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but to clothe himself in transgressions. Therefore he says: In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; nor should he be severe in those things in which he himself is overlooked, but in those in which he sees another being despised, to show kindness toward the sinner; but rather to be more displeased at the evil then. For thus he will both escape the suspicion of self-love, and will give proof that he does not hate the sinner, but turns away from the sin, by the difference of his own reaction towards the other. But by making a difference in his indignation, not the one mentioned, but the opposite, it is clear that he is indignant neither for God's sake nor for the danger of the sinner, but because of his own ambition or love of power. For it is necessary, on the one hand, to show zeal for the glory of God, who is dishonored in the transgression of the commandment, and on the other, having brotherly compassion for the salvation of the brother who is in danger in sin (for The soul that sinneth, it shall die), to be moved against every sin as against sin, and by the severity of the punishment to show the ardor of his disposition.

QUESTION 51. In what way the transgression of the sinner ought to be corrected.

RESPONSE. And let him apply the corrections to those with passions according to the principle of medicine, not being angry with the sick, but fighting the disease, and standing in opposition to the passions, and, if necessary, healing the infirmity of the soul through a more laborious regimen; for example, vainglory by the commands of the practices of humility; 31.1041 idle talk by silence; excessive sleep by vigils in prayers; idleness of body by labors; improper food by fasting; murmuring by separation, so that none of the brothers chooses to work with him, nor to mix his work with that of the others, as was said before, unless, indeed, he should appear to be freed from the passion through unashamed repentance. And then to accept the work done during the murmuring; and not even so for the service of the brothers' use, but managing it for another need. And the reason for these things has been sufficiently demonstrated before.

QUESTION 52. With what disposition one ought to accept penances.

RESPONSE And just as we said the one presiding ought to apply the cures to the sick without passion, so again those being cured ought not to receive the penances with hostility, nor to consider as tyranny the care brought to him out of compassion for the salvation of his soul. For it is shameful that those who are sick in body trust their physicians so much that, even if they cut, even if they burn, and afflict them with bitter medicines, they consider them benefactors; but that we, toward the healers of our souls, when they work out our salvation for us through a laborious regimen, do not have the same disposition, as the Apostle says: And who is he that maketh me glad, but the one who is made sorry by me? and again: For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you. So that, looking to the end, it is fitting to judge as a benefactor the one who produces in us godly sorrow.

QUESTION 53. How the masters of trades shall correct the erring children.

RESPONSE. Indeed, even those who teach trades must, for whatever faults the learners commit in the trade itself, reprove the transgression themselves, and correct the errors. But as many of the sins as are accusations of a perversion of character, such as disobedience and contradiction, and sloth 31.1044

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ἀλλ' ἑαυτὸν περιβαλεῖν πλημμελήμασι. ∆ιόπερ φησίν· Ἐν πραότητι παι δεύοντα τοὺς ἀντιδιατιθεμένους· μηδὲ ἐν οἷς μὲν ἂν αὐτὸς παροφθῇ, σφοδρὸν εἶναι, ἐν οἷς δὲ ἂν ἄλλον καταφρονούμενον ἴδῃ, τὴν πρὸς τὸν ἡμαρτηκότα χρη στότητα ἐπιδείκνυσθαι· ἀλλὰ καὶ μᾶλλον δυσχε ραίνειν ἐπὶ τῷ κακῷ τότε. Οὕτω γὰρ τῆς τε φιλαυ τίας τὴν ὑποψίαν ἐκφεύξεται, καὶ ἀπόδειξιν δώσει τοῦ μὴ τὸν ἡμαρτηκότα μισεῖν, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἀποστρέφεσθαι, τῇ διαφορᾷ τῇ ἑαυτοῦ πρὸς τὸν ἕτε ρον. ∆ιαφορὰν δὲ ἀγανακτήσεως ποιούμενος, μὴ τὴν εἰρημένην, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἐναντίαν, φανερός ἐστιν ὅτι οὔτε διὰ τὸν Θεὸν οὔτε διὰ τὸν κίνδυνον τοῦ ἡμαρ τηκότος, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ φιλοδοξίαν ἢ φιλαρχίαν ἀγανακτεῖ. Χρὴ γὰρ, ζῆλον μὲν ὑπὲρ τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ δόξης. ἀτιμαζομένου ἐν τῇ τῆς ἐντολῆς παραβάσει ἐπιδεικνύμενον, εὐσπλαγχνίαν δὲ φιλαδελφίας ὑπὲρ τῆς τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σωτηρίας ἔχοντα κινδυνεύοντος ἐν τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ (ὅτι Ἡ ψυχὴ ἡ ἁμαρτάνουσα, αὐτὴ ἀποθανεῖται), ἐπὶ παντὸς ἁμαρτήματος ὡς κατὰ ἁμαρτήματος κινεῖσθαι, καὶ τῇ σφοδρότητι τῆς ἐκδι κήσεως δεικνύειν τὸ διάπυρον τῆς διαθέσεως.

ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ ΝΑʹ. Ποίῳ τρόπῳ δεῖ διορθοῦσθαι τὸ πλημμέλημα τοῦ

ἡμαρτηκότος. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Καὶ τὰς διορθώσεις δὲ κατὰ τὸν τῆς ἰατρείας λό γον προσαγέτω τοῖς ἐμπαθέσι, μὴ ὀργιζόμενος τοῖς ἀσθενοῦσιν, ἀλλὰ τῇ νόσῳ μαχόμενος, καὶ ἀπ εναντίον μὲν ἱστάμενος πρὸς τὰ πάθη, δι' ἐπιπονω τέρας δὲ, εἰ δέοι, διαγωγῆς ἰώμενος τὸ ἀῤῥώστημα τῆς ψυχῆς· οἷον τὴν κενοδοξίαν τοῖς ἐπιτάγμασι τῶν τῆς ταπεινοφροσύνης ἐπιτηδευμάτων· τὴν 31.1041 ἀργολογίαν τῇ σιωπῇ· ὕπνον ἄμετρον διὰ τῆς ἐν προσευχαῖς ἀγρυπνίας· ἀργίαν σώματος διὰ τῶν κόπων· βρῶσιν ἀπρεπῆ διὰ τῆς ἀσιτίας· γογγυσμὸν διὰ τοῦ ἀφορισμοῦ, ὥστε μήτε συνεργάζεσθαι αὐτῷ τινα τῶν ἀδελφῶν ἑλέσθαι, μήτε τὸ παρ' αὐτοῦ ἔργον ἀναμιγνύναι τοῖς ἄλλων, καθὰ προείρηται, πλὴν εἰ μὴ ἄρα διὰ τῆς ἀνεπαισχύντου μετανοίας ἀπαλλαγεὶς τοῦ πάθους φανείη. Καὶ τότε τὴν ἐν τῷ γογγυσμῷ γενομένην ἐργασίαν προσδέχεσθαι· μηδὲ οὕτως εἰς ὑπηρεσίαν τῆς τῶν ἀδελφῶν χρήσεως, ἀλλ' εἰς ἑτέραν χρείαν οἰκονομοῦντας. Καὶ τούτων ὁ λόγος ἀρκούντως προαποδέδεικται.

ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ ΝΒʹ. Μετὰ ποίας διαθέσεως καταδέχεσθαι δεῖ τὰ ἐπιτίμια.

ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ Ὥσπερ δὲ τὸν προεστῶτα εἴπομεν χρῆναι ἀπαθῶς προσάγειν τὰς θεραπείας τοῖς ἀσθενοῦσιν, οὕτω πά λιν χρὴ τοὺς θεραπευομένους μὴ πρὸς ἔχθραν δέ χεσθαι τὰ ἐπιτίμια, μηδὲ τυραννίδα νομίζειν τὴν ἀπὸ εὐσπλαγχνίας ἐπὶ σωτηρίᾳ τῆς ψυχῆς προσαγο μένην αὐτῷ ἐπιμέλειαν. Αἰσχρὸν γὰρ τοὺς μὲν τὰ σώματα νοσοῦντας τοσοῦτον τοῖς ἰατροῖς καταπι στεύειν, ὥστε, κἂν τέμνωσι, κἂν καίωσι, καὶ πι κροῖς τοῖς φαρμάκοις ἀνιῶσιν, εὐεργέτας λογίζεσθαι· ἡμᾶς δὲ πρὸς τοὺς τῶν ψυχῶν ἡμῶν θεραπευτὰς, ὅταν δι' ἐπιπόνου ἀγωγῆς τὴν σωτηρίαν ἡμῖν κατερ γάζωνται, μὴ τὴν αὐτὴν ἔχειν διάθεσιν, τοῦ Ἀποστόλου λέγοντος· Καὶ τίς ἐστιν ὁ εὐφραίνων με εἰ μὴ ὁ λυπούμενος ἐξ ἐμοῦ; καὶ πάλιν· Ἰδοὺ γὰρ αὐτὸ τοῦτο τὸ κατὰ Θεὸν λυπηθῆναι ὑμᾶς πόσην κατειργάσατο ἐν ὑμῖν σπουδήν. Ὥστε, πρὸς τὸ τέλος ἀποβλέποντα, εὐεργέτην προσ ήκει κρίνειν τὸν τὴν κατὰ Θεὸν λύπην ἡμῖν ἐμ ποιοῦντα.

ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ ΝΓʹ. Πῶς οἱ τῶν τεχνῶν διδάσκαλοι διορθώσονται τοὺς παῖδας

πταίοντας. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. ∆εῖ μέντοι καὶ τοὺς τὰς τέχνας διδάσκοντας, ὅσα εἰς αὐτὴν τὴν τέχνην ἐξαμαρτάνουσιν οἱ μανθά νοντες, ἐφ' ἑαυτῶν ἐλέγχειν τὸ πλημμέλημα, καὶ ἐπανορθοῦσθαι τὰ σφάλματα. Ὅσα δὲ τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων τῆς τοῦ ἤθους διαστροφῆς ἐστι κατ ηγορήματα, οἷον ἀπείθειαι καὶ ἀντιλογίαι, καὶ ῥᾳθυ 31.1044 μία