THEIR CORRESPONDENT PRECEPTS.
Now, however, while we run through the causes of impatience, all the other precepts also will answer in their own places. If our spirit is aroused by the loss of property, it is commonished by the Lord's Scriptures, ir> almost every place, to a contemning of the world; '3 nor is there any more powerful ex- hortation to contempt of money submitted '♦ (to us), than {the fact') the Lord Himself is found amid no riches. He always justifies the poor, fore-condemns the rich. So He fore-ministered to patience "loss," and to opulence "contempt" (as portion);'5 demon- strating, by means of (His own) repudiatiott of riches, that hurts done to them also are not to be much regarded. Of that, therefore, which we have not the smallest need to seek after, because the Lord did not seek after it either, we ought to endure without heart-sickness the cutting down or taking away. " Covetous- ness," the Spirit of the Lord has through the apostle pronounced "a root of all evils."'* Let us not interpret that coz'etous?i€SS as con- sisting merely in the concupiscence of what is another's: for even what seems ours is an- other's; for nothing is ours, since all things are God's, whose are we also ourselves. And so, if, when suffering from a loss, we feel im- patiently, grieving for what is lost from what is not our own, we shall be detected as bor- dering on covetousness: we j^^^ what is an- other's when we ill brook losing what is an- other's. He who is greatly stirred with im- patience of a loss, does, by giving things earthly the precedence over things heavenly, sin directly '^ against God; for the Spirit, which he has received from the Lord, he " Ps. cxl. 3; Rom. iii. 13; Jas. iii. 8.
nSa:(:ulo.
•4.SubJMcet.
■5 This appears to be the sense of this very difficult f)a.ss.i.irc as Oehler reads it; and of Fr. Junius' interpretation of it, which Oehler approves.
16 I Tim. yi. 10. See de Idol. xi. ad init.
■7 De proximo. See above, c. v. Deo tie froxinio amtrus, "a most intimate friend to God."
12 OF PATIENCE.
[chap. vh».
greatl}' shocks for the sake of a worldly mat- ter. Willingly, therefore, let us lose things earthly, let us keep things heavenly. Perish the whole world,' so I may make patience my gain! In truth, I know not whether he who has not made up his mind to endure with constancy the loss of somewhat of his, either by theft, or else by force, or else even by carelessness, would himself readily or heartily lay hand on his own property in the cause of almsgiving: for who that endures not at all to be cut by another, himself draws the sword on his own body? Patience in losses is an exercise in bestowing and communicating. Who fears not to lose, finds it not irksome to give. Else how will one, when he has two coats, give the one of them to the naked, - unless he be a man likewise to offer to one who takes away his coat his cloak as well P^ How shall we fashion to us friends from mammon,'' if we love it so much as not to put up with its loss? We shall perish together with the lost mamtnan. Why do we find here, where it is our business to lose?"^ To exhibit impa- tience at all losses is the Gentiles' business, who give money the precedence perhaps over their soul; for so they do, when, in their cu- pidities of lucre, they encounter the gainful perils of commerce on the sea; when, for money's sake, even in the forum, there is nothing which damnation (itself) would fear which they hesitate to essay; when they hire themselves for sport and the camp; when, after the manner of wild beasts, they play the bandit along the highway. But us, according to the diversity by which we are distinguished from them, it becomes to lay down not our soul for money, but money for our soul, whether spontaneously in bestowing or pa- tiently in losing.
CHAP. VIII. — OF PATIENCE UNDER PERSONAL VIOLENCE AND MALEDICTION.
We who carry about our very soul, our very body, exposed in this world* to injury from all, and exhibit patience under that injury; shall we be hurt at the loss' of less impor- tant things?* Far from a servant of Christ be such a defilement as that the patience which has been prepared for greater tempta- tions, should forsake him in frivolous ones. If one attempt to provoke you by manual violence, the monition of the Lord is at hand: 'Saeculum. ^I-uke iii. ii.
4 Luke xvi. g.
5" Alluding to Christ's words in Matt. x. 39" (RigiUt. quoted by Oehler).
6 SsECulO.
7 Delibatione.
* i. e. money and the hke. Compare Matt. vi. 25; Luke xii.
