Ante-Nicene Christian Library; Translations Of The Writings Of The Fathers Down To A.D. 325, Volume 11: The Writings Of Tertullian, Volume 1

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TRANSLATTIUS OF

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provision whicli our lady mollier the churchsrom her bountiful breasis, and each brotherout oi his private means, malim sor Fourbodily manis in the prison, accept also from me some contribution to your spiritual sustenance. For it is not good

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TERTULLIANUS

imposes the more grievous fellers, hin ling men's Very fouis. The worid breathes out the worsi impurities umin lusis. Τho morid contains the larger number os criminals, even tho

Anii is yon have lost somo os life's sweeis, it is the way of busineas to suffer present lora, that after gains may be tholarger. Thus far I say nothing of the reWards to whieli God invites the martyra. Mean hile let us comparo the liso

of the worid and of the prison, and see ii the spirit does notgain more in the prison than the flesh loses. Nan by tho

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care of the church and the love of the brothren, even theflesti does not lose there What is for ita good, While the spiritobtains besides important advantages. You have no occasionto look on strange gods, you do not run against their images;

Christian whieli the deseri did for the prophet. Our Loes Himseli spent much of His timo in seclusion, that He mi thave greater liber to pray, stat He might be quit of the worid. It was in a mountain solitude, ino, He alioWed Hisglory to the discipies. Let us drop the name of prison; letus cali it a place of retirement. Though the body is si,utin, though the flesti is confined, ali inings are open to thospirit. In spirit, then, roam abroad; in spirit math abon not setting beiore you sbady paths or long colonnades, butthe way which leatis to God. As osten as in spirit your

3. Grant noW, o blessed, that even to Christians thoprison is unpleasant. But We were called in the wartare of the living God in our very responso in the sacramental mutas. Well, no soldier comes out to the campaim laden Mith luxuries, nor dom he go in action from his com sortablechamber, but fram the light and narrow tent, Where every hind of hardness and mughnem and disvr abieneas mustbe put up With. Even in Mace soldiere inure themselves towar is totis and inconveniences-marching in ams, running

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4 TERTULLIANUS over the plain, Working at tho ditch, mahing the testudo,

to pass through a nobie strumle, in Whieli the living Godacis the part os superintendent, in Whicli the Holy Ghost

athletes, tοο, are set apart to a more stringent discipline,

ground, that at the mal of finali judgment we may bobrought fortii Meli disciplined by many a triat; since virtuo is bulli up by bardships, as by voluptuous indulgence it is