Tertullian

“ But after He has supervened, and has united [6] the grace of faith with patience, now it is no longer lawful to assail even with word, nor to say “fool” [7] even, without “danger of the judgment.” Anger has been prohibited, our spirits retained, the petulance of the hand checked, the poison of the tongue [8] extracted. The law has found more than it has lost, while Christ says, “Love your personal enemies, and bless your cursers, and pray for your persecutors, that ye may be sons of your heavenly Father.” [9] Do you see whom patience gains for us as a Father? ”

“ So faith, illumined by patience, when it was becoming propagated among the nations through “Abraham’s seed, which is Christ,” [3] and was superinducing grace over the law, [4] made patience her pre-eminent coadjutrix for amplifying and fulfilling the law, because that alone had been lacking unto the doctrine of righteousness. For men were of old wont to require “eye for eye, and tooth for tooth” [5] and to repay with usury “evil with evil;” for, as yet, patience was not on earth, because faith was not either. ”

“ So heavy a precept, the perfect execution whereof was not even pleasing to the Lord, he patiently both heard, and (if God had willed) would have fulfilled. Deservedly then was he “blessed,” because he was “faithful;” deservedly “faithful,” because “patient.” ”