XLIX. — Concerning Matters of Dispute among the Brethren
As for matters of dispute among the brethren, when they cannot agree on a matter, they must not strive with one another contentiously, but submit the decision to those more capable than themselves. So that to prevent the upsetting of order by all asking questions at once and generally to give no opportunity of light or foolish talking, there must be one approved, and able to bring matters of dispute with any before the brotherhood for common consideration, or else to refer them to the Superior. For in this way the consideration of doubtful points will be more suitably and wisely carried out. For if in every matter there is need of knowledge and experience, much more so in such matters as these. And if no one would entrust the use of tools to inexperienced persons, much more is it necessary to put the management of speech in the hands of competent men, who will be able to distinguish accurately the place, time, and manner of the questions, answering without contention and wisely and listening prudently to preserve the solutions of the problems for the edification of the community.
11 Cor. v. 13; 6. The former verse is quoted by Ben. Reg. XXvili at the end of a rule on the same subject as this.
2 For these see Intr. p. 41. Contrast Ben. Reg. iii where the abbot is bidden take counsel with all, for to a junior is often revealed the best course.
3 Prov. xxxi. 4, LXX (or Sir. xxxii. 19 (24), quoted in Ben. Reg. iii.).
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5 By this we must understand the seniors or Superiors, see Intr. p- 41. Thus we have three methods of deciding disputes: by referring them to (a) the Superior (b) the senior brethren (c) the whole community.
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L. — How the Superior Should Administer Rebuke
Let not the Superior administer censures on sinners in a fit of passion. For to rebuke one’s brother with wrath and anger is not to free him from sin but to involve oneself in wickedness. Wherefore it says: “In meekness correcting them that oppose themselves.” Nor must he be vehement where he himself has been spurned but where he sees another despised show kindness towards the sinner, but rather be more displeased at the evil in the latter case. For thus he will escape the suspicion of self-love and will prove that he does not hate the sinner but revolts from the sin, by thus making a distinction between himself and the other. But if the difference in his anger is not what I have said but the other way round, he is clearly angry not for God’s sake or because of the danger the sinner is in, but because of his own love of reputation and rule. For showing zeal on behalf of the glory of God Who is dishonoured by the transgression of the commandment, and having tender compassion arising from love of the brethren on behalf of the salvation of his brother—who is in danger by his sin, for “the soul that sinneth it shall die”—he must in the case of every sin be stirred up against the sin and show the fervour of his disposition by his vehemence in avenging it.
LI. — In What Manner the Offence of the Sinner must be Corrected
Let the Superior employ corrective methods on the afflicted after the example of doctors, not being angry with the sick but fighting the disease. Let him face the illness and by more laborious regime, if necessary, cure the soul’s sickness. For example, he will cure vainglory by ordering practices of humility; idle speech, by silence; excessive sleep, by watchings with prayer; bodily idleness, by labours; unseemly eating, by deprivation of food; murmuring, by separation, so that none of the brethren chooses to work with the offender, nor to let his work go in with that of the rest, as we said above, unless he appears to be cured of his vice by unreserved penitence. Then the work done in a spirit of murmuring may be received, but not even so may it be used to serve the purposes of the brethren, but they must find some other use for it. And the principles ruling this matter have been sufficiently discussed above.
PU Dime 2b: 2 Bzek. xviii. 4.
LII. — With What Disposition we are to Bear Punishments
Just as we said that the Superior must apply healing methods to the weak without personal feeling, so again the recipients must not accept the penalties as a mark of hatred, nor consider a tyranny the care which he gives out of compassion in order to save the soul. For it is disgraceful if those who are sick in body should trust doctors to such an extent that whether they operate or cauterise or vex with bitter drugs they are deemed benefactors, but that we as regards the physicians of our souls when they work for our salvation by laborious discipline do not have the same feelings. The apostle said: “And who is he that maketh me glad but he that is made sorry by me?” and again: “For behold this self same thing, that ye were made sorry after a godly sort, what earnest care it wrought in you!” Accordingly, looking to the end, he that implants sorrow in us ought to be accounted a benefactor.
