Tertullian

“ Repentance perishes not, because it finds Patience (to welcome it) . For by whose teachings but those of Patience is Charity [15] —the highest sacrament of the faith, the treasure-house of the Christian name, which the apostle commends with the whole strength of the Holy Spirit—trained? “Charity,” he says, “is long suffering;” thus she applies patience: “is beneficent;” Patience does no evil: “is not emulous;” that certainly is a peculiar mark of patience: “savours not of violence:” [16] she has drawn her self-restraint from patience: “is not puffed up; is not violent;” ”

“ Accordingly he says, “Charity endures all things; tolerates all things;” of course because she is patient. Justly, then, “will she never fail;” [18] for all other things will be cancelled, will have their consummation. “Tongues, sciences, prophecies, become exhausted; faith, hope, charity, are permanent:” Faith, which Christ’s patience introduced; hope, which man’s patience waits for; charity, which Patience accompanies, with God as Master. ”

“ Footnotes ↑ i.e. peace.↑ Impatientiæ natus: lit. “born for impatience.” Comp. de Pæniten. 12, ad fin. “nec ulli rei nisi pænitentiæ natus.”↑ Oehler reads “sed,” but the “vel” adopted in the text is a conjecture of Latinius, which Oehler mentions.↑ Septuagies septies. ”