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concerning their works, or idle talk, or falsehood, or anything else of the sort forbidden to the pious, they must bring them before the supervisor of the common good order to be rebuked, so that from him both the measure and the manner of the healing of the sins might be devised. For if rebuke is a healing of the soul, it is not for everyone to rebuke, just as it is not for everyone to heal, unless the superior himself permits someone after much testing.

QUESTION 54. Concerning the need for the superiors of the brotherhood to one another the

matters concerning themselves to refer. ANSWER. It is also good for a council of those appointed over the brotherhoods to be held at certain appointed times and places; during which the matters that have turned out unreasonably, and the difficult to manage characters, and how they have dealt with each, they will refer to one another, so that what was once done wrongly by someone might be reliably revealed by the judgment of the many, and what was done rightly might be confirmed by the testimony of the majority.

QUESTION 55. If to make use of the things from medicine is in accordance with the purpose of

piety. ANSWER. Just as each of the arts has been graciously given to us by God as a help for the weakness of our nature, for example, agriculture, since the things that grow automatically from the earth do not suffice for the relief of our needs; and weaving, since the need for more coverings is necessary to be confirmed

QUESTION 56. If to make use of the things from medicine is in accordance with the purpose of

piety. ANSWER. Just as each of the arts has been graciously given to us by God as a help for the weakness of our nature, for example, agriculture, since the things that grow automatically from the earth do not suffice for the relief of our needs; and weaving, since the need for coverings is necessary both for propriety and against the harms from the air, and architecture likewise; so also is medicine. Since our passible body is subject to various harms, both those that befall it from without and those that arise from within from foods, and is worn out by excesses and deficiencies, the medical art, suggesting as a type of the healing of the soul the removal of what is superfluous and the addition of what is lacking, has been permitted by God who orders our whole life. For just as, if we were in the paradise of delight, we would have needed no agricultural invention and toil; so also if we were in a state of impassibility according to the gift of creation before the transgression, we would have needed none of the things from medicine for relief. But just as after being exiled into this place, and hearing, "In the sweat of your face you shall eat your bread," then by long experience and by toil concerning the land we established the art of agriculture 31.1045 for the relief of the painful things from the curse, God having graciously given us the understanding and comprehension of this art; so also since we were commanded to return again to the earth from which we were taken, and were joined to painful flesh, condemned to corruption on account of sin, and for this reason subjected to these sufferings, there was provided for us also the assistance, at least to some extent, which is brought from medicine to the sick. For the herbs which are suitable for each of the ailments did not sprout automatically from the earth; but, clearly, by the will of the Creator they were brought forth for the purpose of our benefit. The nature, therefore, in the roots, and the flowers, or leaves, or fruits, or juices, or whatever things from metals, or whatever things from the sea have been found to be suitable for the benefit of the flesh, is similar to that of the things eaten and

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περὶ τὰ ἔργα, ἢ ἀργολογία, ἢ ψεῦδος, ἢ ἄλλο τι τῶν τοιούτων ἀπειρημένων τοῖς εὐσεβέσιν, ἐπὶ τὸν ἔφορον τῆς κοινῆς εὐταξίας ἄγοντας δεῖ ἐλέγχειν, ὥστε παρ' αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸ μέτρον καὶ τὸν τρόπον τῆς ἰάσεως τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων ἐπινοεῖσθαι. Εἰ γὰρ ἰατρεία ψυχῆς ἐστιν ἡ ἐπιτίμησις, οὐ παντός ἐστιν ἐπιτιμᾷν, ὡς οὐδὲ τὸ ἰατρεύειν, πλὴν ἐὰν μή τινι αὐτὸς ὁ προεστὼς ἐπιτρέψῃ μετὰ δοκιμασίας πλείονος.

ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Ν∆ʹ Περὶ τοῦ δεῖν τοὺς προεστῶτας τῆς ἀδελ φότητος ἀλλήλοις τὰ

καθ' ἑαυτοὺς ἀνατίθε σθαι. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Ἀγαθὸν δέ ποτε καὶ συνέδριον κατά τινας ὡρισμένους καιροὺς καὶ τόπους τῶν ἐπιτεταγμένων ταῖς ἀδελφότησι γίνεσθαι· καθ' οὓς τά τε παρὰ λό γον ἀπαντήσαντα πράγματα, καὶ τῶν ἠθῶν τὰ δυσ μεταχείριστα, καὶ ὅπως διέθηκαν ἕκαστον, ἀναθή σονται ἀλλήλοις, ὥστε καὶ τὸ ἐσφαλμένως ποτὲ γε νόμενόν τινι τῇ κρίσει τῶν πολλῶν ἀξιοπίστως ἀποκαλυφθῆναι, καὶ τὸ κατορθωθὲν τῇ μαρτυρίᾳ τῶν πλειόνων βεβαιωθῆναι

ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ ΝΕʹ. Εἰ τοῖς ἐκ τῆς ἰατρικῆς κεχρῆσθαι κατὰ σκοπόν ἐστι τῆς

