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Against the Valentinians

Tertullian

Chapter 30

About this work

Author: Tertullian

Chapter XXX.—The Lax and Dangerous Views of This Sect Respecting Good Works. That These are Unnecessary to the Spiritual Man.

For this reason it is that they neither regard works

‹ Chapter 29 Chapter 31 ›

as

necessary

for

themselves

,

nor

do

they

observe

any

of

the

calls

of

duty

,

eluding

even

the

necessity

of

martyrdom

on

any

pretence

which

may

suit

their

pleasure

.

For

this

rule

,

(

they

say

)

,

is

enjoined

upon

the

animal

seed

,

in

order

that

the

salvation

,

which

we

do

not

possess

by

any

privilege

of

our

state

,

we

may

work

out

by

right

of

our

conduct

.

Upon

us

,

who

are

of

an

imperfect

nature

,

is

imprinted

the

mark

of

this

(

animal

)

seed

,

because

we

are

reckoned

as

sprung

from

the

loves

of

Theletus

,

and

consequently

as

an

abortion

,

just

as

their

mother

was

.

But

woe

to

us

indeed

,

should

we

in

any

point

transgress

the

yoke

of

discipline

,

should

we

grow

dull

in

the

works

of

holiness

and

justice

,

should

we

desire

to

make

our

confession

anywhere

else

,

I

know

not

where

,

and

not

before

the

powers

of

this

world

at

the

tribunals

of

the

chief

magistrates

!

As

for

them

,

however

,

they

may

prove

their

nobility

by

the

dissoluteness

of

their

life

and

their

diligence

in

sin

,

since

Achamoth

fawns

on

them

as

her

own

;

for

she

,

too

,

found

sin

no

unprofitable

pursuit

.

Now

it

is

held

amongst

them

,

that

,

for

the

purpose

of

honouring

the

celestial

marriages

,

it

is

necessary

to

contemplate

and

celebrate

the

mystery

always

by

cleaving

to

a

companion

,

that

,

is

to

a

woman

;

otherwise

(

they

account

any

man

)

degenerate

,

and

a

bastard

to

the

truth

,

who

spends

his

life

in

the

world

without

loving

a

woman

or

uniting

himself

to

her

.

Then

what

is

to

become

of

the

eunuchs

whom

we

see

amongst

them

?

Notes

1
Operationes: the doing of (good) works.”
2
As, forsooth, we should in the spiritual state.
3
Suffragio.
4
Being animal, not spiritual.
5
See above. ch. ix. x. p. 508.
6
See Scorpiace, ch. x. infra.
7
Passivitate.
8
“Diligentia” may mean “proclivity” (Rigalt.).
9
Of the Æons.
10
Nec legitimum: “not a lawful son.”