On Patience

¹⁶ Here some man shall say; “If the concupiscence of the bad, whereby it comes that they bear all evils for that which they lust after, be of the world, how is it said to be of their will?” As if, truly, they were not themselves also of the world, when they love the world, forsaking Him by Whom the world was made. For “they serve the creature more than the Creator, Who is blessed for ever.” Whether then by the word “world,” the Apostle John signifies lovers of the world, the will, as it is of themselves, is therefore of the world: or whether under the name of the world he comprises heaven and earth, and all that is therein, that is the creature universally, it is plain that the will of the creature, not being that of the Creator, is of the world.

For which cause to such the Lord says, “You are from beneath, I am from above: you are of this world, I am not of this world.” And to the Apostle He says, “If you were of the world, the world would love his own.” But lest they should arrogate more unto themselves than their measure craved, and when He said that they were not of the world, should imagine this to be of nature, not of grace, therefore He says, “But because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” It follows, that they once were of the world: for, that they might not be of the world, they were chosen out of the world.