Part 19 (1/2)
(_a_) Tertullian, _De Oratione_, 23, 25, 28. (MSL, 1:1298.)
Ch. 23. As to kneeling, also, prayer is subject to diversity of observance on account of a few who abstain from kneeling on the Sabbath. Since this dissension is particularly on its trial before the churches, the Lord will give His grace that the dissentients may either yield or else follow their own opinion without offence to the others. We, however, as we have received, only on the Sunday of the resurrection ought to guard not only against this kneeling, but every posture and office of anxiety; deferring even our businesses, lest we give any place to the devil. Similarly, too, the period of Pentecost, is a time which we distinguish by the same solemnity of exultation. But who would hesitate every day to prostrate himself before G.o.d, at least in the first prayer with which we enter on the daylight? At fasts, moreover, and stations, no prayer should be made without kneeling and the remaining customary marks of humility. For then we are not only praying, but making supplication, and making satisfaction to our Lord G.o.d.
Ch. 25. Touching the time, however, the extrinsic observance of certain hours will not be unprofitable; those common hours, I mean, which mark the intervals of the daythe third, the sixth, the ninthwhich we may find in Scripture to have been more solemn than the rest.
Ch. 28. This is the spiritual victim which has abolished the pristine sacrifices. We are the true adorers and true priests, who, praying in the spirit, in the spirit sacrifice prayer, proper and acceptable to G.o.d, which, a.s.suredly, He has required, which He has looked forward to for Himself. This victim, devoted from the whole heart, fed on faith, tended by truth, entire in innocence, pure in chast.i.ty, garlanded with love [agape], we ought to escort with the pomp of good works, amid psalms and hymns, unto G.o.ds altar, to obtain all things from G.o.d for us.
(_b_) Tertullian, _De Jejun._, 3. (MSL, 2:100.)
The following is a characteristic statement of the meritorious and propitiatory character of fasting. See below, _h_, Cyprian.
Since He himself both commands fasting and calls a soul wholly shatteredproperly, of course, by straits of dieta sacrifice (Psalm 51:18), who will any longer doubt that of all macerations as to food the rationale has been this: that by a renewed interdiction of food and observance of the precept the primordial sin might now be expiated, so that man may make G.o.d satisfaction through the same causative material by which he offended, that is, by interdiction of food; and so, by way of emulation, hunger might rekindle, just as satiety had extinguished, salvation, contemning for the sake of one thing unlawful many things that are lawful?
(_c_) Tertullian, _De Baptismo_, 17. (MSL, 1:1326.)
It remains to put you in mind, also, of the due observance of giving and receiving baptism. The chief priest (_summus sacerdos_), who is the bishop, has the right of giving it; in the second place, the presbyters and deacons, yet not without the bishops authority, on account of the honor of the Church. When this has been preserved, peace is preserved.
Besides these, even laymen have the right; for what is equally received can be equally given. If there are no bishops, priests, or deacons, other disciples are called. The word of the Lord ought not to be hidden away by any. In like manner, also, baptism, which is equally G.o.ds property, can be administered by all; but how much more is the rule of reverence and modesty inc.u.mbent on laymen, since these things belong to their superiors, lest they a.s.sume to themselves the specific functions of the episcopate!
Emulation of the episcopal office is the mother of schism.
(_d_) Tertullian, _De Pnitentia_, 2. (MSL, 1:1340.)
How small is the gain if you do good to a grateful man, or the loss if to an ungrateful man! A good deed has G.o.d as its debtor, just as an evil deed has Him also; for the judge is a rewarder of every cause. Now, since G.o.d as judge presides over the exacting and maintaining of justice, which is most dear to Him, and since it is for the sake of justice that He appoints the whole sum of His discipline, ought one to doubt that, as in all our acts universally, so, also, in the case of repentance, justice must be rendered to G.o.d?
(_e_) Tertullian, _Scorpiace_, 6. (MSL, 2:157.)
If he had put forth faith to suffer martyrdoms, not for the contests sake, but for its own benefit, ought it not to have had some store of hope, for which it might restrain its own desire and suspend its wish, that it might strive to mount up, seeing that they, also, who strive to discharge earthly functions are eager for promotion? Or how will there be many mansions in the Fathers house, if not for a diversity of deserts?
How, also, will one star differ from another star in glory, unless in virtue of a disparity of their rays?
(_f_) Tertullian, _Ad Uxorem_, I, 3; II, 8-10. (MSL, 1:1390, 1415.) _Cf._ Kirch, n. 181.
I, 3. There is no place at all where we read that marriages are prohibited; of course as a good thing. What, however, is better than this good, we learn from the Apostle in that he permits marriage, indeed, but prefers abstinence; the former on account of the insidiousness of temptations, the latter on account of the straits of the times (I Cor.
7:26). Now by examining the reason for each statement it is easily seen that the permission to marry is conceded us as a necessity; but whatever necessity grants, she herself deprecates. In fact, inasmuch as it is written, It is better to marry than to burn (I Cor. 7:9), what sort of good is this which is only commended by comparison with evil, so that the reason why marrying is better is merely that burning is worse?
Nay; but how much better is it neither to marry nor to burn?
II, 8. Whence are we to find adequate words to tell fully of the happiness of that marriage which the Church cements and the oblation(59) confirms, and the benediction seals; which the angels announce, and the Father holds for ratified? For even on earth children do not rightly and lawfully wed without their fathers consent. What kind of yoke is that of two believers of one hope, one discipline, and the same service? The two are brethren, the two are fellow-servants; no difference of spirit or flesh; nay, truly, two in one flesh; where there is one flesh the spirit is one.
(_g_) Tertullian, _De Monogamia_, 9, 10. (MSL, 2:991 _f._)
This work was written after Tertullian became a Montanist, and with other Montanists repudiated second marriage, to which reference is made in both pa.s.sages. But the teaching of the Church regarding remarriage after divorce was as Tertullian here speaks.