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Book II.—Of the Harmony of the Old and New Laws.
Complete historical editorial footnotes. These notes retain the original edition’s wording; individual note authors are unspecified.
English translation and editorial credits: Sydney Thelwall.
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I have so frequently had to construct my own text (by altering the reading or the punctuation of the Latin) in this book, that, for brevity’s sake, I must ask the reader to be content with this statement once for all, and not expect each case to be separately noted.
Editorial footnote · Five Books in Reply to Marcion, Book II.—Of the Harmony of the Old and New Laws., editorial note cite_note-1 · Original source
Book II.—Of the Harmony of the Old and New Laws.
The “foe,” as before, is Satan; his “breathing instruments” are the men whom he uses (cf. Shakespeare’s “no breather” = no man, in the dialogue between Orlando and Jacques, As you Like it, act iii. sc. 2); and they are called “renegades,” like the Evil One himself, because they have deserted from their allegiance to God in Christ.
Editorial footnote · Five Books in Reply to Marcion, Book II.—Of the Harmony of the Old and New Laws., editorial note cite_note-2 · Original source
Of the foe’s breathing renegades, and sworn
Unless some line has dropped out here, the construction, harsh enough in my English, is yet harsher in the Latin. “Accipitur” has no subject of any kind, and one can only guess from what has gone before, and what follows, that it must mean “one Testament.”
Editorial footnote · Five Books in Reply to Marcion, Book II.—Of the Harmony of the Old and New Laws., editorial note cite_note-7 · Original source
Is, for its lesser part, accepted. Though
Harsh still. It must refer to the four Gospels—the “coat without seam”—in their quadrate unity; Marcion receiving but one—St. Luke’s—and that without St. Luke’s name, and also in a mutilated and interpolated form.
Editorial footnote · Five Books in Reply to Marcion, Book II.—Of the Harmony of the Old and New Laws., editorial note cite_note-8 · Original source
35 Of one are four, of four one, yet to them
This seems to be the sense. The allusion is to the fact that Marcion and his sect accepted but ten of St. Paul’s Epistles: leaving out entirely those to Timothy and Titus, and all the other books, except his one Gospel.
Editorial footnote · Five Books in Reply to Marcion, Book II.—Of the Harmony of the Old and New Laws., editorial note cite_note-9 · Original source
40 To his last words: all whatsoe’er he spake
It seems to me that the reference here must evidently be to the Epistle to the Hebrews, which treats specially of the old covenant. If so, we have some indication as to the authorship, if not the date, of the book: for Tertullian himself, though he frequently cites the Epistle, appears to hesitate (to say the least) as to ascribing it to St. Paul.
Editorial footnote · Five Books in Reply to Marcion, Book II.—Of the Harmony of the Old and New Laws., editorial note cite_note-10 · Original source
Of the old covenant seems hard to them
I have followed Oehler’s “face” for the common “phase;” but what the meaning is I will not venture to decide. It may probably mean one of two things: (a) that Paul wrote by torchlight; (b) that the light which Paul holds forth in his life and writings, is a torch to show the Corinthians and others Christ.
Editorial footnote · Five Books in Reply to Marcion, Book II.—Of the Harmony of the Old and New Laws., editorial note cite_note-15 · Original source
85 Writing decrees to Corinth, with his torch,
Forte. I suppose this means out of the ordinary course of nature; but it is a strange word to use.
Editorial footnote · Five Books in Reply to Marcion, Book II.—Of the Harmony of the Old and New Laws., editorial note cite_note-19 · Original source
His pledge and heir was dear, whom God by chance
I have given what appears to be a possible sense for these almost unintelligible lines. They run as follows in Oehler:— “Et reliqui magni reges sanctique prophetæ, Non ignorantes certæ promissa salutis, Ingentemque metu pleni transcendere legem, Venturam summæ virtutis imagine molem, Inspectam e speculo celebrarunt ordine pascham.” I rather incline to alter them somehow thus :— “Ingentemque metu plenis transcendere legem, Venturum in summæ virtutis imagine,—solem Inspectum e speculo,—celebrarunt ordine pascham;” connecting these three lines with “non ignorantes,” and rendering:— “Not ignorant of the good promises Of sure salvation; and that One would come, For such as filled are with godly fear The law to overstep, a mighty One, In Highest Virtue’s image,—the Sun seen In mirror:—did in order celebrate The passover.” That is, in brief, they all, in celebrating the type, looked forward to the Antitype to come.
