{"id":"01KJR8Q6KP34KM1SRVBHAP3Q0Q","cid":"bafkreifveixeaqn2wem5z7h4uopivr2srvk6waskycyrtqrhrehpjmryqa","type":"text_chunk","properties":{"char_end":598620,"char_start":590750,"chunk_index":83,"chunk_total":89,"estimated_tokens":1968,"source_file_key":"confessions","text":"eyes, wherein I confess unto Thee, that I believe, O Lord, that Thou\r\nspokest not so in vain; nor will I suppress, what this lesson suggests\r\nto me. For it is true, nor do I see what should hinder me from thus\r\nunderstanding the figurative sayings of Thy Bible. For I know a thing\r\nto be manifoldly signified by corporeal expressions, which is understood\r\none way by the mind; and that understood many ways in the mind, which\r\nis signified one way by corporeal expression. Behold, the single love\r\nof God and our neighbour, by what manifold sacraments, and innumerable\r\nlanguages, and in each several language, in how innumerable modes of\r\nspeaking, it is corporeally expressed. Thus do the offspring of the\r\nwaters increase and multiply. Observe again, whosoever readest this;\r\nbehold, what Scripture delivers, and the voice pronounces one only way,\r\nIn the Beginning God created heaven and earth; is it not understood\r\nmanifoldly, not through any deceit of error, but by various kinds of\r\ntrue senses? Thus do man's offspring increase and multiply.\r\n\r\nIf therefore we conceive of the natures of the things themselves, not\r\nallegorically, but properly, then does the phrase increase and multiply,\r\nagree unto all things, that come of seed. But if we treat of the words\r\nas figuratively spoken (which I rather suppose to be the purpose of\r\nthe Scripture, which doth not, surely, superfluously ascribe this\r\nbenediction to the offspring of aquatic animals and man only); then\r\ndo we find \"multitude\" to belong to creatures spiritual as well as\r\ncorporeal, as in heaven and earth, and to righteous and unrighteous, as\r\nin light and darkness; and to holy authors who have been the ministers\r\nof the Law unto us, as in the firmament which is settled betwixt\r\nthe waters and the waters; and to the society of people yet in the\r\nbitterness of infidelity, as in the sea; and to the zeal of holy souls,\r\nas in the dry land; and to works of mercy belonging to this present\r\nlife, as in the herbs bearing seed, and in trees bearing fruit; and to\r\nspiritual gifts set forth for edification, as in the lights of heaven;\r\nand to affections formed unto temperance, as in the living soul. In all\r\nthese instances we meet with multitudes, abundance, and increase; but\r\nwhat shall in such wise increase and multiply that one thing may be\r\nexpressed many ways, and one expression understood many ways; we find\r\nnot, except in signs corporeally expressed, and in things mentally\r\nconceived. By signs corporeally pronounced we understand the generations\r\nof the waters, necessarily occasioned by the depth of the flesh;\r\nby things mentally conceived, human generations, on account of the\r\nfruitfulness of reason. And for this end do we believe Thee, Lord, to\r\nhave said to these kinds, Increase and multiply. For in this blessing, I\r\nconceive Thee to have granted us a power and a faculty, both to express\r\nseveral ways what we understand but one; and to understand several ways,\r\nwhat we read to be obscurely delivered but in one. Thus are the\r\nwaters of the sea replenished, which are not moved but by several\r\nsignifications: thus with human increase is the earth also replenished,\r\nwhose dryness appeareth in its longing, and reason ruleth over it.\r\n\r\nI would also say, O Lord my God, what the following Scripture minds me\r\nof; yea, I will say, and not fear. For I will say the truth, Thyself\r\ninspiring me with what Thou willedst me to deliver out of those words.