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On the Advantage of Patience

Cyprian of Carthage

Section 12

About this work

Author: Cyprian of Carthage

12. Whence every one of us, when he is

‹ Section 11 Section 13 ›

born

and

received

in

the

inn

of

this

world

,

takes

his

beginning

from

tears

;

and

,

although

still

unconscious

and

ignorant

of

all

things

,

he

knows

nothing

else

in

that

very

earliest

birth

except

to

weep

.

By

a

natural

foresight

,

the

untrained

soul

laments

the

anxieties

and

labours

of

the

mortal

life

,

and

even

in

the

beginning

bears

witness

by

its

wails

and

groans

to

the

storms

of

the

world

which

it

is

entering

.

For

the

sweat

of

the

brow

and

labour

is

the

condition

of

life

so

long

as

it

lasts

.

Nor

can

there

be

supplied

any

consolations

to

those

that

sweat

and

toil

other

than

patience

;

which

consolations

,

while

in

this

world

they

are

fit

and

necessary

for

all

men

,

are

especially

so

for

us

who

are

more

shaken

by

the

siege

of

the

devil

,

who

,

daily

standing

in

the

battle

-

field

,

are

wearied

with

the

wrestlings

of

an

inveterate

and

skilful

enemy

;

for

us

who

,

besides

the

various

and

continual

battles

of

temptations

,

must

also

in

the

contest

of

persecutions

forsake

our

patrimonies

,

undergo

imprisonment

,

bear

chains

,

spend

our

lives

,

endure

the

sword

,

the

wild

beasts

,

fires

,

crucifixions

—

in

fine

,

all

kinds

of

torments

and

penalties

,

to

be

endured

in

the

faith

and

courage

of

patience

;

as

the

Lord

Himself

instructs

us

,

and

says

,

“

These

things

have

I

spoken

unto

you

,

that

in

me

ye

might

have

peace

.

But

in

the

world

ye

shall

have

tribulation

;

yet

be

confident

,

for

I

have

overcome

the

world

.

”

And

if

we

who

have

renounced

the

devil

and

the

world

,

suffer

the

tribulations

and

mischiefs

of

the

devil

and

the

world

with

more

frequency

and

violence

,

how

much

more

ought

we

to

keep

patience

,

wherewith

as

our

helper

and

ally

,

we

may

bear

all

mischievous

things

!

Notes

25
[How practical this treatise in an age when to be a Christian meant to be prepared for all these things! “Fiery trials” the chronic state.]
26
John xvi. 33.