or in gratitude for miraculous cures and intercessions. 147

vexatious, tore that same indictment and dismissed him, refusing, according to his instructions', to hear the man without an accuser. All these things might be suggested to thee, both by thine own duty, and by those very advocates, who themselves feel the good services of the Christians, though they cry out against us as they list: for the secretary of a certain man, when he was thrown down by a devil, was delivered from it, as was also a kinsman and a little boy belonging to certain others. And how many honourable persons (for I speak not of common men) have been healed either of devils or of infirmities! Even Severus himself, the father of Antoninus, was mindful of the Christians. For he sought out also Proculus a Christian, who was surnamed Torpacion, the steward of Euodia, who had once cured him by means of oil, and kept him in his own palace even to his death: whom also Antoninus very well knew, nursed as he was upon Christian milk. But moreover Severus, knowing that certain most illustrious women and most illustrious men were of this sect, not only did not harm them, but even honoured them by his own testimony, and openly withstood the people, when they were mad against us. Marcus Aurelius also in his German expedition, when prayer had been made to God by his Christian soldiers, obtained rain in that drought which he was suffering". When have even droughts failed to be removed by our kneelings and fastings'? Then too the people crying out" to the God of Gods Who Alone is mighty," hath, under the name of Jupiter, borne witness to our God. Besides these things, we deny not the deposit committed to our charge", we defile the marriage of none', we treat our wards righteously, we refresh the needy", we recompense to no man Rom.12, evil for evil. As for those who falsely pretend to our Religion, and whom we ourselves disown, let them see to that". Finally who complaineth of us on any other score?

14.

148 Hopelessness of exterminating Christians, from their number,

AD What other trouble doth the Christian suffer than that
SCAP.
III. 5. which cometh of his Religion? which Religion no one in

1 veri restored

all this time hath ever proved to be incestuous or cruel". For so much innocence, for so much goodness, for our justice, for our chastity, for our faith, for our truth, for the living God, we are cast to the flames, a thing which neither men guilty of sacrilege nor those true' enemies of the public weal, nor the many guilty of treason, are wont to suffer. For now also the Christian name is persecuted by the president of Leon and the president of Mauritania, but only by the sword, as it was from the first also commanded that such should be punished. But the greater the conflict the greater the rewards which follow.

V. Your cruelty is our glory. Only take heed and consider whether in this our very endurance of such things, we do not shew that we burst out, for the single purpose of proving this very point, that we do not fear these things, but of our own accord invite them. While Arrius Antoninus in Asia was earnestly persecuting us, all the Christians of that state presented themselves in one body before his judgment-seat, when he, having ordered a few to be led away", said to the rest,' Wretched men! if ye wish to die, ye have precipices and halters.' If it should be determined that the same thing should be done here also, what wilt thou do with so many thousands of human beings, so many men and women, of every sex, of every age, of every degree, giving themselves up to thee? Of how many fires, of how many swords will there be need! What will Carthage itself, which thou must needs decimate, endure, when every man recognizeth there his own kinsmen and comrades, when he beholdeth perchance, in the number, the men and matrons even of thine own degree, and all the chief persons, and even the kinsmen and friends of their own friends? Spare then thyself, if not

us:

and as gaining converts through endurance.

149

spare Carthage, if not thyself: spare the province, which, as soon as thy design was perceived, became exposed to false accusations both from the soldiery and from each man's private foes. We have no master save God alone'. He is before thee, and cannot be hidden, but He is one to Whom thou canst do nothing. But those, whom thou thinkest to be thy masters, are men, and must themselves one day die. Notwithstanding, this our sect shall never fail; for know that it is then the more built up, when it seemeth to be stricken down. For every man that beholdeth so much endurance, being struck with some misgiving, is kindled with the desire of enquiring what is the cause of this, and, as soon as he discovereth the truth, himself also immediately followeth it.

150 To suffer for Christ given by the Spirit; yet diligence still needed.

AN ADDRESS TO THE MARTYRS.

[The Ad Martyras is probably Tertullian's earliest work, as being written at the very commencement of the persecution, before any had actually suffered martyrdom; for had any so suffered, Tertullian would naturally, in his exhortation to the rest, have referred to them. The allusion, then, c. 6. fin. to the deaths on occasion of Albinus, fixes it A.D. 197. See above, notice on the Apology.]

