On Christian Doctrine 4.29–4.31

But if he cannot even do this, let him so conduct himself that he not only gains a reward for himself but also gives an example to others, and his way of living may be, as it were, an abundance of speech.

There are indeed some who can deliver well, but cannot think out what to deliver. If they take from others what has been written eloquently and wisely, commit it to memory, and bring it before the people, they do not act wrongly, if they play that part. For in this way, which is certainly useful, many become preachers of the truth, but not many masters, if they all say the same thing as the one true Master, and there are no schisms among them. Nor should they be deterred by the voice of the prophet Jeremiah, through whom God rebukes those who steal his words, each from his neighbor. For those who steal take away what belongs to another; but the word of God does not belong to another for those who obey it; rather, he speaks another's words who, though he speaks well, lives badly. For whatever good things he says seem to be thought out by his own mind, but they are foreign to his conduct. So God said that those steal his words who wish to seem good by speaking the things that are God's, while they are bad by doing the things that are their own. Nor, if you consider carefully, do they themselves say the good things they say. For how do they say in words what they deny in deeds? For not in vain does the Apostle say of such people: “They profess that they know God, but in deeds they deny him.” In one way, then, they themselves say it, and in another way they do not themselves say it, since both things the Truth says are true. For, speaking of such people, he says, “What they say, do; but what they do, do not do”; that is, “What you hear from their mouth, do; what you see in their work, do not do; for they say,” he says, “and do not do.” So although they do not do, they still say. But in another place, rebuking such people, he says, “Hypocrites, how can you speak good things when you are evil?” And so even what they say, when they say good things, they do not themselves say, denying by will and deed what they say. Hence it can happen that an eloquent but bad man composes a sermon in which truth is preached, to be delivered by another who is not eloquent but good; when this happens, the former hands over from himself what is not his own, and the latter receives from another what is his own. But when good believers lend this service to good believers, both speak their own words: because God is theirs, whose are the things they say; and those who live in accordance with them make their own the things they could not compose themselves.

But whether he is about to speak before the people or before any others, or to dictate what is to be spoken before the people or read by those who wish or are able, let him pray that God may put a good word in his mouth. For if Queen Esther prayed, when she was about to speak before the king for the temporal safety of her people, that God would put a fitting word in her mouth, how much more ought one to pray for such a gift who labors in word and teaching for the eternal salvation of human beings? And those who are to say what they have received from others, let them pray, even before they receive it, for those from whom they receive it, that what they wish to receive through them may be given to them; and when they have received it, let them pray that they themselves may deliver it well, and that those to whom they deliver it may take it in; and let them give thanks for the happy outcome of the speech to him from whom they do not doubt they have received it; so that he who glories may glory in him in whose hand are both we and our words.

This book has turned out longer than I wished and than I had thought. But to the reader or hearer who finds it welcome, it is not long; and one who finds it long, if he wishes to know it, should read it in parts; but one who is weary of knowing it should not complain of its length. I, however, give thanks to our God that in these four books I have discussed, with whatever small ability I could, not what kind of man I am, who lack much, but what kind of man he ought to be who is eager to labor in sound teaching, that is, Christian teaching, not only for himself but also for others.