LIBER DE BONO PATIENTIAE.

 I. DE patientia locuturus, fratres dilectissimi, et utilitates ejus et commoda praedicaturus, unde potius incipiam quam quod nunc quoque ad audientiam

 II. Hanc se sectari philosophi quoque profitentur. Sed tam illic patientia falsa est, quam et falsa sapientia est. Unde enim vel sapiens esse vel pati

 III. Nos autem, fratres dilectissimi, qui philosophi non verbis sed factis sumus, nec vestitu sapientiam, sed veritate praeferimus, qui virtutum consc

 IV. Qualis vero in Deo et quanta patientia, quod, in contumeliam suae majestatis et honoris instituta ab hominibus profana templa et terrena figmenta

 V. Atque ut plenius intelligere possimus, fratres dilectissimi, quia patientia Dei res est, et quisquis lenis et patiens et mitis est, Dei Patris imit

 VI. Nec hoc, fratres dilectissimi, Jesus Christus Deus et Dominus noster tantum verbis docuit, sed implevit et factis. Et quia ad hoc descendisse se d

 VII. Sub ipsa autem passione et cruce, priusquam ad crudelitatem necis et effusionem sanguinis veniretur, quae conviciorum probra patienter audita, qu

 VIII. Et post ista omnia , adhuc interfectores suos, si conversi ad eum venerint, suscipit et patientia salutari ad conservandum benignus et patiens

 IX. Quod si et nos, fratres dilectissimi, in Christo sumus, si ipsum induimus, si ipse est salutis nostrae via, qui Christum vestigiis salutaribus seq

 X. Invenimus denique et Patriarchas et Prophetas et justos omnes, qui figuram Christi imagine praeeunte portabant, nihil magis custodisse in laude vir

 XI. Quam sit autem patientia utilis et necessaria, fratres dilectissimi, ut manifestius possit et plenius nosci, Dei sententia cogitetur quam in origi

 XII. Unde unusquisque nostrum cum nascitur et hospitio mundi hujus excipitur, initium sumita a lacrymis, et quamvis adhuc omnium nescius et ignarus, n

 XIII. Domini et magistri nostri salutare praeceptum 0630C est: Qui toleraverit usque ad finem, hic salvus erit Si permanseritis, in verbo meo, vere di

 XIV. Patientia autem, fratres dilectissimi, non tantum bona custodit, sed et repellit adversa. Spiritui sancto favens et coelestibus ac divinis cohaer

 XV. Charitas fraternitatis vinculum est, fundamentum pacis, tenacitas ac firmitas unitatis, quae et spe 0632A et fide major est, quae et opera et mart

 XVI. Quid deinde, ut non jures neque maledicas, ut tua ablata non repetas, ut, accepta alapa, et alteram maxillam verberanti praebeas, ut fratri in te

 XVII. Necnon ad varia quoque carnis incommoda et crebros corporis durosque cruciatus, quibus humanum 0633B genus quotidie fatigatur et quatitur, patie

 XVIII. Sic Job examinatus est et probatus et ad summum fastigium laudis patientiae virtute provectus. Quanta adversus eum diaboli jacula emissa, quant

 XIX. Atque, ut magis, fratres dilectissimi, patientiae bonum luceat, quid mali e contrario impatientia importet consideremus. Nam, ut patientia bonum

 XX. Quare, fratres dilectissimi, et bonis patientiae et impatientiae malis diligenter expensis, patientiam, per quam in Christo manemus, ut venire cum

 XXI. Sed, quoniam plurimos scio, fratres dilectissimi, vel pondere injuriarum angentium vel dolore de iis qui adversum se grassantur et saeviunt, vind

 XXII. Quando autem veniat sanguinis justi divina vindicta, declarat per Malachiam prophetam Spiritus sanctus dicens: Ecce dies Domini venit ardens vel

 XXIII. Quis autem est hic qui tacuisse se prius dicit et non semper tacebit? Utique ille qui sicut ovis ad victimam ductus est, et sicut agnus coram t

 XXIV. Hunc exspectemus, fratres dilectissimi, judicem et vindicem nostrum, Ecclesiae suae populum et ab initio mundi justorum omnium numerum secum par

