{"collection":"chr","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/chr/ecf/101/1010292.htm","path":"chr/ecf/101/1010292.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/chr/ecf/101/1010292.htm","text":"Chapter XXVI.\u2014In the Confessing of Benefits, Computation is Made Not as to The \u201cGift,\u201d But as to the \u201cFruit,\u201d\u2014That Is, the Good and Right Will of the Giver.\n39. But they who are delighted with them are fed by those fruits; nor are they delighted with them \u201cwhose god is their belly.\u201d 1403 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, 1404 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; 1405 but yet I see why he rejoiced. For whereat he rejoices, upon that he feeds; for speaking in truth, \u201cI rejoiced,\u201d saith he, \u201cin the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again, wherein ye were also careful,\u201d 1406 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, \u201cnot 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.\u201d 1407\n40. Whereat, then, dost thou rejoice in all things, O great Paul? Whereat dost thou rejoice? Whereon dost thou feed, O man, rep. 204 newed 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,\u2014for to such creatures is this food due,\u2014what is that which feeds thee? Joy. Let us hear what follows. \u201cNotwithstanding,\u201d saith he, \u201cye have well done that ye did communicate with My affliction.\u201d 1408 Hereat doth he rejoice, hereon doth he feed; because they have well done, 1409 not because his strait was relieved, who saith unto thee, \u201cThou hast enlarged me when I was in distress;\u201d 1410 because he knew both \u201cto abound and to suffer need,\u201d 1411 in Thee Who strengthenest him. For, saith he, \u201cye 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.\u201d 1412 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.\n41. Was it on account of his own necessities that he said, \u201cYe have sent unto my necessity? Rejoiceth he for that? Verily not for that. But whence know we this? Because he himself continues, \u201cNot because I desire a gift, but I desire fruit.\u201d 1413 From Thee, O my God, have I learned to distinguish between a \u201cgift\u201d and \u201cfruit.\u201d 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, \u201cHe that receiveth a prophet,\u201d but addeth, \u201cin the name of a prophet.\u201d Nor saith He only, \u201cHe that receiveth a righteous man,\u201d but addeth, \u201cin the name of a righteous man.\u201d So, verily, the former shall receive the reward of a prophet, the latter that of a righteous man. Nor saith He only, \u201cWhosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water,\u201d but addeth, \u201cin the name of a disciple\u201d and so concludeth, \u201cVerily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.\u201d 1414 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 man 1415 of Elijah fed, but the outer only, which might also from want of such food have perished.\nCompare p. 160, note 2, above.\n204:1410 204:1411\nCompare 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.\n204:1412\nPhil. 4:15, 16.\n204:1413 204:1414 204:1415\n1 Kings 17. See p. 133, note 2, above.","title":"Nicene and Post Nicene-Fathers, Vol. I: The Confessions: ...","type":"page"}