\r\nBut by no other inspiration than Thine, do I believe myself to speak\r\ntruth, seeing Thou art the Truth, and every man a liar. He therefore\r\nthat speaketh a lie, speaketh of his own; that therefore I may speak\r\ntruth, I will speak of Thine. Behold, Thou hast given unto us for food\r\nevery herb bearing seed which is upon all the earth; and every tree,\r\nin which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed. And not to us alone, but\r\nalso to all the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the earth, and to\r\nall creeping things; but unto the fishes and to the great whales, hast\r\nThou not given them. Now we said that by these fruits of the earth were\r\nsignified, and figured in an allegory, the works of mercy which are\r\nprovided for the necessities of this life out of the fruitful earth.\r\nSuch an earth was the devout Onesiphorus, unto whose house Thou gavest\r\nmercy, because he often refreshed Thy Paul, and was not ashamed of his\r\nchain. Thus did also the brethren, and such fruit did they bear, who out\r\nof Macedonia supplied what was lacking to him. But how grieved he for\r\nsome trees, which did not afford him the fruit due unto him, where he\r\nsaith, At my first answer no man stood by me, but all men forsook me. I\r\npray God that it may not be laid to their charge. For these fruits are\r\ndue to such as minister the spiritual doctrine unto us out of their\r\nunderstanding of the divine mysteries; and they are due to them, as men;\r\nyea and due to them also, as the living soul, which giveth itself as an\r\nexample, in all continency; and due unto them also, as flying creatures,\r\nfor their blessings which are multiplied upon the earth, because their\r\nsound went out into all lands.\r\n\r\nBut they are fed by these fruits, that are delighted with them; nor are\r\nthey delighted with them, whose God is their belly. For neither in them\r\nthat yield them, are the things yielded the fruit, but with what mind\r\nthey yield them. He therefore that served God, and not his own belly,\r\nI plainly see why he rejoiced; I see it, and I rejoice with him. For he\r\nhad received from the Philippians, what they had sent by Epaphroditus\r\nunto him: and yet I perceive why he rejoiced. For whereat he rejoiced\r\nupon that he fed; for, speaking in truth, I rejoiced (saith he) greatly\r\nin the Lord, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again,\r\nwherein ye were also careful, but it had become wearisome unto you.\r\nThese Philippians then had now dried up, with a long weariness, and\r\nwithered as it were as to bearing this fruit of a good work; and he\r\nrejoiceth for them, that they flourished again, not for himself, that\r\nthey supplied his wants. Therefore subjoins he, not that I speak in\r\nrespect of want, for I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith\r\nto be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound;\r\nevery where and in all things I am instructed both to be full, and to be\r\nhungry; both to abound, and to suffer need. I can do all things through\r\nHim which strengtheneth me.\r\n\r\nWhereat then rejoicest thou, O great Paul? whereat rejoicest thou?\r\nwhereon feedest thou, O man, renewed in the knowledge of God, after the\r\nimage of Him that created thee, thou living soul, of so much continency,\r\nthou tongue like flying fowls, speaking mysteries? (for to such\r\ncreatures, is this food due;) what is it that feeds thee? joy. Hear\r\nwe what follows: notwithstanding, ye have well done, that ye did\r\ncommunicate with my affliction. Hereat he rejoiceth, hereon feedeth;\r\nbecause they had well done, not because his strait was eased, who saith\r\nunto Thee, Thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; for that he\r\nknew to abound, and to suffer want, in Thee Who strengthenest him.\r\nFor ye Philippians also know (saith he), that in the beginning of the\r\nGospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no Church communicated with\r\nme as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only. For even in\r\nThessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity. Unto these good\r\nworks, he now rejoiceth that they are returned; and is gladdened that\r\nthey flourished again, as when a fruitful field resumes its green.