Dear samuel999-ga;
Thank you for allowing me an opportunity to answer your interesting question.
Tertullian is believed to have died at some point between AD220 and
AD240, some 50-80 years before Athanasius?s birth. Clearly, his life
and the life of Athanasius did not overlap, therefore it would have
been impossible for Tertullian to have made references to anything
related to Athanasius.
Thomas Watson?s ?The Duty of Self-Denial? is published online and I
found no reference to the ?invincible adamant? statement in it:
THE DUTY OF SELF-DENIAL
http://redemptioninternetchurch.com/DenySelf.htm
I did however find more than one reference to the statement made by Thomas Watson:
Thomas Watson made the ?invincible adamant? statement about Athanasius
in his sermon ?The Lord's Prayer? (First published as part of ?A Body
of Practical Divinity?, 1692). What he actually published in 1692 said
is this:
?The kingdom of grace increases when a Christian is established in the
belief and love of the truth. The heart by nature is as a ship without
ballast, that wavers and fluctuates. Beza writes of one Bolezius, that
his religion changed as the moon and planet Mercury.
Such as are wandering stars will be falling stars; but when a soul is
built on the rock Christ, and no winds of temptation can blow it away,
the kingdom of grace flourishes. One calls Athanasius, Adamas
Ecclesiae, an invincible adamant, in respect of his stability in the
truth. 'Rooted and built up in him.' Col 2: 7. The rooting of a tree
evidences growth.?
THE LORD'S PRAYER
?THE SECOND PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER: 'THY KINGDOM COME." MATT 6: 10?
SECTION: IV
http://www.bibleteacher.org/watsonlp3.htm
You can read the entire test of the sermon here in the public domain:
BIBLETEACHER.ORG
http://www.bibleteacher.org/watsonlp1.htm
In ?Body of Divinity Contained in Sermons upon the Assembly's Catechism? by the
Rev. Thomas Watson, another similar statement is made:
?When we are more firmly rooted in religion. 'Rooted in him, and
established:' the spreading of the root shows the growth of the tree
(Col. 2:7). When we are so strongly fastened on Christ, that we cannot
be blown down with the breath of heretics, it is a blessed sign of
growth. Athanasius was called Adamas ecclesiae, [the Adamant of the
Church], an adamant that could not be removed from the love of the
truth.?
WESTMINSTER SHORTER CATECHISM PROJECT
http://www.shortercatechism.com/resources/watson/wsc_wa_036_d.html
In answer to your question, Thomas Watson didn?t ?goof? in his
original versions but that?s not to say that the modern publisher
printer or interpreter of the particular volume you are reading might
have goofed instead. In other words, after all these centuries, I
would be more inclined to suspect an error of modern origin than I
would in an original text as it would seem that Watson, a well
educated and revered theologian, would have been very aware of the
differences in timelines and the chorological impossibility of such a
statement.
I hope you find that my research exceeds your expectations. If you
have any questions about my research please post a clarification
request prior to rating the answer. Otherwise I welcome your rating
and your final comments and I look forward to working with you again
in the near future. Thank you for bringing your question to us.
Best regards;
Tutuzdad-ga ? Google Answers Researcher
INFORMATION SOURCES
THE DUTY OF SELF-DENIAL
http://redemptioninternetchurch.com/DenySelf.htm
THE LORD'S PRAYER
?THE SECOND PETITION IN THE LORD'S PRAYER: 'THY KINGDOM COME." MATT 6: 10?
SECTION: IV
http://www.bibleteacher.org/watsonlp3.htm
BIBLETEACHER.ORG
http://www.bibleteacher.org/watsonlp1.htm
SEARCH STRATEGY
SEARCH ENGINE USED:
Google ://www.google.com
SEARCH TERMS USED:
INVINCIBLE ADAMANT
THOMAS WATSON
ATHANASIUS |
Request for Answer Clarification by
samuel999-ga
on
12 May 2004 16:46 PDT
Thank you for the reply. I think you are probably right in your
assumption (it certainly would be a fairly safe bet Watson is
correct), however I still am not satisfied. His book "The Duty of Self
Denial (and 10 other sermons)" is 205 pages. The link you referenced
on the internet was an abbreviated/edited version. Probably I need to
locate an older publishing date of this book - then if in fact the
wording is different/correct in an older version - then your answer
would stand as correct. If the wording is the same, then I am still at
a loss. I have requested a friend attending a Seminary School to
attempt to locate an older copy of this book. He may have it within
the week. Possibly this question warrents a higher fee - and with a
proven answer I would happily tip well. If someone had an older
version of the book (or could locate the complete text on-line), then
the answer could be quite easy.
