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On Modesty

Tertullian

Chapter 3

About this work

Author: Tertullian

Chapter III.—An Objection Anticipated Before the Discussion Above Promised is Commenced.

But before doing this, I will make short work with an

‹ Chapter 2 Chapter 4 ›

answer

which

meets

us

from

the

opposite

side

,

in

reference

to

that

species

of

repentance

which

we

are

just

defining

as

being

without

pardon

.

“

Why

,

if

,

”

say

they

,

“

there

is

a

repentance

which

lacks

pardon

,

it

immediately

follows

that

such

repentance

must

withal

be

wholly

unpractised

by

you

.

For

nothing

is

to

be

done

in

vain

.

Now

repentance

will

be

practised

in

vain

,

if

it

is

without

pardon

.

But

all

repentance

is

to

be

practised

.

Therefore

let

(

us

allow

that

)

all

obtains

pardon

,

that

it

may

not

be

practised

in

vain

;

because

it

will

not

be

to

be

practised

,

if

it

be

practised

in

vain

.

Now

,

in

vain

it

is

practised

,

if

it

shall

lack

pardon

.

”

Justly

,

then

,

do

they

allege

(

this

argument

)

against

us

;

since

they

have

usurpingly

kept

in

their

own

power

the

fruit

of

this

as

of

other

repentance

—

that

is

,

pardon

;

for

,

so

far

as

they

are

concerned

,

at

whose

hands

(

repentance

)

obtains

man’s

peace

,

(

it

is

in

vain

)

.

As

regards

us

,

however

,

who

remember

that

the

Lord

alone

concedes

(

the

pardon

of

)

sins

,

(

and

of

course

of

mortal

ones

,

)

it

will

not

be

practised

in

vain

.

For

(

the

repentance

)

being

referred

back

to

the

Lord

,

and

thenceforward

lying

prostrate

before

Him

,

will

by

this

very

fact

the

rather

avail

to

win

pardon

,

that

it

gains

it

by

entreaty

from

God

alone

,

that

it

believes

not

that

man’s

peace

is

adequate

to

its

guilt

,

that

as

far

as

regards

the

Church

it

prefers

the

blush

of

shame

to

the

privilege

of

communion

.

For

before

her

doors

it

stands

,

and

by

the

example

of

its

own

stigma

admonishes

all

others

,

and

calls

at

the

same

time

to

its

own

aid

the

brethren’s

tears

,

and

returns

with

an

even

richer

merchandise

—

their

compassion

,

namely

—

than

their

communion

.

And

if

it

reaps

not

the

harvest

of

peace

here

,

yet

it

sows

the

seed

of

it

with

the

Lord

;

nor

does

it

lose

,

but

prepares

,

its

fruit

.

It

will

not

fail

of

emolument

if

it

do

not

fail

in

duty

.

Thus

,

neither

is

such

repentance

vain

,

nor

such

discipline

harsh

.

Both

honour

God

.

The

former

,

by

laying

no

flattering

unction

to

itself

,

will

more

readily

win

success

;

the

latter

,

by

assuming

nothing

to

itself

,

will

more

fully

aid

.