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Ad Martyras

Tertullian

Chapter 2

About this work

Author: Tertullian

Chapter II Chapter III Chapter IV Chapter V Chapter VI

Other things, hindrances equally of the soul, may have accompanied

‹ Chapter 1 Chapter 3 ›

you

as

far

as

the

prison

gate

,

to

which

also

your

relatives

may

have

attended

you

.

There

and

thenceforth

you

were

severed

from

the

world

;

how

much

more

from

the

ordinary

course

of

worldly

life

and

all

its

affairs

!

Nor

let

this

separation

from

the

world

alarm

you

;

for

if

we

reflect

that

the

world

is

more

really

the

prison

,

we

shall

see

that

you

have

gone

out

of

a

prison

rather

than

into

one

.

The

world

has

the

greater

darkness

,

blinding

men’s

hearts

.

The

world

imposes

the

more

grievous

fetters

,

binding

men’s

very

souls

.

The

world

breathes

out

the

worst

impurities

—

human

lusts

.

The

world

contains

the

larger

number

of

criminals

,

even

the

whole

human

race

.

Then

,

last

of

all

,

it

awaits

the

judgment

,

not

of

the

proconsul

,

but

of

God

.

Wherefore

,

O

blessed

,

you

may

regard

yourselves

as

having

been

translated

from

a

prison

to

,

we

may

say

,

a

place

of

safety

.

It

is

full

of

darkness

,

but

ye

yourselves

are

light

;

it

has

bonds

,

but

God

has

made

you

free

.

Unpleasant

exhalations

are

there

,

but

ye

are

an

odour

of

sweetness

.

The

judge

is

daily

looked

for

,

but

ye

shall

judge

the

judges

themselves

.

Sadness

may

be

there

for

him

who

sighs

for

the

world’s

enjoyments

.

The

Christian

outside

the

prison

has

renounced

the

world

,

but

in

the

prison

he

has

renounced

a

prison

too

.

It

is

of

no

consequence

where

you

are

in

the

world

—

you

who

are

not

of

it

.

And

if

you

have

lost

some

of

life’s

sweets

,

it

is

the

way

of

business

to

suffer

present

loss

,

that

after

gains

may

be

the

larger

.

Thus

far

I

say

nothing

of

the

rewards

to

which

God

invites

the

martyrs

.

Meanwhile

let

us

compare

the

life

of

the

world

and

of

the

prison

,

and

see

if

the

spirit

does

not

gain

more

in

the

prison

than

the

flesh

loses

.

Nay

,

by

the

care

of

the

Church

and

the

love

of

the

brethren

,

even

the

flesh

does

not

lose

there

what

is

for

its

good

,

while

the

spirit

obtains

besides

important

advantages

.

You

have

no

occasion

to

look

on

strange

gods

,

you

do

not

run

against

their

images

;

you

have

no

part

in

heathen

holidays

,

even

by

mere

bodily

mingling

in

them

;

you

are

not

annoyed

by

the

foul

fumes

of

idolatrous

solemnities

;

you

are

not

pained

by

the

noise

of

the

public

shows

,

nor

by

the

atrocity

or

madness

or

immodesty

of

their

celebrants

;

your

eyes

do

not

fall

on

stews

and

brothels

;

you

are

free

from

causes

of

offence

,

from

temptations

,

from

unholy

reminiscences

;

you

are

free

now

from

persecution

too

.

The

prison

does

the

same

service

for

the

Christian

which

the

desert

did

for

the

prophet

.

Our

Lord

Himself

spent

much

of

His

time

in

seclusion

,

that

He

might

have

greater

liberty

to

pray

,

that

He

might

be

quit

of

the

world

.

It

was

in

a

mountain

solitude

,

too

,

He

showed

His

glory

to

the

disciples

.

Let

us

drop

the

name

of

prison

;

let

us

call

it

a

place

of

retirement

.

Though

the

body

is

shut

in

,

though

the

flesh

is

confined

,

all

things

are

open

to

the

spirit

.

In

spirit

,

then

,

roam

abroad

;

in

spirit

walk

about

,

not

setting

before

you

shady

paths

or

long

colonnades

,

but

the

way

which

leads

to

God

.

As

often

as

in

spirit

your

footsteps

are

there

,

so

often

you

will

not

be

in

bonds

.

The

leg

does

not

feel

the

chain

when

the

mind

is

in

the

heavens

.

The

mind

compasses

the

whole

man

about

,

and

whither

it

wills

it

carries

him

.

But

where

thy

heart

shall

be

,

there

shall

be

thy

treasure

.

Be

there

our

heart

,

then

,

where

we

would

have

our

treasure

.

Notes

1
[Who ministered to their fellow-Christians in prison, for the testimony of Jesus. What follows is a sad picture of social life among heathens.]
2
Matt. vi. 21.