1. That virtue of the mind which is called Patience, is so great a gift of God, that even in Him who bestoweth the same upon us, that, whereby He waiteth for evil men that they may amend, is set forth by the name of Patience, [or long-suffering.] So, although in God there can be no suffering,1    Pati and “patience” hath its name a patiendo, from suffering, yet a patient God we not only faithfully believe, but also wholesomely confess. But the patience of God, of what kind and how great it is, His, Whom we say to be impassible,2    Nihil patientem yet not impatient, nay even most patient, in words to unfold this who can be able? Ineffable is therefore that patience, as is His jealousy, as His wrath, and whatever there is like to these. For if we conceive of these as they be in us, in Him are there none. We, namely, can feel none of these without molestation: but be it far from us to surmise that the impassible nature of God is liable to any molestation. But like as He is jealous without any darkening of spirit,3    Livore wroth without any perturbation, pitiful without any pain, repenteth Him without any wrongness in Him to be set right; so is He patient without aught of passion. Now therefore as concerning human patience, which we are able to conceive and beholden to have, of what sort it is, I will, as God granteth and the brevity of the present discourse alloweth, essay to set forth.

CAPUT PRIMUM.

1. Patientia Dei qualis. Virtus animi quae Patientia dicitur, tam magnum Dei donum est, ut etiam ipsius qui nobis eam largitur, qua malos ut corrigantur exspectat, patientia praedicetur. Ita quamvis Deus nihil pati possit , patientia vero a patiendo nomen acceperit, patientem tamen Deum non modo fideliter credimus, verum etiam salubriter confitemur. Sed Dei patientia qualis et quanta sit, quem nihil patientem, nec tamen impatientem, imo etiam patientissimum dicimus, verbis explicare quis possit? Ineffabilis est ergo illa patientia , sicut zelus ejus, sicut ira ejus, et si quid hujusmodi est. Nam si tanquam nostra ista cogitemus, in illo nulla sunt. Nihil enim horum nos sine molestia sentimus: absit autem ut impassibilem Dei naturam perpeti ullam molestiam suspicemur. Sicut autem zelat sine aliquo livore, irascitur sine aliqua perturbatione, miseretur sine aliquo dolore, poenitet eum sine alicujus suae pravitatis correctione: ita est patiens sine ulla passione. Nunc itaque humana patientia, quam capere possumus, et habere debemus, cujusmodi sit, quantum Dominus tribuit, et quantum patitur brevitas praesentis sermonis expediam.