" To him," He saith, " who smiteth thee on the face, turn the other cheek likewise."' Let outrageousness '" be wearied out by your patience. Whatever that blow may be, con- joined" with pain and contumely, it" shall receive a heavier one from the Lord. You wound that outrageous '^ one more by endur- ing: for he will be beaten by Him for whose sake you endure. If the tongue's bitterness break out in malediction or reproach, look back at the saying, "When they curse you, rejoice."'* The Lord Himself was "cursed" in the eye of the law; '^ and yet is He the only Blessed One. Let us servants, therefore, fol- low our Lord closely; and be cursed patiently, that we may be able to be blessed. If I hear with too little equanimity some wanton or wicked word uttered against me, I must of necessity either myself retaliate the bitter- ness, or else I shall be racked with mute im- patience. When, then, on being cursed, I smite (with my tongue,) how shall I be found to have followed the doctrine of the Lord, in which it has been delivered that "a man is defiled,'* not by the defilements of vessels, but of the things which are sent forth out of his mouth." Again, it is said that " impeach- ment '^ awaits us for every vain and needless word."'* It follows that, from whatever the Lord keeps us, the same He admonishes us to bear patiently from another. I will add (somewhat) touching the pleasure of patience. For every injury, whether inflicted by tongue or hand, when it has lighted upon patience, will be dismissed " with the same fate as, some weapon launched against and blunted on a rock of most stedfast hardness. For it will wholly fall then and there with bootless and fruitless labour; and sometimes will recoil and spend its rage on him who sent it out, with retorted impetus. No doubt the reason why any one hurts you is that you may be pained; because the hurter's enjoyment con- sists in the pain of the hurt. When, then, you have upset his enjoyment by not being pained, he must needs he pained by the loss of his enjoyment. Then you not only go '° Improbitas.
" Constrictus. I have rendered after Oehler: but may not the meaninK be " clenched," like the hand which deals the blow?
'- As Oehler says " the blow" is said to " receive" that which, strictly, the dealer of it receives.
'3 Improbum.
»5 Deut..\xi. 23; (lal. iii. 13. TertuUian's quotations here are somewhat loose He rcndei^ words which are distinct in the Greek by the same in his Latin.
'6 Communicari — Kott'oOcrCai. See Mark vii. 15, "made com- mon," i.e. profane, unclean. Compare Acts x. 14, 15 in the Greek.
•7 Reatum. See df Idol. i. ad ini/., " the highest impeachment of the ajie."
'8 Matt. xii. 36. Tertullian has rendered opyoi* by " vani ct supcrvacui."
■') Dispungetur: a word which, in the active, means technically '• to balance accounts," hence " to discharge," etc.
CHAP. X.]
OF PATIENCE.
unhurt away, which even alone is enough for you; but gratified, into the bargain, by your adversary's disappointment, and revenged by his pain. This is the utility and the pleasure of patience.
CHAP. IX. — OF PATIENCK UNDER BEREAVEMENT.
Not even that species of impatience under the loss of our dear ones is excused, where some assertion of a right to grief acts the patron to it. For the consideration of the apostle's declaration must be set before us, who says, " Be not overwhelmed with sadness at the falling asleep of any one, just as the nations are who are without hope."' And justly; or, believing the resurrection of Christ, we believe also in our own, for whose sake He both died and rose again. Since, then, there is certainty as to the resurrection of the dead, grief for death is needless, and impa- tience of grief is needless. For why should you grieve, if you believe that (your loved one) is not perished? Why should you bear impatiently the temporary withdrawal of him who you believe will return? That which you think to be death is departure. He who goes before us is not to be lamented, though by all means to be longed for.= That long- ing also must be tempered with patience. For why should you bear without moderation the fact that one is gone away whom you will presently follow? Besides, impatience in matters of this kind bodes ill for our hope, and is a dealing insincerely with the faith. And we wound Christ when we accept not with equanimity the summoning out of this world of any by Him, as if they were to be pitied. " I desire," says the apostle, " to be now received, and to be with Christ." ' How far better a desire does he e.xhibit! If, then, we grieve impatiently over such as have at- tained the desire of Christians, we show un- willingness ourselves to attain it.
