Anti-Marcion

Footnotes

^[2457] Præscriptio.

^[2458] Tertium cessat.

^[2459] Falsæ. An allusion to the Docetism of Marcion.

^[2460] Apud quem.

Chapter XII.—Impossibility of Acknowledging God Without This External Evidence Of His Existence. Marcion’s Rejection of Such Evidence for His God Savours of Impudence and Malignity.

^[2461] The word cause throughout this chapter is used in the popular, inaccurate sense, which almost confounds it with effect, the “causa cognoscendi,” as distinguished from the “causa essendi,” the strict cause.

^[2462] The word cause throughout this chapter is used in the popular, inaccurate sense, which almost confounds it with effect, the “causa cognoscendi,” as distinguished from the “causa essendi,” the strict cause.

^[2463] The word “res” is throughout this argument used strictly by Tertullian; it refers to “the thing” made by God—that product of His creative energy which affords to us evidence of His existence. We have translated it “proof” for want of a better word.

^[2464] The “tanquam sit,” in its subjunctive form, seems to refer to the concession indicated at the outset of the chapter.

^[2465] Omnino sine causa.

^[2466] Illum, i.e., Marcion’s god.

^[2467] Captare.

^[2468] Deum ex operum auctoritate formatum.

^[2469] Non statim ratione, on a priori grounds.

^[2470] i.e., Marcion’s god.

^[2471] Compare Rom. i. 20, a passage which is quite subversive of Marcion’s theory.

Chapter XIII.—The Marcionites Depreciate the Creation, Which, However, is a Worthy Witness of God. This Worthiness Illustrated by References to the Heathen Philosophers, Who Were Apt to Invest the Several Parts of Creation with Divine Attributes.

^[2472] This is an ironical concession from the Marcionite side.

^[2473] Another concession.

^[2474] Tertullian’s rejoinder.