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On Monogamy

Tertullian

Chapter 12

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Author: Tertullian

Chapter XII.—The Explanation of the Passage Offered by the Psychics Considered.

Listen, withal, to the very subtle argumentation on the contrary

‹ Chapter 11 Chapter 13 ›

side

.

“

So

true

is

it

,

”

say

(

our

opponents

)

,

“

that

the

apostle

has

permitted

the

iteration

of

marriage

,

that

it

is

only

such

as

are

in

the

Clerical

Order

that

he

has

stringently

bound

to

the

yoke

of

monogamy

.

For

that

which

he

prescribes

to

certain

(

individuals

)

he

does

not

prescribe

to

all

.

”

Does

it

then

follow

,

too

,

that

to

bishops

alone

he

does

not

prescribe

what

he

does

enjoin

upon

all

;

if

what

he

does

prescribe

to

bishops

he

does

not

enjoin

upon

all

?

or

is

it

therefore

to

all

because

to

bishops

?

and

therefore

to

bishops

because

to

all

?

For

whence

is

it

that

the

bishops

and

clergy

come

?

Is

it

not

from

all

?

If

all

are

not

bound

to

monogamy

,

whence

are

monogamists

(

to

be

taken

)

into

the

clerical

rank

?

Will

some

separate

order

of

monogamists

have

to

be

instituted

,

from

which

to

make

selection

for

the

clerical

body

?

(

No

)

;

but

when

we

are

extolling

and

inflating

ourselves

in

opposition

to

the

clergy

,

then

“

we

are

all

one

:

”

then

“

we

are

all

priests

,

because

He

hath

made

us

priests

to

(

His

)

God

and

Father

.

”

When

we

are

challenged

to

a

thorough

equalization

with

the

sacerdotal

discipline

,

we

lay

down

the

(

priestly

)

fillets

,

and

(

still

)

are

on

a

par

!

The

question

in

hand

(

when

the

apostle

was

writing

)

,

was

with

reference

to

Ecclesiastical

Orders

—

what

son

of

men

ought

to

be

ordained

.

It

was

therefore

fitting

that

all

the

form

of

the

common

discipline

should

be

set

forth

on

its

fore

-

front

,

as

an

edict

to

be

in

a

certain

sense

universally

and

carefully

attended

to

,

that

the

laity

might

the

better

know

that

they

must

themselves

observe

that

order

which

was

indispensable

to

their

overseers

;

and

that

even

the

office

of

honour

itself

might

not

flatter

itself

in

anything

tending

to

licence

,

as

if

on

the

ground

of

privilege

of

position

.

The

Holy

Spirit

foresaw

that

some

would

say

,

“

All

things

are

lawful

to

bishops

;

”

just

as

that

bishop

of

Utina

of

yours

feared

not

even

the

Scantinian

law

.

Why

,

how

many

digamists

,

too

,

preside

in

your

churches

;

insulting

the

apostle

,

of

course

:

at

all

events

,

not

blushing

when

these

passages

are

read

under

their

presidency

!

Come, now, you who think that an exceptional law of monogamy is made with reference to bishops, abandon withal your remaining disciplinary titles, which, together with monogamy, are ascribed to bishops. Refuse to be “irreprehensible, sober, of good morals, orderly, hospitable, easy to be taught;” nay, indeed, (be) “given to wine, prompt with the hand to strike, combative, money-loving, not ruling your house, nor caring for your children’s discipline,”—no, nor “courting good renown even from strangers.” For if bishops have a law of their own teaching monogamy, the other (characteristics) likewise, which will be the fitting concomitants of monogamy, will have been written (exclusively) for bishops. With laics, however, to whom monogamy is not suitable, the other (characteristics) also have nothing to do. (Thus), Psychic, you have (if you please) evaded the bonds of discipline in its entirety! Be consistent in prescribing, that “what is enjoined upon certain (individuals) is not enjoined upon all;” or else, if the other (characteristics) indeed are common, but monogamy is imposed upon bishops alone, (tell me), pray, whether they alone are to be pronounced Christians upon whom is conferred the entirety of discipline?

Notes

1
See 1 Tim. iii. 1–7; Tit. i. 6–9.