CHAP. X. OF REVENGE.
There is, too, another chief spur of impa- tience, the lust of revenge, dealing with the business either of glory or else of malice. But "glory," on the one hand, is everywhere "vain;"^ and malice, on the other, is al- ways ^ odious to the Lord; in this case in- deed most of all, when, being provoked by a neighbour's malice, it constitutes itself supe- rior^ in following out revenge, and by paying ' \ Thess. iv. 13, not very strictly rendered. ■ Desiderandus.
I Phil. i. 23, again loosely rendered: r. g. ava\\>9»x = " to weigh anchor, is rendered by TertuUian " recipi."
5 Nunquam non.
'i.e. perhaps superior in degree 0/ malice.
wickedness doubles that which has once been done. Revenge, in the estimation of error, ^ seems a solace of pain; in the estimation of truth, on the contrary, it is convicted of malig- nity. For what difference is there between provoker and provoked, except that the former is detected as prior in evil-doing, but the lat- ter as posterior? Yet each stands impeached of hurting a man in the eye of the Lord, who both prohibits and condemns every wicked- ness. In evil doing there is no account taken of order, xvox Aoft% place separate what similarity conjoins. And the precept is absolute, that evil is not to be repaid with evil.^ Like deed involves like merit. How shall we observe that principle, if in our loathing ^ we shall not loathe revengel What honour, moreover, shall we be offering to the Lord God, if we arrogate to ourselves the arbitrament of ven- geance? We are corrupt '° — earthen vessels. " With our own servant-boys,'- if they assume to themselves the right of vengeance on their fellow-servants, we are gravely offended; while such as make us the offering of their patience we not only approve as mindful of humility, of servitude, affectionately jealous of the right of their lord's honour; but we make them an ampler satisfaction than they would have pre-exacted '^ for themselves. Is there any risk of a different result in the case of a Lord so just in estimating, so potent in executing? Why, then, do we believe Him a Judge, if not an Avenger too? This He promises that He will be to us in return, say- ing, "Vengeance belotigeth to me, and I will avenge; " '* that is. Leave patience to me, and I will reward patience. For when He says, "Judge not, lest ye be judged," '5 does He not require patience? For who will refrain from judging another, but he who shall be patient in not revenging himself? Who judges in order to pardon? And if he shall pardon, still he has taken care to indulge the impa- tience of a judger, and has taken away the honour of the one Judge, that is, God. How many mischances had impatience of this kind been wont to run into! How oft has it re- pented of its revenge! How oft has its vehe- mence been found worse than the causes which led to it! — inasmuch as nothing undertaken with impatience can be effected without im- petuosity: nothing done with impetuosity fails either to stumble, or else to fall altogether, 7i. e. of the world and its erroneous philosophies.
9 Fastidientes, i. e. our loathing or abhorrence of sin. Perhaps the reference may be to Rora. xii. 9.
'o Isa. Ixiv. 6.
'2 Servulis.
'3 Prjesumpsissent.
OF PATIENCE.
[chap. XII.
or else to vanish headlong. Moreover, if you avenge yourself too slightly, you will be mad; if too amply, you will have to bear the burden.' What have I to do with vengeance, the measure of which, through impatience of pain, I am unable to regulate? Whereas, if I shall repose on patience, I shall not feel pain; if I shall not feel pain, I shall not desire to avenge myself.
CHAP. XI. FURTHER REASONS FOR PRACTISING PATIENCE. ITS CONNECTION WITH THE BEAT- ITUDES.
