2. But do you yourselves in the mean time, according to _the wisdom given you_[938] by the Lord, look out beforehand and _prepare_ beforehand _a place for them_,[939] like the places which you have seen here, apart from the commotions of the world. _For the time is at hand_[940] when, by the operation of the grace of God, we shall bring forth for you _new men_ out of the _old_.[941] _Blessed be the Name of the Lord for ever,[942] of whose only gift it cometh that_[943] I have sons in common with you, whom your preaching _planted_ and our exhortation _watered_, but _God gave the increase_.[944] We beseech your holiness to _preach the word of the Lord_[945] so that you may _give knowledge of salvation unto His people_.[946] _For_ a double _necessity is laid upon you_,[947] both from your office as legate and your duty as bishop. Finally, since _in many things we offend all_,[948] and, being often thrown among the men of this age, we are much besmirched with the dust of the world, I commend myself to your prayers and to those of your companions, that in His fountain of mercy Jesus Christ, himself the fountain of pity, may deign to wash and cleanse us, who said to Peter, _If I wash thee not, thou shalt have no part with me._[949] And, indeed, I not only earnestly entreat this of you, but also require it as in some sense the payment of a debt, since I cry to the Lord for you, if the prayer of a sinner can do anything. Farewell in the Lord.
To Malachy, by the grace of God bishop, legate of the Apostolic See, Brother Bernard, called to be abbot of Clairvaux, if the prayer of a sinner can do anything, and if the devotion of a poor man is of any advantage.
We have done what your holiness commanded, not perhaps as it was worthy to be done, yet as well as was possible considering the time in which we live. So great evil everywhere struts about among us that it was scarcely possible to do the little that has been done. We have sent only a few grains of seed,[951] as you see, to sow at least a small part of that _field_ into which the true _Isaac_ once went out _to meditate_, when _Rebekah_ was first brought to him by Abraham's _servant_, to be happily joined to him in everlasting marriage.[952] And the seed is not to be despised concerning which we find that word fulfilled at this time in your regions,[953] _Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha._[954] _I_, therefore, have sown, do you _water_, and _God shall give the increase_.[955] All the saints who are with you we salute through you, humbly commending ourselves to their holy prayers and yours. Farewell.