Letter 2038: Because obedience is preferred to sacrifices [1 Samuel 15:22], I would rather expose my clumsiness than lose your love.

XXXVIII. BISHOP RURICIUS TO HIS BROTHER BISHOP PETRUS. Since obedience is set before sacrifices, I therefore prefer to betray my rusticity rather than to lose charity. For knowledge puffs up, but charity, as you yourself know better, builds up. For which reason, since you have commanded that I should both make you more certain about my doings on each occasion, and that I should temper by conversation your longing, which you bestow upon me not by my own merit but out of the general and inborn affection in you: I do indeed signify that I am, by God's favor, stronger, but, alas, that our whole little lodging labors under various afflictions. I ask more particularly that you supplicate the Lord more attentively, so that you who by your prayers restored health to us may also confer upon these persons aid and remedy of the divine mercy through the patronage of your intercession. Pray for me.

XXXVIII. RURICIUS EPISCOPUS FRATRI PETRO EPISCOPO. Quia oboedientia sacrificiis antefertur, idcirco rusticitatem meam malo prodere quam perdere caritatem. scientia enim 20] Prou. 12, 15. 26] 1 Cor. 8, 1. 1 dictans S 3 nepote meo dulcissimo v parthenio Kr., parthemio S 4 praesentiam uobis v exhiberim S 5 comendare S 6 presentare S, praestare coni. Luetjohann 8 incensanter S affectum v amorum ex qmorum 81 9 spacia S 11 cum] jjj) S (cu suppZ. 81) 1)& 8, pari Luetjohatm, pariter v 13 parthemio S 16 resedente S 17 cognosco ex cognosce S 18 uos ante manere denuo add. S 19 dulcidinem S 22 apto v agates S 24 petro episcopo] pet..... S 25 sacrifitiis S 26 mallo S inflat, caritas, ut ipsi melius nostis, aedificat. quam ob rem, quia iussistis, ut uos per singulas occasiones et de meis actibus facerem certiores et desiderium uestrum, quod mihi non meo merito, sed generali et insita uobis dilectione dependitis, alloquio temperarem, me quidem (deo) propitio fortiorem, sed heu plenum omne hospitiolum nostrum diuersis incommodis laborare significo. peculiarius rogo adtentius domino supplicetis, ut, qui nobis incolumitatem uestris orationibus reddidistis, et his opem ac medellam diuinae misericordiae intercessionis uestrae patrocinio conferatis. ora pro me.