14. They which say these
things, do not understand that as well each one of the wicked is in
that measure for endurance of any ills more hard, in what measure
the lust of the world is mightier in him; as also that each one of
the just is in that measure for endurance of any ills more brave,
in what measure in him the love of God is mightier. But lust of the
world hath its beginning from choice of the will, its progress from
enjoyableness of pleasure, its confirmation from the chain of
custom, whereas “the love of God is shed abroad in our
hearts,”2661
not verily
from ourselves, but “by the
Holy Spirit which is given unto
us.” And therefore from Him cometh the
patience of the just, by
Whom is shed abroad their
love (of Him). Which
love (of
charity)
the
Apostle praising and setting off, among its other good
qualities, saith, that it “beareth all things.”
2662
“
Charity,” saith he, “is magnanimous.”
2663
And a little after he saith,
“endureth all things.” The greater then is in
saints the
charity (or
love) of
God, the more do they
endure all things for
Him whom they
love, and the greater in
sinners the
lust of the
world, the more do they
endure all things for that which they
lust
after. And consequently from that same source cometh true
patience
of the
righteous, from which there is in them the
love of
God; and
from that same source the false
patience of the
unrighteous, from
which is in them the
lust of the
world. With regard to which the
Apostle John saith; “
Love not the
world, neither the things that
be in the
world. If any man
love the
world, the
love of the
Father
is not in him: because all that is in the
world, is
lust of the
flesh, and
lust of the
eyes, and
pride of
life;
2664
which is not of the
Father, but is
of the
world.”
2665
This concupiscence, then, which is
not of the
Father, but is of the
world, in what measure it shall in
any man be more
vehement and ardent, in that measure becometh each
more
patient of all
troubles and
sorrows for that which he lusteth
after. Therefore, as we said above, this is not the
patience which
descendeth from above, but the
patience of the godly is from above,
coming down from the
Father of lights. And so that is earthly, this
heavenly; that
animal, this
spiritual; that devilish, this
Godlike.
2666
Because
concupiscence, whereof it cometh that persons
sinning suffer all
things stubbornly, is of the
world; but
charity, whereof cometh
that persons living aright
suffer all things bravely, is of
God.
And therefore to that false
patience it is possible that, without
aid of
God, the human will may suffice; harder, in proportion as it
is more eager of
lust, and bearing ills with the more endurance the
worse itself becometh: while to this, which is true
patience, the
human will, unless aided and inflamed from above, doth not suffice,
for the very reason that the Holy Spirit is the fire thereof; by
Whom unless it be kindled to love that impassible Good, it is not
able to bear the ill which it suffereth.
E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