AD

IV. 1.

I. AMONGST the aliments of the flesh, which both our MART. Lady Mother the Church from her own bosom, and the brethren singly from their private store, supply to you in your prison, blessed martyrs elect, accept somewhat from me likewise, which may serve to nourish your spirit also. For that the flesh be made fat, and the spirit hunger, is not good. Yea, if that which is weak be cared for, that which is yet weaker ought as well not to be neglected. Nor am I such an one as am worthy to speak unto you. Nevertheless not only their own masters, and superiors, but even private persons, and whosoever will, from a distance needlessly exhort even the most perfect gladiators, so that oftentimes advice suggested even by the vulgar crowd hath been proEph. 4, fitable. First therefore, blessed men, grieve not the Holy Spirit, Who hath entered with you into the prison; for if He had not now entered in with you, neither would ye have been there this day. And therefore give diligence that He may abide there with you continually; so may He bring you from thence unto the Lord. Even the prison is

30.

a opibus, cod. W. Others "operibus," "from the labour of their hands;" the two readings differ in MSS. only by a stroke through the p; but "opibus" agrees better with the preposition "de" and with S. Cyprian. Pam. supposes "ope

ribus" to mean, each of his own handicraft, clothes, &c. but T. speaks only of food."

b Cypr. Ep. 12. ad Clerum, ed. Fell. (37. Pam.) Orig. Hom. 11. in Lev.

To give peace, be at peace-nature of Martyrs' dissensions. 151

in truth the house of the Devil, wherein he keepeth his own household. But therefore have ye come into the prison, that ye may tread him under foot even in his own house: for ye have already wrestled with him abroad, and trodden him under foot. Let him not therefore say, 66 They are in my own place: I will tempt them with mean enmities and passions, or dissensions among themselves." Let him flee from your sight, and hide himself in his inmost recess, coiled up and listless, like a serpent that hath been charmed or fumigated away. And let him not so prosper in his own kingdom, as to set you at variance: but let him find you guarded and armed with concord, because your peace is war against him; which peace some, not finding in the Church, have been wont to entreat of the martyrs in prison. And therefore ye ought, were it only for this, to have, and to cherish, and to keep it among yourselves, that ye may be able, if need be, to give it unto others also.

II. In like manner may all other hindrances of the soul have accompanied you even to the threshold of the prison, just so far as did your parents also. Thenceforth ye were separated from the world itself: how much more from the life of the world, and its concerns! Nor will this dismay

codiis 2 Vat. MSS. œdiis MS. Div. whence Rig. conjectures "scidiis" which he explains "chips" and so, 'trifles, things of no account,' regarding "odiis" as too strong a term for those expecting martyrdom. It is probable, however, that Tertullian refers to what at least took place elsewhere, that the Montanist martyrs, as being severed from the Church, were disowned by the Church. An older author, quoted by Euseb. H. E. v. 17. says, "Whence also, whenever those who out of the Church are called to martyrdom for that which is indeed the faith, fall in with some of those who out of the Phrygian heresy are called Martyrs, they both are at variance with them, and are themselves perfected [by Martyrdom] without holding communion with them, not willing to join themselves to the spirit, which spake through Montanus and the women.' Eusebius (it seems) subjoins," The truth of this is manifest, and happened in our times in Apamea on the Meander, in the martyrdoms of Gaius and Alexander of

Eumenea." This strong language then, and the placing both upon a level, perhaps betrays a disposition, even thus early, to look favourably on Montanism. S. Cyprian, perhaps, imitates this warning against dissensions, Ep. 13. Fell. (7. Pam.) ad Rogat. Older Edd. have "inediis" "poor scanty fare;" and it is implied c. 2. that the food was of things necessary only; yet the word 'saginati' (init.) implies that of these there was an adequate supply; and, as a Montanist, T. reproaches the Church with supplying the martyrs too freely in prison. (de Jejun. c. 12.)

See adv. Valent. c. 3.

e The lapsed-those who had sacrificed to idols, or bought themselves off, and who were restored the readier to the peace, i. e. communion of the Church, at the request of those awaiting martyrdom. See Cypr. de Laps. c. 12. p. 164. ed. Oxf. (and Bingham quoted ib.) Fell. Epp. 15-20. Fell. (10--15. Pam.) 22, 23. (22. 17.) 26, 27. 30, 31. (31, 26.) 33. (27.) 35. (29.)