εὐσεβείας. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Ὥσπερ ἑκάστη τῶν τεχνῶν βοήθεια ἡμῖν πρὸς τὸ τῆς φύσεως ἀσθενὲς ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ κεχάρισται, οἷον γεωργία μὲν, ἐπειδὴ οὐκ ἐξαρκεῖ τὰ αὐτομάτως ἐκ τῆς γῆς φυόμενα πρὸς τὴν τῶν χρειῶν παραμυθίαν· ὑφαντικὴ δὲ, ἐπειδὴ ἀναγκαία ἡ τῶν σκεπασμάτων πλειόνων βεβαιωθῆναι

ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ Νςʹ. Εἰ τοῖς ἐκ τῆς ἰατρικῆς κεχρῆσθαι κατὰ σκοπόν ἐστι τῆς

εὐσεβείας. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Ὥσπερ ἑκάστη τῶν τεχνῶν βοήθεια ἡμῖν πρὸς τὸ τῆς φύσεως ἀσθενὲς ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ κεχάρισται, οἷον γεωργία μὲν, ἐπειδὴ οὐκ ἐξαρκεῖ τὰ αὐτομάτως ἐκ τῆς γῆς φυόμενα πρὸς τὴν τῶν χρειῶν παραμυθίαν· ὑφαντικὴ δὲ, ἐπειδὴ ἀναγκαία ἡ τῶν σκεπασμάτων χρεία πρός τε τὸ εὔσχημον καὶ τὰς ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀέρος βλάβας, καὶ οἰκοδομικὴ ὁμοίως· οὕτω καὶ ἰατρική. Ἐπειδὴ τὸ ἐμπαθὲς ἡμῶν σῶμα ποικίλαις βλάβαις, ταῖς τε ἔξωθεν προσπιπτούσαις καὶ ταῖς ἔνδοθεν ἀπὸ τροφῶν συνισταμέναις, ὑπόκειται, καὶ πλεονασμοῖς καὶ ἐλλείψεσι καταπονεῖται, ἡ ἰατρικὴ τέχνη εἰς τύπον τῆς κατὰ ψυχὴν θεραπείας τὴν ἀπόθεσιν τοῦ περισσοῦ, καὶ τὴν τοῦ λείποντος πρόσ θεσιν ὑποτιθεμένη ὑπὸ τοῦ πᾶσαν ἡμῖν τὴν ζωὴν οἰκονομοῦντος Θεοῦ συγκεχώρηται. Ὥσπερ γὰρ, εἰ ἦμεν ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ τῆς τρυφῆς, οὐδὲν ἂν ἐπι νοίας καὶ μόχθου γεωργικοῦ ἐπεδεήθημεν· οὕτω καὶ εἰ ἐν ἀπαθείᾳ ἦμεν κατὰ τὸ πρὸ τοῦ παραπτώματος ἐν τῇ δημιουργίᾳ χάρισμα, οὐδενὸς ἂν τῶν ἐξ ἰατρι κῆς πρὸς παραμυθίαν ἐχρῄζομεν. Ἀλλ' ὥσπερ μετὰ τὸ ἐξορισθῆναι εἰς τὸν τόπον τοῦτον, καὶ ἀκοῦ σαι τὸ, Ἐν ἱδρῶτι τοῦ προσώπου σου φαγῇ τὸν ἄρτον σου, τότε τῇ μακρᾷ πείρᾳ καὶ τῇ περὶ τὴν γῆν ταλαιπωρίᾳ τῆς γεωργίας τὴν τέχνην συνεστη 31.1045 σάμεθα εἰς παραμυθίαν τῶν ἐκ τῆς κατάρας λυπη ρῶν, τὴν σύνεσιν ἡμῖν καὶ κατάληψιν τῆς τέχνης ταύτης τοῦ Θεοῦ χαρισαμένου· οὕτω καὶ ἐπειδὴ ἐκελεύσθημεν εἰς τὴν γῆν πάλιν ἀποστραφῆναι, ἀφ' ἧς ἐλήφθημεν, καὶ ὀδυνηρᾷ σαρκὶ συνεζεύχθημεν εἰς φθορὰν καταδεδικασμένῃ διὰ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο τοῖς πάθεσι τούτοις ὑποβληθείσῃ, παρεσχέθη ἡμῖν καὶ ἡ ἐκ τῆς ἰατρικῆς προσαγομένη τοῖς κά μνουσι, κατὰ τὸ ποσὸν γοῦν, ἐπικουρία. Οὔτε γὰρ αὐτομάτως ἐκ τῆς γῆς ἐβλάστησαν αἱ βοτάναι, αἱ πρὸς ἕκαστον τῶν παθῶν οἰκείως ἔχου σαι· ἀλλὰ, δηλονότι, τῷ βουλήματι τοῦ δημιουργοῦ πρὸς τὸν τῆς ἡμετέρας ὠφελείας σκοπὸν ἐξηνέχθη σαν. Ἡ μὲν οὖν ἐν ταῖς ῥίζαις, καὶ τοῖς ἄνθεσιν, ἢ φύλλοις, ἢ καρποῖς, ἢ ὀποῖς φύσις, ἢ ὅσα ἀπὸ με τάλλων, ἢ ὅσα ἐκ τῆς θαλάσσης πρὸς τὴν τῆς σαρκὸς ὠφέλειαν οἰκείως ἔχειν ἐξεύρηται, ὅμοιά ἐστι τῆς τῶν ἐσθιομένων καὶ