24. Let us wait for Him, beloved brethren, our Judge and Avenger, who shall equally avenge with Himself the congregation of His Church, and the number of all the righteous from the beginning of the world. Let him who hurries, and is too impatient for his revenge, consider that even He Himself is not yet avenged who is the Avenger. God the Father ordained His Son to be adored; and the Apostle Paul, mindful of the divine command, lays it down, and says: “God hath exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name, that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things heavenly, and things earthly, and things beneath.”55 Phil. ii. 9, 10. And in the Apocalypse the angel withstands John, who wishes to worship him,56 [Origen, vol. iv. p. 544, this series.] and says: “See thou do it not; for I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren. Worship Jesus the Lord.”57 Rev. xxii. 9; [also xix. 10. And compare Acts x. 26, and xiv. 14, 15; also Col. ii. 18.] How great is the Lord Jesus, and how great is His patience, that He who is adored in heaven is not yet avenged on earth! Let us, beloved brethren, consider His patience in our persecutions and sufferings; let us give an obedience full of expectation to His advent; and let us not hasten, servants as we are, to be defended before our Lord with irreligious and immodest eagerness. Let us rather press onward and labour, and, watching with our whole heart, and stedfast to all endurance, let us keep the Lord’s precepts; so that when that day of anger and vengeance shall come, we may not be punished with the impious and sinners, but may be honoured with the righteous and those that fear God.
XXIV. Hunc exspectemus, fratres dilectissimi, judicem et vindicem nostrum, Ecclesiae suae populum et ab initio mundi justorum omnium numerum secum pariter vindicaturum. Qui ad vindictam 0638A suam nimium festinat et properat, consideret quia necdum vindicatus est ipse qui vindicat. Pater Deus praecepit Filium suum adorari, et apostolus Paulus, divini praecepti memor, ponit et dicit: Deus, exaltavit illum, et donavit illi nomen quod est super omne nomen , ut in nomine Jesu omne genu flectaturcoelestium, terrestrium et infernorum (Philip. II, 9, 10). Et in Apocalypsi Angelus Joanni volenti adorare se resistit et dicit : Vide ne feceris, quia conservus tuus sum et fratrum tuorum. Jesum Dominum adora (Apoc., XXII, 9). Qualis Dominus Jesus et quanta patientia ejus! ut qui in coelis adoratur, necdum vindicetur in terris. Hujus patientiam, fratres dilectissimi, in persecutionibus et passionibus nostris cogitemus. Hujus adventui plenum exspectationis obsequium praebeamus. Nec defendi 0638B ante Dominum servi irreligiosa et inverecunda festinatione properemus. Insistamus potius et elaboremus et toto corde vigilantes atque ad omnem tolerantiam stabiles Dominica praecepta servemus; ut, cum ille irae et vindictae dies venerit, non cum impiis et peccatoribus puniamur, sed cum justis et Deum timentibus honoremur .