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- confessions
- text
- eyes, wherein I confess unto Thee, that I believe, O Lord, that Thou
spokest not so in vain; nor will I suppress, what this lesson suggests
to me. For it is true, nor do I see what should hinder me from thus
understanding the figurative sayings of Thy Bible. For I know a thing
to be manifoldly signified by corporeal expressions, which is understood
one way by the mind; and that understood many ways in the mind, which
is signified one way by corporeal expression. Behold, the single love
of God and our neighbour, by what manifold sacraments, and innumerable
languages, and in each several language, in how innumerable modes of
speaking, it is corporeally expressed. Thus do the offspring of the
waters increase and multiply. Observe again, whosoever readest this;
behold, what Scripture delivers, and the voice pronounces one only way,
In the Beginning God created heaven and earth; is it not understood
manifoldly, not through any deceit of error, but by various kinds of
true senses? Thus do man's offspring increase and multiply.
If therefore we conceive of the natures of the things themselves, not
allegorically, but properly, then does the phrase increase and multiply,
agree unto all things, that come of seed. But if we treat of the words
as figuratively spoken (which I rather suppose to be the purpose of
the Scripture, which doth not, surely, superfluously ascribe this
benediction to the offspring of aquatic animals and man only); then
do we find "multitude" to belong to creatures spiritual as well as
corporeal, as in heaven and earth, and to righteous and unrighteous, as
in light and darkness; and to holy authors who have been the ministers
of the Law unto us, as in the firmament which is settled betwixt
the waters and the waters; and to the society of people yet in the
bitterness of infidelity, as in the sea; and to the zeal of holy souls,
as in the dry land; and to works of mercy belonging to this present
life, as in the herbs bearing seed, and in trees bearing fruit; and to
spiritual gifts set forth for edification, as in the lights of heaven;
and to affections formed unto temperance, as in the living soul. In all
these instances we meet with multitudes, abundance, and increase; but
what shall in such wise increase and multiply that one thing may be
expressed many ways, and one expression understood many ways; we find
not, except in signs corporeally expressed, and in things mentally
conceived. By signs corporeally pronounced we understand the generations
of the waters, necessarily occasioned by the depth of the flesh;
by things mentally conceived, human generations, on account of the
fruitfulness of reason. And for this end do we believe Thee, Lord, to
have said to these kinds, Increase and multiply. For in this blessing, I
conceive Thee to have granted us a power and a faculty, both to express
several ways what we understand but one; and to understand several ways,
what we read to be obscurely delivered but in one. Thus are the
waters of the sea replenished, which are not moved but by several
significations: thus with human increase is the earth also replenished,
whose dryness appeareth in its longing, and reason ruleth over it.
I would also say, O Lord my God, what the following Scripture minds me
of; yea, I will say, and not fear. For I will say the truth, Thyself
inspiring me with what Thou willedst me to deliver out of those words.
But by no other inspiration than Thine, do I believe myself to speak
truth, seeing Thou art the Truth, and every man a liar. He therefore
that speaketh a lie, speaketh of his own; that therefore I may speak
truth, I will speak of Thine. Behold, Thou hast given unto us for food
every herb bearing seed which is upon all the earth; and every tree,
in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed. And not to us alone, but
also to all the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the earth, and to
all creeping things; but unto the fishes and to the great whales, hast
Thou not given them. Now we said that by these fruits of the earth were
signified, and figured in an allegory, the works of mercy which are
provided for the necessities of this life out of the fruitful earth.
Such an earth was the devout Onesiphorus, unto whose house Thou gavest
mercy, because he often refreshed Thy Paul, and was not ashamed of his
chain. Thus did also the brethren, and such fruit did they bear, who out
of Macedonia supplied what was lacking to him. But how grieved he for
some trees, which did not afford him the fruit due unto him, where he
saith, At my first answer no man stood by me, but all men forsook me. I
pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. For these fruits are
due to such as minister the spiritual doctrine unto us out of their
understanding of the divine mysteries; and they are due to them, as men;
yea and due to them also, as the living soul, which giveth itself as an
example, in all continency; and due unto them also, as flying creatures,
for their blessings which are multiplied upon the earth, because their
sound went out into all lands.
But they are fed by these fruits, that are delighted with them; nor are
they delighted with them, whose God is their belly. For neither in them
that yield them, are the things yielded the fruit, but with what mind
they yield them. He therefore that served God, and not his own belly,
I plainly see why he rejoiced; I see it, and I rejoice with him. For he
had received from the Philippians, what they had sent by Epaphroditus
unto him: and yet I perceive why he rejoiced. For whereat he rejoiced
upon that he fed; for, speaking in truth, I rejoiced (saith he) greatly
in the Lord, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again,
wherein ye were also careful, but it had become wearisome unto you.
These Philippians then had now dried up, with a long weariness, and
withered as it were as to bearing this fruit of a good work; and he
rejoiceth for them, that they flourished again, not for himself, that
they supplied his wants. Therefore subjoins 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;
every where 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
Him which strengtheneth me.
Whereat then rejoicest thou, O great Paul? whereat rejoicest thou?
whereon feedest thou, O man, renewed in the knowledge of God, after the
image of Him that created thee, thou living soul, of so much continency,
thou tongue like flying fowls, speaking mysteries? (for to such
creatures, is this food due;) what is it that feeds thee? joy. Hear
we what follows: notwithstanding, ye have well done, that ye did
communicate with my affliction. Hereat he rejoiceth, hereon feedeth;
because they had well done, not because his strait was eased, who saith
unto Thee, Thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; for that he
knew to abound, and to suffer want, in Thee Who strengthenest him.
For ye Philippians also know (saith he), 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. Unto these good
works, he now rejoiceth that they are returned; and is gladdened that
they flourished again, as when a fruitful field resumes its green.
Was it for his own necessities, because he said, Ye sent unto my
necessity? Rejoiceth he for that? Verily not for that. But how know we
this? Because himself says immediately, not because I desire a gift, but
I desire fruit. I have learned of Thee, my God, to distinguish betwixt
a gift, and fruit.