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On Idolatry

Tertullian

Chapter 22

About this work

Author: Tertullian

Chapter XXII.—Of Accepting Blessing in the Name of Idols.

Equally, one who has been initiated into Christ will not endure

‹ Chapter 21 Chapter 23 ›

to

be

blessed

in

the

name

of

the

gods

of

the

nations

,

so

as

not

always

to

reject

the

unclean

benediction

,

and

to

cleanse

it

out

for

himself

by

converting

it

Godward

.

To

be

blessed

in

the

name

of

the

gods

of

the

nations

is

to

be

cursed

in

the

name

of

God

.

If

I

have

given

an

alms

,

or

shown

any

other

kindness

,

and

the

recipient

pray

that

his

gods

,

or

the

Genius

of

the

colony

,

may

be

propitious

to

me

,

my

oblation

or

act

will

immediately

be

an

honour

to

idols

,

in

whose

name

he

returns

me

the

favour

of

blessing

.

But

why

should

he

not

know

that

I

have

done

it

for

God’s

sake

;

that

God

may

rather

be

glorified

,

and

demons

may

not

be

honoured

in

that

which

I

have

done

for

the

sake

of

God

?

If

God

sees

that

I

have

done

it

for

His

sake

,

He

equally

sees

that

I

have

been

unwilling

to

show

that

I

did

it

for

His

sake

,

and

have

in

a

manner

made

His

precept

a

sacrifice

to

idols

.

Many

say

,

“

No

one

ought

to

divulge

himself

;

”

but

I

think

neither

ought

he

to

deny

himself

.

For

whoever

dissembles

in

any

cause

whatever

,

by

being

held

as

a

heathen

,

does

deny

;

and

,

of

course

,

all

denial

is

idolatry

,

just

as

all

idolatry

is

denial

,

whether

in

deeds

or

in

words

.

Notes

1
i.e., the precept which enjoins me to “do good and lend.”
2
Elucidation III.