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 benignant18 Some editors insert “and patient.” to preserve, closes His Church to none. Those adversaries, those blasphemers, those who were always enemies to His name, if they repent of their sin, if they acknowledge the crime committed, He receives, not only to the pardon of their sin, but to the reward of the heavenly kingdom. What can be said more patient, what more merciful? Even he is made alive by Christ’s blood who has shed Christ’s blood. Such and so great is the patience of Christ; and had it not been such and so great, the Church would never have possessed Paul as an apostle.19 [1 Tim. i. 3. A striking suggestion, put in our author’s terse way.]
VIII. Et post ista omnia , adhuc interfectores suos, si conversi ad eum venerint, suscipit; et patientia salutari ad conservandum benignus et patiens , Ecclesiam suam nemini claudit. Illos adversarios, illos blasphemos, illos nominis sui semper inimicos, si poenitentiam delicti agant, si admissum 0628A facinus agnoscant, non solum ad indulgentiam criminis, sed et ad praemium regni coelestis admittit. Quid potest patientius, quid benignius dici? Vivificatur Christi sanguine etiam qui fudit sanguinem Christi. Talis est Christi ac tanta patientia; quae nisi talis ac tanta existeret, Paulum quoque apostolum Ecclesia non haberet.