§4Qualis uero in Deo et quanta patientia, quod in contumeliam suae maiestatis et honoris instituta ab hominibus profana templa et terrena figmenta et sacra sacrilega patientissime sustinens super bonos et malos aequaliter facit diem nasci et lumen solis oboriri, et cum imbribus terras rigat, nemo a beneficiis eius excluditur quominus iustis similiter et iniustis indiscretas pluuias largiatur.
How great indeed and of what nature is the patience in God, that, most patiently enduring profane temples, earthly images, and sacrilegious rites established by men in insult to His majesty and honor, He makes the day to rise and the light of the sun to appear equally upon the good and the bad, and when He waters the earth with showers, no one is excluded from His benefits so as to prevent Him from bestowing undistinguished rains similarly upon the righteous and the unrighteous.
uidemus inseparabili aequalitate patientiae nocentibus et innoxiis, religiosis et impiis, gratias agentibus et ingratis Dei nutu tempora obsequi, elementa famulari, spirare uentos, fontes fluere, grandescere copias messium, fructus mitescere uinearum, exuberare pomis arbusta, nemora frondescere, prata florere.
We see that by the inseparable equality of His patience, at the nod of God, the seasons obey, the elements serve, the winds blow, the fountains flow, the abundance of harvests increases, the fruits of the vineyards ripen, the orchards abound with fruit, the groves become green, and the meadows bloom for the harmful and the innocent, the religious and the impious, the thankful and the ungrateful.
et cum crebris immo continuis exacerbetur offensis Deus, indignationem suam temperat et praestitutum semel retributionis diem patienter expectat, cumque habeat in potestate uindictam, mauult diu tenere patientiam sustinens scilicet clementer et differens, ut si fieri potest multum malitia protracta aliquando mutetur et homo in errorum et scelerum contagio uolutatus uel sero ad Deum conuertatur ipso monente et dicente: nolo mortem morientis, quantum ut reuertatur et uiuat. [et iterum: reuertimini ad me, dicit Dominus. ] et iterum: reuertimini ad Dominum Deum uestrum, quoniam misericors et pius est et patiens et multae miserationis et qui sententiam flectat aduersus malitias inrogatas. quod beatus apostolus Paulus commemorans et peccatorem ad paenitentiam reuocans proponit et dicit: an numquid opulentiam bonitatis eius et sustinentiam et patientiam contemnis ignorans quoniam patientia et bonitas Dei ad paenitentiam te adducit? tu autem secundum duritiam tuam et cor inpaenitens thesaurizas tibi iram in die irae et reuelationis iusti iudicii Dei qui reddet unicuique secundum opera sua. iustum iudicium Dei dixit esse, quia serum est, quia diu multumque differtur ut homini ad uitam longa Dei patientia consulatur.
And although God is provoked by frequent, or rather constant offenses, He tempers His indignation and patiently awaits the once-appointed day of retribution; and although He has vengeance in His power, He prefers to maintain patience for a long time, namely by enduring with clemency and delaying, so that, if it is possible, a long-protracted malice may at some time be changed, and a man wallowing in the contagion of errors and crimes may turn to God even late, while He warns and says: 'I do not desire the death of him who dies, as much as that he should return and live.' [And again: 'Return to me, says the Lord.'] And again: 'Return to the Lord your God, because He is merciful and kind and patient and of great pity, and one who turns back His sentence against the evils inflicted.' Commemorating this, the blessed apostle Paul, recalling the sinner to repentance, proposes and says: 'Or do you despise the abundance of His goodness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that the patience and goodness of God leads you to repentance? But according to your hardness and impenitent heart, you treasure up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who will render to every man according to his works.' He said that the judgment of God is righteous because it is late, because it is long and much delayed, so that by the long patience of God, provision may be made for man's life.
tunc repraesentatur poena impio et peccatori, quando iam non potest paenitentia prodesse peccati.
Punishment is then represented to the impious and the sinner, when repentance of sin can no longer be of benefit.
§5Adque ut plenius intellegere possimus, fratres dilectissimi, quia patientia Dei res est et quisque lenis patiens et mitis est Dei patris imitator est, cum in euangelio suo Dominus praecepta in salutem daret et diuina monita depromens ad perfectum discipulos erudiret, posuit et dixit: audistis quia dictum est: diliges proximum tibi et odio habebis inimicum tibi. ego autem dico uobis: diligite inimicos uestros et orate pro eis qui uos persecuntur, ut sitis filii patris uestri qui in caelis est, qui solem suum oriri facit super bonos et malos et pluit super iustos et iniustos.
And so that we may be able to understand more fully, beloved brethren, that the patience of God is a reality, and that whoever is gentle, patient, and mild is an imitator of God the Father, when in His gospel the Lord gave precepts for salvation and, drawing forth divine warnings, instructed His disciples unto perfection, He set forth and said: 'You have heard that it was said: "You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy." But I say to you: Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven, who makes His sun to rise upon the good and the bad, and rains upon the righteous and the unrighteous.
si enim dilexeritis eos qui uos diligunt, quam mercedem habebitis? nonne et publicani sic faciunt? et si salutaueritis fratres uestros tantum, quid amplius facitis? nonne et ethnici id ipsum faciunt? eritis itaque uos perfecti, quomodo pater uester caelestis perfectus est. sic perfectos dixit fieri Dei filios, sic consummari ostendit et docuit caelesti natiuitate reparatos, si patientia Dei patris maneat in nobis, si similitudo diuina quam peccato Adam perdiderat manifestetur et luceat in actibus nostris.
For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Do not even the publicans do the same? And if you salute your brethren only, what more do you do? Do not even the gentiles do the very same? You shall therefore be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.' Thus He said that the sons of God become perfect, thus He showed and taught that those reborn by heavenly birth are consummated, if the patience of God the Father remains in us, if the divine likeness, which Adam had lost by sin, is manifested and shines in our actions.
quae gloria est similem Deo fieri, qualis et quanta felicitas habere in uirtutibus quod diuinis laudibus possit aequari.
What a glory it is to become like God, of what nature and how great a happiness to possess in virtues what can be equaled with divine praises!