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To Scapula

Tertullian

Chapter 5

About this work

Author: Tertullian

Your cruelty is our glory. Only see you to it, that

‹ Chapter 4

in

having

such

things

as

these

to

endure

,

we

do

not

feel

ourselves

constrained

to

rush

forth

to

the

combat

,

if

only

to

prove

that

we

have

no

dread

of

them

,

but

on

the

contrary

,

even

invite

their

infliction

.

When

Arrius

Antoninus

was

driving

things

hard

in

Asia

,

the

whole

Christians

of

the

province

,

in

one

united

band

,

presented

themselves

before

his

judgment

-

seat

;

on

which

,

ordering

a

few

to

be

led

forth

to

execution

,

he

said

to

the

rest

,

“

O

miserable

men

,

if

you

wish

to

die

,

you

have

precipices

or

halters

.

”

If

we

should

take

it

into

our

heads

to

do

the

same

thing

here

,

what

will

you

make

of

so

many

thousands

,

of

such

a

multitude

of

men

and

women

,

persons

of

every

sex

and

every

age

and

every

rank

,

when

they

present

themselves

before

you

?

How

many

fires

,

how

many

swords

will

be

required

?

What

will

be

the

anguish

of

Carthage

itself

,

which

you

will

have

to

decimate

,

as

each

one

recognises

there

his

relatives

and

companions

,

as

he

sees

there

it

may

be

men

of

your

own

order

,

and

noble

ladies

,

and

all

the

leading

persons

of

the

city

,

and

either

kinsmen

or

friends

of

those

of

your

own

circle

?

Spare

thyself

,

if

not

us

poor

Christians

!

Spare

Carthage

,

if

not

thyself

!

Spare

the

province

,

which

the

indication

of

your

purpose

has

subjected

to

the

threats

and

extortions

at

once

of

the

soldiers

and

of

private

enemies

.

We have no master but God. He is before you, and cannot be hidden from you, but to Him you can do no injury. But those whom you regard as masters are only men, and one day they themselves must die. Yet still this community will be undying, for be assured that just in the time of its seeming overthrow it is built up into greater power. For all who witness the noble patience of its martyrs, as struck with misgivings, are inflamed with desire to examine into the matter in question; and as soon as they come to know the truth, they straightway enrol themselves its disciples.

Notes

1
[Compare De Fuga, cap. xii. It is incredible that our author could exaggerate in speaking to the chief magistrate of Carthage.]
2
[Mosheim’s strange oversight, in neglecting to include such considerations, in accounting for the growth of the church, is justly censured by Kaye, p. 124.]