22 THE TREATISES OF CYPRIAN. shouldI ratherhegin than this,that I seethateven at this time,for your audience of me, patienceisneedful,as you cannot even dischargethisduty of hearingand learningwith out patience? For wholesome discourseand reasoningare then effectuallylearnt,if what is said be patientlyheard. Nor do I find,beloved brethren,among the rest of the ways of heavenly disciplinewherein the path of our hope and faithisdirectedto the attainmentof the divinerewards, anything of more advantage,eitheras more usefulfor life or more helpfulto glory,than thatwe who are labouringin the preceptsof the Lord with the obedienceof fear and devotion,should especially,with our whole watchfulness,be carefulof patience. 2. Philosophersalsoprofessthat they pursue thisvirtue; but in theircasethe patienceisas falseas theirwisdom also is. For whence can he be eitherwise or patient,who has neitherknown the wisdom nor the patienceof God ? since He Himself warns us,and says of thosewho seem to them selvesto be wise in thisworld," I willdestroythe wisdom of the wise,and I willreprove the understanding of the pru dent."1 Moreover, the blessedApostle Paul, filledwith the Holy Spirit,and sentforthforthecallingand trainingof the heathen, bears witnessand instructsus, saying," See that no man despoilyou through philosophyand vain deceit,after the traditionof men, afterthe elementsof theworld,and not after Christ,because in Him dwelleth all the fulness of divinity."2 And in another place he says: " Let no man deceivehimself; ifany man among you thinketh himself to be wise,lethim become a foolto thisworld,that he may become wise. For the wisdom of thisworld is foolishness with God. For it iswritten,I willrebuke the wise in their own craftiness."And again: " The Lord knoweth the thoughtsof the wise,thatthey are foolish."3 Wherefore if the wisdom among them be not true,the patiencealsocannot be true. For if he iswise4who islowlyand meek — but we do not see that philosophersare eitherlowly or meek, but 1Isa.xxix.14. 2 Col.ii.8,10. 8 1 Cor.iii.18-20. 1The Oxfordedition,andmany others,read" patient."