Chapter CXXII. What manner of man a preacher should be

Of the Ministers of God's Word

163. He would have as ministers of God's word men who should apply themselves to spiritual studies and not be shackled by other duties.

For he used to say that these had been chosen by a great King to deliver to the people the decrees they had heard at His mouth. And he would say: u The preacher should first draw in by secret prayer what he is afterwards to pour forth in sacred discourses; he must rather grow hot within than utter cold words outwardly". He declared that this office is to be reverenced, and that those who minister in it should be respected by all. These (he said) are the life of the body, the assailers of devils, the lantern of the world. But the doctors of sacred theology he deemed to be worthy of more ample honours; for once he caused it to be written as a general order: "We ought to honour and revere all theologians and those who minister to us the words of God as men who minister to us ' spirit and life ' ". And once when he was writing to blessed Antony he caused these words to be put at the beginning of the letter: "To brother Antony, my Bishop".