Page:Tracts for the Times Vol 1.djvu/548

 good, to the satisfaction of all doubters, that we have that in our possession which was appointed by Christ. In the mean time, from confidence in the proof, I anticipate so far as to admonish certain persons that they have nothing to seek beyond what they have already accepted; that that is what they were bound to seek: so that they must not interpret without consideration of the import of the words, 'Seek, and ye shall find.'

"But the import of this saying is determined by three particulars; the matter, the time, the manner: by the matter, that you should consider what is to be sought; by the time, when it is to be sought; by the manner, how far. Now that is to be sought, which Christ instituted; then, of course, when you do not find it, so long, of course, until you find it. But you have found it, when you have attained to belief, for you would not have believed, if you had not found; as neither would you have sought, unless that you might find. For where shall inquiry come to an end? where faith take her stand? where discovery gain her discharge? With Marcion? nay, Valentinus also sets up 'seek, and ye shall find.' With Valentinus? nay, Apelles too will beset me with the same declaration: and Hebion, and Simon, and all, one after another, have nothing else but this same text, by which to insinuate themselves into my approbation, to bind me to their cause. I shall therefore come to no result, while I meet on every side, 'seek, and ye shall find.'

[To understand the above argument, it must be borne in mind that at baptism the Creed was committed to and accepted by the new Christian. Thus the time of belief was a certain definite date, to which Tertullian refers. It must be observed also, that the persons he speaks to were Separatists, who had been baptized in the Church, not regular hereditary Dissenters.]

"Although we were to be for ever inquiring, yet where ought we to seek? Among heretics, where all is extraneous and adverse to the truth we hold, whom we are forbidden to approach? What servant expects food from one who is a stranger, not to