Chapter XXVI.—In the Confessing of Benefits, Computation is Made Not as to The “Gift,” But as to the “Fruit,”—That Is, the Good and Right Will of the Giver.

39. But they who are delighted with them are fed by those fruits; nor are they delighted with them “whose god is their belly.”1283    Phil. iii. 19. For neither in those that yield them are the things given the fruit, but in what spirit they give them. Therefore he who serves God and not his own belly,1284    Rom. xvi. 18. I plainly see why he may rejoice; I see it, and I rejoice with him exceedingly. For he hath received from the Philippians those things which they had sent from Epaphroditus;1285    Phil. iv. 18. but yet I see why he rejoiced. For whereat he rejoices, upon that he feeds; for speaking in truth, “I rejoiced,” saith he, “in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again, wherein ye were also careful,”1286    Ibid. ver. 10. but it had become wearisome unto you. These Philippians, then, by protracted wearisomeness, had become enfeebled, and as it were dried up, as to bringing forth this fruit of a good work; and he rejoiceth for them, because they flourished again, not for himself, because they ministered to his wants. Therefore, adds he, “not that I speak in respect of want, for I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”1287    Ibid. vers. 11–13.

40. Whereat, then, dost thou rejoice in all things, O great Paul? Whereat dost thou rejoice? Whereon dost thou feed, O man, renewed in the knowledge of God, after the image of Him that created thee, thou living soul of so great continency, and thou tongue like flying fowls, speaking mysteries,—for to such creatures is this food due,—what is that which feeds thee? Joy. Let us hear what follows. “Notwithstanding,” saith he, “ye have well done that ye did communicate with My affliction.”1288    Phil. iv. 14. Hereat doth he rejoice, hereon doth he feed; because they have well done,1289    Compare p. 160, note 2, above. not because his strait was relieved, who saith unto thee, “Thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress;”1290    Ps. iv. 1. because he knew both “to abound and to suffer need,”1291    Compare his De Bono Conjug. ch. xxi., where he points out that while any may suffer need and abound, to know how to suffer belongs only to great souls, and to know how to abound to those whom abundance does not corrupt. in Thee Who strengthenest him. For, saith he, “ye Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no Church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only. For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity.”1292    Phil. iv. 15, 16. Unto these good works he now rejoiceth that they have returned; and is made glad that they flourished again, as when a fruitful field recovers its greenness.

41. Was it on account of his own necessities that he said, “Ye have sent unto my necessity? Rejoiceth he for that? Verily not for that. But whence know we this? Because he himself continues, “Not because I desire a gift, but I desire fruit.”1293    Ibid. ver. 17. From Thee, O my God, have I learned to distinguish between a “gift” and “fruit.” A gift is the thing itself which he gives who bestows these necessaries, as money, food, drink, clothing, shelter, aid; but the fruit is the good and right will of the giver. For the good Master saith not only, “He that receiveth a prophet,” but addeth, “in the name of a prophet.” Nor saith He only, “He that receiveth a righteous man,” but addeth, “in the name of a righteous man.” So, verily, the former shall receive the reward of a prophet, the latter that of a righteous man. Nor saith He only, “Whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water,” but addeth, “in the name of a disciple” and so concludeth, “Verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.”1294    Matt. x. 41, 42. The gift is to receive a prophet, to receive a righteous man, to hand a cup of cold water to a disciple; but the fruit is to do this in the name of a prophet, in the name of a righteous man, in the name of a disciple. With fruit was Elijah fed by the widow, who knew that she fed a man of God, and on this account fed him; but by the raven was he fed with a gift. Nor was the inner man1295    1 Kings xvii. See p. 133, note 2, above. of Elijah fed, but the outer only, which might also from want of such food have perished.

CAPUT XXVI. Voluptas et utilitas ex beneficio in proximum collato.

39. Pascuntur autem his escis qui laetantur eis; nec illi laetantur eis quorum Deus venter est. Neque enim et in illis qui praebent ista, ea quae dant, fructus est; sed quo animo dant. Itaque ille qui Deo serviebat, non suo ventri, video plane unde gaudeat; video, et congratulor ei valde. Acceperat enim a Philippensibus, quae per Epaphroditum miserant; sed tamen unde gaudeat, video. Unde autem gaudet, inde pascitur, quia in veritate loquens, Gavisus sum, inquit, magnifice in Domino, quia tandem aliquando repullulastis sapere pro me, in quo et sapiebatis; taedium autem habuistis (Philip. IV, 10). Isti ergo diuturno taedio marcuerant, et quasi exaruerant ab isto fructu boni operis: et gaudet eis quia repullularunt, non sibi quia ejus indigentiae subvenerunt. Ideo secutus ait: Non quod desit aliquid dico; ego enim didici, in quibus sum sufficiens esse. Scio et minus habere, scio et abundare; in omnibus et in omnia imbutus sum; et satiari, et esurire, et abundare, et penuriam pati: omnia possum in eo qui me confortat (Ibid., 11-13).

40. Unde ergo in omnibus gaudes, o Paule magne? Unde gaudes, unde pasceris, homo renovate in agnitionem Dei secundum imaginem ejus qui creavit te, et anima viva tanta continentia, et lingua volatilis loquens mysteria? Talibus quippe animantibus esca ista debetur. Quid est quod te pascit? Laetitia. Quod 0863 sequitur audiamus. Verumtamen, inquit, bene fecistis, communicantes tribulationi meae. Hinc gaudet, hinc pascitur, quia illi benefecerunt, non quia ejus angustia relaxata est, qui dicit tibi, In tribulatione dilatasti mihi (Psal. IV, 2): quia et abundare et penuriam pati novit in te qui confortas eum. Scitis enim, inquit, et vos, Philippenses, quoniam in principio Evangelii, cum ex Macedonia sum profectus, nulla mihi Ecclesia communicavit in ratione dati et accepti, nisi vos soli; quia et Thessalonicam, et semel et iterum, usibus meis misistis (Philipp. IV, 14-16). Ad haec bona opera eos rediisse nunc gaudet, et repullulasse laetatur tanquam revirescente fertilitate agri.

41. Numquid propter usus suos, quia dixit, Usibus meis misistis? numquid propterea gaudet? Non propterea. Et hoc unde scimus? Quoniam ipse sequitur dicens: Non quia quaero datum, sed requiro fructum (Ibid., 17). Didici a te, Deus meus, inter datum et fructum discernere. Datum est res ipsa quam dat, qui impertitur haec necessaria; veluti est nummus, cibus, potus, vestimentum, tectum, adjutorium. Fructus autem, bona et recta voluntas datoris est. Non enim ait Magister bonus, Qui susceperit prophetam, tantum; sed addidit: in nomine prophetae; neque ait tantum, Qui susceperit justum; sed addidit, in nomine justi. Ita quippe ille mercedem prophetae, iste mercedem justi accipiet. Nec solum ait: Qui calicem aquae frigidae potum dederit uni ex minimis meis; sed addidit: tantum in nomine discipuli. Et sic adjunxit: Amen dico vobis, non perdet mercedem suam (Matth. X, 41, 42). Datum est, suscipere prophetam, suscipere justum, porrigere calicem aquae frigidae discipulo; fructus autem, in nomine prophetae, in nomine justi, in nomine discipuli hoc facere. Fructu pascitur Elias a vidua sciente quod hominem Dei pasceret, et propter hoc pasceret: per corvum autem dato pascebatur (III Reg. XVII, 6). Nec interior Elias, sed exterior pascebatur, qui posset etiam talis cibi egestate corrumpi.