and down his Books; in regard whereof Rhenanus saw cause, why he should in the Margin against the last mentioned passage, warn the Reader, that here and elsewhere Tertullian is to be read with caution: Again, Here and elsewhere (saith he) let the Reader remember that he is perusing Tertullian. In argum. lib. de carue Christi.Yet again, Divines, saith he, are to be admonished, that they do interpret some things more commodiously,In argum. lib. advers. Praxeam. or aptly then they sound, and indulge something to antiquity.

2. He delivereth and laboureth to maintain many unsound Opinions and gross Errours, which are carefully to be avoided and rejected, as what is sound and Orthodox in him to be embraced: the good is not to be neglected for the bad, nor the bad to be received for the sake of that in him which is good. I think p. 165(saith Ierom) that Origen for his Learning is sometime to be read in the same manner,Epist. 76. Tranquillino. as Tertullian, Novatus, Arnobius, Apollinarius, and some other Ecclesiastical Writers, both Greek and Latin, viz. So that we chuse the good in them, and refuse the contrary: according to the Apostles saying;1 Thess. 5. 21.1 Thess 5:21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. We are to make use of him as Cyprian did, who honoured him with the Title of Master:Hieronym. Epist. Pammach. & Oceano. N. 65. though he took a great deal of delight in the wit of that learned and zealous man, yet did he not follow Montanus and Maximillia with him. And this gives a hint of his foulest Errour, which I shall mention in the first place.

1. He became a follower of Montanus; whose gross and sottish Errours having once entertained, he (for ought that appears to the contrary) persisted in unto the end of his days; stiling and owning the blasphemous Heretick,Lib. de resurrect. carnis. & saepius alibi. lib. advers▪ Praxeam. initio. (together with his Female consorts Priscilla and Maximilla) sor the Paraclete or Comforter, whom Christ promised to send, distinguishing him from the holy Ghost: contrary to that clear Text, Ioh. 14. 26. The Comforter, which is the holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, &c. This say his followers, descended upon the Apostles, but the Paraclete upon Montanus and his Minions; Hieronym. advers. Vigilant. Rhenan. in annotat in lib. ad…ers. Praxeam.whose Prophesies, or rather idle Dreams, and Fancies they much magnified: wherein second Marriages are condemned, and Fastings and Martyrdoms are exacted: which things Tertullian being overmuch taken with, and approving of, he p. 166thereupon embraced that new Prophesie. A strange thing that so learned and eminent a man should give credit unto such foolish and frantick conceits: Especially considering that, not long before, himself had ranked the followers of Montanus, viz. Proclus and Aeschines amonst the most notorious Hereticks;Lib. de praescript. whom he chargeth with this blasphemy, as he call it, that they say the holy Ghost was in the Apostles, but not the Paraclete; and that the Paraclete had spoken more in Montanus, than Christ had delivered in the Gospel; and not only more, but better and greater things.Sculte… in Medul. lib. lib. 7 cap. 42. Erasm. in vitâ Origen. Erasmus conceives that he did this contra mentis suae sententiam, appellans Montanum omnis veritatis deductorem: For he could not be perswaded that a man of so piercing a judgement, and so exercised and versed in the Sacred Scriptures, did ever believe that Montanus was the holy Ghost or Paraclete, whom Christ promised unto the Apostles.

2. He advanceth the freedom of mans will after the fall so highly, that even Pelagius himself would scarce dare to do it with the like Liberty, e. g. The Law (saith he) would not have been given to him, that had not the obedience to the Law, in his own power. And,Lib. 2. advers. Marci…n. a little after, thus: So we find the Creator propounding unto man, or setting before him good and evil, life and death; exhorting and threatning; which he would not have done, unless man had been free, and voluntary to obey or contemn. Again, Behold, (saith he) the Kingdom of God is within you:L…k 17. 21. Lib. 4 advers. Marcion. Who will not so interpret it? within you p. 167i. e. in your own hand and power; if you hear, and do the command of God? Also, that the Patriarchs,Lib. advers. Judaeos. Noah and Abraham were just by the righteousness of the Law of Nature.

3. He condemns second Marriages,Exhortat. ad castitat. lib. develand. Virginib. accounting them no better than Adultery, and worthy of Excommunication: May we not say, (saith he) that second Marriage is a kind of Adultery? &c. Also, he calls the lawful company of Man and Wife, contumelia communis: A common contumely or reproach.

