THE WRITINGS OF TERTULLIAN PART FOUR
On Modesty
Chap. XIV
"But some, in (their) conscience, even until now eat (it) as if (it were) an idol-sacrifice."
"'Wherefore, let him who thinketh himself to be standing, see lest he fall;' and, 'If any seemeth to be contentious, we have not such a custom, nor (has) the Church of the Lord.'"
Chap. XIX.
"For (the angel of the Thyatirene Church) was secretly introducing into the Church, and urging justly to repentance, an heretical woman, who had taken upon herself to teach what she had learnt from the Nicolaitans. For who has a doubt that an heretic, deceived by (a spurious baptismal) rite, upon discovering his mischance, and expiating it by repentance, both attains pardon and is restored to the bosom of the Church? Whence even among us, as being on a par with an heathen, nay even more than heathen, an heretic likewise, (such an one) is purged through the baptism of truth from each character, and admitted (to the Church). Or else, if you are certain that that woman had, after a living faith, subsequently expired, and turned heretic, in order that you may claim pardon as the result of repentance, not as it were for an heretical, but as it were for a believing, sinner: let her, I grant, repent; but with the view of ceasing from adultery, not however in the prospect of restoration (to Church-fellowship) as well. For this will be a repentance which we, too, acknowledge to be due much more (than you do); but which we reserve, for pardon, to God.
In short, this Apocalypse, in its later passages, has assigned 'the infamous and fornicators,' as well as 'the cowardly, and unbelieving, and murderers, and sorcerers, and idolaters,' who have been guilty of any such crime while professing the faith, to 'the lake of fire,' (Rev_21:8) without any conditional condemnation."
Chap. XXII.
Suppose, now,(your martyr) beneath the glaive, with head already steadily poised; suppose him on the cross, with body already outstretched; suppose him at the stake, with the lion already let loose; suppose him on the axle, with the fire already heaped; in the very certainty, I say, and possession of martyrdom: who permits man to condone (offences) which are to be reserved for God, by whom those (offences) have been condemned without discharge, which not even apostles (so far as I know) - martyrs withal themselves - have judged condonable? In short, Paul had already 'fought with beasts at Ephesus,' when he decreed 'destruction' to the incestuous person. (1Co_15:32) Let it suffice to the martyr to have purged his own sins: it is the part of ingratitude or of pride to lavish upon others also what one has obtained at a high price. (Act_22:28 Who has redeemed another�s death by his own, but the Son of God alone? For even in His very passion He set the robber free. (Luk_23:39-43) For to this end had He come, that, being Himself pure from sin, (1Jo_3:5) and in all respects holy, (Hebrews 7:26-8:1) He might undergo death on behalf of sinners. (1Pe_3:18 Similarly, you who emulate Him in condoning sins, if you yourself have done no sin, plainly suffer in my stead. If, however, you are a sinner, how will the oil of your puny torch be able to suffice for you and for me? (Mat_25:8, Mat_25:9)"
