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Tertullian

Book 1 · Chapter 5

About this work

Author: Tertullian

Chapter V.—The Inconsistent Life of Any False Christian No More Condemns True Disciples of Christ, Than a Passing Cloud Obscures a Summer Sky.

As to your saying of us that we are a most shameful

‹ Book 1 · Chapter 4 Book 1 · Chapter 6 ›

set

,

and

utterly

steeped

in

luxury

,

avarice

,

and

depravity

,

we

will

not

deny

that

this

is

true

of

some

.

It

is

,

however

,

a

sufficient

testimonial

for

our

name

,

that

this

cannot

be

said

of

all

,

not

even

of

the

greater

part

of

us

.

It

must

happen

even

in

the

healthiest

and

purest

body

,

that

a

mole

should

grow

,

or

a

wart

arise

on

it

,

or

freckles

disfigure

it

.

Not

even

the

sky

itself

is

clear

with

so

perfect

a

serenity

as

not

to

be

flecked

with

some

filmy

cloud

.

A

slight

spot

on

the

face

,

because

it

is

obvious

in

so

conspicuous

a

part

,

only

serves

to

show

purity

of

the

entire

complexion

.

The

goodness

of

the

larger

portion

is

well

attested

by

the

slender

flaw

.

But

although

you

prove

that

some

of

our

people

are

evil

,

you

do

not

hereby

prove

that

they

are

Christians

.

Search

and

see

whether

there

is

any

sect

to

which

(

a

partial

shortcoming

)

is

imputed

as

a

general

stain

.

You

are

accustomed

in

conversation

yourselves

to

say

,

in

disparagement

of

us

,

“

Why

is

so

-

and

-

so

deceitful

,

when

the

Christians

are

so

self

-

denying

?

why

merciless

,

when

they

are

so

merciful

?

”

You

thus

bear

your

testimony

to

the

fact

that

this

is

not

the

character

of

Christians

,

when

you

ask

,

in

the

way

of

a

retort

,

how

men

who

are

reputed

to

be

Christians

can

be

of

such

and

such

a

disposition

.

There

is

a

good

deal

of

difference

between

an

imputation

and

a

name

,

between

an

opinion

and

the

truth

.

For

names

were

appointed

for

the

express

purpose

of

setting

their

proper

limits

between

mere

designation

and

actual

condition

.

How

many

indeed

are

said

to

be

philosophers

,

who

for

all

that

do

not

fulfil

the

law

of

philosophy

?

All

bear

the

name

in

respect

of

their

profession

;

but

they

hold

the

designation

without

the

excellence

of

the

profession

,

and

they

disgrace

the

real

thing

under

the

shallow

pretence

of

its

name

.

Men

are

not

straightway

of

such

and

such

a

character

,

because

they

are

said

to

be

so

;

but

when

they

are

not

,

it

is

vain

to

say

so

of

them

:

they

only

deceive

people

who

attach

reality

to

a

name

,

when

it

is

its

consistency

with

fact

which

decides

the

condition

implied

in

the

name

.

And

yet

persons

of

this

doubtful

stamp

do

not

assemble

with

us

,

neither

do

they

belong

to

our

communion

:

by

their

delinquency

they

become

yours

once

more

since

we

should

be

unwilling

to

mix

even

with

them

whom

your

violence

and

cruelty

compelled

to

recant

.

Yet

we

should

,

of

course

,

be

more

ready

to

have

included

amongst

us

those

who

have

unwillingly

forsaken

our

discipline

than

wilful

apostates

.

However

,

you

have

no

right

to

call

them

Christians

,

to

whom

the

Christians

themselves

deny

that

name

,

and

who

have

not

learned

to

deny

themselves

.

Notes

2
Colata, “filtered” [or “strained”—Shaks.]
3
Ut non alicujus nubiculæ flocculo resignetur. This picturesque language defies translation.
4
Malitiæ.
5
Dum retorquetis.
6
Inter crimen et nomen.
7
Inter dici et esse.
8
Status nominis.
9
Denuo.