4. He denys that it is lawful for a Christian to flee in time of persecution;Lib. de fug. in persecut. being immoderate in the praise of Martyrdom; as if it merited pardon of sin. Who (saith he) doth not wish to suffer that he may purchase the whole favour of God, and all pardon from him by the compensation of his Blood? Omnia enim huic operi delicta donantur.

5. He was of the opinion (as was also Clemens Alexandrinus and Cyprian, Lib. de idololatr.lib. De disciplin. & babit. Virgin.) that the Angels fell in love, and accompanied with Women (misunderstanding that passage of Moses, Gen. 6. 1.) and that they discovered many secrets and hidden Arts,Lib. de habit. muliebr. and especially divers curiosities for the adorning and setting forth of Women; for which they were condemned.

6. He held also the Errour of the Chiliasts or Millenaries: Lib. 3. advers. Marcion.We confess (saith he) that a Kingdom is promised unto us in the Earth, before Heaven; but in another state; namely, after the Resurrection for a thousand years in a p. 168City of a Divine Work or Building. Ierusalem coming down from Heaven, &c. this we say is provided of God for the Saints, to be there refreshed with all spiritual good things, in recompen…e of those things which in the World we have either despised or lost. For it is a righteous thing, and worthy of God, that his Servants should exult and rejoyce there, where they have been afflicted for his name.

7. He thought that both Angels,Lib. de anim…. and also the Souls of men, were corporeal; and the latter derived from the Parent unto the Child by way of propagation.…x traduce. Anima in utero seminata pariter cum carne, pariter cum ipsà sortitur & sexum, Lib. de haeres. cap. 86.&c. Augustine tell us, his opinion was, that the worst Souls of men are after death converted, or turned into Devils; which absurd conceit Pamelius thinks ought rather to be imputed unto those Hereticks,In vitâ Tertull. that took their name from him, than unto Tertullian himself, because it is not to be found in any of his Writings:In lib. August. de haeres. cap. 86. nor could Danaeus easily be induced to believe, that Augustine should charge him herewith, seeing he is more equal toward him.

8. He approves of and labours to defend the superstitious facts and stations;Cent. 3. cap. 10. as also other ridiculous Ceremonies of the Montanists, viz. the superstitious use of the sign of the Cross, Oblations for the Dead, and annual upon Birth-days, Processions, &c. (Antiquae observationes (inquit Chemnitius) quorum apud▪ Tertullianum fit mentio, …. part. 1.non sunt omnes Apostolicae traditiones; sed multae ex Montani Paracleto profectae sunt) these and such like, which p. 169he borrowed from those Hereticks, did he practise and augment: though he himself confess that there is no warrant for them in the Scriptures, nor were they instituted by the Apostles.Lib. de coron. m… lit. Who list, may there see a large Catalogue of such Observations and Practices; which are built upon none other, than the sandy foundation of uncertain Tradition. The materials of the Anti christian Synagogue were preparing betimes.

§7. As touching his Exit, Trithem. de Script.or the close of his life, I find this only recorded; that he lived long,Hieronym. in Catalog. even to old age, yea, us que ad deerepitam aetatem: unto decrepit old age; which yet Pamelius would have to be but unto sixty three years:In vitâ Tertull. At what time (saith he) decrepit old begins: So that according to his account, he, (as many other eminent men have done) ended his pilgrimage in his Climacterical year: Or rather, then ceased to write any more; for he is loath to affirm that he lived beyond this time, considering what Ierom had delivered concerning him. Some do rank him among the Martyrs that suffered for the name of Christ;Cent. 3. cap. 10. and Rhenaenus makes Regino the reporter of his Martyrdom;In vitâ Tertull. though, after diligent perusal, I do not find him so much as named by that Historian: This therefore seems to be a mere and groundless conjecture, and very unlikely, seeing that neither Eusebius, nor Ierom do make any mention of it. True it is, that he was very desirous of Martyrdom; but it might be a righteous thing with God, not to vouchsafe that honour unto him, who p. 170had so unworthily deserted the Truth, and esteemed Martyrdom meritorions. But what kind of death soever put a period unto his life, he is herein much to be lamented, that having as a Star of the first Magnitude, shined in the Church of Christ so brightly the most part of his time; he should at last, by forsaking it, be so much obscured, and go out so ingloriously.