1. As I am about to speak, beloved brethren, of patience, and to declare its advantages and benefits, from what point should I rather begin than this,

 2. Philosophers also profess that they pursue this virtue but in their case the patience is as false as their wisdom also is. For whence can he be ei

 3. But for us, beloved brethren, who are philosophers, not in words, but in deeds, and do not put forward our wisdom in our garb, but in truth—who are

 4. But what and how great is the patience in God, that, most patiently enduring the profane temples and the images of earth, and the sacrilegious rite

 5.  And that we may more fully understand, beloved brethren, that patience is a thing of God, and that whoever is gentle, and patient, and meek, is an

 6. Nor, beloved brethren, did Jesus Christ, our God and Lord, teach this in words only but He fulfilled it also in deeds. And because He had said tha

 7. And moreover, in His very passion and cross, before they had reached the cruelty of death and the effusion of blood, what infamies of reproach were

 8. And after all these things, He still receives His murderers, if they will be converted and come to Him and with a saving patience, He who is benig

 9. But if we also, beloved brethren, are in Christ if we put Him on, if He is the way of our salvation, who follow Christ in the footsteps of salvati

 10. Finally, we find that both patriarchs and prophets, and all the righteous men who in their preceding likeness wore the figure of Christ, in the pr

 11. But that it may be more manifestly and fully known how useful and necessary patience is, beloved brethren let the judgment of God be pondered, wh

 12. Whence every one of us, when he is born and received in the inn of this world, takes his beginning from tears and, although still unconscious and

 13. It is the wholesome precept of our Lord and Master: “He that endureth,” saith He, “unto the end, the same shall be saved ” and again, “If ye conti

 14. But patience, beloved brethren, not only keeps watch over what is good, but it also repels what is evil.  In harmony with the Holy Spirit, and ass

 15. Charity is the bond of brotherhood, the foundation of peace, the holdfast and security of unity, which is greater than both hope and faith, which

 16. What beyond —that you should not swear nor curse that you should not seek again your goods when taken from you that, when you receive a buffet,

 17. And moreover, also, for the varied ills of the flesh, and the frequent and severe torments of the body, wherewith the human race is daily wearied

 18. Thus Job was searched out and proved, and was raised up to the very highest pinnacle of praise by the virtue of patience. What darts of the devil

 19. And, beloved brethren, that the benefit of patience may still more shine forth, let us consider, on the contrary, what mischief impatience may cau

 20. Wherefore, beloved brethren, having diligently pondered both the benefits of patience and the evils of impatience, let us hold fast with full watc

 21. But since I know, beloved brethren, that very many are eager, either on account of the burden or the pain of smarting wrongs, to be quickly avenge

 22. But when shall come the divine vengeance for the righteous blood, the Holy Spirit declares by Malachi the prophet, saying, “Behold, the day of the

 23. But who is this that says that he has held his peace before, and will not hold his peace for ever?  Surely it is He who was led as a sheep to the

 24. Let us wait for Him, beloved brethren, our Judge and Avenger, who shall equally avenge with Himself the congregation of His Church, and the number

4. But what and how great is the patience in God, that, most patiently enduring the profane temples and the images of earth, and the sacrilegious rites instituted by men, in contempt of His majesty and honour, He makes the day to begin and the light of the sun to arise alike upon the good and the evil; and while He waters the earth with showers, no one is excluded from His benefits, but upon the righteous equally with the unrighteous He bestows His undiscriminating rains. We see that with undistinguishing7    “Inseparabili.” equality of patience, at God’s behest, the seasons minister to the guilty and the guiltless, the religious and the impious—those who give thanks and the unthankful; that the elements wait on them; the winds blow, the fountains flow, the abundance of the harvests increases, the fruits of the vineyards ripen,8    The original here is read variously “maturescere” and “mitescere.” the trees are loaded with apples, the groves put on their leaves, the meadows their verdure; and while God is provoked with frequent, yea, with continual offences, He softens His indignation, and in patience waits for the day of retribution, once for all determined; and although He has revenge in His power, He prefers to keep patience for a long while, bearing, that is to say, mercifully, and putting off, so that, if it might be possible, the long protracted mischief may at some time be changed, and man, involved in the contagion of errors and crimes, may even though late be converted to God, as He Himself warns and says, “I do not will the death of him that dieth, so much as that he may return and live.”9    Ezek. xviii. 32. And again, “Return unto me, saith the Lord.”10    Mal. iii. 7. The Oxford edition omits this quotation, and introduces the next with the words, “And again the prophet.” And again: “Return to the Lord your God; for He is merciful, and gracious, and patient, and of great pity, and who inclines His judgment towards the evils inflicted.”11    Joel ii. 13.  Which, moreover, the blessed apostle referring to, and recalling the sinner to repentance, sets forward, and says: “Or despisest thou the riches of His goodness, and forbearance, and long-suffering, not knowing that the patience and goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? But after thy hardness and impenitent heart thou treasurest up unto thyself wrath in the day of wrath and of revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who shall render to every one according to his works.”12    Rom. ii. 4–6. He says that God’s judgment is just, because it is tardy, because it is long and greatly deferred, so that by the long patience of God man may be benefited for life eternal.13    [“Deus patiens quia æternus” (Augustine).] Punishment is then executed on the impious and the sinner, when repentance for the sin can no longer avail.

IV. Qualis vero in Deo et quanta patientia, quod, in contumeliam suae majestatis et honoris instituta ab hominibus profana templa et terrena figmenta et sacra sacrilega patientissime sustinens, super bonos et malos aequaliter facit diem nasci et lumen solis oboriri, et cum imbribus terras rigat, nemo a beneficiis ejus excluditur quominus justis similiter 0624B et injustis indiscretas pluvias largiatur! Videmus inseparabili aequalitate patientiae nocentibus et innoxiis, religiosis et impiis, gratias agentibus et ingratis, Dei nutu tempora obsequi, elementa famulari, spirare ventos, fontes fluere, grandescere copias messium , fructus maturescere vinearum, exuberare pomis arbusta, nemora frondescere, prata florere. Et cum crebris immo continuis exacerbetur offensis Deus, indignationem suam temperat, et praestitutum semel retributionis diem patienter exspectat. Cumque habeat in potestate vindictam, mavult diu tenere patientiam, sustinens scilicet clementer et differens, ut, si fieri potest, multum malitia protracta aliquando mutetur, et homo in errorum et scelerum contagione volutatus vel sero ad Deum 0624C convertatur, ipso monente et dicente: Nolo mortem morientis, quantum ut revertatur et vivat (Ezech. XXXIII, 11). Et iterum: Revertimini ad me, dicit Dominus (Malach. III, 7). Et iterum: Revertimini ad Dominum Deum vestrum, quoniam misericors et pius et patiens et multae miserationis, et qui sententiam flectat adversus malitias irrogatas (Joel II, 13). Quod item beatus apostolus Paulus commemorans et peccatorem ad poenitentiam revocans, proponit et dicit: 0625AAn numquid opulentiam bonitatis ejus et sustinentiam et patientiam contemnis , ignorans quoniam patientia et bonitas Dei ad poenitentiam te adducit? Tu autem, secundum duritiam tuam et cor impoenitens, thesaurizas tibi iram in die iraeet revelationis justi judicii Dei, qui reddet unicuique secundum opera sua (Rom. II, 4-6). Justum judicium Dei dixit esse, quia serum est, quia diu multumque differtur, ut homini ad vitam longa Dei patientia consulatur. Tunc repraesentatur poena impio et peccatori, quando jam non potest poenitentia prodesse peccati .