S. AURELII AUGUSTINI HIPPONENSIS EPISCOPI DE PATIENTIA LIBER UNUS .

 CAPUT PRIMUM.

 CAPUT II.

 CAPUT III.

 CAPUT V.

 CAPUT VI.

 CAPUT VII.

 7. Quanquam et ipsi corpori tunc providentius consulatur, si temporalis salus ejus pro justitia contemnatur, et poena vel mors ejus patientissime pro

 8. Quamvis autem patientia virtus sit animi, partim tamen ea utitur animus in se ipso, partim vero in corpore suo. In se ipso utitur patientia, quando

 9. Majus sane patientiae certamen est, quando non visibilis inimicus persequendo atque saeviendo urget in nefas, qui palam et aperte a non consentient

 CAPUT XIII.

 CAPUT XIV.

 CAPUT XV.

 CAPUT XVI.

 CAPUT XVII.

 CAPUT XVIII.

 CAPUT XIX.

 CAPUT XX.

 CAPUT XXI.

 CAPUT XXII.

 CAPUT XXIII.

 CAPUT XXIV.

 CAPUT XXV.

 23. Si quis autem non habens charitatem, quae pertinet ad unitatem spiritus et vinculum pacis, quo catholica Ecclesia congregata connectitur, in aliqu

 CAPUT XXVII.

 25. Proinde sicut negandum non est hoc esse donum Dei, ita intelligendum est alia esse Dei dona filiorum illius Jerusalem, quae sursum libera est mate

 CAPUT XXIX.

12. But concerning true patience, worthy of the name of this virtue, whence it is to be had, must now be inquired. For there are some24    Pelagians who attribute it to the strength of the human will, not which it hath by Divine assistance, but which it hath of free-will. Now this error is a proud one: for it is the error of them which abound, of whom it is said in the Psalm, “A scornful reproof to them which abound, and a despising to the proud.”25    Ps. cxxiii. 4 It is not therefore that “patience of the poor” which “perisheth not forever.”26    Ps. ix. 18 For these poor receive it from that Rich One, to Whom is said, “My God art Thou, because my goods Thou needest not:”27    Ps. xvi. 2 of Whom is “every good gift, and every perfect gift;”28    James i. 17 to Whom crieth the needy and the poor, and in asking, seeking, knocking, saith, “My God, deliver me from the hand of the sinner, and from the hand of the lawless and unjust: because Thou art my patience, O Lord, my hope from my youth up.”29    Ps. lxxi. 4, 5 But these which abound, and disdain to be in want before God, lest they receive of Him true patience, they which glory in their own false patience, seek to “confound the counsel of the poor, because the Lord is his hope.”30    Ps. xiv. 6 Nor do they regard, seeing they are men, and attribute so much to their own, that is, to the human will, that they run into that which is written, “Cursed is every one who putteth his hope in man.”31    Jer. xvii. 5 Whence even if it chance them that they do bear up under any hardships or difficulties, either that they may not displease men, or that they may not suffer worse, or in self-pleasing and love of their own presumption, do with most proud will bear up under these same, it is meet that concerning patience this be said unto them, which concerning wisdom the blessed Apostle James saith, “This wisdom cometh not from above, but is earthly, animal, devilish.”32    James iii. 15 For why may there not be a false patience of the proud, as there is a false wisdom of the proud? But from Whom cometh true wisdom, from Him cometh also true patience. For to Him singeth that poor in spirit, “Unto God is my soul subjected, because from Him is my patience.”33    Ps. lxii. 5

CAPUT XV.

12. Patientia non venit ex liberi arbitrii viribus, sed ex divino adjutorio. Sed vera patientia quae hujus est nomine digna virtutis, quaerendum est unde sumatur. Sunt enim qui eam tribuant viribus voluntatis humanae, non quas habent ex divino adjutorio, sed quas ex libero arbitrio. Error autem iste superbus est: eorum est enim qui abundant, de quibus dicitur in Psalmo: Opprobrium eis qui abundant, et despectio superbis (Psal. CXXII, 4). Non ergo est ista patientia pauperum, quae non perit in aeternum (Psal. IX, 19). Hi enim pauperes ab illo eam divite accipiunt, cui dicitur, Deus meus es tu, quoniam bonorum 0618 meorum non eges (Psal. XV, 2); a quo est omne datum optimum, et omne donum perfectum (Jacobi I, 17); ad quem clamat egenus et pauper, qui laudat nomen ejus, et petendo, quaerendo, pulsando, dicit: Deus meus, eripe me de manu peccatoris, et de manu legem praetereuntis et iniqui: quoniam tu es patientia mea, Domine, spes mea a juventute mea (Psal. LXX, 4 et 5). Isti autem qui abundant, et egere ad Deum dedignantur, ne ab illo accipiant veram patientiam, de sua falsa gloriantes, consilium inopis volunt confundere, quoniam Dominus spes ejus est (Psal. XIII, 6). Nec attendunt cum homines sunt, et suae, id est, humanae voluntati tantum tribuunt, in illud se incurrere quod scriptum est: Maledictus omnis qui spem suam ponit in homine (Jerem. XVII, 5). Unde etiamsi eis contingat ut aliqua dura et aspera, vel ne displiceant hominibus, vel ne graviora patiantur, vel sibi placendo et amando praesumptionem suam, eadem ipsa superbissima voluntate sustineant; hoc illis dicendum est de patientia, quod de sapientia beatus Jacobus apostolus dicit: Non est ista sapientia desursum descendens; sed terrena, animalis, diabolica (Jacobi III, 15). Cur enim non sit superborum falsa patientia, sicut superborum est falsa sapientia ? A quo est autem vera sapientia, ab illo est et vera patientia. Huic enim cantat ille spiritu pauper: Deo subjecta est anima mea, quoniam ab ipso est patientia mea (Psal. LXI, 6).