Gregory the Great, on Ezek 2:8

“But thou, O son of man, hear all that I say to thee: and do not thou provoke me, as that house provoketh me: open thy mouth, and eat what I give thee.”

“"But you, son of man, hear whatever I speak to you, and do not be provoking, as the provoking house is." That is, do not yourself do the evil things which you see being done, lest you yourself commit what you were sent to prohibit. For every preacher must always consider with attentive mind, lest he who was sent to raise up the fallen should himself fall into wickedness of deed along with the fallen, and lest the sentence of Paul strike him who says: "In what you judge another, you condemn yourself." Whence Balaam, filled with the Spirit of God for speaking, yet still held in carnal life by his own spirit, speaks of himself, saying: "The hearer of the words of God has spoken, who knows the doctrine of the Most High, and sees the visions of the Almighty, who falling has his eyes open." He had his eyes open while falling, who saw the right thing that he should say, but despised living rightly. Falling, that is, in perverse work, and having his eyes open in holy preaching.”

Imported from an open dataset — not yet checked against the printed edition.