# Tertullian’S Views Concerning Different Other Matters, According To The Account Of P. J. Twisck. · Page 1 of 3

[Previous page: SUMMARY OF BAPTISM IN THIS CENTURY.](/en/stories/mm-summary-of-baptism-in-this-century/part-2/) · [Book contents](/en/sources/martyrs-mirror/#book-contents) · [Next page: TERTULLIAN’S VIEWS CONCERNING DIFFERENT OTHER MATTERS, ACCORDING TO THE ACCOUNT OF P. J. TWISCK.](/en/stories/mm-tertullians-views-concerning-different-other-matters-according-to-the-account-of-p-j-twisck/part-2/)

“Tertullian,” says Twisck, “exhorts Christian
women, in a book written to his wife, not to enter
into marriage relations with the heathen, saying that
it is impossible for them to live long in peace and
friendship. He says: ‘What must the heathen husband
think, when he sees, or hears it said that his
wife kisses on the cheek the first Christian whom
she happens to meet?’ ”

“Again, In a book on patience, when speaking
of the apostates and of withdrawing from them, he
says that patience governs all manner of salutary
doctrines, and remarks: ‘What wonder then, that it
also serves to repentance to those who are wont to
come to the help of the apostate, whether it be man
or wife, when separated one from another, nevertheless
by such things as are lawful, to be led to
maintain their widow or widowerhood. It is patience
that waits for repentance, hopes for it and exhorts
to it those who would yet at some time attain to
salvation. How great the benefit it confers upon
both—the one it preserves from adultery, the other
it reforms.’[96](/en/stories/mm-footnotes/part-9/#Footnote_96) Again he says: ‘Do you think that
it is hard for a Christian to suffer? He would rather
die himself, than to kill others; and if you smite a
Christian, he glories in it.’ ”

“Again, ‘As the religion of others does not concern
us, and neither profits nor harms us; therefore,
it does not become any one religion to force itself
upon another, since it must be accepted voluntarily,
and not by coercion, for what is required is the
offering of a willing mind.’ ” (This agrees with Ex.
25, 35 and 36. Chr. Leonh., lib. 1. Seb. Fr. in the
Arke fol. 174. Stand der Religie, lib. 4. Grond.
Bew. letter B. Menn. Sym. Doop. C., fol. 8. Th.
Imbroek, fol. 28.)

“Again, Tertullian (in his fourth book against
Marcion) quoting the words of Christ: This is my
body, that is, a figure of my body, says: ‘It would
not have been a figure, had his body not been real;
for a phantasm, or mere illusion, cannot have a
figure or shadow?’ With this he means to prove
that Christ had a real body; and what he here calls
117a figure, he, in the fifth book, calls a sacrament,
with the express words: ‘The bread and the cup.’
Still more clearly he says in the first book: ‘Neither
did he despise or reject the bread, by which he
represented or typified his body.’

“He says: ‘These words of Christ: This is my
body, we must understand as though Christ had
said: This is the sign and figure of my body.’ I
pass over Dionysius Alexandrinus, and Paulinus,
who both treat in the same manner of the above
sacrament.’ ” Tertul. Apolog., cap. 39. Euseb. lib. 6
and 9. Daniel Saut., lib. 1, cap. 6.

“Again, Tertullian says: ‘We must not seek the
faith from the persons, but prove the persons by the
faith.’ ” De Præscript., lib. 4. P. J. Twisck, Chron.
2d book, page 53, col. 1, 2.

Note.—Tertullian taught at this time: “We have
the apostles for authors, who established nothing
according to their own inclination, but faithfully
taught the nations that which they had received
from God.” Lib. 1. Præscript.

He writes further, that “all churches are apostolic
churches, though they may have been founded long
after the time of the apostles, if they have but kinship
with the doctrine.” Lib. 1. Præsc. See Samuel
Veltius, in the Geslacht-register der Roomscher
Successie, second edition, 1649 pages 115, 116.

Tertullian says among other things: “The emperors
would have believed in Christ, if the world
had not prevented them; for they could not become
Christians, because they had to serve the world,
and carry on war.” See, Grondelijke Verklaringe
Danielis ende Johannis, printed at Harlem, 1635,
on Tertullian.

Vicecomes, in his first book on baptism, chap. 1,
notes the following testimony from Tertullian (lib. 1,
cap. 4.): “There is no difference between those
whom John baptized in Jordan and those Peter
baptized in the Tiber.” With this he intends to
prove that in the first days of Christianity there
were neither baptismal fonts nor churches. J. M.,
Baptism. Hist., page 275.

Again says Tertullian: “Thus, when we go into
the water of baptism, we justly confess our sins and
the Christian faith.” Vicecom., lib. 4, cap. 7, and
J. M., Baptism. Hist., page 277.

These last two passages from Tertullian we have
adduced over and above what was necessary, but
they are not useless, since they confirm what we
have said above about baptism; for by the first the
superstition which was wont to be connected with
the water, the baptismal font, and the church in
which baptism was administered, is removed, or at
least (per consequentiam) controverted; and the
second states that it is proper to confess our sins,
and the Christian faith, at baptism. And therewith
he proves that it is not proper to be baptized without
confessing one’s sins, and the Christian faith.
What has been said is sufficient for the intelligent.
With this we take our leave of Tertullian.



## Original source

[Read this passage on Project Gutenberg](https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/65855/pg65855-images.html#FNanchor_96)

[Edition details](https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/65855)

[Previous page: SUMMARY OF BAPTISM IN THIS CENTURY.](/en/stories/mm-summary-of-baptism-in-this-century/part-2/) · [Book contents](/en/sources/martyrs-mirror/#book-contents) · [Next page: TERTULLIAN’S VIEWS CONCERNING DIFFERENT OTHER MATTERS, ACCORDING TO THE ACCOUNT OF P. J. TWISCK.](/en/stories/mm-tertullians-views-concerning-different-other-matters-according-to-the-account-of-p-j-twisck/part-2/)

---

Page: https://history.truechristian.church/en/stories/mm-tertullians-views-concerning-different-other-matters-according-to-the-account-of-p-j-twisck/

[Contribute a correction or addition](https://github.com/trueChristian/history.truechristian.church/issues/new?title=Correction%3A+Tertullian%E2%80%99S+Views+Concerning+Different+Other+Matters%2C+According+To+The+Account+Of+P.+J.+Twisck.+%C2%B7+Page+1+of+3&body=%23%23+Page+or+topic%0ATertullian%E2%80%99S+Views+Concerning+Different+Other+Matters%2C+According+To+The+Account+Of+P.+J.+Twisck.+%C2%B7+Page+1+of+3%0A%0APage%3A+https%3A%2F%2Fhistory.truechristian.church%2Fen%2Fstories%2Fmm-tertullians-views-concerning-different-other-matters-according-to-the-account-of-p-j-twisck%2F%0A%0ARecord%3A+mm-tertullians-views-concerning-different-other-matters-according-to-the-account-of-p-j-twisck%0A%0ADate+currently+shown%3A+3rd+century+%28source+section%29%0A%0A%23%23+Correction+or+addition%0A%0A%0A%0A%23%23+Sources+and+evidence%0APlease+include+book%2Fpage+references%2C+archive+links%2C+or+first-hand+documentation.%0A%0A%0A%0A%23%23+Image+credit+%28if+applicable%29%0ACreator%2C+source%2C+and+permission+or+public-domain+basis.%0A%0A%0A%0ASubmitted+for+review%3B+this+issue+does+not+publish+changes+automatically.)