Editorial footnote · Five Books in Reply to Marcion, Book II.—Of the Harmony of the Old and New Laws., editorial note cite_note-22 · Original source
The mirrorly-inspected passover.
This, again, seems to be the meaning, unless the passage (which is not probable) be corrupt. The flesh, “foul” now with sin, is called the “stained image of the Lord,” as having been originally in His image, but being now stained by guilt.
Editorial footnote · Five Books in Reply to Marcion, Book II.—Of the Harmony of the Old and New Laws., editorial note cite_note-24 · Original source
Prepare, if wise, such honours: but the hope
i.e., teeth which He contemned, for His people’s sake: not that they are to us contemptible.
Editorial footnote · Five Books in Reply to Marcion, Book II.—Of the Harmony of the Old and New Laws., editorial note cite_note-29 · Original source
To the contemned teeth, baffling by His garb
i.e., perhaps permeating, by the influence of His death, the tombs of all the old saints.
Editorial footnote · Five Books in Reply to Marcion, Book II.—Of the Harmony of the Old and New Laws., editorial note cite_note-30 · Original source
All the old heroes’ monuments; inspects
It is an idea of the genuine Tertullian, apparently, that Eve was a “virgin” all the time she was with Adam in Paradise. A similar idea appears in the “Genesis” above.
Editorial footnote · Five Books in Reply to Marcion, Book II.—Of the Harmony of the Old and New Laws., editorial note cite_note-33 · Original source
By dragon-subdued virgin’s suasion led;
Viro. This use of “man” may be justified, to say nothing of other arguments, from Jer. xliv. 19, where “our men” seem plainly ="our husbands.” See marg.
Editorial footnote · Five Books in Reply to Marcion, Book II.—Of the Harmony of the Old and New Laws., editorial note cite_note-41 · Original source
Did bear a lion: hurtful to her man
i.e., Adam’s. The constructions, as will be seen, are oddly confused throughout, and I rather suspect some transposition of lines.
Editorial footnote · Five Books in Reply to Marcion, Book II.—Of the Harmony of the Old and New Laws., editorial note cite_note-44 · Original source
His body wrapped, out of his side is ta’en
This would seem to refer to Lazarus; but it seems to be an assumption that his raising took place on a Sabbath.
Editorial footnote · Five Books in Reply to Marcion, Book II.—Of the Harmony of the Old and New Laws., editorial note cite_note-53 · Original source
To life, e’en from the sepulchre. Himself
I have ventured to alter the “Morti,” of the edd. into “Forti;” and “causas” (as we have seen) seems, in this late Latin, nearly ="res.”
Editorial footnote · Five Books in Reply to Marcion, Book II.—Of the Harmony of the Old and New Laws., editorial note cite_note-55 · Original source
Above the Strong. In the grain lurks the tree;
This may seem an unusual expression, as it is more common to regard the fruit as gracing the tree, than the tree the fruit. But, in point of fact, the tree, with its graceful form and foliage, may be said to give a grace to the fruit; and so our author puts it here: “decoratos arbore fructus.”
Editorial footnote · Five Books in Reply to Marcion, Book II.—Of the Harmony of the Old and New Laws., editorial note cite_note-57 · Original source
It yields not tree-graced fruits. Soon bound will be
I read “inermum”—a very rare form—here for “inermem.” But there seems a confusion in the text, which here, as elsewhere, is probably corrupt.
Editorial footnote · Five Books in Reply to Marcion, Book II.—Of the Harmony of the Old and New Laws., editorial note cite_note-64 · Original source
But that the former one, dismantled, must
i.e., those recorded in the Old Testament.
Editorial footnote · Five Books in Reply to Marcion, Book II.—Of the Harmony of the Old and New Laws., editorial note cite_note-5 · Original source
The former acts, God’s countless miracles,
Isaac, a pledge to Abraham of all God’s other promises.
