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| Elucidations.
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Elucidations.
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I.
(Greater licence, p. 104.)
In this treatise, which is
designed to justify the extremes of Montanistic fasts,
Tertullian’s genius often surprises us by his ingenuity.
This is one of the instances where the forensic orator comes out,
trying to outflank and turn the position of an antagonist who has
gained an advantage. The fallacy is obvious. Kaye cites, in
comparison, a passage1125
| 1125 II. cap. 10, p. 23,
supra. | from “The
Apparel of Women,” and another1126
| 1126 Cap. 8, p. 55,
supra. | from
“The Exhortation to Chastity.” He remarks,
“Were we required to produce an instance [i.e. to prove the
tendency of mankind to run into extremes], we should without hesitation
refer the reader to this treatise.”
Fasting was ordained of Christ Himself as a means to an
end. It is here reduced from its instrumental character, and made
an excuse for dividing the household of faith, and for cruel
accusations against brethren.
In our age of an entire relaxation of discipline, the
enthusiast may nevertheless awaken us, perhaps, to honest
self-examination as to our manner of life, in view of the example of
Christ and His apostles, and their holy precepts.
II.
(Provinces of Greece, p. 111.)
We have here an interesting hint as to the ἀρχαῖα ἔθη
to which the Council of Nice1127
| 1127 See our minor
titlepage. | refers in one
of her most important canons. Provinces, synods, and the charges
or pastoral letters of the bishops are referred to as established
institutions. And note the emphasis given to “Greece”
as the mother of churches,
and of laws and customs. He looks Eastward, and not by any means
to the West, for high examples of the Catholic usages by which he was
endeavouring to justify his own.
III.
(An over-fed Christian, p. 114.)
“Are we not carnal” (psychics) in our
days? May not the very excesses of Tertullian sting and reproach
us with the charge of excessive indulgence (Matt. ix. 15)? The “over-fed
Christians” whom he here reproaches are proved by this very
treatise to have observed a system of fasting which is little practised
anywhere in our times—for a mere change to luxurious fish-diet is
the very mockery of fasting. We learn that the customary fasts of
these psychics were as follows: (1) the annual Paschal
fast,1128
| 1128 Capp. 2, 13, 14,
supra. | from Friday till Easter-Day; (2) Wednesdays
and Fridays (stationary days1129
| 1129 Cap. 14. See
De Orat., cap. 19, p. 687. | ) every week; and
(3) the “dry-food days,”1130
| 1130 The
Xerophagiæ, cap. 2, p. 103. | —abstinence from “pleasant
bread” (Dan. x.
2),—though some
Catholics objected to these voluntary abstinences.
IV.
(Practise emaciation, p. 114.)
Think of our Master’s fast among the wild
beasts! Let us condescend to go back to Clement, to Origen, and
to Tertullian to learn the practical laws of the Gospel against
avarice, luxury, and “the deceitfulness of sin.” I am
emboldened to say this by some remarkable words which I find, to my
surprise, thrown out in a scientific work1131
| 1131 Scientific
Culture, by J. P. Cooke, professor of chemistry, etc. New
York, 1884. | proceeding from Harvard University. It
is with exceeding gratitude that I quote as follows: “It
is well to go away at times, that we may see another aspect of human
life which still survives in the East, and to feel that influence
which led even the Christ into the wilderness to prepare for the
struggle with the animal nature of man.1132
| 1132 This is ambiguous, but
I merely note it. Heb.
iv. 15. | We need something of the experience of
the Anchorites of Egypt, to impress us with the great truth that the
distinction between the spiritual and the material remains broad and
clear, even if with the scalpel of our modern philosophy we cannot
completely dissect the two; and this experience will give us courage to
cherish our aspirations, keep bright our hopes, and hold fast our
Christian faith until the consummation comes.”E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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