16. To that which is objected concerning blessed Francis, it must be said that in the rule of blessed Francis certain things are said preceptorily, certain things monitorily, certain things informatively, just as the rule itself expressly distinguishes through clear words. But this which was said concerning labor was not said preceptorily, because he would not command that they should work devoutly, since this is not in our power, but it was said informatively. For it informs whose it is to work manually and in what manner: because it belongs to those who have the grace, that is, the faculty of strength and the skill of a craft and the opportunity of place and time: in what manner, because faithfully toward neighbor, devoutly toward God, and modestly toward themselves. Whence the holy Father, understanding through the Holy Spirit his vocation and the gathering of his brothers, in which there were laymen together with clerics, neither gave a mandate concerning working manually, lest clerics should omit spiritual things on account of less useful ones: nor however was he entirely silent, lest laymen and those who are not suited for spiritual things nor occupied with the necessities of the brothers nor yet elevated to the untiring leisure of contemplation should eat their bread in idleness. For since idleness is to be guarded against by all as the bilge of all vices, it must be guarded against most especially by those who have bound themselves to evangelical perfection.
Thus therefore it is clear that not all able-bodied poor, even those without the care of souls, are bound to manual works.