Chapter

XXIX.—Marcion Forbids Marriage. Tertullian Eloquently Defends It

as Holy, and Carefully Discriminates Between Marcion’s Doctrine

and His Own Montanism.

The flesh is not, according to Marcion, immersed

in the water of the sacrament, unless it be in

virginity, widowhood, or celibacy, or has purchased by divorce a title

to baptism, as if even generative impotents

did not all receive their flesh from nuptial union. Now, such a scheme

as this must no doubt involve the proscription of marriage.  Let

us see, then, whether it be a just one: not as if we

aimed at destroying the

happiness of sanctity, as do certain Nicolaitans in their maintenance

of lust and luxury, but as those who have come to the knowledge of

sanctity, and pursue it and prefer it, without detriment, however, to

marriage; not as if we superseded a bad thing by a good, but only a

good thing by a better. For we do not reject marriage, but simply

refrain from it. Nor do we prescribe

sanctity as the rule, but

Ante-Nicene Fathers/Volume III/Anti-Marcion/The Five Books Against Marcion/Book I/XXIX