Who Ought to Come to Rule

That man, then, ought by all means to be drawn with cords to be an example of good living who already lives spiritually, dying to all the passions of the flesh. He disregards worldly prosperity and is afraid of no adversity. He desires only inward riches. His body, in good accord with his purpose, does not thwart it at all by its weakness, nor does his spirit thwart it much by its disdain. He is not led to covet what belongs to others, but gives freely of his own. Through tender compassion he is quickly moved to pardon, yet he is never bent down from the stronghold of uprightness by pardoning more than is fitting. He commits no unlawful deeds, yet mourns those committed by others as though they were his own. Out of the affection of his heart he shares in another’s weakness, and so rejoices in his neighbor’s good as though it were his own gain. He so presents himself as an example to others in all he does that he has nothing among them to be ashamed of, at least in his own past deeds. He strives so to live that he may be able to water even dry hearts with the streams of teaching. He has already learned by the use and testing of prayer that he can obtain from the Lord what he has asked, as one to whom it has already been said, as it were, through the voice of experience, “While you are still speaking, I will say, Here I am.” [a]

For if someone should happen to come to us asking us to intercede for him with some great man who was angry with him, but who was unknown to us, we would at once reply, “We cannot go to intercede for you, since we have no close acquaintance with that man.” If, then, a man is ashamed to become an intercessor with another man on whom he has no claim, with what idea can anyone lay hold of the post of intercession with God for the people, who does not know himself to be in favor with him through the merit of his own life? And how can he ask him to pardon others while not knowing whether he is at peace with him himself? And in this matter there is yet another thing to be feared more anxiously: that one who is supposed to be able to turn away wrath should himself provoke it because of his own guilt. For we all know well that when one who is out of favor is sent to intercede with an angry person, the mind of the angry person is provoked to greater severity. So let one who is still tied and bound by earthly desires beware that, by angering the strict judge more grievously while he delights himself in his place of honor, he does not become the cause of ruin to those under him.