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2.
1
AS I was walking into the field, and considered the elm and the vine, and thought with myself of their fruits, an angel appeared unto me, and said unto me; What is it that thou thinkest upon thus long within thyself?
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2.
2
And I said unto him, Sir, I think of this vine and this elm because their fruits are fair. And he said unto me; [*229:3] These two trees are set for a pattern to the servants of God.
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2.
3
And I said unto him, Sir, I would know in what the pattern of these trees which thou mentionest, does consist. Hearken, saith he; seest thou this vine and this elm; Sir, said I, I see them,
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4
This vine, saith he, is fruitful, but the elm is a tree without fruit. Nevertheless this vine unless it were set by this elm, and supported by it, would not bear much fruit; but lying along upon the ground, would bear but ill fruit, because it did not hang upon the elm; whereas, being supported upon the elm, it bears fruit both for itself and for that.
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2.
5
See, therefore, how the elm gives no less, but rather more fruit, than the vine. How, Sir, said I, does it bear more fruit than the vine? Because, said he, the vine being supported upon the elm gives both much and good fruit; whereas, if it lay along upon the ground, it would bear but little, and that very ill too.
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2.
6
This similitude, therefore, is set forth to the servants of God; and it represents the rich and poor man. I answered, Sir, make this manifest unto me. Hear, said he; the rich man has wealth; howbeit towards the Lord he is poor; for he is [*230:1] taken up about his riches, and prays but little to the Lord; and the prayers which he makes are lazy and without force.
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2.
7
When, therefore, the rich man reaches out to the poor those things which he wants, the poor man prays unto the Lord for the rich; and God grants unto the rich man all good things, because the poor man is rich in prayer; and his requests have great power with the Lord.
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2.
8
Then the rich man ministers all things to the poor, because he perceives that he is heard by the Lord: and he the more willingly and without doubting, affords him what he wants, and takes care that nothing be lacking to him.
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2.
9
And the poor man gives thanks unto the Lord for the rich; because they do both their work from the Lord.
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2.
10
With men therefore, the elm is not thought to give any fruit; and they know not neither understand that its company being added to the vine, the vine bears a double increase, both for itself and for the elm.
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2.
11
Even so the poor praying unto the Lord for the rich, are heard by him; and their riches are increased, because they minister to the poor of their wealth. They are therefore both made partakers of each other's good works.
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2.
12
Whosoever, therefore, shall do these things, he shall not be forsaken by the Lord, but shall be written in the book of life.
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2.
13
Happy are they who are rich, and perceive themselves to be increased: for he that is sensible of this, will be able to minister somewhat to others.
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2.
Footnotes ^229:3 Vid. Origen. in Jos. Hom. x.
^230:1 Distracted.
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