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The Five Books Against Marcion

Tertullian

Book 2 · Chapter 23

About this work

A sustained refutation of Marcion’s theology and edited Scriptures, defending the unity of the Creator and Christ’s Father and reading the Gospel and Pauline letters against Marcionite claims.

Author: Tertullian
Date: Early 3rd century
Origin: Carthage, North Africa
Genre: Heresiology

Chapter XXIII.—God’s Purposes in Election and Rejection of the Same Men, Such as King Saul, Explained, in Answer to the Marcionite Cavil.

Now, although you will have it that

‹ Book 2 · Chapter 22 Book 2 · Chapter 24 ›

He

is

inconstant

in

respect

of

persons

,

sometimes

disapproving

where

approbation

is

deserved

;

or

else

wanting

in

foresight

,

bestowing

approbation

on

men

who

ought

rather

to

be

reprobated

,

as

if

He

either

censured

His

own

past

judgments

,

or

could

not

forecast

His

future

ones

;

yet

nothing

is

so

consistent

for

even

a

good

judge

as

both

to

reject

and

to

choose

on

the

merits

of

the

present

moment

.

Saul

is

chosen

,

but

he

is

not

yet

the

despiser

of

the

prophet

Samuel

.

Solomon

is

rejected

;

but

he

is

now

become

a

prey

to

foreign

women

,

and

a

slave

to

the

idols

of

Moab

and

Sidon

.

What

must

the

Creator

do

,

in

order

to

escape

the

censure

of

the

Marcionites

?

Must

He

prematurely

condemn

men

,

who

are

thus

far

correct

in

their

conduct

,

because

of

future

delinquencies

?

But

it

is

not

the

mark

of

a

good

God

to

condemn

beforehand

persons

who

have

not

yet

deserved

condemnation

.

Must

He

then

refuse

to

eject

sinners

,

on

account

of

their

deeds

?

But

it

is

not

the

characteristic

of

a

just

judge

to

forgive

sins

in

consideration

of

former

virtues

which

are

no

longer

practised

.

Now

,

who

is

so

faultless

among

men

,

that

God

could

always

have

him

in

His

choice

,

and

never

be

able

to

reject

him

?

Or

who

,

on

the

other

hand

,

is

so

void

of

any

good

work

,

that

God

could

reject

him

for

ever

,

and

never

be

able

to

choose

him

?

Show

me

,

then

,

the

man

who

is

always

good

,

and

he

will

not

be

rejected

;

show

me

,

too

,

him

who

is

always

evil

,

and

he

will

never

be

chosen

.

Should

,

however

,

the

same

man

,

being

found

on

different

occasions

in

the

pursuit

of

both

(

good

and

evil

)

be

recompensed

in

both

directions

by

God

,

who

is

both

a

good

and

judicial

Being

,

He

does

not

change

His

judgments

through

inconstancy

or

want

of

foresight

,

but

dispenses

reward

according

to

the

deserts

of

each

case

with

a

most

unwavering

and

provident

decision

.

Notes

1
Levem.
2
Damnet.
3
Atquin.
4
Or, “for one who is a good man and a judge.”
5
1 Sam. ix.
6
1 Sam. xiii.
7
Dispungetur.
8
Censura.