20. Wherefore, beloved brethren, having diligently pondered both the benefits of patience and the evils of impatience, let us hold fast with full watchfulness the patience whereby we abide in Christ, that with Christ we may attain to God; which patience, copious and manifold, is not restrained by narrow limits, nor confined by strait boundaries. The virtue of patience is widely manifest, and its fertility and liberality proceed indeed from a source of one name, but are diffused by overflowing streams through many ways of glory; nor can anything in our actions avail for the perfection of praise, unless from this it receives the substance of its perfection. It is patience which both commends and keeps us to God. It is patience, too, which assuages anger, which bridles the tongue, governs the mind, guards peace, rules discipline, breaks the force of lust, represses the violence of pride, extinguishes the fire of enmity, checks the power of the rich, soothes the want of the poor, protects a blessed integrity in virgins, a careful purity in widows, in those who are united and married a single affection. It makes men humble in prosperity, brave in adversity, gentle towards wrongs and contempts. It teaches us quickly to pardon those who wrong us; and if you yourself do wrong, to entreat long and earnestly. It resists temptations, suffers persecutions, perfects passions and martyrdoms. It is patience which firmly fortifies the foundations of our faith. It is this which lifts up on high the increase of our hope. It is this which directs our doing, that we may hold fast the way of Christ while we walk by His patience. It is this that makes us to persevere as sons of God, while we imitate our Father’s patience.
XX. Quare, fratres dilectissimi, et bonis patientiae et impatientiae malis diligenter expensis, patientiam, per quam in Christo manemus, ut venire cum Christo ad Deum possimus , plena observatione teneamus; quae copiosa et multiplex non augusto fine concluditur, nec brevibus terminis coercetur. Late patet 0635A patientiae virtus; et ubertas ejus et largitas de unius quidem nominis fonte proficiscitur, sed, exundantibus venis, per multa gloriarum itinera diffunditur; nec proficere aliquid in actibus nostris potest ad consummandam laudem, nisi inde consummationis accipiat firmitatem . Patientia est quae nos Deo et commendat et servat. Ipsa est quae iram temperat, quae linguam fraenat, mentem gubernat, pacem custodit, disciplinam regit, libidinis impetum frangit, tumoris violentiam comprimit, incendium simultatis extinguit, coercet potentiam divitum, inopiam pauperum refovet, tuetur in virginibus beatam integritatem, in viduis laboriosam castitatem, in conjunctis et maritatis individuam charitatem. Facit humiles in prosperis, in adversis fortes , contra injurias et contumelias 0635B mites. Docet delinquentibus cito ignoscere; si ipse delinquas, diu et multum rogare. Tentationes expugnat, persecutiones tolerat, passiones et martyria consummat. Ipsa est quae fidei nostrae fundamenta firmiter munit: ipsa est quae incrementa spei sublimiter provehit . Ipsa actum dirigit, ut tenere possimus viam Christi, dum per ejus tolerantiam gradidimur: ipsa efficit ut perseveremus filii Dei, dum patientiam Patris imitamur.