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On the Advantage of Patience

Cyprian of Carthage

Section 20

About this work

Author: Cyprian of Carthage

20. Wherefore, beloved brethren, having diligently pondered both

‹ Section 19 Section 21 ›

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

.