Tertullian — On Baptism 10

But as to those who think that not here, that is, not within this environment of earth, nor during this period of existence , nor before men possessing this nature shared by us all, has confession been appointed to be made, what a supposition is theirs, being at variance with the whole order of things of which we have experience in these lands, and in this life, and under human authorities! Doubtless, when the souls have departed from their bodies, and begun to be put upon trial in the several stories of the heavens, with reference to the engagement (under which they have come to Jesus), and to be questioned about those hidden mysteries of the heretics , they must then confess before the real powers and the real men, — the Teleti, to wit, and the Abascanti, and the Acineti of Valentinus !

For, say they , even the Demiurge himself did not uniformly approve of the men of our world, whom he counted as a drop of a bucket, Isaiah 40:15 and the dust of the threshing-floor, and spittle and locusts, and put on a level even with brute beasts. Clearly, it is so written. Yet not therefore must we understand that there is, besides us, another kind of man , which — for it is evidently thus (in the case proposed)— has been able to assume without invalidating a comparison between the two kinds , both the characteristics of the race and a unique property. For even if the life was tainted, so that condemned to contempt it might be likened to objects held in contempt, the nature was not immediately taken away, so that there might be supposed to be another under its name.

Rather is the nature preserved, though the life blushes; nor does Christ know other men than those with reference to whom He says, Whom do men say that I am? Matthew 16:13 And, As you would that men should do to you, do likewise so to them. Consider whether He may not have preserved a race such that He is looking for a testimony to Himself from them, as well as consisting of those on whom He enjoins the interchange of righteous dealing. But if I should urgently demand that those heavenly men be described to me, Aratus will sketch more easily Perseus and Cepheus, and Erigone, and Ariadne, among the constellations.

But who prevented the Lord from clearly prescribing that confession by men likewise has to be made where He plainly announced that His own would be; so that the statement might have run thus: Whosoever shall confess in me before men in heaven, I also will confess in him before my Father who is in heaven? He ought to have saved me from this mistake about confession on earth, which He would not have wished me to take part in, if He had commanded one in heaven; for I knew no other men but the inhabitants of the earth, man himself even not having up to that time been observed in heaven.