---
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: 72 of 199
url: https://scriptura.si/works/church-fathers-tertullian-minucius-felix-commodian-origen/72/
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 72. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/church-fathers-tertullian-minucius-felix-commodian-origen/72/"
---

# 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.

## 72. Of the Harmony of the Old and New Laws · 8 of 9

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/church-fathers-tertullian-minucius-felix-commodian-origen/72/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/church-fathers-tertullian-minucius-felix-commodian-origen/72/#p-N

[¶0] Thou seek it, it is not; when God doth will,

[¶1] ’Tis seen to be. On trees their leaves, on thorns

[¶2] The rose, the seeds on plains, are dead and fail,

[¶3] 310 And rise again, new living. For man’s use

[¶4] These things doth God before his eyes recall

[¶5] And form anew—man’s, for whose sake at first

[¶6] The wealthy One made all things bounteously.

[¶7] All naked fall; with its own body each

[¶8] 315 He clothes. Why man alone, on whom He showered

[¶9] Such honours, should He not recall in all

[¶10] His first perfection to Himself? man, whom

[¶11] He set o’er all?

[¶12] Flesh, then, and blood are said

[¶13] To be not worthy of God’s realm, as if

[¶14] 320 Paul spake of flesh materially. He

[¶15] Indeed taught mighty truths; but hearts inane

[¶16] Think he used carnal speech: for pristine deeds

[¶17] He meant beneath the name of “flesh and blood;”

[¶18] Remembering, heavenly home—slave that he is,

[¶19] 325 His heavenly Master’s words; who gave the name

[¶20] Of His own honour to men born from Him

[¶21] Through water, and from His own Spirit poured

[¶22] A pledge; that, by whose virtue men had been

[¶23] Redeemed, His name of honour they withal

[¶24] 330 Might, when renewed, receive. Because, then, He

[¶25] Refused, on the old score, the heavenly realm

[¶26] To peoples not yet from His fount re-born,

[¶27] Still with their ancient sordid raiment clad—

[¶28] These are “the dues of death”—saying that that

[¶29] 335 Which human is must needs be born again,—

[¶30] “What hath been born of flesh is flesh; and what

[¶31] From Spirit, life;” and that the body, washed,

[¶32] Changing with glory its old root’s new seeds,

[¶33] Is no more called “from flesh:” Paul follows this;

[¶34] 340 Thus did he speak of “flesh.” In fine, he said

[¶35] This frail garb with a robe must be o’erclad,

[¶36] This mortal form be wholly covered;

[¶37] Not that another body must be given,

[¶38] But that the former one, dismantled, must

[¶39] 345 Be with God’s kingdom wholly on all sides

[¶40] Surrounded: “In the moment of a glance,”

[¶41] He says, “it shall be changed:” as, on the blade,

[¶42] Dispreads the red corn’s face, and changes ’neath

[¶43] The sun’s glare its own hue; so the same flesh,

[¶44] 350 From “the effulgent glory” borrowing,