\r\n\r\nWas it for his own necessities, because he said, Ye sent unto my\r\nnecessity? Rejoiceth he for that? Verily not for that. But how know we\r\nthis? Because himself says immediately, not because I desire a gift, but\r\nI desire fruit. I have learned of Thee, my God, to distinguish betwixt\r\na gift, and fruit."},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KJR8NK5DAD726FMQ6JCHGZ5R","peer_label":"confessions","peer_type":"text","predicate":"derived_from"},{"peer":"01KJR8M0JHPZXCPKJ34HTYXSWW","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KJR8RFNWG2X8T00NW85WN134","peer_label":"god","predicate":"extracted_entity","properties":{"entity_type":"divine_entity","extracted_at":"2026-03-02T21:55:22.171Z"}},{"peer":"01KJR8RS46CDCCAW4CTEMCQ8P1","peer_label":"figurative interpretation","predicate":"extracted_entity","properties":{"entity_type":"interpretative_method","extracted_at":"2026-03-02T21:55:22.171Z"}},{"peer":"01KJR8RS46A6JFRZ2277FN9GWR","peer_label":"increase and multiply divine command","predicate":"extracted_entity","properties":{"entity_type":"divine_command","extracted_at":"2026-03-02T21:55:22.171Z"}},{"peer":"01KJR8RS440Y67QCFP9J61GHPN","peer_label":"augustine author","predicate":"extracted_entity","properties":{"entity_type":"person","extracted_at":"2026-03-02T21:55:22.171Z"}},{"peer":"01KJR8RRXFW46V7B7S03TNFMBJ","peer_label":"bible","predicate":"extracted_entity","properties":{"entity_type":"sacred_text","extracted_at":"2026-03-02T21:55:22.171Z"}},{"peer":"01KJR8RS3R4B5T08HM1NQ1NP46","peer_label":"in the beginning god created heaven and earth","predicate":"extracted_entity","properties":{"entity_type":"biblical_quote","extracted_at":"2026-03-02T21:55:22.171Z"}},{"peer":"01KJR8RSVR9AX5GN84SCFKRV06","peer_label":"brethren from macedonia","predicate":"extracted_entity","properties":{"entity_type":"group","extracted_at":"2026-03-02T21:55:22.171Z"}},{"peer":"01KJR8RSTZ00B5MANMZXRWMDTV","peer_label":"spiritual doctrine","predicate":"extracted_entity","properties":{"entity_type":"theological_concept","extracted_at":"2026-03-02T21:55:22.171Z"}},{"peer":"01KJR8RTCYNPSJXBCHA5BCRYF7","peer_label":"thessalonica","predicate":"extracted_entity","properties":{"entity_type":"city","extracted_at":"2026-03-02T21:55:22.171Z"}},{"peer":"01KJR8RSR9FM6N032JJJ6MPR83","peer_label":"onesiphorus","predicate":"extracted_entity","properties":{"entity_type":"person","extracted_at":"2026-03-02T21:55:22.171Z"}},{"peer":"01KJR8RSX1A28X6CP0H9G17Q5C","peer_label":"macedonia","predicate":"extracted_entity","properties":{"entity_type":"geographical_region","extracted_at":"2026-03-02T21:55:22.171Z"}},{"peer":"01KJR8RSPF8NM13AHSRVMWDSH4","peer_label":"paul","predicate":"extracted_entity","properties":{"entity_type":"person","extracted_at":"2026-03-02T21:55:22.171Z"}},{"peer":"01KJR8RTKE2XKNTFX15FH91WHX","peer_label":"epaphroditus","predicate":"extracted_entity","properties":{"entity_type":"person","extracted_at":"2026-03-02T21:55:22.171Z"}},{"peer":"01KJR8RTJREXRJEXHXSBDHAQ2P","peer_label":"fruit spiritual harvest","predicate":"extracted_entity","properties":{"entity_type":"theological_concept","extracted_at":"2026-03-02T21:55:22.171Z"}},{"peer":"01KJR8RTGCP2JS3TANQYPD5GM5","peer_label":"gift material offering","predicate":"extracted_entity","properties":{"entity_type":"concept","extracted_at":"2026-03-02T21:55:22.171Z"}},{"peer":"01KJR8RSTVZW4DHJ5M72RQQ1MM","peer_label":"philippians","predicate":"extracted_entity","properties":{"entity_type":"community","extracted_at":"2026-03-02T21:55:22.171Z"}},{"peer":"01KJR8RS7Q40T0AW4F299JSEGM","peer_label":"works of mercy","predicate":"extracted_entity","properties":{"entity_type":"theological_concept","extracted_at":"2026-03-02T21:55:22.171Z"}}],"ver":2,"created_at":"2026-03-02T21:54:25.014Z","ts":"2026-03-02T21:55:23.345Z","edited_by":{"method":"system","user_id":"01KJ60XQBHJ0GBGTP9X8HXAPPM"}}