Chapter XXXII.

After saying what return must be made for the service of the above-mentioned feast, various reasons for repaying kindness are enumerated. Then he speaks in praise of good-will, on its results and its order.

165. It is therefore a good thing for us to be bedewed with the exhortations of the divine Scriptures, and that the word of God should come down upon us like the dew. When, therefore, thou sittest at the table of that great man, understand who that great man is. Set in the paradise of delight and placed at the feast of wisdom, think of what is put before thee! The divine Scriptures are the feast of wisdom, and the single books the various dishes. Know, first, what dishes the banquet offers, then stretch forth thy hand, that those things which thou readest, or which thou receivest from the Lord thy God, thou mayest carry out in action, and so by thy duties mayest show forth the grace that was granted thee. Such was the case with Peter and Paul, who in preaching the Gospel made some return to Him Who freely gave them all things. So that each of them might say: “By the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace in me was not in vain, but I laboured more abundantly than they all.”217    1 Cor. xv. 10.

166. One repays the fruit of a service done him, and repays it, gold with gold, silver with silver. Another gives his labour. Another—and I do not know whether he does not do it in fuller measure—gives but the best wishes of his heart.218    Cic. de Off. II. 20, § 69. But what if there is no opportunity to make a return at hand? If we wish to return a kindness, more depends on the spirit in which we do it than on the amount of our property, whilst people will think more of our good-will, than of our power to make a full return. For a kindness done is regarded in the light of what one has. A great thing, therefore, is good-will. For even if it has nothing to give, yet it offers the more, and though there is nothing in its own possession, yet it gives largely to many, and does that, too, without loss to itself, and to the gain of the many. Thus good-will is better than liberality itself. It is richer in character than the other is in gifts; for there are more that need a kindness than there are that have abundance.

167. But good-will also goes in conjunction with liberality, for liberality really starts from it, seeing that the habit of giving comes after the desire to give. It exists, however, also separate and distinct. For where liberality is wanting, there good-will abides—the parent as it were of all in common, uniting and binding friendships together. It is faithful in counsel, joyful in times of prosperity, and in times of sorrow sad. So it happens that any one trusts himself to the counsels of a man of good-will rather than to those of a wise one, as David did. For he, though he was the more farseeing, agreed to the counsels of Jonathan, who was the younger.219    1 Sam. [1 Kings] xx. 11 ff. Remove good-will out of the reach of men, and it is as though one had withdrawn the sun from the world.220    Cic. de Amic. 13, § 47. For without it men would no longer care to show the way to the stranger, to recall the wanderer, to show hospitality (this latter is no small virtue, for on this point Job praised himself, when he said: “At my doors the stranger dwelt not, my gate was open to every one who came”),221    Job xxxi. 32. nor even to give water from the water that flows at their door, or to light another’s candle at their own. Thus good-will exists in all these, like a fount of waters refreshing the thirsty, and like a light, which, shining forth to others, fails not them who have given a light to others from their own light.222    Cic. de Off. I. 16.

168. There is also liberality springing from good-will, that makes one tear up the bond of a debtor which one holds, without demanding any of the debt back from him. Holy Job bids us act thus by his own example.223    Job xxxi. 35 [LXX.]. For he that has does not borrow, but he that has not does not put an end to the agreement. Why, then, if thou hast no need, dost thou save up for greedy heirs what thou canst give back immediately, and so get praise for good-will, and that without loss of money?

169. To go to the root of the matter—good-will starts first with those at home, that is with children, parents, brothers, and goes on from one step to another throughout the world.224    Cic. de Off. I. 16, 17. Having started from Paradise, it has filled the world. For God set the feeling of good-will in the man and woman, saying: “They shall be one flesh,”225    Gen. ii. 24. and (one may add) one spirit. Wherefore Eve also believed the serpent; for she who had received the gift of good-will did not think there was ill-will.

CAPUT XXXII.

Praemisso quid gratiae ob memorati convivii fercula sit referendum, variae reddendi beneficii rationes recensetur; ubi et de benevolentiae laude, effectis atque ordine disseritur.

