---
title: "Fathers of the Third Century: Tertullian, Minucius Felix, Commodian and Origen"
author: "Various Church Fathers"
translator: "S. Thelwall and others; A. Cleveland Coxe (ed.)"
languages: [en]
shelf: "Church Fathers"
section: 52 of 199
url: https://scriptura.si/works/church-fathers-tertullian-minucius-felix-commodian-origen/52/
cite: "Various Church Fathers, tr. S. Thelwall and others; A. Cleveland Coxe (ed.), Fathers of the Third Century: Tertullian, Minucius Felix, Commodian and Origen, section 52. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/church-fathers-tertullian-minucius-felix-commodian-origen/52/"
---

# Fathers of the Third Century: Tertullian, Minucius Felix, Commodian and Origen

*Various Church Fathers, tr. S. Thelwall and others; A. Cleveland Coxe (ed.)*

Tertullian, Minucius Felix, Commodian, and Origen's On First Principles and Against Celsus.

## 52. A Strain of the Judgment of the Lord · 8 of 12

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/church-fathers-tertullian-minucius-felix-commodian-origen/52/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/church-fathers-tertullian-minucius-felix-commodian-origen/52/#p-N

[¶0] Repairs. Night there is none; the stars maintain

[¶1] 310 Their darkness; angers, envies, and dire greed

[¶2] Are absent; and out-shut is fear, and cares

[¶3] Driven from the threshold. Here the Evil One

[¶4] Is homeless; he is into worthy courts

[¶5] Out-gone, nor is’t e’er granted him to touch

[¶6] 315 The glades forbidden. But here ancient faith

[¶7] Rests in elect abode; and life here treads,

[¶8] Joying in an eternal covenant;

[¶9] And health without a care is gladsome here

[¶10] In placid tilths, ever to live and be

[¶11] 320 Ever in light.

[¶12] Here whosoe’er hath lived

[¶13] Pious, and cultivant of equity

[¶14] And goodness; who hath feared the thundering God

[¶15] With mind sincere; with sacred duteousness

[¶16] Tended his parents; and his other life

[¶17] 325 Spent ever crimeless; or who hath consoled

[¶18] With faithful help a friend in indigence;

[¶19] Succoured the over-toiling needy one,

[¶20] As orphans’ patron, and the poor man’s aid;

[¶21] Rescued the innocent, and succoured them

[¶22] 330 When press with accusation; hath to guests

[¶23] His ample table’s pledges given; hath done

[¶24] All things divinely; pious offices

[¶25] Enjoined; done hurt to none; ne’er coveted

[¶26] Another’s: such as these, exulting all

[¶27] 335 In divine praises, and themselves at once

[¶28] Exhorting, raise their voices to the stars;

[¶29] Thanksgivings to the Lord in joyous wise

[¶30] They psalming celebrate; and they shall go

[¶31] Their harmless way with comrade messengers.

[¶32] 340 When ended hath the Lord these happy gifts,

[¶33] And likewise sent away to realms eterne

[¶34] The just, then comes a pitiable crowd

[¶35] Wailing its crimes; with parching tears it pours

[¶36] All groans effusely, and attests in acts

[¶37] 345 With frequent ululations. At the sight

[¶38] Of flames, their merit’s due, and stagnant pools

[¶39] Of fire, wrath’s weapons, they ’gin tremble all.

[¶40] Them an angelic host, upsnatching them,

[¶41] Forbids to pray, forbids to pour their cries

[¶42] 350 (Too late!) with clamour loud: pardon withheld,

[¶43] Into the lowest bottom they are hurled!

[¶44] O miserable men! how oft to you