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

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 avenged of those who act harshly and rage against them,44    The Oxford edition adds here, according to some authorities, “and will not put off the recompense of evils until that day of last judgment, we exhort you, for the meanwhile, embrace with us this benefit of patience, that,” etc.; and it omits the following ten words. we must not withhold the fact in the furthest particular, that placed as we are in the midst of these storms of a jarring world, and, moreover, the persecutions both of Jews or Gentiles, and heretics, we may patiently wait for the day of (God’s) vengeance, and not hurry to revenge our suffering with a querulous45    On the authority of one codex, Pamelius here adds, “and envious.” haste, since it is written, “Wait ye upon me, saith the Lord, in the day of my rising up for a testimony; for my judgment is to the congregations of the nations, that I may take hold on the kings, and pour out upon them my fury.”46    Zeph. iii. 8. The Lord commands us to wait,47    “Dearest brethren,” Oxford edit. and to bear with brave patience the day of future vengeance; and He also speaks in the Apocalypse, saying, “Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for now the time is at hand for them that persevere in injuring to injure, and for him that is filthy to be filthy still; but for him that is righteous to do things still more righteous, and likewise for him that is holy to do things still more holy. Behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to render to every man according to his deeds.”48    Rev. xxii. 10–12. Whence also the martyrs, crying out and hastening with grief breaking forth to their revenge, are bidden still to wait, and to give patience for the times to be fulfilled and the martyrs to be completed. “And when He had opened,” says he, “the fifth seal, I saw under the altar of God the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for their testimony; and they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost Thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And there were given to them each white robes; and it was said unto them that they should rest yet for a little season, until the number of their fellow-servants and brethren is fulfilled, who afterwards shall be slain after their example.”49    Rev. vi. 9–11.

XXI. Sed, quoniam plurimos scio, fratres dilectissimi, vel pondere injuriarum angentium vel dolore de iis qui adversum se grassantur et saeviunt, vindicari velociter cupere, nec illud in extrema parte reticendum est, ut, in istis fluctuantis mundi turbinibus et Judaeorum sive gentilium et haereticorum quoque persecutionibus 0635C constituti, patienter exspectemus ultionis diem, nec ad vindictam doloris nostri querula festinatione properemus, cum scriptum sit: Exspecta me, dicit Dominus, in die resurrectionis meaein testimonium, quoniam judicium meum ad congregationes gentium, ut excipiam reges et effundam super eos iram meam (Soph. III, 8). Exspectare nos jubet Dominus et futurae ultionis diem forti patientia sustinere. Qui et in Apocalypsi loquitur dicens: Ne signaveris verba 0636Aprophetiae libri hujus, quia jam tempus in proximo est ut et ii qui perseverant nocere noceant, et qui in sordibus est sordescat adhuc, justus autem adhuc justiora faciat, similiter et qui sanctus est , sanctiora. Ecce venio cito, et merces mea mecum est, reddere unicuique secundum facta sua (Apoc. XXII, 10-12). Unde etiam clamantes martyres et ad vindictam suam, dolore erumpente, properantes exspectare adhuc jubentur et temporibus consummandis implendisque martyribus praebere patientiam: Et cum aperuisset, inquit, quintum sigillum , vidi sub ara Dei animas occisorum propter verbum Dei et martyrium suum, et clamaverunt voce magna dicentes: Quousque, Domine sanctus et verus, non judicas et vindicas sanguinem nostrum de iis qui in terris inhabitant? Et datae sunt eis singulae 0636Bstolae albae , et dictum est eis ut requiescerent brevi adhuc tempore, donec impleatur numerus conservorum et fratrum eorum qui posteaoccidentur exemplo ipsorum (Apoc. VI, 9-11).