Of the Work of Monks.

 1. Thy bidding, holy brother Aurelius, it was meet that I should comply withal, with so much the more devotion, by how much the more it became clear u

 2. First then, it is to be seen, what is said by persons of that profession, who will not work: then, if we shall find that they think not aright, wha

 3. Nor do they attend to this, that if another should say, that the Lord indeed, speaking in parables and in similitudes concerning spiritual food and

 4. First then we ought to demonstrate that the blessed Apostle Paul willed the servants of God to work corporal works which should have as their end a

 5. I would, however, proceed to a more searching and diligent consideration and handling of these words, had I not other places of his Epistles much m

 6. Which thing whoso thinks cannot have been done by the Apostles, that with them women of holy conversation should go about wheresoever they preached

 7. But lest any should fancy that this was granted only to the twelve, see also what Luke relateth: “After these things,” saith he, “the Lord chose al

 8. But let us return to the order of our discourse, and the whole of the passage itself of the Epistle let us diligently consider. “Have we not,” sait

 9. But he speaks more openly in the rest which he subjoins, and altogether removes all causes of doubting. “If we unto you,” saith he, “have sown spir

 10. And he comes back again, and in all ways, over and over again, enforceth what he hath the right to do, yet doeth not. “Do ye not know,” saith he,

 11. And he goes on, and adjoins, lest perchance any should imagine that he only therefore received not, because they had not given: “But I have not wr

 12. But now, that as bearing with the infirmity of men he did this, let us hear what follows: “For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myse

 13. Of this weakness of his, he saith in another place, “We made ourselves small among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children.” For in that pass

 14. Here peradventure some man may say, “If it was bodily work that the Apostle wrought, whereby to sustain this life, what was that same work, and wh

 15. But when he might use to work, that is, in what spaces of time, that he might not be hindered from preaching the Gospel, who can make out? Though,

 16. For he himself also, with an eye to the like necessities of saints, who, although they obey his precepts, “that with silence they work and eat the

 17. On account then of these either occupations of the servants of God, or bodily infirmities, which cannot be altogether wanting, not only doth the A

 18. And a little after he saith, “For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you. For I know the forwardness

 19. As therefore the Apostle, nay rather the Spirit of God possessing and filling and actuating his heart, ceased not to exhort the faithful who had s

 20. For what these men are about, who will not do bodily work, to what thing they give up their time, I should like to know. “To prayers,” say they, “

 21. Moreover, if discourse must be bestowed upon any, and this so take up the speaker that he have not time to work with his hands, are all in the mon

 22. There also is said at what work the Apostle wrought. “After these things,” it says, “he departed from Athens and came to Corinth and having found

 23. Hence arises another question for peradventure one may say, “What then? did the other Apostles, and the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas, sin, in

 24. This question I should briefly solve, if I should say, because I should also justly say, that we must believe the Apostle. For he himself knew why

 25. If at the least they once had in this world wherewithal they might easily without handiwork sustain this life, which property, when they were conv

 26. That, namely, befalleth them which in undisciplined younger widows, the same Apostle saith must be avoided: “And withal they learn to be idle and

 27. As it is, however, they, against the Apostle of Christ, recite a Gospel of Christ. For so marvellous are the works of the sluggards, hindered that

 28. Here then shall these persons in their turn be in another more sublime degree of righteousness outdone, by them who shall so order themselves, tha

 29. But let us grant this also, that the whole year round there may in the fields be found either of tree or of herbs or of any manner of roots, that

 30. Wherefore, that I may briefly embrace the whole matter, let these persons, who from perverse understanding of the Gospel labor to pervert apostoli

 31. For if they be urged from the Gospel that they should put nothing by for the morrow, they most rightly answer, “Why then had the Lord Himself a ba

 32. Some man will say: “What then does it profit a servant of God, that, having left the former doings which he had in the world he is converted unto

 33. Wherefore even they which having relinquished or distributed their former, whether ample or in any sort opulent, means, have chosen with pious and

 34. But then the Lord saith, “Be not solicitous for your life what ye shall eat, nor for the body, what ye shall put on.” Rightly: because He had said

 35. And that which follows concerning birds of the air and lilies of the field, He saith to this end, that no man may think that God careth not for th

 36. Since these things are so, suffer me awhile, holy brother, (for the Lord giveth me through thee great boldness,) to address these same our sons an

 37. We are not binding heavy burdens and laying them upon your shoulders, while we with a finger will not touch them. Seek out, and acknowledge the la

 38. These things, my brother Aurelius, most dear unto me, and in the bowels of Christ to be venerated, so far as He hath bestowed on me the ability Wh

