Let leave to travel be given only to the man who is able to complete his journey with benefit to his fellow-travellers, and without damage to himself. So that, if no suitable person be available, it is better to endure all affliction and distress, even unto death by reason of lack of necessaries, rather than, for the sake of bodily comfort, to overlook certain harm to the soul. “For it were good for me” says the apostle “rather to die than that any man should make my glorying void.” And if this was true of things which were permitted to the apostle, how much rather does it apply to matters of commandment? And yet even in this the law of charity does not leave us without resource. For if it happens that one brotherhood has no one available who may suitably be sent, the neighbours will fulfil what is lacking, making journeys in common and without separation from one another. So that by such companionship those who are weak in soul or feeble in body may be kept safe in company with the stronger ones. The Superior will have arranged this some time in advance, to avoid its happening at the actual moment of the need that relief is found impossible owing to the suddenness of the distress. After the return let the Superior question the traveller, what he has done and what sort of men he has met; what words he has used to them; what have been the thoughts of his heart; whether he has completed every day and night living in the fear of God—or whether he has swerved aside and violated any of the rules, either giving way to external difficulties or falling through his own slothfulness.
Let the Superior set the seal of his approval on what has been rightly accomplished, but correct failures by diligent and skilful admonition. For in this way both the travellers will be more watchful through anxiety as to the account they must render, and we shall seem not to have been neglecting their spiritual life during the period of separation. That this was the custom of the Saints is shown us by the narrative of the Acts, which teaches us that Peter on his return to Jerusalem gave them there an account of his intercourse with the Gentiles; and how that Paul and Barnabas when they arrived, having called together the Church, told what God had done with them; and again, that all the multitude kept silence and hearkened to Barnabas and Paul, rehearsing what God had done. This however we must know, that roundabout ways and legal affairs and merchants’ profits are to be absolutely avoided by the brotherhoods.
1 Cf. B. 303. The Superior is chosen pete morrtic Soxtwactac.
3 1 Cor. ix. 15 tva te xevedoer for oddelc xevacer K.
4 4.e.in common with the one available man who cannot be trusted alone.
XLV. — That after the Superior there must be Another who When he is Absent or Engaged May be Able to Undertake the Care of the Brethren
Since it often happens, either through bodily infirmity or the necessity of taking a journey or for some other reason, that the brotherhood is deprived of its Superior, let another be chosen, after full consideration by the Superior and others able to decide, for this purpose, that in the Superior’s absence he may take over the care of the brethren, so that those who remain there may have one from whom to receive the consolations of the word. This will ensure that the brotherhood does not assume a democratic appearance in the absence of the Superior, violating the rule and the traditional discipline; and that the accepted regulations are kept, to the glory of God; and that when strangers visit the monastery there is one to answer wisely, that they who seek the word may be edified in a manner worthy of the occasion, and that the community of the brethren be not put to shame. For that all alike should rush to speak causes disorders and argues lack of discipline, and the apostle did not allow even those who had been counted worthy to receive the grace of teaching to speak at once, saying: “But if a revelation be made to another, let the first keep silence,” and again he rebukes the wrongness of this lack of discipline in these words: “If therefore the whole Church be assembled together, and all speak with tongues, and there come in men unlearned and unbelieving, will they not say that ye are mad?”
And if through ignorance a stranger addresses his questions to another, even if he who is directly questioned is able to answer fully, let him nevertheless keep silence for the sake of discipline, and let him point out the monk who is entrusted with this duty, as the apostles did in the presence of the Lord, so that speech may be used in an orderly and becoming manner. For if, where bodily healing is concerned, it is not every man’s duty to apply drugs or the knife to the sick, but the duty of him who has acquired the art by spending a long period of time and by experience and practical work and the teaching of skilled exponents, how can it be right that just any one should hasten to heal by the word? Wherein the slightest error brings the greatest harm. Where even the distribution of bread is not entrusted to chance comers but such ministry is assigned to one man entrusted with it after full consideration, among such men how is it not much more necessary that spiritual food be brought to those who ask it with care and circumspection by one of those best qualified? So that it argues no ordinary arrogance if, when a man is asked about the judgment of God, he dares to answer boldly and casually instead of referring to him who has been entrusted with the ministration of the word, who because he is absolutely faithful and a wise steward has been chosen to give our spiritual food in due season and to administer his words in judgment, as Scripture says. And if something escapes the notice of him who should answer, and another notices it, let him not hasten to put him right, but tell privately what has occurred to him. For this causes feelings of pride in inferiors against their superiors, so that if a man gives an answer which is useful but not fitting he deserves the penalties of violated discipline.
