Tertullian: Against Marcion, Books I–V

Chapter XVII.—Trace God’s Government in History and in His Precepts, and You Will Find It Full of His Goodness.

These considerations show that the entire order of God as Judge is an operative one, and (that I may express myself in worthier words) protective of His Catholic ^{Edition note 1} and supreme goodness, which, removed as it is from judiciary emotions, and pure in its own condition, the Marcionites refuse to acknowledge to be in one and the same Deity, “raining on the just and on the unjust, and making His sun to rise on the evil and on the good,” ^{Edition note 2} —a bounty which no other god at all exercises.

It is true that Marcion has been bold enough to erase from the gospel this testimony of Christ to the Creator; but yet the world itself is inscribed with the goodness of its Maker, and the inscription is read by each man’s conscience. Nay, this very long-suffering of the Creator will tend to the condemnation of Marcion; that patience, (I mean,) which waits for the sinner’s repentance rather than his death, which prefers mercy to sacrifice, ^{Edition note 3} averting from the Ninevites the ruin which had been already denounced against them, ^{Edition note 4} and vouchsafing to Hezekiah’s tears an extension of his life, ^{Edition note 5} and restoring his kingly state to the monarch of Babylon after his complete repentance; ^{Edition note 6} that mercy, too, which conceded to the devotion of the people the son of Saul when about to die, ^{Edition note 7} and gave free forgiveness to David on his confessing his sins against the house of Uriah; ^{Edition note 8} which also restored the house of Israel as often as it condemned it, and addressed to it consolation no less frequently than reproof.

Do not therefore look at God simply as Judge, but turn your attention also to examples of His conduct as the Most Good. ^{Edition note 9} Noting Him, as you do, when He takes vengeance, consider Him likewise when He shows mercy. ^{Edition note 10} In the scale, against His severity place His gentleness. When you shall have discovered both qualities to co-exist in the Creator, you will find in Him that very circumstance which induces you to think there is another God.

Lastly, come and examine into His doctrine, discipline, precepts, and counsels. You will perhaps say that there are equally good prescriptions in human laws. But Moses and God existed before all your Lycurguses and Solons. There is not one after-age ^{Edition note 11} which does not take from primitive sources. At any rate, my Creator did not learn from your God to issue such commandments as: Thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not commit adultery; thou shalt not steal; thou shalt not bear false witness; thou shalt not covet what is thy neighbour’s; honour thy father and thy mother; and, thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

To these prime counsels of innocence, chastity, and justice, and piety, are also added prescriptions of humanity, as when every seventh year slaves are released for liberty; ^{Edition note 12} when at the same period the land is spared from tillage; a place is also granted to the needy; and from the treading ox’s mouth the muzzle is removed, for the enjoyment of the fruit of his labour before him, in order that kindness first shown in the case of animals might be raised from such rudiments ^{Edition note 13} to the refreshment ^{Edition note 14} of men.