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 rites instituted by men, in contempt of His majesty and honour, He makes the day to begin and the light of the sun to arise alike upon the good and the evil; and while He waters the earth with showers, no one is excluded from His benefits, but upon the righteous equally with the unrighteous He bestows His undiscriminating rains. We see that with undistinguishing7    “Inseparabili.” equality of patience, at God’s behest, the seasons minister to the guilty and the guiltless, the religious and the impious—those who give thanks and the unthankful; that the elements wait on them; the winds blow, the fountains flow, the abundance of the harvests increases, the fruits of the vineyards ripen,8    The original here is read variously “maturescere” and “mitescere.” the trees are loaded with apples, the groves put on their leaves, the meadows their verdure; and while God is provoked with frequent, yea, with continual offences, He softens His indignation, and in patience waits for the day of retribution, once for all determined; and although He has revenge in His power, He prefers to keep patience for a long while, bearing, that is to say, mercifully, and putting off, so that, if it might be possible, the long protracted mischief may at some time be changed, and man, involved in the contagion of errors and crimes, may even though late be converted to God, as He Himself warns and says, “I do not will the death of him that dieth, so much as that he may return and live.”9    Ezek. xviii. 32. And again, “Return unto me, saith the Lord.”10    Mal. iii. 7. The Oxford edition omits this quotation, and introduces the next with the words, “And again the prophet.” And again: “Return to the Lord your God; for He is merciful, and gracious, and patient, and of great pity, and who inclines His judgment towards the evils inflicted.”11    Joel ii. 13.  Which, moreover, the blessed apostle referring to, and recalling the sinner to repentance, sets forward, and says: “Or despisest thou the riches of His goodness, and forbearance, and long-suffering, not knowing that the patience and goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? But after thy hardness and impenitent heart thou treasurest up unto thyself wrath in the day of wrath and of revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who shall render to every one according to his works.”12    Rom. ii. 4–6. He says that God’s judgment is just, because it is tardy, because it is long and greatly deferred, so that by the long patience of God man may be benefited for life eternal.13    [“Deus patiens quia æternus” (Augustine).] Punishment is then executed on the impious and the sinner, when repentance for the sin can no longer avail.

IV. Qualis vero in Deo et quanta patientia, quod, in contumeliam suae majestatis et honoris instituta ab hominibus profana templa et terrena figmenta et sacra sacrilega patientissime sustinens, super bonos et malos aequaliter facit diem nasci et lumen solis oboriri, et cum imbribus terras rigat, nemo a beneficiis ejus excluditur quominus justis similiter 0624B et injustis indiscretas pluvias largiatur! Videmus inseparabili aequalitate patientiae nocentibus et innoxiis, religiosis et impiis, gratias agentibus et ingratis, Dei nutu tempora obsequi, elementa famulari, spirare ventos, fontes fluere, grandescere copias messium , fructus maturescere vinearum, exuberare pomis arbusta, nemora frondescere, prata florere. Et cum crebris immo continuis exacerbetur offensis Deus, indignationem suam temperat, et praestitutum semel retributionis diem patienter exspectat. Cumque habeat in potestate vindictam, mavult diu tenere patientiam, sustinens scilicet clementer et differens, ut, si fieri potest, multum malitia protracta aliquando mutetur, et homo in errorum et scelerum contagione volutatus vel sero ad Deum 0624C convertatur, ipso monente et dicente: Nolo mortem morientis, quantum ut revertatur et vivat (Ezech. XXXIII, 11). Et iterum: Revertimini ad me, dicit Dominus (Malach. III, 7). Et iterum: Revertimini ad Dominum Deum vestrum, quoniam misericors et pius et patiens et multae miserationis, et qui sententiam flectat adversus malitias irrogatas (Joel II, 13). Quod item beatus apostolus Paulus commemorans et peccatorem ad poenitentiam revocans, proponit et dicit: 0625A An numquid opulentiam bonitatis ejus et sustinentiam et patientiam contemnis , ignorans quoniam patientia et bonitas Dei ad poenitentiam te adducit? Tu autem, secundum duritiam tuam et cor impoenitens, thesaurizas tibi iram in die irae et revelationis justi judicii Dei, qui reddet unicuique secundum opera sua (Rom. II, 4-6). Justum judicium Dei dixit esse, quia serum est, quia diu multumque differtur, ut homini ad vitam longa Dei patientia consulatur. Tunc repraesentatur poena impio et peccatori, quando jam non potest poenitentia prodesse peccati .