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

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 of all the righteous from the beginning of the world. Let him who hurries, and is too impatient for his revenge, consider that even He Himself is not yet avenged who is the Avenger. God the Father ordained His Son to be adored; and the Apostle Paul, mindful of the divine command, lays it down, and says: “God hath exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name, that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things heavenly, and things earthly, and things beneath.”55    Phil. ii. 9, 10. And in the Apocalypse the angel withstands John, who wishes to worship him,56    [Origen, vol. iv. p. 544, this series.] and says: “See thou do it not; for I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren. Worship Jesus the Lord.”57    Rev. xxii. 9; [also xix. 10.  And compare Acts x. 26, and xiv. 14, 15; also Col. ii. 18.] How great is the Lord Jesus, and how great is His patience, that He who is adored in heaven is not yet avenged on earth! Let us, beloved brethren, consider His patience in our persecutions and sufferings; let us give an obedience full of expectation to His advent; and let us not hasten, servants as we are, to be defended before our Lord with irreligious and immodest eagerness. Let us rather press onward and labour, and, watching with our whole heart, and stedfast to all endurance, let us keep the Lord’s precepts; so that when that day of anger and vengeance shall come, we may not be punished with the impious and sinners, but may be honoured with the righteous and those that fear God.

XXIV. Hunc exspectemus, fratres dilectissimi, judicem et vindicem nostrum, Ecclesiae suae populum et ab initio mundi justorum omnium numerum secum pariter vindicaturum. Qui ad vindictam 0638A suam nimium festinat et properat, consideret quia necdum vindicatus est ipse qui vindicat. Pater Deus praecepit Filium suum adorari, et apostolus Paulus, divini praecepti memor, ponit et dicit: Deus, exaltavit illum, et donavit illi nomen quod est super omne nomen , ut in nomine Jesu omne genu flectaturcoelestium, terrestrium et infernorum (Philip. II, 9, 10). Et in Apocalypsi Angelus Joanni volenti adorare se resistit et dicit : Vide ne feceris, quia conservus tuus sum et fratrum tuorum. Jesum Dominum adora (Apoc., XXII, 9). Qualis Dominus Jesus et quanta patientia ejus! ut qui in coelis adoratur, necdum vindicetur in terris. Hujus patientiam, fratres dilectissimi, in persecutionibus et passionibus nostris cogitemus. Hujus adventui plenum exspectationis obsequium praebeamus. Nec defendi 0638B ante Dominum servi irreligiosa et inverecunda festinatione properemus. Insistamus potius et elaboremus et toto corde vigilantes atque ad omnem tolerantiam stabiles Dominica praecepta servemus; ut, cum ille irae et vindictae dies venerit, non cum impiis et peccatoribus puniamur, sed cum justis et Deum timentibus honoremur .