Adversus Marcionem II (Contd)

350 An allusion to, rather than a quotation of, Ex. xxxii. 32.

351 Non sineret.

352 Quantum liceat.

353 Absolvam.

354 Ad destructionem.

355 Ratione.

356 Indigna.

357 Diversatum.

358 Conditionis.

359 Pusillitates.

360 Patibulis.

361 i.e., the sensations of our emotional nature.

362 Ejus Dei.

363 Ipsum.

364 Ipsum.

365 Congressum.

366 On this mode of the eternal generation of the Son from the Father, as the proforiko/j, the reader is referred for much patristic information to Bp. Bull's Defensio Fid. Nic. (trans. in Anglo-Cath. Library by the translator of this work).

367 Proferendo ex semet ipso.

368 Voluntati.

369 Ps. viii. 6.

370 Ediscenes, "practising" or "Rehearsing."

371 This doctrine of theology is more fully expressed by our author in a fine passage in his Treatise against Praxeas, xvi. (Oehler, vol. ii. p. 674), of which the translator gave this version in Bp. Bull's Def. Nic. Creed, vol. i. p. 18: "The Son hath executed judgment from the beginning, throwing down the haughty tower, and dividing the tongues, punishing the whole world by the violence of waters, raining upon Sodom and Gomorrha fire and brimstone 'the Lord from the Lord.' For he it was who at all times came down to hold converse with men, from Adam on to the patriarchs and the prophets, in vision, in dream, in mirror, in dark saying; ever from the beginning laying the foundation of the course (of His dispensations), which He meant to follow out unto the end. Thus was He ever learning (practising or rehearsing); and the God who conversed with men upon earth could be no other than the Word, which was to be made flesh. But He was thus learning (or rehearsing, ediscebat) in order to level for us the way of faith, that we might the more readily believe that the Son of God had come down into the world, if we knew that in times past also something similar had been done." The original thus opens: "Filius itaque est qui ab initio judicavit." This the author connects with John iii. 35, Matt. xxviii. 18, John v. 22. The "judgment" is dispensational from the first to the last. Every judicial function of God's providence from Eden to the judgment day is administered by the Son of God. This office of judge has been largely dealt with in its general view by Tertullian, in this book ii. against Marcion (see chap. xi. xvii.).

372 Matt. xi. 27.

373 Ex. xxxiii. 20.

374 Penes nos. Christians, not Marcionites. [Could our author have regarded himself as formally at war with the church, at this time?]

375 Ex aequo agebat.

376 In the 1st book, 25th and following chapters.

377 Saevum.

378 Tenebrosus. Cicero, De finibus, ii. says: "Heraclitus qui cognomento Skoteino\j perhibetur, quia de natura nimis obscure memoravit."

379 Sursam et deorsum. An allusion to Heraclitus' doctrine of constant change, flux and reflux, out of which all things came. Kai\ th\n metabolh\n o9do\n a!nw ka/tw, to/n te ko/smon gi/nesqai kata\ tau/thn, k.t.l.. "Change is the way up and down; the world comes into being thus," etc. (Diogenes Laertius, ix. 8).

380 Sententias.

381 Dissimulationes.

382 Non nisi emendata.

383 Non repercussus.

384 Mentitum.

385 Non verum. An allusion to the Docetism of Marcion.

386 Nihil deliquit in Christum, that is, Marcion's Christ.

387 Paucis amat.

388 Secundum.

389 Ingeniorum.

390 Enim.

391 i.e., Marcion's Antitheses.

392 Antitheses so called because Marcion in it had set passages out of the O.T. and the N.T. in opposition to each other, intending his readers to infer from the apparent disagreement that the law and the gospel were not from the same author (Bp. Kaye on Tertullian, p. 468).

393 Pro rebus edomitis. See chap. xv. and xix., where he refers to the law as the subduing instrument.

394 Repercussus: perhaps "refuted."

395 Exclusus.

396 Ab omni motu amariore.

397 Singulas species, a law term.

398 Arbustiores. A figurative word, taken from vines more firmly supported on trees instead of on frames. He has used the word indomitis above to express his meaning.

399 Rationali. Compare chap. vi. of this book, where the "ratio," or purpose of God, is shown to be consistent with His goodness in providing for its highest development in man's interest.

400 Ratione: in reference to God's ratio or purpose in creation. See chap. vi. note 10. [p. 301, supra.]

Adversus Marcionem III

1 Perseveramus.

2 Ex abundanti.

3 i.e., "as the Son of, or sent by, no other God."

4 i.e., "was the Son of, or sent by, no other God."

5 Recensu.

6 [Surely Tertullian, when he wrote this, imagined himself not separated formally from the Apostolic churches. Of which see De Praescriptione, (p. 258) supra.]

7 Ubi posteritas invenitur. Compare De Praescript. Haeret. 34, where Tertullian refers to "that definite rule, before laid down, touching 'the later date' (illo fine supra dicto posteritatis), whereby they (i.e., certain novel opinions) would at once be condemned on the ground of their age alone." In 31 of the same work he contrasts "posteritatem mendacitatis" with "principalitatem veritatis"--"the latter date of falsehood" with "the primary date of truth." [pp. 258, 260, supra.]

8 See book i. chap. i.

9 Non ut laborantem. "Qui enim laborant non totis sed fractis utuntur viribus." Panstratia=| pansudi/h; Anglice, "with all her might."

10 In praescript. compendiis vincit.

11 Ut gestientem.

12 Hinc denique.

13 As Marcion makes Him.

14 Profiteretur.

15 Patrocinium.

16 Defendit, "insist on it."

17 Suggestu.

18 Mandator.

19 Dispositione, "its being ordered or arranged."

20 Parabatur.

21 Per fidem profuturum.

22 Indiceretur.

23 Agnitione.

24 Praedicatione, "prophecy."

25 Ordo.


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