Chapter XVI.—The Patience of the Heathen Very Different from Christian Patience. Theirs Doomed to Perdition. Ours Destined to Salvation.

This is the rule, this the discipline, these the works of patience which is heavenly and true; that is, of Christian patience, not false and disgraceful, like as is that patience of the nations of the earth. For in order that in this also the devil might rival the Lord, he has as it were quite on a par (except that the very diversity of evil and good is exactly on a par with their magnitude168    One is finite, the other infinite.) taught his disciples also a patience of his own; that, I mean, which, making husbands venal for dowry, and teaching them to trade in panderings, makes them subject to the power of their wives; which, with feigned affection, undergoes every toil of forced complaisance,169    Obsequii. with a view to ensnaring the childless;170    And thus getting a place in their wills. which makes the slaves of the belly171    i.e. professional “diners out.” Comp. Phil. iii. 19. submit to contumelious patronage, in the subjection of their liberty to their gullet. Such pursuits of patience the Gentiles are acquainted with; and they eagerly seize a name of so great goodness to apply it to foul practises:  patient they live of rivals, and of the rich, and of such as give them invitations; impatient of God alone. But let their own and their leader’s patience look to itself—a patience which the subterraneous fire awaits! Let us, on the other hand, love the patience of God, the patience of Christ; let us repay to Him the patience which He has paid down for us! Let us offer to Him the patience of the spirit, the patience of the flesh, believing as we do in the resurrection of flesh and spirit.

CAPUT XVI.

Haec patientiae ratio, haec disciplina, haec opera caelestis et vera, scilicet christiana ; non, ut illa patientia gentium terrae, falsa, probrosa. Nam ut, in isto quoque, Domino diabolus aemularetur, quasi plane ex pari, nisi quod ipsa diversitas mali et boni aequaliter magnitudinis par est, docuit et suos patientiam propriam: illam dico, quae maritos dote venales, aut 1274A lenociniis negotiantes uxorum potestatibus subjicit; quae occupandis orbitatibus omnem coacti obsequii laborem mentitis affectionibus tolerat; quae ventris operarios contumeliosis patrociniis subjectione libertatis gulae addicit. Talia nationes patientiae studia noverunt; et tanti boni nomen foedis operationibus occupant: patientes rivalium et divitum et invitatorum , impatientes solius Dei vivunt. Sed viderit sua et sui praesidis patientia , quam subter ignis exspectat. Caeterum nos amemus patientiam Dei, patientiam Christi: rependamus illi quam pro nobis ipse dependit . Offeramus patientiam spiritus, patientiam carnis, qui in resurrectionem carnis et spiritus credimus.