LIII. — How Instructors in Arts are to Correct Delinquent Boys
Those who teach crafts, when their pupils’ sin concerns the craft itself, must rebuke the fault themselves and correct the errors. But whatever sins argue moral perversion, such as disobedience and answering back, slothfulness at work, idle talk, falsehood, or whatever else of this sort is forbidden to the religious, such they must correct by taking the offenders to the superintendent of the common discipline, so that the amount and manner of the healing of their sins may be devised by him. For if rebuke is a doctoring of the soul, it is not every man’s duty to rebuke, any more than to be a doctor, but only the duty of him to whom the Superior himself has entrusted it after full examination.
1 Cf. ¥. 15 356. 2 U1 inal ged F 3 9 Cor. li. 2 add éotw after tic K.
4 2 Cor. vii. 11 add byé¢ K and év before byiv K.
5 Of. F. 51, B. 81.
LIV. — How that the Superiors of the Brotherhoods must Refer their Concerns to One Another
It is well that there should be a meeting at fixed times and places of those in charge of the brotherhoods, at which they will report to one another any untoward happenings and difficult moral problems, and how they have settled each one, so that if any has fallen into error it may be clearly unfolded to the judgment of the many and that right decisions may be confirmed by the witness of a number.
LV. — Whether the Use of Medical Remedies is Consistent with the Ideal of Piety
Just as each of the arts has been given us by God as a help to supplement the deficiencies of nature—for instance, agriculture, because what grows out of the earth of itself is not sufficient to relieve our necessities; weaving, because the need of coverings is paramount in view both of decency and the damage inflicted by the weather, and similarly with building—so it is with the medical art. Since our body, so subject to disease, is liable to various kinds of harm, both what attacks it from without, and what arises from within by reason of the foods we eat, and is distressed by both excess and deficiency, the medical art—a type in this respect of the healing of the soul—has been given us by God Who directs all our life to advise the removal of what is in excess or the addition of what is wanting. For just as, if we were still in the Paradise of delight, we should have no need of the cares and toils of agriculture, so too if we enjoyed freedom from disease according to the gift bestowed before the Fall at our creation we should be needing no medical remedies to relieve us. But just as after we were exiled to this place and were told: “In the sweat of thy brow shalt thou eat thy bread,” then by long experience and painful toil on the earth we contrived the art of agriculture to relieve the ills which came from the curse, God having given us understanding and apprehension of this art—so also when we were bidden to return again to the earth from which we were taken and were yoked to the painful flesh, condemned to destruction because of sin and therefore subject to these diseases, so also has been given us the help which is afforded, in a measure at least, by the healing art.
For the herbs which are appropriate to each disease did not grow out of the ground automatically, but, to be sure, were produced by the will of the Creator with the object of benefiting us. So the natural forces which reside in roots, flowers, leaves, fruits, or juices, or whatever is found in metals or in the sea to have properties beneficial to the body, fall into line with the things to eat and drink which we find. But whatever is cunningly contrived and can be dispensed with, and causes much trouble, and as it were turns our whole life into one long providing for the flesh, is to be shunned by Christians; and we must take care so to use the art of medicine, if need arise, as not to assign to it the whole cause of health or sickness, but to accept the use of its remedies as designed for the glory of God and a type of the care of souls. But when we are deprived of medical assistance, let us not put all our hope for the alleviation of our ills in this art, but know that either He will not allow us to be tempted above what we are able to bear, or just as the Lord in those days now made clay and anointed and bid wash in Siloam, and now was content with the mere command, saying, I will, be thou clean, whereas He left some to contend against afflictions, making them better tested as a result of their trial, so now it is in our case. At one time He touches unseen and secretly when He knows this to be expedient for our souls, at another time He thinks fit to use material help for our diseases, making the remembrance of His grace more lasting by postponing the cure, or, as I said, giving us a type of the care of the soul. For as with the flesh both the putting away of foreign elements and the addition of what is lacking are necessary; so also with our soul, it is fitting that what is alien be removed and what is according to our nature be received. Because “God made man upright,” and created us for good works, that we should walk in them.