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On the Advantage of Patience

Cyprian of Carthage

Section 13

About this work

Author: Cyprian of Carthage

13. It is the wholesome precept of our Lord and

‹ Section 12 Section 14 ›

Master

:

“

He

that

endureth

,

”

saith

He

,

“

unto

the

end

,

the

same

shall

be

saved

;

”

and

again

,

“

If

ye

continue

,

”

saith

He

,

“

in

my

word

,

ye

shall

be

truly

my

disciples

;

and

ye

shall

know

the

truth

,

and

the

truth

shall

make

you

free

.

”

We

must

endure

and

persevere

,

beloved

brethren

,

in

order

that

,

being

admitted

to

the

hope

of

truth

and

liberty

,

we

may

attain

to

the

truth

and

liberty

itself

;

for

that

very

fact

that

we

are

Christians

is

the

substance

of

faith

and

hope

.

But

that

hope

and

faith

may

attain

to

their

result

,

there

is

need

of

patience

.

For

we

are

not

following

after

present

glory

,

but

future

,

according

to

what

Paul

the

apostle

also

warns

us

,

and

says

,

“

We

are

saved

by

hope

;

but

hope

that

is

seen

is

not

hope

:

for

what

a

man

seeth

,

why

doth

he

hope

for

?

But

if

we

hope

for

that

which

we

see

not

,

then

do

we

by

patience

wait

for

it

.

”

Therefore

,

waiting

and

patience

are

needful

,

that

we

may

fulfil

that

which

we

have

begun

to

be

,

and

may

receive

that

which

we

believe

and

hope

for

,

according

to

God’s

own

showing

.

Moreover

,

in

another

place

,

the

same

apostle

instructs

the

righteous

and

the

doers

of

good

works

,

and

them

who

lay

up

for

themselves

treasures

in

heaven

with

the

increase

of

the

divine

usury

,

that

they

also

should

be

patient

;

and

teaches

them

,

saying

,

“

Therefore

,

while

we

have

time

,

let

us

labour

in

that

which

is

good

unto

all

men

,

but

especially

to

them

who

are

of

the

household

of

faith

.

But

let

us

not

faint

in

well

-

doing

,

for

in

its

season

we

shall

reap

.

”

He

admonishes

that

no

man

should

impatiently

faint

in

his

labour

,

that

none

should

be

either

called

off

or

overcome

by

temptations

and

desist

in

the

midst

of

the

praise

and

in

the

way

of

glory

;

and

the

things

that

are

past

perish

,

while

those

which

have

begun

cease

to

be

perfect

;

as

it

is

written

,

“

The

righteousness

of

the

righteous

shall

not

deliver

him

in

whatever

day

he

shall

transgress

;

”

and

again

,

“

Hold

that

which

thou

hast

,

that

another

take

not

thy

crown

.

”

Which

word

exhorts

us

to

persevere

with

patience

and

courage

,

so

that

he

who

strives

towards

the

crown

with

the

praise

now

near

at

hand

,

may

be

crowned

by

the

continuance

of

patience

.

Notes

27
Matt. x. 22.
28
John viii. 31, 32.
29
Rom. viii. 24, 25.
30
A common reading here is “giving” instead of “showing,” scil. “præstante” for “representante.”
31
Gal. vi. 10, 9.
32
Ezek. xxxiii. 12.
33
Rev. iii. 11.