I will wait a few days before posting a rating. I do appreciate your
prompt response. I had not seen
http://redemptioninternetchurch.com/DenySelf.htm.
|
Clarification of Answer by
tutuzdad-ga
on
12 May 2004 17:23 PDT
Shall I wait to see if your friend can obtain the book or shall I try
to find you a copy to buy older than the printing you have (I'll need
to know the date of course)? Or shall I simply wait? I'm not certain
what else you need me to do for you at this point in terms of
clarification if you would kindly provide me with some direction.
Regards;
tutuzdad-ga
|
Clarification of Answer by
tutuzdad-ga
on
12 May 2004 17:26 PDT
The Duty of Self-Denial (and Ten Other Sermons), by Thomas Watson. The
title treatise, eight chapters long, and seven of the ten other
sermons, have not been reprinted since the 17th century. Some of the
newly-reprinted sermon titles are: "Kiss the Son," "His Heart is
Fixed," "The Peace of Christ," and "The Comforting Rod."
ISBN 1-57358-015-5. Hardback, 206 pages.
cached
http://216.109.117.135/search/cache?p=%22the+duty+of+self+denial%22+watson&ei=UTF-8&cop=mss&u=www.sdgbooks.com/1-57358-015-5.html&w=%22the+duty+of+self+denial%22+watson&d=AC58407E92&c=482&yc=1232&icp=1
tutuzdad
|
Clarification of Answer by
tutuzdad-ga
on
12 May 2004 18:12 PDT
Here are a cople of other possibile explanations:
In his "The Beatitudes, An exposition of Matthew 5:1-12" Watson says:
http://www.peacemakers.net/unity/twpersecution.htm
"Tertullian was called an adamant for his invincible courage."
Perhaps the text you read SHOULD have said "Tertullian [WAS] called an
invincible adamant" or perhaps "Tertullian called him[SELF] an
invincible adamant". These statements would certainly have made more
sense.
On the other hand, the Bible says in Ezekiel 3:9 :
"As an adamant harder than flint have I made thy forehead: fear them
not, neither be dismayed at their looks, though they [be] a rebellious
house."
Tertullian would have been quite familiar with this scripture.
Assuming Tertullian made such a reference to ANYONE or EVERYONE who
possesed stone-like, unshakable faith as described in this scripture,
he could theoretically have referred to Athanasius even thought he did
not know him, by referring ALL or ANY people past, present or future,
who possess these qualities (as Athanasius someday would).
My STRONGS BIBLICAL COMMENTARY says:
"Hebrew: "Shamir" - The Greek word "adamas" means diamond. It is an
emblem of firmness in resisting adversaries of the truth"
Tertullian could very well have made this figurative comparision of
which Athanasius, and those like him past, present and future would
certainly have fit very well.
Do these make better sense to you? They do seem to explain it better
than a error on Watson's part, being a man who was once described as a
"laborious student" at Cambridge and quite unlikley to have made such
an embarrassing statement and then put it in print for all to see.
This is especially true since the nay-sayers, heretics and authorities
at the time were doing all they could to find fault in him and he
would have taken great care to be as accurate in all his speach as
possible to keep from being discredited.
Regards;
tutuzdad-ga
|
Request for Answer Clarification by
samuel999-ga
on
12 May 2004 18:44 PDT
We can wrap this up now. Your responses have been great. It is not a
definative answer - but it is quite good (more than my money's worth).
I will continue to try to acquire an older book. I may be back to post
the question in an updated (more specific format, if need be.) Again
thanks.
|
Clarification of Answer by
tutuzdad-ga
on
12 May 2004 19:49 PDT
Thank "YOU". I wish you luck in your research of this fascinating man
and I look forward to working with you again.
Regards;
tutuzdad-ga
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