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38. I would also say, O Lord my God, what the following
Scripture reminds me of; yea, I will say it without fear. For I
will speak the truth, Thou inspiring me as to what Thou wiliest that
I should say out of these words. For by none other than Thy
inspiration do I believe that I can speak the truth, since Thou art
the Truth, but every man a liar? And therefore he that "speaketh a
lie, he speaketh of his own; . therefore that I may speak the
truth, I will speak of Thine. Behold, Thou hast given unto us for
food "every herb bearing seed," which is upon the face of all the
earth, "and every tree in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding
seed." Nor to us only, but to all the fowls of the air, and to the
beasts of the earth, and to all creeping things;s but unto the
fishes, and great whales, Thou hast not given these things. Now we
were saying, that by these fruits of the earth works of mercy were
signified and figured in an allegory, the which are provided for the
necessities of this life out of the fruitful earth. Such an earth was
the godly Onesiphorus, unto whose house Thou didst give mercy,
because he frequently refreshed Thy Paul, and was not ashamed of his
chain. This did also the brethren, and such fruit did they bear, who
out of Macedonia supplied what was wanting unto him. But how doth he
grieve for certain trees, which did not afford him the fruit due unto
hi.m, when he saith, "At my first answer no man stood with me, but
all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their
charge." For these fruits are due to those who minister spiritual.
doctrine, through their understanding of the divine mysteries; and
they are due to them as men. They are due to them, too, as to the
living soul, supplying itself as an example in all continency; and due
unto them likewise as flying creatures, for their blessings which are
multiplied upon the earth, since their sound went out into all lands?
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