Chapter V. That the Pontiff should not be so solicitous for others AS TO neglect the care OF himself

Listen now to what I condemn in thee and to what I would exhort thee. If thou devotest to external activities all thy time and all thy attention, reserving nothing for consideration : " What shall I say to (thee) ? Do I praise (thee) ? In this I praise (thee) not " (1 Car. xi. 22). Neither, as I suppose, would anyone else who remembered the words of Solomon, " He that is less in action shall receive wisdom " (Eccli. xxxviii. 25). Even for action itself it is expedient that it should follow, not precede, consideration.

Again, if thou desirest to put thyself unreservedly at the disposal of all, after the example of him who

' became aU things to all men " (1 Cor. ix. 22), I certainly applaud thy charity — provided only that it be full. But how can thy charity be full unless thou i¹ ON CONSIDERATION thyself also art comprehended in its embrace ? Thou art a man like the rest of us. Therefore, if thy charity is to be considered full and perfect it ought to include thee as well as all other men in its folds. For, in the words of the Lord, what will it profit thee to gain the whole world, if thou losest thyself alone ? (Matt. xvi. 26). Wherefore, since everybody else enjoys a share of thy solicitude, do thou likewise participate therein. Why shouldst thou be the only one defrauded of the benefit of thy zeal ? How long wilt thou be as " a spirit that goeth and returneth not " (Ps. lxxvii. 39) ? How long wilt thou refuse to admit thyself also in thy turn amongst the multitude of men to whom thy door stands open ? Both " to the wise and to the unwise (thou art) a debtor " (Rom. i. 14), and dost thou deny thyself to thyself alone ? Simple and wise, slaves and freemen, rich and poor, men and women, old and young, priests and laics, good and bad — all alike have a share in thee, all drink from the public fountain of thy heart : and wilt thou, though thirsty, stand aloof ? If he is accursed who deteriorates his portion, what shall be the fate of him who loses it altogether ? By all means let the waters of thy well flow out into the public ways ; let not men alone partake thereof, but their beasts of burden likewise, and their flocks and herds ; yea, draw, if so please thee, and give to drink to the camels of Abraham's servant (Gen. xxiv. 19, 20) ; only do thou also with the rest slake thy thirst at the fountain. It is written, " Neither let strangers be partakers with thee " (Pro v. v. 17). But art thou a stranger ? To whom art thou not a stranger if a stranger to thyself ? "He that is evil to himself," says the Wise Man, " to whom will he be good ? " (Prov. xiv. 5). Remember therefore, I do not say always, I do not even say often, but at least from time to time, to restore thyself to thyself. Attend to thyself amongst others, or at all events, after the others. Could anything be more indulgent than this ? Indeed, if I have not asked more of thee it is not because reason would not approve, but because I desire to be lenient. It seems to me that in this matter I am less exacting than the Apostle. Less, therefore, than is right, sayest thou ? I will not deny it. But perhaps it is the part of prudence to require from thee less than is due. For thou, as I trust, wilt not be content with giving the small measure which is all that my nervous timidity has the courage to ask, but rather wilt " abound the more " (1 Thess. iv. 1). This certainly will be more becoming, viz., that thou shouldst show thyself generous than that I should appear bold. Besides, in dealing with majesty I judge it more expedient to seem wanting in courage than wanting in discretion. And perhaps it is only in this way, namely, by asking little and leaving the rest to his generosity, that I ought to have admonished a wise man, according to the recommendation of Solomon, " Give an occasion to a wise man and wisdom shall be added to him " (Prov. ix. 9).