Tertullians apology, or, Defence of the Christians against the accusations of the gentiles now made English by H.B. Esq.

CHAP. XXVII.

MEE thinks we have purged our selves very well of the crime of high treason, when we say we offend not your deities, because wee

shew they are no deities. Therefore when wee are exhorted to present them sacrifices, wee oppose for our defence, the trust wee put or owe to the light God hath given us; wee call our consciences to our aide, which shews us certainly, to whom the wor∣ship you render to these images should be adressed, which are exposed to a sacrilegious adoration, and to the names of men you have consecrated: but some say there is folly in our resistance, wee may sa∣crifice when prest to it, and conserve our lives with∣out injuring our consciences, in keeping a secret re∣solution to remaine firme in our Religion, and that in neglecting our security, wee prefer a vaine selfe∣will before our welfare. So you give us an advise that teacheth us how to deceave you, but we know the author of this counsell, and who inspires it into you: wee know the crafts of that wicked one, who sometimes by the wiles of his perswasions, sometimes, by the force of torments makes us suffer, strives to overthrow our constancy. It is that mali∣cious spirit whose substance is that of Angels, and Divels, who by his sin finally falling from grace becomes our enemy, and envies at that state of happi∣nesse wherein by Gods gracious assistance we yet re∣maine, and who puts projects in your minds to as∣sault us, who secretly excites these furious motions that corrupts all functions of reason in you, and dis∣pose you to do us the injustice we spoke of in the be∣ginning of this discourse; of condemning us against the rules of justice, and in tormenting us, altough guilty of no fault: for although all power of De∣vils,

and this wicked spirit, is subject to us, yet is falls out sometimes, that like unto wicked and faithlesse slaves, in the midst of the feare they have of the authority God hath given us over them, they give themselves over to actions of disobedience and re∣volt: and as te ordinary effect of feare, is to pro∣duce hatred, they strive to wrong them, whose power they feare.

Besides in the estate of rage, and despaire to which they are reduced, because their condemnation is al∣ready pronounced, they find content in their wicked∣nesse, they solace themselves in their evils, by those they make against the servants of God, against the day of the last judgement when they shall bee shut up in hell to suffer there eternally.

Neverthelesse, they combate not with us after this sort but at a distance, for when wee come neare them, they must yield, being under out power, and are forced to acknowledge the misery of their con∣dition, so the Devills that assault us when far from us, have recourse to entreaties when we affront them neare hand. Therefore when we must undergoe such punishmets as you ordain for your wretched slaves, when they shut us up in prisos, whe tey cause us to be condemned to work in the mines, or to som other servile work of the same condition; in the end when they exercise all their rage against us, by te impe∣tuous motions of fury that transports them because they see they are subjected to our authority, knowing their forces are inferior to ours, and therfore our victory is assured, and their destruction is inevitable,

then we defend our selves against these troublesom & importunate spirits, as if they were our equalls, wee resist them by a holy perseverance in the faith which they strive to destroy; and the most glorious triumph wee can gain over them, is, when our constancy and firme resolution in the Religion of the true God con∣demns us to death.