---
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: 94 of 199
url: https://scriptura.si/works/church-fathers-tertullian-minucius-felix-commodian-origen/94/
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 94. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/church-fathers-tertullian-minucius-felix-commodian-origen/94/"
---

# 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.

## 94. General Reply to Sundry of Marcion's Heresies · 3 of 8

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/church-fathers-tertullian-minucius-felix-commodian-origen/94/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/church-fathers-tertullian-minucius-felix-commodian-origen/94/#p-N

[¶0] The “ewe” is stated to be found? Unsought

[¶1] 90 In that case, but not rescued, she is proved.

[¶2] But now choice is allowed of entering

[¶3] Wedlock, as hath been ever; and that choice

[¶4] Sure progeny hath yoked: nations are born

[¶5] And folk scarce numerable, at whose birth

[¶6] 95 Their souls by living bodies are received;

[¶7] Nor was it meet that Paul (though, for the time,

[¶8] He did exhort some few, discerning well

[¶9] The many pressures of a straitened time)

[¶10] To counsel men in like case to abide

[¶11] 100 As he himself: for elsewhere he has bidden

[¶12] The tender ages marry, nor defraud

[¶13] Each other, but their compact’s dues discharge.

[¶14] But say, whose suasion hath, with fraud astute,

[¶15] Made you “abide,” and in divided love

[¶16] 105 Of offspring live secure, and commit crime

[¶17] Adulterous, and lose your life? and, though

[¶18] ’Tis perishing, belie (by verbal name)

[¶19] That fact. For which cause all the so sweet sounds

[¶20] Of his voice pours he forth, that “you must do,

[¶21] 110 Undaunted, whatsoever pleases you;”

[¶22] Outwardly chaste, stealthily stained with crime!

[¶23] Of honourable wedlock, by this plea,

[¶24] He hath deprived you. But why more? ’Tis well

[¶25] (Forsooth) to be disjoined! for the world, too,

[¶26] 115 Expedient ’tis! lest any of your seed

[¶27] Be born! Then will death’s organs cease at length!

[¶28] The while you hope salvation to retain,

[¶29] Your “total man” quite loses part of man,

[¶30] With mind profane: but neither is man said

[¶31] 120 To be sole spirit, nor the flesh is called

[¶32] “The old man;” nor unfriendly are the flesh

[¶33] And spirit, the true man combined in one,

[¶34] The inner, and he whom you call “old foe;”

[¶35] Nor are they seen to have each his own set

[¶36] 125 Of senses. One is ruled; the other rules,

[¶37] Groans, joys, grieves, loves; himself to his own flesh

[¶38] Most dear, too; through which his humanity

[¶39] Is visible, with which commixt he is

[¶40] Held ever: to its wounds he care applies;

[¶41] 130 And pours forth tears; and nutriments of food

[¶42] Takes, through its limbs, often and eagerly:

[¶43] This hopes he to have ever with himself

[¶44] Immortal; o’er its fracture doth he groan;