Editorial footnote · Five Books in Reply to Marcion, Book II.—Of the Harmony of the Old and New Laws., editorial note cite_note-18 · Original source
His pledge and heir was dear, whom God by chance
Israel, wasted by the severities of their Egyptian captivity.
Editorial footnote · Five Books in Reply to Marcion, Book II.—Of the Harmony of the Old and New Laws., editorial note cite_note-20 · Original source
That to the wasted race it might be sign
“Multa;” but “muta” ="mute” has been suggested, and is not inapt.
Editorial footnote · Five Books in Reply to Marcion, Book II.—Of the Harmony of the Old and New Laws., editorial note cite_note-21 · Original source
Their posts and thresholds many:—aid immense!
Faith is called so, as being the reflection of divine reason.
Editorial footnote · Five Books in Reply to Marcion, Book II.—Of the Harmony of the Old and New Laws., editorial note cite_note-25 · Original source
Great Reason’s counterpart—hath wrought to bring
i.e., undertaking our debts in our stead.
Editorial footnote · Five Books in Reply to Marcion, Book II.—Of the Harmony of the Old and New Laws., editorial note cite_note-31 · Original source
Assuming; ready to cleanse all, and give
Called “life’s own covering” (i.e., apparently his innocence) in 117, above.
Editorial footnote · Five Books in Reply to Marcion, Book II.—Of the Harmony of the Old and New Laws., editorial note cite_note-35 · Original source
He left his heavenly covering behind:
Virgo: a play on the word in connection with the “viro” and what follows.
Editorial footnote · Five Books in Reply to Marcion, Book II.—Of the Harmony of the Old and New Laws., editorial note cite_note-42 · Original source
A virgin proved; a man from virgin born
“Tantum” ="tantum quantum primo fuerat,” i.e., with a body as well as a spirit.
Editorial footnote · Five Books in Reply to Marcion, Book II.—Of the Harmony of the Old and New Laws., editorial note cite_note-59 · Original source
His first perfection to Himself? man, whom
“Ceræ,” which seems senseless here, I have changed to “cereris.”
Editorial footnote · Five Books in Reply to Marcion, Book II.—Of the Harmony of the Old and New Laws., editorial note cite_note-65 · Original source
Dispreads the red corn’s face, and changes ’neath
Here again I have altered the punctuation by a very simple change.
Editorial footnote · Five Books in Reply to Marcion, Book II.—Of the Harmony of the Old and New Laws., editorial note cite_note-67 · Original source
Shall ever joy, and joying, shall lack death;
The reference is to Gen. ii. 9–14.
Editorial footnote · Five Books in Reply to Marcion, Book II.—Of the Harmony of the Old and New Laws., editorial note cite_note-13 · Original source
The fount’s one hue and savour. Thus, withal,
Abraham. See Gen. xxii. 1–19.
Editorial footnote · Five Books in Reply to Marcion, Book II.—Of the Harmony of the Old and New Laws., editorial note cite_note-17 · Original source
Should tempt the faithful sire and seer, to whom
i.e., perhaps “render acceptable.”
Editorial footnote · Five Books in Reply to Marcion, Book II.—Of the Harmony of the Old and New Laws., editorial note cite_note-27 · Original source
Might us accept, and for us might outpour
Adam. See Rom. v., passim.
Editorial footnote · Five Books in Reply to Marcion, Book II.—Of the Harmony of the Old and New Laws., editorial note cite_note-32 · Original source
Their Maker back the many whom the one
“Os;” lit., “face” or “mouth.”
Editorial footnote · Five Books in Reply to Marcion, Book II.—Of the Harmony of the Old and New Laws., editorial note cite_note-51 · Original source
There was a great head found; here the first man,
I read “primum” here for “primus.”
Editorial footnote · Five Books in Reply to Marcion, Book II.—Of the Harmony of the Old and New Laws., editorial note cite_note-58 · Original source
And form anew—man’s, for whose sake at first
See note on 245, above.
Editorial footnote · Five Books in Reply to Marcion, Book II.—Of the Harmony of the Old and New Laws., editorial note cite_note-62 · Original source
Changing with glory its old root’s new seeds,