After these principal material causes of im- patience, registered to the best of our ability, why should we wander out of our way among the rest, — what are found at home, what abroad? Wide and diffusive is the Evil One's operation, hurling manifold irritations of our spirit, and sometimes trifling ones, sometimes very great. But the trifling ones you may contemn from their very littleness; to the very great ones you may yield in regard of their overpoweringness. Where the injury is less, there is no necessity for impatience; but where the injury is greater, there more neces- sary is the remedy for the injury — patience. Let us strive, therefore, to endure the in- flictions of the Evil One, that the counter-zeal of our equanimity may mock the zeal of the foe. If, however, we ourselves, either by im- prudence or else voluntarily, draw upon our- selves anything, let us meet with equal patience what we hav^e to blame ourselves for. More- over, if we believe that some inflictions are sent on us by the Lord, to whom should we more exhibit patience than to the Lord? Nay, He teaches - us to give thanks and rejoice, over and above, at being thought worthy of divine chastisement. "Whom I love," saith He, ''I chasten."' O blessed sen^ant, on whose amendment the Lord is intent! with whom He deigns to be wroth! whom He does not deceive by dissembling His reproofs! On every side, therefore, we are bound to the duty of exercising patience, from whatever quarter, either by our own errors or else by the snares of the Evil One, we incur the Lord's reproofs. Of that duty great is the reward — namely, happiness. For whom but the pa- tient has the Lord called happy, in saying, " Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of the heavens? " * No one, assuredly, is "poor in spirit," except he be humble. Well, who is humble, except he be • i. c. the penalty which the law will inflict. 2 Docet. But a plausible conjecture, " decet," " it becomes us," has been made.
3Prov. iii. ii, 12; Heb. xii. 5, 6; Rev. iii. 19.
patient? For no one can abase himself with- out patience, in the first instance, to bear the act of abasement. " Blessed," saith He, " are the weepers and mourners. "^ Who, without patience, is tolerant of such unhappinesses.' And so, to such, " consolation " and " laugh- ter " are promised. "Blessed are the gen- tle:"^ under this term, surely, the impatient cannot possibly be classed. Again, when He marks "the peacemakers"' with the same title of felicity, and names them "sons of God," pray have the impatient any affinity with "peace?" Even a fool may perceive that. When, however. He says, " Rejoice and exult, as often as they shall curse and persecute you; for very great is your reward in heaven,"® of course it is not to the im- patience of exultation' that He makes that promise; because no one 7vill " exult " in ad- versities unless he have first learnt to contemn them; no one will contemn them unless he have learnt to practise patience.
CHAP. XII. CERTAIN OTHER DIVINE PRECEPTS.
THE APOSTOLIC DESCRIPTION OF CHARITY. THEIR CONNECTION WITH PATIENCE.
As regards the rule of peace, which " is so pleasing to God, who in the world that is prone to impatience " will even (nice forgive his brother, I will not say "seven times," or'- " seventy-seven times? " '^ Who that is contemplating a suit against his adversary will compose the matter by agreement,'* un- less he first begin by lopping off chagrin, hardheartedness, and bitterness, which are in fact the poisonous outgrowths of impa- tience? How will you " remit, and remission shall be granted" you,'^ if the absence of patience makes you tenacious of a wrong? No one who is at variance with his brother in his mind, will finish offering his "duteous gift at the altar," unless he first, with intent to " re-conciliate his brother," return to patience.'* If "the sun go down over our wrath," we are in jeopardy: '^ we are not al- lowed to remain one day without patience. But, however, since Patience takes the lead in '* every species of salutary discipline, what 3 Matt. V. II, 12, inexactly quoted.
9 Exultationis impatientia:.
" Impatientiae natus: lit. "bom for impatience." Comp.,.■> I'eeniten. 12, aii /in. " nee ulli rei nisi pxnitentis natus."
'= Oehler reads "sed," but the " vcl ' adopted in the text is a conjecture of Latinius, which Oehler mentions.
n Septuagies septies. The reference is to Matt, rviii. 21, 12. Compare de Orat. vii. ad /in. and the note there.
'7 Kph. iv. 26. Compare de Orat..xi. 'SGubernet.
niAr. XIII.]
