---
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: 70 of 199
url: https://scriptura.si/works/church-fathers-tertullian-minucius-felix-commodian-origen/70/
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 70. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/church-fathers-tertullian-minucius-felix-commodian-origen/70/"
---

# 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.

## 70. Of the Harmony of the Old and New Laws · 6 of 9

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/church-fathers-tertullian-minucius-felix-commodian-origen/70/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/church-fathers-tertullian-minucius-felix-commodian-origen/70/#p-N

[¶0] 220 The serpent’s spoil—“the world’s prince” vanquisht quite!

[¶1] Grand trophy of the renegades: for sign

[¶2] Whereof had Moses hung the snake, that all,

[¶3] Who had by many serpents stricken been,

[¶4] Might gaze upon the dragon’s self, and see

[¶5] 225 Him vanquisht and transfixt.

[¶6] When, afterwards,

[¶7] He reached the infernal region’s secret waves,

[¶8] And, as a victor, by the light which aye

[¶9] Attended Him, revealed His captive thrall,

[¶10] And by His virtue thoroughly fulfilled

[¶11] 230 The Father’s bidding, He Himself re-took

[¶12] The body which, spontaneous, He had left:

[¶13] This was the cause of death: this same was made

[¶14] Salvation’s path: a messenger of guile

[¶15] The former was; the latter messenger

[¶16] 235 Of peace: a spouse her man did slay; a spouse

[¶17] Did bear a lion: hurtful to her man

[¶18] A virgin proved; a man from virgin born

[¶19] Proved victor: for a type whereof, while sleep

[¶20] His body wrapped, out of his side is ta’en

[¶21] 240 A woman, who is her lord’s rib; whom, he,

[¶22] Awaking, called “flesh from his flesh, and bones

[¶23] From his own bones;” with a presaging mind

[¶24] Speaking. Faith wondrous! Paul deservedly,

[¶25] (Most certain author!) teaches Christ to be

[¶26] 245 “The Second Adam from the heavens.” Truth,

[¶27] Using her own examples, doth refulge;

[¶28] Nor covets out of alien source to show

[¶29] Her paces keen: this is a pauper’s work,

[¶30] Needy of virtue of his own! Great Paul

[¶31] 250 These mysteries—taught to him—did teach; to wit,

[¶32] Discerning that in Christ thy glory is,

[¶33] O Church! from His side, hanging on high “tree,”

[¶34] His lifeless body’s “blood and humour” flowed.

[¶35] The blood the woman was; the waters were

[¶36] 255 The new gifts of the font: this is the Church,

[¶37] True mother of a living people; flesh

[¶38] New from Christ’s flesh, and from His bones a bone.

[¶39] A spot there is called Golgotha,—of old

[¶40] The fathers’ earlier tongue thus called its name,—

[¶41] 260 “The skull-pan of a head:” here is earth’s midst;

[¶42] Here victory’s sign; here, have our elders taught,

[¶43] There was a great head found; here the first man,

[¶44] We have been taught, was buried; here the Christ