Of Bodily Patience. - ANF03. Latin Christianity: Its Founder, Tertullian

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Of Bodily Patience.
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Chapter XIII.—Of Bodily Patience.

Thus far, finally, of patience simple and uniform, and as it exists merely in the mind: though in many forms likewise I labour after it in body, for the purpose of “winning the Lord;”⁹¹⁵⁰

⁹¹⁵⁰ Phil. iii. 8.
inasmuch as it is a quality which has been exhibited by the Lord Himself in bodily virtue as well; if it is true that the ruling mind easily communicates the gifts⁹¹⁵¹

⁹¹⁵¹ “Invecta,” generally = "movables", household furniture.
of the Spirit with its bodily habitation. What, therefore, is the business of Patience in the body? In the first place, it is the affliction⁹¹⁵²

⁹¹⁵² Or, mortification, “adflictatio.”
of the flesh—a victim⁹¹⁵³

⁹¹⁵³ i.e. fleshly mortification is a “victim,” etc.
able to appease the Lord by means of the sacrifice of humiliation—in making a libation to the Lord of sordid⁹¹⁵⁴

⁹¹⁵⁴ Or, “mourning.” Comp. de Pæn. c. 9.
raiment, together with scantiness of food, content with simple diet and the pure drink of water⁹¹⁵⁵

⁹¹⁵⁵ [The “water vs. wine” movement is not a discovery of our own times. “Drink a little wine,” said St. Paul medicinally; but (as a great and good divine once remarked) “we must not lay stress on the noun, but the adjective; let it be very little.”]
in conjoining fasts to all this; in inuring herself to sackcloth and ashes. This bodily patience adds a grace to our prayers for good, a strength to our prayers against evil; this opens the ears of Christ our God,⁹¹⁵⁶

⁹¹⁵⁶ Christi dei.
dissipates severity, elicits clemency. Thus that Babylonish king,⁹¹⁵⁷

⁹¹⁵⁷ Dan. iv. 33–37. Comp. de Pæn. c. 12. [I have removed an ambiguity by slightly touching the text here.]
after being exiled from human form in his seven years’ squalor and neglect, because he had offended the Lord; by the bodily immolation of patience not only recovered his kingdom, but—what is more to be desired by a man—made satisfaction to God. Further, if we set down in order the higher and happier grades of bodily patience, (we find that) it is she who is entrusted by holiness with the care of continence of the flesh: she keeps the widow,⁹¹⁵⁸

⁹¹⁵⁸ 1 Tim. v. 3, 9, 10; 1 Cor. vii. 39, 40.
and sets on the virgin the seal⁹¹⁵⁹

⁹¹⁵⁹ 1 Cor. vii. 34, 35.
and raises the self-made eunuch to the realms of heaven.⁹¹⁶⁰

⁹¹⁶⁰ Matt. xix. 12.
That which springs from a virtue of the mind is perfected in the flesh; and, finally, by the patience of the flesh, does battle under persecution. If flight press hard, the flesh wars with⁹¹⁶¹

⁹¹⁶¹ Ad. It seems to mean flesh has strength given it, by patience, to meet the hardships of the flight. Compare the πρὸς πλησμονὴν τῆς σαρκὸς, of St. Paul in Col. ii. 23. [Kaye compares this with the De Fuga, as proof of the author’s freedom from Montanism, when this was written.]
the inconvenience of flight; if imprisonment overtake⁹¹⁶²

⁹¹⁶² Præveniat: “prevent” us, before we have time to flee.
us, the flesh (still was) in bonds, the flesh in the gyve, the flesh in solitude,⁹¹⁶³

⁹¹⁶³ Solo.
and in that want of light, and in that patience of the world’s misusage.⁹¹⁶⁴

⁹¹⁶⁴ [Elucidation III.]
When, however, it is led forth unto the final proof of happiness,⁹¹⁶⁵

⁹¹⁶⁵ i.e. martyrdom.
unto the occasion of the second baptism,⁹¹⁶⁶

⁹¹⁶⁶ Comp. Luke xii. 50.
unto the act of ascending the divine seat, no patience is more needed there than bodily patience. If the “spirit is willing, but the flesh,” without patience, “weak,”⁹¹⁶⁷

⁹¹⁶⁷ Matt. xxvi. 41.
where, save in patience, is the safety of the spirit, and of the flesh itself? But when the Lord says this about the flesh, pronouncing it “weak,” He shows what need there is of strengthening, it—that is by patience—to meet⁹¹⁶⁸

⁹¹⁶⁸ “Adversus,” like the “ad” above, note 21, p. 713.
every preparation for subverting or punishing faith; that it may bear with all constancy stripes, fire, cross, beasts, sword; all which prophets and apostles, by enduring, conquered!
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