OF PA'IIENCE.
wonder tliat she likewise ministers to Repen- tance, (accustomed as Repentance is to come to the rescue of such as have fallen,) when, on a disjunction of wedlock (for that cause, I mean, which makes it lawful, whether for husband or wife, to persist in the perpetual observance of widowhood),' she = waits for, she yearns for, she persuades by her entrea- ties, repentance in all who are one day to enter salvation? How great a blessing she confers on each! The one she prevents from becoming an adulterer; the other she amends. So, to, she is found in those holy examples touching patience in the Lord's parables. 'I'he shepherd's patience seeks and finds the straying ewe:^ for /wpatience would easily despise ime ewe; but Patience undertakes the labour of the quest, and the patient burden- bearer carries home on his shoulders the for- saken sinner.* That prodigal son also the father's patience receives, and clothes, and feeds, and makes excuses for, in the presence of the angry brother's mpatience.^ He, therefore, who " had perished " is saved, be- cause he entered on the 7vay of repentance. Repentance perishes not, because it finds Patience (to welcome it). For by whose teach- ings but those of Patience is Charity* — the highest sacrament of the faith, the treasurehouse of the Christian name, which the apos- tle commends with the whole strength of the Holy Spirit — trained? "Charity," he says, "is long suffering; " thus she applies patience: "is beneficent;" Patience does no evil: "is not emulous;" that certainly is a peculiar mark of patience: " savours not of violence; " ' she has drawn her self-restraint from patience: " is not puffed up; is not violent;" ^ for that pertains not unto patience: " nor does she seek her own " if, she offers her own, provided she may benefit her neighbours: " nor is irritable;" if she were, what would she have left to Im- patience? Accordingly he says, "Charity endures all things; tolerates all things;" of course because she is patient. Justly, then, "will she never fail;"^ for all other things will be cancelled, will have their consumma- tion. " Tongues, sciences, prophecies, be- come exhausted; faith, hope, charity, are per- > What the cause is is disputed. Opinions are divided as to whether Tertullian means by it " marriage with a heathen" (which as Mr. Dodgson reminds us, TertulUan — de Uxor. ii. 3 — calls "adul- tery"), or the case in which our Lord allowed divorce. See Matt, xi.x. q.
' i. e. patience.
< Peccatricem, i. e. the fjue.
* Dileclio = ayajTT;. See Trench, Neiv 7'esfament Syn. s. v. •yaiTT); and with the rest of this chapter compare carefully, in the Greek, i Cor. xiii. [Neander points out the different view our author takes of the same parable, in the de Pudicit. cap. 9, Vol. IV. this series.] ' 7 Protervum = Greek jrep77epeu€Tai.
9 EzcJdet = Greek cicActirci, suffers eclipse.
manent: " Faith, which Christ's patience in- troduced; hope, which man's patience waits for; charity, which Patience accompanies, with God as Master.
CHAP. XIII. — OF P.ODILY PATIENCE.
Thus far, finally, of patience simple and uniform, and as it exists merely in the mind: though in many forms likewise I labour after it in body, for the purpose of "winning the Lord;"'" inasmuch as it is a ijuality which has been exhibited by the Lord Himself in bodily virtue as well; if it is true that the rul- ing mind easily communicates the gifts " of the Spirit with its bodily habitation. What, therefore, is the business of Patience in Ihr body? In the first place, if is the affliction '- of the flesh — a victim '- able to appease the Lord by means of the sacrifice of humiliation. — in making a libation to the Lord of sordid "* raiment, together with scantiness of food,, content with simple diet and the pure drink of water '5 in conjoining fasts to all this; in- inuring herself to sackcloth and ashes. This. bodily patience adds a grace to our prayers for good, a strength to our prayers against evil; this opens the ears of Christ oi/r God,'° dis- sipates severity, elicits clemency. Thus that' Babylonish king,'^ after being exiled from human form in his seven years' squalor and' neglect, because he had offended the Lord; by the bodily immolation of patience not only recovered his kingdom, but — what is more to be desired by a man — made satisfaction to' God. Further, if we set down in order the higher and happier grades of bodily patience, (we find that) it is she who is entrusted by holiness with the care of continence of the flesh: she keeps the widow, '^ and sets on the virgin the seal '^ and raises the self-made eunuch to the realms of heaven.-" That which springs from a virtue of the inind is perfected in ih.G jflcsh; and, finally, by the patience of the flesh, does battle under persecution. If flight press hard, the flesh wars with" the in- convenience of flight; if imprisonment over 'oPhil. iii. 8.
" " Invecta," generally =moveahles, household furniture.
■2 Or, mortification, " adflictatio."