0071B 165. Pulchrum est ergo ut divinarum Scripturarum humescamus alloquio, et quasi ros sic in nos Dei verba descendant. Cum igitur sederis ad illam mensam potentis, intellige quis sit iste potens: et in paradiso delectationis positus, atque in convivio sapientiae locatus, considera quae apponuntur tibi. Scripura divina convivium sapientiae est: singuli libri singula sunt fercula. 44 Intellige prius quae habeant ferculorum dapes, et tunc mitte manum; ut ea quae legis vel quae accipis a Domino Deo tuo, operibus exsequaris, et collatam in te gratiam officiis repraesentes: ut Petrus et Paulus, qui evangelizando vicem quamdam largitori muneris reddiderunt, ut possent singuli dicere: Gratia autem Dei sum quod sum, et gratia ejus egena in me non fuit: sed abundantius 0071C illis omnibus laboravi (I Cor. XV, 10).

166. Alius ergo fructum accepti beneficii, ut aurum auro, argentum argento rependit: alius laborem, alius, haud scio an etiam locupletius, solum restituit affectum. Quid enim si reddendi nulla facultas suppetit? In beneficio referendo plus animus quam census operatur: magisque praeponderat benevolentia, quam possibilitas referendi muneris. Gratia enim in eo ipso quod habetur, refertur. Magna igitur benevolentia, quae etiam si nihil conferat, plus exhibet: et cum in patrimonio nihil habeat, largitur pluribus; idque facit sine ullo sui dispendio, et lucro omnium. Et ideo praestat benevolentia supra ipsam liberalitatem. Ditior haec moribus, quam illa muneribus; plures 0072A enim sunt qui indigent beneficio, quam qui abundant.

167. Est autem benevolentia etiam conjuncta liberalitati, a qua ipsa liberalitas proficiscitur, cum largitatis affectum sequitur largiendi usus: et separata atque discreta. Ubi enim deest liberalitas, benevolentia manet, communis quaedam parens omnium, quae amicitiam connectit et copulat: in consiliis fidelis, in prosperis laeta, in tristibus moesta; ut unusquisque benevolentis se magis quam sapientis credat consilio: ut David cum esset prudentior, Jonathae tamen junioris consiliis acquiescebat. Tolle ex usu hominum benevolentiam, tamquam solem e mundo tuleris, ita erit; quia sine ea usus hominum esse non potest ut peregrinanti monstrare viam, revocare errantem, deferre hospitium, (non igitur mediocris virtus, de qua sibi plaudebat Job dicens 0072B (Job. XXXI, 32): Foris autem non habitabat hospes, janua mea omni venienti patebat) aquam de aqua profluenti dare, lumen de lumine accendere. Benevolentia itaque in his est omnibus, tamquam fons aquae reficiens sitient em, et tamquam lumen quod etiam in aliis luceat, nec illis desit, qui de suo lumine aliis lumen accenderint.

168. Est etiam illa benevolentiae liberalitas, ut si quod habes debitoris chirographum, scindens restituas, nihil a debitore consecutus debiti. Quod exemplo sui facere nos debere Job sanctus admonet (Ibid., 35 et seq.). Nam qui habet, non mutuatur: qui non habet, non liberat syngrapham. Quid igitur etiam si ipse non exigas, avaris haeredibus reservas, quam potes cum benevolentiae laude sine damno 0072C pecuniae repraesentare?

45 169. Atque ut plenius discutiamus; benevolentia a domesticis primum profecta personis, id est, a filiis, parentibus, fratribus, per conjunctionum gradus in civitatum pervenit ambitum, et de paradiso egressa mundum replevit. Denique cum in viro et femina benevolentem Deus posuisset affectum, dixit: Erunt ambo in una carne (Gen. II, 24), et in uno spiritu. Unde se Eva serpenti credidit; quoniam quae benevolentiam acceperat, esse malevolentiam non opinabatur.