1 The business of so complex an organisation as a Basilian coenobium might well take the Superior away. Then there were conferences with other Superiors and occasions such as that on which the Rules were delivered.
2 Cf. the second-in-command, 6 Sevtepebwv, at Tabennisi (Hist. Laus. xxxii. 8).
3 Probably “‘ the superiors,” see Intr. p. 40.
4 Snuoxpatiney te ox Tuc. 5 1 Cor xiv. 30;
XLVI. — That a Man must not Hide his Sins from his Brother or Himself
Every sin must be brought to the notice of the Superior either by the sinner himself or by those who have become aware of the sin, if they cannot cure it themselves, according to the Lord’s command. For wickedness passed over in silence is like a festering sore in the soul. As then we should not call him a benefactor who shuts up deadly things in the body but rather the man who by pain and rending brings it to the light, so as to cast out what is doing the harm by an emetic, or generally so that by the laying bare of the disease the mode of cure becomes well known—so obviously to hide sin is to assist the sick man to his death. “For the sting of death is sin.” “Open rebukes are better than hidden friendships.” So let us neither hide our sins from one another lest we become slayers of our brethren rather than their friends, or from ourselves. “For he that does not cure himself in his works is brother of him that destroyeth himself.”
i) Cor. xiv. 23. 2 Lk, xu.42 4. 3 See Ps. exii. 5.
4 Note that though one is entrusted with the ministry of the word, it is rather for order’s sake than because he has a special charisma. Another may chance to do the work better.
5 For confession to the Superior see Intr. p. 51.
XLVII. — Concerning those who do not Accept the Regulations of the Superior
If a man does not accept the decisions of the Superior he must gainsay him publicly or privately, if he has any strong reason on his side consonant with Scripture, or else keep silence and do what he is told. But if he is too shy to speak let him use others as intermediaries for this purpose, in order that if the command be contrary to Scripture he may deliver both himself and his brethren from harm; but if it be shown to have good reason on its side then he may free himself from vain and perilous doubts. “For he that doubteth is condemned if he eat because he eateth not of faith”—and that the simpler brethren fall not into the snare of disobedience. “For it is profitable,” saith the Lord, “that a great millstone should be hanged about his neck, and that he should be cast into the sea, than that he should cause one of these little ones to stumble.” But if some abide in disobedience, finding fault secretly but not making their discontent public, let them be expelled from the brotherhood since they cause doubts among the brethren and shake their readiness to fulfil the commandments, and teach disobedience and disaffection. For “cast out the pestilent fellow from the assembly and contention will go out with him.” And elsewhere: “Put away the wicked man from yourselves.... For a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.”
1 1 Cor. xv. 56. 2 Prov. xxvii. 5. MSP Ror XV: 3 Prov. xvill. 9. Bas. 6 wh icpevog Exvtdv év toig Zoyoug adrod with NA, as against Sw.’s (B) text adtov... adrod.
4 Rom. xiv. 23 yep for 8é *. 5 Mt. xviii. 6 conflated with Lk. xvii. 2 **.
® Prov. xxii. 10. B.’s order of words differs slightly from that of Sw.’s (B) text.
XLVIII. — That we must not Interfere with the Arrangements of the Superior but Attend to Our Own Work
To prevent any one falling easily into such a vice of doubt to his own damage and that of the rest, this must be the general rule among the brethren, that no one at all interfere with the arrangements of the Superior or trouble himself about what is done except those who are next to the Superior in rank and understanding. These he will necessarily employ for counsel and deliberation on the common welfare, obeying the admonition of him who said: “Do everything with counsel.” For if we have entrusted the management of our souls to him, as one who will give account to God, it is absolutely unreasonable that a man should be mistrustful in trivial matters and both be himself filled with absurd suspicions against his brother and give occasion to the rest to be the same. Wherefore lest this should happen, let each remain in the state in which he was called, and having given himself wholly to care for what belongs to him, let him not interfere in the other arrangements, but imitate the holy disciples of the Lord, of Whom, though the matter of the Samaritan woman might cause suspicion, “yet no man said: What seekest thou, or Why speakest thou with her?”