Chapter IX. That the Precedents of Recent Pontiffs ought TO BE gradually abandoned and those OF the more ancient followed

What would be the case wert thou on a sudden to devote thyself entirely to the study of this Christian philosophy ? That, certainly, was not the custom of thy more immediate predecessors. And consequently such a change would be sure to excite against thee the indignation of many, who would condemn thee for having turned aside so abruptly from the footsteps of thy fathers. For thou wouldst seem to have censured the Pontiffs whose example thou hadst ceased to follow. Moreover, men would apply to thee the vulgar saying, " He becomes an object of admiration to all who does what nobody else does," supposing thee to be actuated by the love of notoriety. Besides, thou couldst not possibly correct all the mistakes of thy predecessors at once and on a sudden, and reduce their extravagances to order. Time will bring thee favourable occasions, when, according to the wisdom given thee by God, thou mayest gradually and seasonably address thyself to this task. In the meantime, be careful to draw all the good thou canst from the evil which thou hast inherited from others. But if we wish to be guided by better precedents than those of the late Popes, there have not been wanting Roman Pontiffs who, in the midst of the most important occupations, managed to find opportunities for the practices of piety. Thus, at a time when Rome was threatened with a siege and when the sword of the Barbarian hung suspended over the necks of the people, even at such a time the blessed Pope Gregory continued undisturbed to " write wisdom in leisure " (Eccles. xxxviii. 25). For, as we learn from the preface to his book, he was then actually occupied in expounding, with equal diligence and elegance, the last and most difficult part of the prophecies of Ezechiel.f f In the Preface to the second book of his Homilies on Ezechias, St. Gregory the Great writes : " We are aware that Agilulphus, King of the Lombards, has crossed the Po, and is advancing with all haste to lay siege to our city. Consider, therefore, brethren, how incapable is a mind, perturbed and agitated by such fears, of penetrating the dark and mystical meanings of this inspired text." — (Translator.)