252 WORKS OF ST. CHRYSOSTOM. [HOMILY XV. spect of want " ; that is stronger than this. For it is one thing, that he who is in want, should not seek, and another that he who is in want should not even consider himself to be in want. " Not that I seek for the gift," he says, " but I seek for the fruit, that increaseth to your account." Not mine own. Seest thou, that the fruit is produced for them? This say I for your sake, says he, not for my own, for your salvation. For I gain nothing when I receive, but the grace belongeth to the givers, for the recompense is yonder in store for givers, but the gifts are here consumed by them who receive. Again even his desire is combined with praise and sympathy. When he had said, I do not seek, lest he should again render them remiss, he adds, Ver. 1 8. " But I have all things and abound," i.e. through this gift ye have filled up what was wanting, which would make them more eager. For benefactors, the wiser they are, the more do they seek gratitude from the benefited. That is, ye have not only filled up what was deficient in former time, but ye have gone beyond. For lest by these words he should seem to accuse them, see how he seals up all. After he had said, " Not that I seek for the gift," and " Now at length " ; and had shown that their deed was a debt, for this is meant by, " I have all," then again he showeth, that they had acted above what was due, and saith, " I have all things and abound, I am filled." I say not this at hazard, or only from the feeling of my mind, but why? " Having received of Epaphroditus the things that came from you, an odor of a sweet smell ; a sacrifice acceptable, well pleasing to God." Lo, whither he hath raised their gift ; not I, he saith, received, but God through me. Where fore though I be not in need, regard it not, for God had no need, and He received at their hands in such sort, that the Holy Scriptures shrunk not from saying, " God smelled a sweet savor" (Gen. viii. 21), which denotes one who was pleased. For ye know, indeed ye know, how our soul is affected by sweet savors, how it is pleased, how it is delighted. The Scriptures therefore shrunk not from applying to God a word so human, and so lowly, that it might show to men that their gifts are become acceptable. For not the fat, not the smoke, made them acceptable, but the purpose of mind which offered them. Had it been otherwise, Cain s offering too had been received. It saith then, that He is even pleased, and howHe is pleased. For men could not without this have learned. He then, who hath no need, saith that He is thus pleased, that they may not become remiss by the absence of need. And afterward, when they had no care for other virtues, and trusted to their offerings alone, behold, how again he setteth them right by saying, "Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?" (Ps. 1. 13.) This Paul also saith. " Not that I seek," saith he, " for the gift." Ver. 19. "And may 1 my God fulfill every need of yours, according to His riches in glory, in Christ Jesus." Behold how he invokes blessings upon them, as poor men do. But if even Paul blesseth those who give, much more let us not be ashamed to do this when we receive. Let us not receive as though we ourselves had need, let us not rejoice on our own account, but on that of the givers. Thus we too who receive shall have a reward, if we rejoice for their sake. Thus we shall not take it hardly, when men do not give, but rather shall grieve for their sake. So shall we render them more zealous, ifwe teach them, that not for our own sake do we so act ; " but may my God " fulfill every need of yours, or every grace, or every joy. 2 If the second be true, " every grace," he meaneth not only the alms, which are of earth, but every excellency. If the first, " your every need," which I think too should rather be read, this is what he means to show. As he had said, "ye lacked opportunity," he here maketh an addition, as he doth in the Epistle to the Corinthians, saying, " And He that supplieth seed to the sower, may He sup ply bread for food, and multiply your seed for sowing, and increase the fruits of your righteous ness." (2 Cor. ix. 10.) He invokes blessings upon them, that they may abound, and have wherewith to sow. He blesseth them too, not simply that they might abound, but " according to His riches," so that this too is done in meas ured terms. For had they been as he was, so truly wise, so crucified, he would not have done this ; but since they were men that were handi craftsmen, poor, having wives, bringing up chil dren, ruling their families, and who had given these very gifts out of small possessions, and had certain desires of the things of this world, he blesseth them appropriately. For it is not un seemly to invoke sufficiency and plenty upon those who thus use them. See too what he said. He said not, May He make you rich, and to abound greatly ; but what said he ? " May He fulfill every need of yours," so that ye may not be in want, but have things for your necessities. Since Christ too, when He gave us a form of prayer, inserted also this in the prayer, when He taught us to say, " Give us this day our daily bread." (Matt. vi. u.) " According to His riches." That is, accord- 1 [This is the reading for the N.T. text of a goodmany documents, but both the best and the majority there read, " And my God shall fulfill," as do also several documents for Chrys. here. J. A. B.] 2 [The words xpeiav, " need,"^dpiv, " grace," and \apav, "joy," are similar, and Chrys. indulges in some conjectures. Tisch. gives no evidence of any question as to the reading. J. A. B.]