13 i. e. fleshly mortification is a ''victim," etc.
uOr, " mourning." Comp. de Pifii. c. 9.
'S [The "water •■!. wine" movement is not a discovery of our own times. " Drink a littU r<'/«f," said St. Paul medicinally; but (as a great and good divine once remarked) "we must not lay stress on the noun, but the adjective; let it be very little,"] '* Christ! dei.
»7 Dan. iv. 33-37. Comp. de Pirn. c. 12. [1 have removed an ambiguity hy slightly touching the te.xt here.]
=oMatt..xix. 12.
-' Ad. It seems to mean flesh has strength given it, by patience, to meet the hardships of the flight. Compare the irpb? irAjjcr- fAOviji' Trj? aaftKoiiy of St. Paul in Col. ii. 23. [Kaye compares thi« with the De Fuga, as proof of the author's freedom from Montnn- ism, when this was written.]
OF PATIENCE.
[chap. XV.
take ' us, the flesh (still was) in bonds, the flesh in the gyve, the flesh in solitude,^ and in that want of light, and in that patience of the world's misusage.' When, however, it is led forth unto the final proof of happi- ness,* unto the occasion of the second bap- tism,^ unto the act of ascending the divine seat, no patience is more needed there than bodily patience. If the " spirit is willing, but the flesh," without patience, "weak,"* where, save iti patietue, is the safety of the spirit, and of the flesh itself? But when the I,ord says this about the flesh, pronouncing it "weak," He shows what need there is of strengthening, it — that is by patience — to meet' every preparation for subverting or punishing faith; that it may bear with all con- stancy stripes, fire, cross, beasts, sword; all which prophets and apostles, by enduring, con- quered!
CHAP. XIV. THE POWER OF THIS TWOFOLD PATIENCE, THE SPIRITUAL AND THE BODILY. EXEMPLIFIED IN THE SAINTS OF OLD.
With this strength of patience, Esaias is cut asunder, and ceases not to speak concerning the Lord; Stephen is stoned, and prays for pardon to his foes.* Oh, happy also he who met all the violence of the devil by the exer- tion of every species of patience! ' — whom neither the driving away of his cattle nor those riches of his in sheep, nor the sweeping away of his children in one swoop of ruin, nor, finally, the agony of his own body in (one universal) wound, estranged from the patience and the faith which he had plighted to the ];ord; whom the devil smote with all his might in vain. For by all his pains he was not <lrawn away from his reverence for God; but he has been set up as an example and testi- mony to us, for the thorough accomplishment of patience as well in spirit as in flesh, as well in mind as in body; in order that we succumb neither to damages of our worldly goods, nor to losses of those who are dearest, nor even to bodily afflictions. What a bier'" for the devil did Ciod erect in the person of that hero! What a banner did He rear over the enemy of His glory, when, at every bitter message, that man uttered nothing out of his mouth but thanks to God, while he denounced his wife, now quite wearied with ills, and urging » Praeveniat: " prevent" us, before we have time to flee.
» Solo.
* i.e. martyrdom. sComp. Luke xii. 50.
* Matt. xxvi. 41.
7 " Adversus," like the "ad" above, note 21, p. 713.
9 Job. See Job i. and ii.
'" ' Feretrum" — for carrying trophies in a triumph, the bodies of the dead, and their effigies, etc.
him to resort to crooked remedies! How did God smile," how was the evil one cut asunder,'^' while Job with mighty equanimity kept scraping off'^ the unclean overflow of his own ulcer, while he sportively replaced the vermin that brake out thence, in the same caves and feeding-places of his pitted flesh! And so, when all the darts of temptations had blunted themselves against the corslet and shield of his patience, that instrument '* of God's victory not only presently recovered from God the soundness of his body, but pos- sessed in redoubled measure what he had lost. And if he had wished to have his children also restored, he might again have been called father; but he preferred to have them re- stored him " in that day." '^ Such joy as that — secure so entirely concerning the Lord — he deferred; meantime he endured a voluntary bereavement, that he might not live without so7fie (exercise of) patience.
CHAP. XV. GENERAL SUMMARY OF THE VIRTUES