1. of the moderation of the priests in eating and drinking.
If the midday meal is as it may be, the evening meal should be simple and sparse, for this keeps body and soul healthy, as Horace already says: "A short meal and a sleep in the grass by the brook refreshes and benefits"; and Sirach in the 31st chapter (v. 23.): "If the stomach is moderate, it will be healthy.
If one is held, then one sleeps gently, then one can get up early in the morning and be with oneself. But an insatiable eater sleeps fitfully and has the grim and stomach ache." That's why the proverb says, "Merry evening parties make sad mornings." This feasting and laughing and carousing until late at night ruins the chest and makes the head desolate; in the morning, however, it is heavy and full of mucus and haze.
1610 dear, u. L.. Hl, 980th III. Hptst. - 0. from the father-our esp. 1. request. W. X, 1882-1885. 1611
But this makes the priest incapable of his office, both to pray and to sacrifice. Therefore, so that you may be vigilant against this most unusual evil, consider seriously that you cannot waste an evening without at the same time wasting all or part of the next morning and the whole day. Believe those who have experienced it, otherwise you will have to believe it from your own experience.
2. the study of the priests.
When you go to sleep in the evening, take something from the Scriptures with you to bed, so that you can ponder it in your heart and chew it over like a clean animal and fall gently asleep with it. But it must not be much, only a little, but well thought out and understood, so that when you get up in the morning you will find it again, as it were, as the remaining fragments from the evening. Likewise, in all study of the holy Scriptures, one must completely despair of one's own understanding, wisdom and skill; but with fear and humility ask God for the right understanding. Therefore, before you open the holy book, first raise your eyes of body and spirit up to heaven to Christ, imploring his grace with a short sigh, and do the same often while reading, but while doing so, say and think: "O Lord, give me grace to understand these things rightly, but even more to live by them. But beware always that you do not want to know and understand the holy Scriptures for this reason - for I do not believe that you are so rudely minded as to seek honor, profit or fame with them - nor that you want to teach other people; protect yourself from this by the thought that a vain and futile doctrine may be secretly hidden underneath; but you should seek nothing at all but God's honor, so that you are so minded: Behold, dearest Lord JEsu, if thou seest that this study of mine is not for thy glory, let me not understand a syllable of it; but give me as much understanding of it as seemeth good for thy glory in me a sinner.
3. confidential dealings.
Only an infrequent and at the same time very short contact is beneficial for a priest; for the proverb says quite true and right: Good friends steal time. If good friends steal one's time, what will the strangers and unknown ones or the less confidential ones do? But in this you need the greatest prudence, lest, by avoiding the company of men, you fall into the company of evil spirits; lest, by entering too deeply into their company, you be trodden under foot by the swine. Therefore, if God calls you, that is, if your neighbor is in need of your service, your advice, or if you are required by him to talk to him about his salvation or any other need, no law, rule or regulation of your order or any other order of life should keep you from it. Every law must give way to love, even prayer and sacrifice. But where you are not required, do not force yourself on anyone; do not begin to want, otherwise it will only be to the detriment of your soul.
4. from prayer.
You must always remember that you are a priest, that is, a common and public servant of all; therefore you should pray not only for yourself, but much more fervently for your sheep; but especially for the superiors of the Church, namely, the bishops and governors; for their salvation and welfare is the salvation and welfare of us all.
5. from the performance of the sacrifice.
You will not always be able to perform the sacrifice, but in order to become able, you must go to someone who is not able. But this you will do, if you remember that you are not to sacrifice for yourself, but for others, that is, for those who are in sin and for the many needs of all Christians. Therefore, you will do for them what you might not be able to do for yourself. In general, do not presume to trust anyone because he seems to you to be competent.
1612 ve ^v. IV, 260.261. 6) How priests should lead their way of life. W. X, 1885-1887. 1613
6. the way of life in general.
Just as Tobias taught his son to ask the Lord to govern and judge his own life, so do thou; forsake thyself, and ask him to direct thy steps according to his word. For thus says the prophet Jeremiah: "I
Of this can also be read in:
IV. Theil, Ausleg. der 22 ersten Ps.; 8. Ps., § 16-56, von dem Beruf der Bischöfe und Lehrer der Kirche.
- Interpretation of the 22 first Ps.; 19th Ps., of the ministry of the gospel and its servants.
XI. Theil, 2. Pred. am 2. Sundt. n. Ostern, von den Lehrern.
- 2. sermon at the Pentecost service, by three different teachers. XII. Theil, Kirchenpost; Pred. am 3. Sundt. d.
Adv., of the true form of righteous teachers. Teacher.
know, O Lord, that it is not in the power of man to direct his way. Above all, exercise the greatest gentleness toward sinners; for this is especially necessary for a priest, that he despise no one; but rather consider his sin and infirmities as your own, just as you see that Christ also did toward us.
XII. Theil, Kirchenpost; Pred. am Sonnt. Quinq., Pauli Urtheil über die Ruhmbegierigen Lehrer. - I. Interpretation of the Epistle on the 3rd Sunday of Advent. Adv., a treatise on the true character of Christian teachers.
- XXXI. Serm.; on the day Laurentii, Serm. of the double work of a teacher. Letter to Lazarus Spengler, wherein the church servant's compulsion & skill shall consist? is in this volume, in the IV. main st.