Chapter CXXIII. Against those who covet empty praise. Exposition of a word of prophecy

164. But he declared that those preachers are to be pitied who often sell what they do for the hire of empty praise. And sometimes he would heal the swellings of such men by such an antidote as this: "Why do ye boast of men converted, when it is my simple brethren that have converted them by their prayers? "Finally the text "Until the barren has borne very many "he expounded in this way: u The 1 barren ' is one of my poor simple brethren who is not entrusted with the duty of begetting children in the Church. He shall bring forth ' very many ' in the Judgment because the Judge shall then reckon to his glory those he is now converting by private prayers. ' She who has many children shall wax feeble,' because the preacher who rejoices in many children gotten, as it were, by his own power, shall then know that he has had nothing of his own in them." Nor did he greatly love those who desire to be praised as orators rather than as preachers, and speak with elegance and not with earnestness. Those again (he said) allot their time ill who spend all on preaching and none on devotion. He had praise indeed for a preacher, but he must be one who at the right season should be wise for himself and taste for himself.