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the command might be, he might deliver both himself and the brothers from harm; but if it should be shown to have been made according to fitting reason, he will also free himself from vain and dangerous doubt. For he who doubts, it says, if he eats, is condemned, because it is not from faith; and may he cause none of the more simple to slip into disobedience. For it is better, says the Lord, that a millstone be hung about his neck, and he be cast into the sea, than that he should cause one of these little ones to stumble. But if some persist in disobedience, finding fault in secret, but not making their grievance public, as being also causes of doubt to the brotherhood, and shaking the full assurance towards the commandments, and teachers of dis- 31.1037 obedience and insubordination, let them be cast out of the brotherhood. For, it says, cast out a pest from the council, and strife will go out with him; and again, Remove the wicked man from among yourselves. Because a little leaven leavens the whole lump.

QUESTION 48. That one ought not to be meddlesome about the arrangements of the superior,

but to attend to one's own work. RESPONSE. But that no one may easily fall into such a passion of doubt to the harm of himself and of others, this above all must be observed in a brotherhood, that from the beginning no one should be meddlesome about the superior's arrangements, nor be a busybody about the things being done, except for those closer to the superior in both rank and understanding; whom he will of necessity take into counsel and deliberation about common matters, obeying the exhortation of him who said: Do all things with counsel. For if we have entrusted to him the administration of our souls, as one who will give an account to God, it is utterly unreasonable to mistrust him concerning the most trivial things, and for oneself to be filled with absurd suspicions against the brother, and to give occasion to others. Therefore, that this may not happen, let each one remain in that to which he was called; and having given himself wholly to the care of the things that fall to him, let him not be meddlesome at all in the other arrangements, imitating the holy disciples of the Lord, concerning whom, although the matter of the Samaritan woman could have led to suspicion, nevertheless, it says, No one said, "What are you seeking?" or, "Why are you talking with her?"

QUESTION 49. Concerning disputed matters in the brotherhood. RESPONSE.

But concerning disputed matters in the brotherhood, whenever some are in disagreement about some matter, they ought not to oppose each other contentiously, but to reserve the final judgment for those who are more able. And so that the order may not be confused by everyone asking questions, and at all times, nor an occasion for caviling and idle talk arise, there ought to be some one person who has been approved, to be able either to set before the brotherhood for common consideration the things doubted by some, or to refer them to the superior. For in this way the examination of the 31.1040 things being sought will become more consistent and more skilled. For if for each matter there is need of knowledge and experience, much more so in such matters. And if one would not entrust the use of tools to the inexperienced, much more ought one to concede the handling of words to those who are able; who will also be capable of discerning the place and time and manner of the questions, both raising objections without contention and wisely, and listening with understanding, to preserve accurately the solutions of the things investigated for the edification of the community.

QUESTION 50. How one ought to rebuke the superior. RESPONSE. But also the

rebukes let the superior not apply with passion to those who have sinned. For to correct a brother with temper and anger is not to free him from sin,

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εἴη ἡ διαταγὴ, ἐξέληται καὶ αὐτὸς ἑαυτὸν καὶ τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς βλάβης· εἰ δὲ δειχθείη κατὰ λόγον τὸν προσήκοντα γενομένη, καὶ ἑαυτὸν διακρίσεως μα ταίας καὶ ἐπικινδύνου ἐλευθερώσῃ. Ὁ γὰρ διακρι νόμενος, φησὶν, ἐὰν φάγῃ, κατακέκριται· ὅτι οὐκ ἐκ πίστεως· καὶ τοῖς ἁπλουστέροις μηδένα. δυσπειθείας ὄλισθον ἐμποιήσῃ. Συμφέρει γὰρ, φησὶν ὁ Κύριος, ἵνα κρεμασθῇ μύλος ὀνικὸς περὶ τὸν τράχηλον αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔῤῥιπται εἰς τὴν θάλασσαν, ἢ ἵνα σκανδαλίσῃ ἕνα τῶν μικρῶν τούτων. Ἐὰν δέ τινες ἐπιμένωσι τῇ ἀπειθείᾳ, λάθρα μὲν κα ταμεμφόμενοι, μὴ δημοσιεύοντες δὲ τὴν λύπην, ὡς καὶ διακρίσεως αἴτιοι τῇ ἀδελφότητι, καὶ τὴν πρὸς τὰς ἐντολὰς πληροφορίαν διασαλεύοντες, καὶ δυσπει 31.1037 θείας καὶ παρακοῆς διδάσκαλοι, ἐκβαλλέσθωσαν τῆς ἀδελφότητος. Ἔκβαλλε γὰρ, φησὶ, λοιμὸν ἐκ συνεδρίου, καὶ συνεξελεύσεται αὐτῷ νεῖκος· καὶ πάλιν· Ἐξάρατε τὸν πονηρὸν ἐξ ὑμῶν αὐτῶν. ∆ιότι μικρὰ ζύμη ὅλον τὸ φύραμα ζυμοῖ.

ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ ΜΗʹ. Ὅτι οὐ δεῖ περιεργάζεσθαι τὰς οἰκονομίας τοῦ προεστῶτος,

τῷ δὲ ἰδίῳ προσέχειν ἔργῳ. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Ὑπὲρ δὲ τοῦ μὴ ῥᾳδίως τινὰ τῷ τοιούτῳ πά θει τῆς διακρίσεως εἰς βλάβην ἑαυτοῦ καὶ τῶν ἑτέρων περιπίπτειν, ἐκεῖνο καθόλου παραφυλακτέον ἐν ἀδελ φότητι, τὸ τὴν ἀρχὴν μηδένα τὰς τοῦ προεστῶτος οἰκονομίας περιεργάζεσθαι, μηδὲ πολυπραγμονεῖν τὰ γινόμενα ἐκτὸς τῶν ἐγγυτέρων τοῦ προεστῶτος καὶ βαθμῷ καὶ συνέσει· οὓς καὶ εἰς τὴν περὶ τῶν κοινῶν βουλήν τε καὶ σκέψιν ἀναγκαίως παραλήψεται, πειθόμενος τῇ παραινέσει τοῦ εἰπόντος· Μετὰ βου λῆς πάντα ποίει. Εἰ γὰρ τῶν ψυχῶν ἡμῶν ἐπετρέ ψαμεν αὐτῷ τὴν οἰκονομίαν, ὡς Θεῷ τὸν λόγον δώ σοντι, ἀλόγιστον παντελῶς περὶ τῶν εὐτελεστάτων ἀπιστεῖν, καὶ ὑποψιῶν ἀτόπων κατὰ τοῦ ἀδελ φοῦ αὐτόν τε πληροῦσθαι, καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις ἀφορμὴν παρέχειν. ∆ιόπερ, ἵνα μὴ τοῦτο συμβαίνῃ, ἕκαστος ἐν ᾧ ἐκλήθη, ἐν τούτῳ μενέτω· καὶ τῇ φροντίδι τῶν αὐτῷ ἐπιβαλλόντων ὅλον ἑαυτὸν ἀποδοὺς, μηδὲν τὰς ἄλλας οἰκονομίας περιεργαζέσθω, μιμούμενος τοὺς ἁγίους μαθητὰς τοῦ Κυρίου, ἐφ' ὧν, καίτοι τοῦ πράγματος τοῦ κατὰ τὴν Σαμαρεῖτιν εἰς ὑποψίαν ἀγαγεῖν δυναμένου, ὅμως Οὐδεὶς, φησὶν, εἶπε· Τί ζητεῖς, ἢ τί λαλεῖς μετ' αὐτῆς;

ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ ΜΘʹ. Περὶ τῶν ἀμφισβητουμένων ἐν τῇ ἀδελφότητι. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ.

Περὶ δὲ τῶν ἀμφισβητουμένων ἐν τῇ ἀδελφότητι, ὅταν ἀσύμφωνοί τινες ὦσι περί τινος πράγματος, οὐ χρὴ φιλονείκως ἀλλήλοις ἀντιτείνειν, ἀλλὰ ταμιεύ εσθαι τοῖς δυνατωτέροις τὴν ἐπίκρισιν. Ὥστε δὲ μήτε τὴν τάξιν συγχεῖσθαι, πάντων ἐπερωτώντων, καὶ πάντοτε, μήτε ἀφορμὴν ἐρεσχελίας καὶ φλυα ρίας ἐγγίνεσθαι, ἕνα τινὰ εἶναι χρὴ τὸν δοκιμα σθέντα, δυνατῶς ἔχειν ἢ εἰς κοινὴν ἐπίσκεψιν προ τιθέναι τῇ ἀδελφότητι τὰ παρά τισιν ἀμφιβαλ λόμενα, ἢ τῷ προέχοντι ἀνατίθεσθαι. Ἀκολουθοτέρα γὰρ καὶ ἐπιστημονικωτέρα ἡ διάσκεψις οὕτω τῶν 31.1040 ζητουμένων γενήσεται. Εἰ γὰρ ἑκάστῳ πρά γματι ἐπιστήμης καὶ ἐμπειρίας χρεία, πολλῷ πλέον ἐν τοῖς τοιούτοις. Καὶ εἰ ἐργαλείων χρῆσιν οὐκ ἄν τις ἐπιτρέψειεν ἀπείροις, πολλῷ μᾶλλον χρὴ τὴν τῶν λόγων μεταχείρισιν τοῖς δυνατοῖς συγχωρεῖν· οἳ καὶ τόπον καὶ καιρὸν καὶ τρόπον τῶν ἐπερωτήσεων ἱκανοὶ ἔσονται διαγινώσκειν, ἀφιλονείκως τε καὶ φρο νίμως ἀντιθέντες, καὶ συνετῶς ἀκούοντες, ἀκριβῶς φυλάσσειν τῶν ἐπιζητηθέντων τὰς λύσεις πρὸς οἰκο δομὴν τοῦ κοινοῦ.

ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Νʹ. Πῶς χρὴ ἐπιτιμᾷν τὸν προεστῶτα. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰς

ἐπιτιμήσεις μὴ ἐμπαθῶς τοῖς ἡμαρ τηκόσιν ὁ προεστὼς προσαγέτω. Τὸ γὰρ μετὰ θυμοῦ καὶ ὀργῆς ἐλέγχειν τὸν ἀδελφὸν οὐχὶ ἐκεῖνόν ἐστιν ἁμαρτίας ἐλευθερῶσαι,