is written, the oxen were ploughing and the asses feeding
beside them: since it is the duty of the discreet to preach, but of the
simple to feed themselves in silence by the hearing of sacred
eloquence. How many stones ye fling upon the heap of Mercury nowadays!
How many marriages ye procure for the eunuchs of wisdom! How many
blind watchmen ye bid go round about the walls of the Church!

O idle fishermen, using only the nets of others, which when torn it is
all ye can do to clumsily repair, but can net no new ones of your own!
ye enter on the labours of others, ye repeat the lessons of others, ye
mouth with theatric effort the superficially repeated wisdom of others.
As the silly parrot imitates the words that he has heard, so such men
are mere reciters of all, but authors of nothing, imitating Balaam's
ass, which, though senseless of itself, yet became eloquent of speech
and the teacher of its master though a prophet. Recover yourselves, O
poor in Christ, and studiously regard us books, without which ye can
never be properly shod in the preparation of the Gospel of Peace.

Paul the Apostle, preacher of the truth and excellent teacher of the
nations, for all his gear bade three things to be brought to him by
Timothy, his cloak, books and parchments, affording an example to
ecclesiastics that they should wear dress in moderation, and should
have books for aid in study, and parchments, which the Apostle
especially esteems, for writing: AND ESPECIALLY, he says, the
parchments. And truly that clerk is crippled and maimed to his
disablement in many ways, who is entirely ignorant of the art of
writing. He beats the air with words and edifies only those who are
present, but does nothing for the absent and for posterity. The man
bore a writer's ink-horn upon his loins, who set a mark Tau upon the
foreheads of the men that sigh and cry, Ezechiel ix.; teaching in a
figure that if any lack skill in writing, he shall not undertake the
task of preaching repentance.

Finally, in conclusion of the present chapter, books implore of you:
make your young men who though ignorant are apt of intellect apply
themselves to study, furnishing them with necessaries, that ye may
teach them not only goodness but discipline and science, may terrify
them by blows, charm them by blandishments, mollify them by gifts, and
urge them on by painful rigour, so that they may become at once
Socratics in morals and Peripatetics in learning. Yesterda