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

13. It is the wholesome precept of our Lord and Master: “He that endureth,” saith He, “unto the end, the same shall be saved;”27    Matt. x. 22. and again, “If ye continue,” saith He, “in my word, ye shall be truly my disciples; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”28    John viii. 31, 32. We must endure and persevere, beloved brethren, in order that, being admitted to the hope of truth and liberty, we may attain to the truth and liberty itself; for that very fact that we are Christians is the substance of faith and hope. But that hope and faith may attain to their result, there is need of patience. For we are not following after present glory, but future, according to what Paul the apostle also warns us, and says, “We are saved by hope; but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he hope for? But if we hope for that which we see not, then do we by patience wait for it.”29    Rom. viii. 24, 25. Therefore, waiting and patience are needful, that we may fulfil that which we have begun to be, and may receive that which we believe and hope for, according to God’s own showing.30    A common reading here is “giving” instead of “showing,” scil. “præstante” for “representante.” Moreover, in another place, the same apostle instructs the righteous and the doers of good works, and them who lay up for themselves treasures in heaven with the increase of the divine usury, that they also should be patient; and teaches them, saying, “Therefore, while we have time, let us labour in that which is good unto all men, but especially to them who are of the household of faith. But let us not faint in well-doing, for in its season we shall reap.”31    Gal. vi. 10, 9. He admonishes that no man should impatiently faint in his labour, that none should be either called off or overcome by temptations and desist in the midst of the praise and in the way of glory; and the things that are past perish, while those which have begun cease to be perfect; as it is written, “The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in whatever day he shall transgress;”32    Ezek. xxxiii. 12. and again, “Hold that which thou hast, that another take not thy crown.”33    Rev. iii. 11. Which word exhorts us to persevere with patience and courage, so that he who strives towards the crown with the praise now near at hand, may be crowned by the continuance of patience.

XIII. Domini et magistri nostri salutare praeceptum 0630C est: Qui toleraverit , inquit, usque ad finem, hic salvus erit (Matth. X, 22). Et iterum; Si permanseritis, inquit, in verbo meo, vere discipuli mei eritis , et cognoscetis veritatem, et veritas liberabit vos (Joan. VIII, 31). Tolerandum et perseverandum est, fratres dilectissimi, ut, ad spem veritatis et libertatis admissi, ad veritatem et libertatem ipsam pervenire possimus; quia hoc ipsum quod Christiani sumus, fidei et spei res est; ut autem spes et fides ad fructum sui possint pervenire, patientia opus est. Non enim praesentem gloriam sequimur, sed futuram, secundum quod et Paulus apostolus monet dicens: Spe salvati sumus . Spes autem quae videtur non est spes: quod enim videt quis quid sperat? Si autem quod non videmus speramus , 0631Aper patientiam exspectamus (Rom. VIII, 24). Propterea exspectatio et patientia necessaria est ut id quod coepimus impleamus, et quod credimus et speramus Deo repraesentante capiamus. Denique alio in loco idem apostolus justos et operantes et divini foenoris incremento coelestes thesauros sibi recondentes ut patientes quoque sint instruit et docet dicens: Ergo, dum tempus habemus operemur quod bonum est ad omnes, maxime vero ad domesticos fidei. Bonum autem facientes non deficiamus; tempore enim suo metemus (Gal. VI, 9). Admonet ne quis impatiens in operatione deficiat, ne quis tentationibus aut avocatus aut victus in medio laudis et gloriae itinere desistat, et pereant praeterita, dum quae coeperant desinunt esse perfecta, sicut scriptum est: Justitia justi non liberabit eum in quacumque die exerraverit (Ezech. XXXIII, 12). Et iterum: 0631BTene quod habes, ne alius accipiat coronam tuam (Apoc. III, 11). Quae vox adhortatur patienter et fortiter perseverare, ut qui ad coronam laude jam proxima nititur , durante patientia coronetur.