Chapter XIII.—Of the Observance of Days Connected with Idolatry.

But why speak of sacrifices and priesthoods? Of spectacles, moreover, and pleasures of that kind, we have already filled a volume of their own.92    The treatise De Spectaculis [soon to follow, in this volume.] In this place must be handled the subject of holidays and other extraordinary solemnities, which we accord sometimes to our wantonness, sometimes to our timidity, in opposition to the common faith and Discipline. The first point, indeed, on which I shall join issue is this:  whether a servant of God ought to share with the very nations themselves in matters of his kind either in dress, or in food, or in any other kind of their gladness. “To rejoice with the rejoicing, and grieve with the grieving,”93    Rom. xii. 15. is said about brethren by the apostle when exhorting to unanimity. But, for these purposes, “There is nought of communion between light and darkness,”94    See 2 Cor. vi. 14. In the De Spect. xxvi. Tertullian has the same quotation (Oehler). And there, too, he adds, as here, “between life and death.” between life and death or else we rescind what is written, “The world shall rejoice, but ye shall grieve.”95    John xvi. 20. It is observable that Tertullian here translates κόσμον by “seculum.” If we rejoice with the world, there is reason to fear that with the world we shall grieve too. But when the world rejoices, let us grieve; and when the world afterward grieves, we shall rejoice. Thus, too, Eleazar96    i.e., Lazarus, Luke xvi. 19–31. in Hades,97    “Apud inferos,” used clearly here by Tertullian of a place of happiness. Augustine says he never finds it so used in Scripture. See Ussher’s “Answer to a Jesuit” on the Article, “He descended into hell.” [See Elucid. X. p. 59, supra.] (attaining refreshment in Abraham’s bosom) and the rich man, (on the other hand, set in the torment of fire) compensate, by an answerable retribution, their alternate vicissitudes of evil and good.  There are certain gift-days, which with some adjust the claim of honour, with others the debt of wages. “Now, then,” you say, “I shall receive back what is mine, or pay back what is another’s.” If men have consecrated for themselves this custom from superstition, why do you, estranged as you are from all their vanity, participate in solemnities consecrated to idols; as if for you also there were some prescript about a day, short of the observance of a particular day, to prevent your paying or receiving what you owe a man, or what is owed you by a man? Give me the form after which you wish to be dealt with.  For why should you skulk withal, when you contaminate your own conscience by your neighbour’s ignorance?  If you are not unknown to be a Christian, you are tempted, and you act as if you were not a Christian against your neighbour’s conscience; if, however, you shall be disguised withal,98    i.e., if you are unknown to be a Christian: “dissimulaberis.” This is Oehler’s reading; but Latinius and Fr. Junis would read “Dissimulaveris,” ="if you dissemble the fact” of being a Christian, which perhaps is better. you are the slave of the temptation. At all events, whether in the latter or the former way, you are guilty of being “ashamed of God.”99    So Mr. Dodgson renders very well. But “whosoever shall be ashamed of Me in the presence of men, of him will I too be ashamed,” says He, “in the presence of my Father who is in the heavens.”100    Matt. x. 33; Mark viii. 38; Luke ix. 26; 2 Tim. ii. 12.

CAPUT XIII.

Sic tamen nobis de mansuetudine et clementia Dei blandiamur, ut non usque ad idololatriae affinitates necessitatibus largiamur: sed omnem adflatum ejus vice pestis etiam de longinquo devitemus, non his tantum quae praemisimus, sed in universa serie humanae superstitionis, sive deis suis, sive defunctis, sive regibus mancipatae, ut ad eosdem spiritus immundos pertinentis, modo per sacrificia et sacerdotia, modo per spectacula, et hoc genus, modo 0679B per festos dies. Sed de sacrificiis et de sacerdotiis quid loquar? De spectaculis autem et voluptatibus ejusmodi suum jam volumen implevimus. Hoc loco retractari oportet de festis diebus, et aliis extraordinariis solemnitatibus, quas interdum lasciviae, interdum timiditati nostrae subscribimus, adversus fidei disciplinam communicantes nationibus in idolicis 0680A rebus. De hoc quidem primo consistam, an cum ipsis quoque nationibus communicare in hujusmodi servus Dei debeat, sive habitu, sive victu, vel quo alio genere laetitiae earum. Gaudere cum gaudentibus, et lugere cum lugentibus, de fratribus dictum est ab apostolo ad unanimitatem cohortante (Rom., XII, 15). Caeterum ad haec nihil communionis est lumini et tenebris vitae et morti: aut scindimus quod est scriptum (II Cor. VI, 14; Joan., XVI, 20): Saeculum gaudebit, vos vero lugebitis. Si cum saeculo gaudemus, verendum est, ne cum saeculo et lugeamus. Saeculo autem gaudente lugeamus, et saeculo postea lugente gaudebimus (Luc, XVI, 19). Sic et Lazarus apud inferos in sinu Abrahae refrigerium consecutus; contra dives in tormento ignis constitutus, alternas malorum 0680B et bonorum vices aemula retributione compensant . Sunt quidam dies munerum , quae apud alios honoris titulum, apud alios mercedis debitum expungunt. Nunc ergo, inquis, recipiam meum, vel rependam alienum. Si hunc morem sibi homines de superstitione consecraverunt, tu extraneus ab omni eorum vanitate, quid participas idolothyta 0681A solemnia, quasi tibi quoque praescriptum sit de die, quo minus id quod homini debes, vel tibi ab homine debetur, citra diei observationem luas, vel recipias. Da formam in qua velis agi tecum . Cur enim et lateas, cum ignorantia alterius tuam conscientiam contamines? si non ignoraris quod sis christianus, tentaris, et contra conscientiam alterius agis, tanquam non christianus. Enimvero etsi simulaveris , tentatus, addictus es. Certe sive hac, sive illac, reus es confusionis in Deo (Matth., X, 32; Luc, IX, 26). Qui autem confusus super me fuerit penes homines, et ego confundar super illo, inquit, penes Patrem meum, qui est in coelis.