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

발행: 1869년

분량: 545페이지

출처: archive.org

분류: 미분류

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before, and on his return had reprehended tho deod. Sostrictly are me appraised With God in matters of this hilid, even with regarii to the discipline of our family. There-sore, as to What relates to the honours due to Lings oremperors, We have a prescript sussicient, that it belloves usto bo in ali obedience, according to the apostle's precepi,' subject to magistrates, and princes, and po ers; V butwith in the limits of discipline, so long as Me heep ourselves separato from idolat . For it is for this reason, too, thatthat examplo of the three brethren has sorerun us, Who, in other respecta obedient toward hing Nebuchodonosor, rejected with ali constancy the honour to his image,' proving that whatever is extolled beyond tho me ure of human honour,unto tho resemblance of divine sublimity, is idolat . So tοο, Daniel, in ali other politis submissive to Darius, remat ned in

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166 TERTULLIANUS

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ean render service even to magistrates and powers,' alter

the example of the patriarchs and the other forefathera, whoobeyed idolatrous hings up to the confine os idolatry. Henco a se, Very lately, a dispute Whether a servant of God shouldiae tho administration of any dignity or po er, ii ho be able, Whether is some speciat grace, or by adroitness, to keep himself intaci from every species of idolato; aster the examplethat both Joseph and Daniel, esean from idolato, administered

fecture of entire Egypt or Babylonia. And so let us grantinat it is possibio for any one is succeed in moving, in Wha,

s Ver ossice, under the mero name of the ossice, netinersaetificing nox lending his authority to sacrifices; not fam-ing out victims; not assigning in othera the care of temples; not looking after their tributes; not giving spectacles at his oWn or the public charge, or presiding over the giving them; mahing proclamation or edici for no solemnity; not eventising oaths: moreover What comes under the head os power),neither sitiing in judgment on any one's life or character foryou might bear With his judong about money); neither condemning nor for condemning ;' b ding no one, imprisoningor torturing no Ono-is it is credibis that est this is possibio.

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168 TERTULLIANUS

But me must noW treat of the garb Only and apparatusos office. Thero is a dress proper to every one, as Wellior dat ly use as sor office and digni . That famous purple, theresore, and the gold as an ornament of the nech, Were, among the Egyptians and Babylonians, ensigns os dignity, in the fame Way as bordered, or striped, or palmembroidered togas, and the goiden Wreatlis of provincial

constancy' would instantly havo resused the defled dresses; and it Would instantly have appeared that Daniel had beonno Zealous flave to idols, nor Worshipped Bel, nor the dragon, whicli long aster did appear. That purple, theresοre, Wassimple, and used not at that time to bo a mark of dignis' among the barbarians, but of nobili .' For as both Joseph, who had been a flave, and Daniel, Who through' captivityhad changed his state, attained the sreedom of the states of Babylon and Egypt through the dress os barbarie nobility;yso among us bellevers also, is need so be, the bordered togawill bo abis to be conceded to boys, and the stole to giris,' as ensigns os birili, not of po er, of race, not of ossice, os rank, not of superstition. But the purple, or the otheronsigias of dignities and poWers, dedicated from tho begin-

Mema best.

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carry the spol οξ their oWn profanation; Since, momoVer, hordered and striped togas, and broad-barred ones, are putoven on idolf themselves; and fasces also, and rods, areborno besore them; and deserve lly, for demons are themagistrates of this morid: they bear tho fasces and thopurples, the ensigns of one college. What enit, then, Willyou advance is you use the garb indeed, but administer nottho functions of iti In things unclean, none can appear

the fullest manner gave His oWn an example for turning

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170 TERTULLIANUS number of fasces Would escori Himi What End of purpis

In that last section, decision may seem to have been givenlikeWise concerning military service, Whicli is belWeen digni and pomer. But noW inquio is made about this potnt, whether a bellover may turn himself uiato military service, and whether tho military may be admitted unto the fiath,

even the rank and file, or each inferior grade, in Whom thereis no necessity for taking pari in sacrifices or capital punishments. There is no agreement bet eon the divine and thohuman sacrament, the standard of Christ and the standard

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to remember that even in reorda also the inroad os idolat must be foremarded against, either from the defect of customor of timidib. The law prohibita the gods of the nations

here referred to.

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gods of the nations by calling them gods, or by hearing them

in the name of God even, but clearly to bleas in tho namo

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174 TERTULLIANUS

os God, that you may both demolish idola, and preach God, and sussit discipline.

CHAP. XXII.-ue aecepting blassing in the name of idola. Equestri one Who has been initiated into Christ mill notonduro in bo blessed in the name of the gods of the nations, so as not alWays to reieci the unclean benediction, and tocleanso it out for himself is converting it GodWard. Tobo blessed in tho namo of the gods of the nations is in becursed in tho name of God. Is I have oven an alms, Orsho- any other Endness, and the recipient pray that hisgovi, or the Genius of the colony, may be propitisus to me, my oblation or act Will immediately be an honour to idols,

sine, and have in a manner made His precept a sacrifice to

But thero is a certain species of that class, doubly sharpenedin deed and word, and mischievous on either fide, although itflatter you, as is it Were Deo of dangor in cach; whilo it does not seem to M a deed, becaum it is not laid hold os as aetoord. In borro ing money from heathens under pledged securities, fChristianH ove a Marantee under oath, and deny themselves 'o have done soJ. Os courae, the time of the prosecution, and the place of the judgment-seat, and tho

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