o become rich is better
for one who suffers need."[446]

Some, however, think that the active life is preferable to the
contemplative, thus:

1. "The lot which falls to the better people seems to be the more
honourable and better," as the Philosopher says.[447] But the active
life is the lot of those who are in the higher position--of prelates,
for instance, who are placed in honourable and powerful positions; thus
S. Augustine says[448]: "In the life of action we must not love the
honour which belongs to this life, nor its power." Whence it would seem
that the active life is preferable to the contemplative.

But it is not the active life only which belongs to prelates,
they must needs excel in the contemplative life; whence S.
Gregory says in his _Pastoral Rule_[449]: "Let the superior be
foremost in action, but before all let him be uplifted in
contemplation."

2. Again, in all acts and habits the control belongs to the more
important: the soldier, for instance--as being higher placed--directs
the saddle-maker. But it is the active life which directs and controls
the contemplative, as is clear from the words addressed to Moses: _Go
down and charge the people, lest they should have a mind to pass the
limits to see the Lord._[450] The active life is therefore more
important than the contemplative.

But the contemplative life consists in a certain liberty of
spirit; for S. Gregory says[451]: "The contemplative life means
passing over to a certain liberty of spirit since in it a man
thinks not of temporal but of eternal things." Similarly
Boethius says[452]: "The human soul must needs be free when
occupied with the thought of the Divine Mind; not so when
distracted with the things of the body." From all this it is
clear that the active life does not directly guide the
contemplative, but by preparing the way for it it does direct
certain works pertaining to the contemplative life, and in this
sense the active life is rather the servant than the master of
the contemplative. And this S. Gregory expresses when he says:
"The active life is termed a service, the contemplative life
freedom."[453]

3. Lastly, no one should be withdrawn from what is greater in order to
apply himself to what is less; thus the Apostle says: _Be zealous for
the better gifts._[454] But some are withdrawn from the contemplative
state of life and are made to busy themse