Tertullian's writings are usually of brief extent, but they traverse nearly all fields of the religious life, and they constitute the most prolific s<iurce for the history of the Church and of doctrines in his time. No satisfac- tory classification of them can be executed, because but few of them afford the necessary data on which to base a scheme. The classification here presented rests upon the nature of the several writings as being either Cath- olic or Anticatholic, in which light the former are con- siderably more numerous than the latter.
(I.) Catholic Wiilinqs, or such us Defend Orthodox Christianity af/ainst Unbelievers and /feretics. — jMost of these works date from the Montanist ajra of the au- thor's life,
1. Apologies agaiiut Pagans and Jews. — First of all, the Apologeticiis, addressed to the IJonian magistracy, A.D. 198 (Mohler) or 204 (Kaye), and forming one of the best rebuttals of the charges raised by the heathen of the time against Christianity. Similar in character are the Ad yatinyies Lihri II. In De Testintonio Aniince the author develops an argument for the unity of CJod and the reality of a future state from the innate percep- tions and feelings of the soul. In the work A d Scapu- liim he remonstrates with the African governor of that name, who was bitterly persecuting tlie Christians. The Adrersus .ludrvos Liber <lraws from the Old-Test, lirophcts the proof that the Messiah has appeared inthe X.— T
person of Jesus of Nazareth (comp. Hefele, Tertull. als Apoloffet, in the Tiib. Quartahrhri/t. 1838, p. 30-82).
2. Doctrinal and Polemical Writings Aimed against Heretics. — Here belongs, first, the De Prwscriptione Hcb- reticorum, or rules to be observed by Christians in deal- ing with heretics. The argument involves, as its finida- ineutal [)rinciple, the idea tliat heretics, as innovators, are under the necessity of proving their positions, while the Catholic Church is assured in its sole right to the allegiance of Christendom bj- the uninterrupted current of apostolical tradition and an unimpaired succession, so that it need not enter into controversy with heretics. After the defection to Montanism, Tertullian wrote against various individual heretics, e. g. in the fifteenth year of Septimius Sevenis (A.D. 207 or 208), Adveisus Marcionem Libri V, his most extensive and learned po- lemico-dogmatical work, and a principal source for the study of Gnosticism : — Adrersus Hermogenem, a painter at Carthage, who had adopted the dualistic theory of the eternity of matter: — Adr:ersvs Vulentinianos,a. trag- ico-comical representation of the Valentinian Gnostics: -^and Scoi-piace, an antidote against the scorpion-poison of such heretics.
Particular Gnostical doctrines are assailed in De Bap- tismo, a defence of water-baptism against the Cainites and their peculiar theory of a mystical spiritual bap- tism : — De Anima, an inquiry into the nature, etc., of the soul : — De Came Christi, a defence of the true humanity of Christ: — and De Resurrectione Carnis, a confutation of the heresy which denied the resurrection of the body. The tract Adrersus Praxeam assails the Phrygian Anti- montanist Praxeas, and confutes his patripassionist er- rors in the interest of the orthodox view of the Trinity.
3. Ethical and Ascetical Writings. — This class is com- posed of works of small size, but of considerable value to the regulation of practical life and the administration of ecclesiastical discipline. The list includes, De Ora- tione, an exposition of the Lord's Prayer and rules for prayer and fasting : — De Spectaculis, a warning against theatrical exhibitions: — De Idololatria: — Ad Uxorem Libri II, advice to his wife to govern her action in case she should outlive him : — De Paenitentia, a Catholic and Antimontanistic presentation of the doctrine of repent- ance, dating from the earlier period of his Christian life : — De Patientia, a coinmendation of the virtue of pa- tience, accompanied with a lamentation because of his own lack of that virtue : — A d Martgros. an exhortation addressed to the confessors who in the time of Septimius Severus awaited in prison the martyr's death.
(II.) Anticatholic Writings, in which Montanistic Di- vergences from Catholic Customs are Expresslg Defended. — De Pudicitia, a retraction of the principles laid down in the earlier work De Pa'nifeiiti<i. and violent advocacy of the rigoristic view on which deadly sins, like inurder, adultery, and flight from persecution, should never be condoned: — De Monogamia, an emphatic denunciation of second marriages (comp. Hauber, in Stitd. it. Krit. 1845, No. 3): — De ExhortationeCastitatis,\n which three degrees of chastity are distinguished — the first, absolute and lifelong restraint; the second, continence from the time of baptism ; the third, refraining from contracting a second marriage: — De Virginibus !>/(/«(//.«, denouncing the habit of unmarried women appearing in public un- veiled as being contrary to nature, the will of (lod, and the discipline of the Church generally : — De Habitu Mu- liebri et de Cultu Eeminarum condemns the adorning of the person by females with ornaments, etc. : — De Jejuniis adrersus Psychicos (Catholics) is a defence of exag- gerated fasting: — De Euga denies the right of Christians to flee from persecution: — De Corona Militis commends a Christian soldier who refused to wear the festive chap- let on a great occasion and suifered punishment for his act : — De Pallia is a witty explanation of his conduct in wearing the pallium instead of the ordinar}- Roman toga, difiicnlt for us to understand because of its numer- ous allusions to obscure customs of the time.