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The Chaplet, or De Corona

Tertullian

Chapter 2

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Author: Tertullian

Chapter II Chapter III Chapter IV Chapter V Chapter VI Chapter VII Chapter VIII Chapter IX Chapter X Chapter XI Chapter XII Chapter XIII Chapter XIV Chapter XV Elucidations

I affirm that not one of the Faithful has ever

‹ Chapter 1 Chapter 3 ›

a

crown

upon

his

head

,

except

at

a

time

of

trial

.

That

is

the

case

with

all

,

from

catechumens

to

confessors

and

martyrs

,

or

(

as

the

case

may

be

)

deniers

.

Consider

,

then

,

whence

the

custom

about

which

we

are

now

chiefly

inquiring

got

its

authority

.

But

when

the

question

is

raised

why

it

is

observed

,

it

is

meanwhile

evident

that

it

is

observed

.

Therefore

that

can

neither

be

regarded

as

no

offence

,

or

an

uncertain

one

,

which

is

perpetrated

against

a

practice

which

is

capable

of

defence

,

on

the

ground

even

of

its

repute

,

and

is

sufficiently

ratified

by

the

support

of

general

acceptance

.

It

is

undoubted

,

so

that

we

ought

to

inquire

into

the

reason

of

the

thing

;

but

without

prejudice

to

the

practice

,

not

for

the

purpose

of

overthrowing

it

,

but

rather

of

building

it

up

,

that

you

may

all

the

more

carefully

observe

it

,

when

you

are

also

satisfied

as

to

its

reason

.

But

what

sort

of

procedure

is

it

,

for

one

to

be

bringing

into

debate

a

practice

,

when

he

has

fallen

from

it

,

and

to

be

seeking

the

explanation

of

his

having

ever

had

it

,

when

he

has

left

it

off

?

Since

,

although

he

may

wish

to

seem

on

this

account

desirous

to

investigate

it

,

that

he

may

show

that

he

has

not

done

wrong

in

giving

it

up

,

it

is

evident

that

he

nevertheless

transgressed

previously

in

its

presumptuous

observance

.

If

he

has

done

no

wrong

to

-

day

in

accepting

the

crown

he

offended

before

in

refusing

it

.

This

treatise

,

therefore

,

will

not

be

for

those

who

not

in

a

proper

condition

for

inquiry

,

but

for

those

who

,

with

the

real

desire

of

getting

instruction

,

bring

forward

,

not

a

question

for

debate

,

but

a

request

for

advice

.

For

it

is

from

this

desire

that

a

true

inquiry

always

proceeds

;

and

I

praise

the

faith

which

has

believed

in

the

duty

of

complying

with

the

rule

,

before

it

has

learned

the

reason

of

it

.

An

easy

thing

it

is

at

once

to

demand

where

it

is

written

that

we

should

not

be

crowned

.

But

is

it

written

that

we

should

be

crowned

?

Indeed

,

in

urgently

demanding

the

warrant

of

Scripture

in

a

different

side

from

their

own

,

men

prejudge

that

the

support

of

Scripture

ought

no

less

to

appear

on

their

part

.

For

if

it

shall

be

said

that

it

is

lawful

to

be

crowned

on

this

ground

,

that

Scripture

does

not

forbid

it

,

it

will

as

validly

be

retorted

that

just

on

this

ground

is

the

crown

unlawful

,

because

the

Scripture

does

not

enjoin

it

.

What

shall

discipline

do

?

Shall

it

accept

both

things

,

as

if

neither

were

forbidden

?

Or

shall

it

refuse

both

,

as

if

neither

were

enjoined

?

But

“

the

thing

which

is

not

forbidden

is

freely

permitted

.

”

I

should

rather

say

that

what

has

not

been

freely

allowed

is

forbidden

.

Notes

1
[Kaye (p. 231) notes this as a rare instance of classing Catechumens among “the Faithful.”]
2
[This is said not absolutely but in contrast with extreme license; but it shows the Supremacy of Scripture. Compare De Monogam, cap. 4.]