ON THE ADVANTAGE OF PATIENCE. 33 What shallI say of anger,of discord,of strife,which things ought not tobe found in a Christian? Let therebe patience in the breast,and thesethingscannot have place there; or should they tryto enter,they are quicklyexcluded and de part,thata peacefulabode may continuein the heart,where itdelightsthe God of peace to dwell. Finally,the apostle warns us,and teaches,saying: " Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, in whom ye are sealedunto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness,and anger,and wrath, and clamour,and blasphemy, be put away from you."1 For if the Christian have departed from rage and carnal contentionas if from the hurricanesof the sea,and have already begun to be tranquiland meek in the harbour of Christ,he ought to ad mit neitheranger nor discordwithin his breast,since he must neitherreturnevilforevil,nor bear hatred. 17. And moreover, also,for the varied illsof the flesh, and the frequentand severetormentsof the body,wherewith the human race is dailywearied and harassed,patienceis necessary. For sincein thatfirsttransgressionof the com mandment strengthof body departedwith immortality,and weakness came on with death— and strengthcannot be re ceivedunless when immortalityalsohas been received— it behoves us, in thisbodilyfrailtyand weakness, always to struggleand to fight. And this struggleand encounter cannot be sustainedbut by the strengthof patience. But as we are to be examined and searchedout,diversesuffer ings are introduced; and a manifold kind of temptationsis inflictedby the lossesof property,by the heatsof fevers,by thetormentsof wounds, by thelossof thosedeartous. Nor does anything distinguishbetween the unrighteousand the righteousmore, than that in afflictionthe unrighteousman impatientlycomplains and blasphemes,while the righteous isproved by hispatience,as itiswritten: " In pain endure, and in thy low estatehave patience; forgold and silverare triedin the fire."* 18. Thus Job was searched out and proved, and was raisedup to the very highestpinnacleof praiseby the virtue 1 Eph.iv.30,31. * Ecclus.ii.4,5. CTP.— VOL. n. c