Pastoral Rule, Dialogues & Letters 7

Although sometimes some laudably desire the office of preaching, and to it some are laudably constrained and drawn, which we clearly recognize if we weigh the deeds of two prophesying men: of whom one, that he might be sent to preach, offered himself of his own accord, yet the other refused with fear to go. Isaiah indeed, when the Lord asked whom He might send, offered himself unbidden, saying: Behold, I am here, send me (Isa. VI, 8). Jeremiah, however, is sent, and yet humbly resists being sent, saying: Ah, ah, ah, Lord God, behold I know not how to speak, for I am a child (Jer. I, 6). Lo, from both there came forth outwardly a diverse voice, but it did not flow from a diverse fountain of love.

For there are two precepts of charity, namely the love of God and the love of neighbour. Through the active life, then, desiring to be of profit to his neighbours, Isaiah sought the office of preaching; but through the contemplative life Jeremiah, longing to cleave assiduously to the love of the Creator, refused when he was to be sent to preach. What the one laudably sought, therefore, the other laudably dreaded: the latter, lest by speaking he should lose the gains of silent contemplation; the former, lest by keeping silence he should suffer the losses of diligent labour. But this is to be subtly observed in both, that he who refused did not resist to the end, and that he who wished to be sent first saw himself purged by the coal from the altar;

lest either anyone unpurged should dare to approach the sacred ministries, or he whom supernal grace has chosen should, under the appearance of humility, proudly gainsay. Since therefore it is exceedingly difficult for anyone to be able to know himself purged, the office of preaching is more safely declined; yet it ought not, as we have said, to be obstinately declined when the supernal will is recognized to summon one to undertake it. Both of these Moses fulfilled by a wondrous work, for he both refused to preside over so great a multitude and yet obeyed. For he would perhaps have been proud, had he undertaken the leadership of a countless people without trembling; and again he would have shown himself proud, had he refused to obey the command of his Author.

In both respects, therefore, humble, in both respects submissive, he both refused to preside over the peoples by measuring himself, and yet, presuming upon the strength of Him who commanded, consented. Hence, then, hence let those headlong ones gather with how great a fault they, out of their own appetite, do not fear to be preferred before others, if holy men trembled to undertake the leadership of the peoples even at God's own bidding. Moses trembles though the Lord urges him, and every weak man pants to seize the burden of honour; and he who from his own resources is greatly pressed toward a fall, willingly submits his shoulder to be crushed beneath alien weights; he who cannot bear his own, adds what he must carry.