{"collection":"chr","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/chr/ecf/003/0030803.htm","path":"chr/ecf/003/0030803.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/chr/ecf/003/0030803.htm","text":"Chapter XII.\u2014Certain Other Divine Precepts. The Apostolic Description of Charity. Their Connection with Patience.\nAs regards the rule of peace, which 9132 is so pleasing to God, who in the world that is prone to impatience 9133 will even once forgive his brother, I will not say \u201cseven times,\u201d or 9134 \u201cseventy-seven times?\u201d 9135 Who that is contemplating a suit against his adversary will compose the matter by agreement, 9136 unless he first begin by lopping off chagrin, hardheartedness, and bitterness, which are in fact the poisonous outgrowths of impatience? How will you \u201cremit, and remission shall be granted\u201d you 9137 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 \u201cduteous gift at the altar,\u201d unless he first, with intent to \u201creconciliate his brother,\u201d return to patience. 9138 If \u201cthe sun go down over our wrath,\u201d we are in jeopardy: 9139 we are not allowed to remain one day without patience. But, however, since Patience takes the lead in 9140 every species of salutary discipline, what p. 715 wonder that she likewise ministers to Repentance, (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), 9141 she 9142 waits for, she yearns for, she persuades by her entreaties, 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, too, she is found in those holy examples touching patience in the Lord\u2019s parables. The shepherd\u2019s patience seeks and finds the straying ewe: 9143 for Impatience would easily despise one ewe; but Patience undertakes the labour of the quest, and the patient burden-bearer carries home on his shoulders the forsaken sinner. 9144 That prodigal son also the father\u2019s patience receives, and clothes, and feeds, and makes excuses for, in the presence of the angry brother\u2019s impatience. 9145 He, therefore, who \u201chad perished\u201d is saved, because he entered on the way of repentance. Repentance perishes not, because it finds Patience (to welcome it). For by whose teachings but those of Patience is Charity 9146 \u2014the highest sacrament of the faith, the treasure-house of the Christian name, which the apostle commends with the whole strength of the Holy Spirit\u2014trained? \u201cCharity,\u201d he says, \u201cis long suffering;\u201d thus she applies patience: \u201cis beneficent;\u201d Patience does no evil: \u201cis not emulous;\u201d that certainly is a peculiar mark of patience: \u201csavours not of violence:\u201d 9147 she has drawn her self-restraint from patience: \u201cis not puffed up; is not violent;\u201d 9148 for that pertains not unto patience: \u201cnor does she seek her own\u201d if, she offers her own, provided she may benefit her neighbours: \u201cnor is irritable;\u201d if she were, what would she have left to Impatience? Accordingly he says, \u201cCharity endures all things; tolerates all things;\u201d of course because she is patient. Justly, then, \u201cwill she never fail;\u201d 9149 for all other things will be cancelled, will have their consummation. \u201cTongues, sciences, prophecies, become exhausted; faith, hope, charity, are permanent:\u201d Faith, which Christ\u2019s patience introduced; hope, which man\u2019s patience waits for; charity, which Patience accompanies, with God as Master.\nImpatienti\u00e6 natus: lit. \u201cborn for impatience.\u201d Comp. de P\u00e6niten. 12, ad fin. \u201cnec ulli rei nisi p\u00e6nitenti\u00e6 natus.\u201d\n714:9134\nOehler reads \u201csed,\u201d but the \u201cvel\u201d adopted in the text is a conjecture of Latinius, which Oehler mentions.\n714:9135\nSeptuagies septies. The reference is to Matt. 18:21, 22. Compare de Orat. vii. ad fin. and the note there.\n714:9136 714:9137 714:9138\nMatt. 5:23, 24.\n714:9139\nEph. iv. 26. Compare de Orat. xi.\n714:9140 715:9141\nWhat the cause is is disputed. Opinions are divided as to whether Tertullian means by it \u201cmarriage with a heathen\u201d (which as Mr. Dodgson reminds us, Tertullian\u2014de Uxor. ii. 3\u2014calls \u201cadultery\u201d), or the case in which our Lord allowed divorce. See Matt. xix. 9.\n715:9142 715:9143 715:9144 715:9145 715:9146\nDilectio = \u1f00\u03b3\u03ac\u03c0\u03b7. See Trench, New Testament Syn., s. v. \u1f00\u03b3\u03ac\u03c0\u03b7; and with the rest of this chapter compare carefully, in the Greek, 1 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.]\n715:9147\nProtervum = Greek \u03c0\u03b5\u03c1\u03c0\u03b5\u03c1\u03b5\u03cd\u03b5\u03c4\u03b1\u03b9.\n715:9148 715:9149\nExcidet = Greek \u1f10\u03ba\u03bb\u03b5\u03af\u03c0\u03b5\u03b9, suffers eclipse.","title":"Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol III: Tertullian: Part III: Certa...","type":"page"}