Letter 2047: I give thanks to your most ready devotion in the Lord and your most sincere love toward me — a love that imitates...

Bishop Ruricius to Taurentius. We give thanks for your most ready devotion in the Lord and for your most sincere love toward us, which, in imitation of the divine goodness, hastens by its own benevolence to anticipate even what it foresees ought to be entreated of us [...], before it is asked, and to forestall our own duty, since it strives not only to preserve, but even to increase toward me that affection of yours, which it therefore gladdens by anticipating it with kindnesses, because it dreads to grieve it even a little. And for that reason it prefers to offer favor to one who keeps silent rather than to grant it to one who asks, knowing beyond doubt that there is more merit in that which is bestowed by spontaneous kindness than in that which is procured by entreaties, since the one of these is given to a relationship only out of necessity, while the other is often granted even to the persistent importunity of the one who prays. Wherefore, returning your greeting, and being made secure by the promise of your dutiful affection, I make known that I have entrusted your serving-girl, in the matter at hand, to your servants who have been sent, for whom I am confident that, in accordance with your promise, you will grant not only pardon but even favor on account of our intercession.

XXXXVII. RURICII EPISCOPI AD TAURENTIUM. Ago gratias promptissimae in domino deuotioni et sincerissimae erga me caritati uestrae, quae diuinae bonitatis imitatrix id, quod a me sibi prospicit supplicandum, x* priusquam rogetur, et nostrum praeoccupare beniuolentia sua festinat r 9] Luc. 9, 60. 19] Eccli. 22, 18. 1 uidebitur v, indebitur S 2 displicit S 5 discendit S 6 cum v quęrillis S 9 plangant—in Christo] cf. ep. II 4 11 de add. v, om. S 14 finibus v 15 consolationi v 18 planctos S 21 uiuentis S 22 moriamur] finit add. S 24 rurici S taurencium S 25 prumtissime S sincerissime S 26 dinina S, corr. v 27 id quod a scripsi, id quod S, dat quod a Mommsenus post supplicandum uidetur suppeditat (suppeditare) uel simile quid supplendum officium, dum non solum custodire, uerum etiam augere in (me) istum sibi gestit affectum, quem idcirco beneficiis anticipando laetificat, quia ad modicum contristare formidat. et ideo mauult offerre tacenti gratiam, quam praestare poscenti sciens procul dubio plus in eo esse meriti, quod spontanea benignitate defertur, quam quod precibus intellegitur, siquidem horum unum non nisi necessitate datur necessitudini, aliud uero saepe etiam precatoris sedulae dimittitur inprobitati. unde salue reciprocum dicens de pietatis uestrae promissione securus puellam uestram in rem directis pueris uestris me consignasse significo, cui confido quod iuxta pollicitationem - uestram non solum ueniam, sed etiam gratiam pro nostra intercessione tribuatis.