 39. For there is less sin, if people do not praise the sinner in the desires of his soul, and speak good of him who practiseth iniquities. Now what is

 40. And then that further device of theirs, (if words can express it), how painfully ridiculous is it, which they have invented for defense of their l

 41. Wherefore, they which will not do right things, let them give over at least to teach wrong things. Howbeit they be others whom in this speech we r

16. For he himself also, with an eye to the like necessities of saints, who, although they obey his precepts, “that with silence they work and eat their own bread,” may yet from many causes stand in need of somewhat by way of supplement to the like sustenance, therefore, after he had thus said, teaching and premonishing, “Now them which are such we command and beseech in our Lord Jesus Christ, that with silence they work and eat their own bread;”46    2 Thess. iii. 12, 13 yet, lest they which had whereof they might supply the needs of the servants of God, should hence take occasion to wax lazy, providing against this he hath straightway added, “But ye, brethren, become not weak in showing beneficence.”47    Infirmari benefacientes And when he was writing to Titus, saying, “Zenas the lawyer and Apollos do thou diligently send forward, that nothing may be wanting to them;”48    Tit. iii. 13, 14 that he might show from what quarter nothing ought to be wanting to them, he straightway subjoined, “But let ours also learn to maintain good works49    Bonis operibus præesse, καλῶν ἔργων προΐστασθαι. E.V. in margin, “profess honest trades.” for necessary use, that they be not unfruitful.” In the case of Timothy also,50    1 Tim. i. 2 whom he calls his own most true51    “Germanissimum.” 1 Tim. v. 23 son, because he knew him weak of body, (as he shows, in advising him not to drink water, but to use a little wine for his stomach’s sake and his often infirmities,) lest then haply, because in bodily work he could not labor, he being unwilling to stand in need of daily food at their hands, unto whom he ministered the Gospel, should seek some business in which the stress of his mind would become entangled; (for it is one thing to labor in body, with the mind free, as does a handicraftsman, if he be not fraudulent and avaricious and greedy of his own private gain; but another thing, to occupy the mind itself with cares of collecting money without the body’s labor, as do either dealers, or bailiffs, or undertakers, for these with care of the mind conduct their business, not with their hands do work, and in that regard occupy their mind itself with solicitude of getting;) lest then Timothy should fall upon such like ways, because from weakness of body he could not work with his hands, he thus exhorts, admonishes, and comforts him: “Labor,” saith he, “as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man, going a warfare for God, entangleth himself with secular business; that he may please Him to whom he hath proved himself.52    Cui se probavit For he that striveth for masteries, is not crowned except he strive lawfully.”53    2 Tim. ii. 3–6 Hereupon, lest the other should be put to straits, saying, “Dig I cannot, to beg I am ashamed,”54    Luke xvi. 3. [See R.V.] he adjoined, “The husbandman that laboreth must be first partaker of the fruits:” according to that which he had said to the Corinthians, “Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? Who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? Who feedeth a flock, and partaketh not of the milk of the flock?”55    1 Cor. ix. 7 Thus did he make to be without care a chaste evangelist, not to that end working as an evangelist that he might sell the Gospel, but yet not, having strength to supply unto himself with his own hands the necessities of this life; for that he should understand whatever being necessary for himself he was taking of them whom as provincials he as a soldier was serving, and whom as a vineyard he was culturing, or as a flock was feeding, to be not matter of mendicity, but of power.

16. Paulus praecipiens operari servos Dei, non vult tamen eorum necessitates minus curari a fidelibus. Labor servis Dei eligendus qui animo libero exerceatur, sine cura et cupiditate. Nam et ipse propter ejusmodi necessitates sanctorum, qui quamvis praeceptis ejus obtemperent, ut cum silentio operantes suum panem manducent, possunt tamen multis ex causis indigere supplemento aliquo talium sustentationum, cum dixisset talia docens et praemonens, His autem qui ejusmodi sunt, praecipimus et obsecramus in Domino Jesu Christo, ut cum silentio operantes suum panem manducent; ne illi qui habebant unde necessaria servis Dei praeberent, hac occasione pigrescerent, providens continuo subjecit, Vos autem, fratres, nolite infirmari benefacientes (II Thess. III, 12, 13). Et ad Titum cum scriberet, dicens, Zenam legisperitum et Apollo sollicite praemitte, ut nihil illis desit; ut ostenderet unde illis nihil deesse deberet, continuo subjunxit, Discant autem et nostri bonis operibus praeesse ad necessarios usus, ne sint infructuosi (Tit. III, 13, 14). Timotheum etiam, quem dicit germanissimum filium, quoniam sciebat corpore infirmum, sicut ostendit, monens eum ne aquam biberet, sed modico vino uteretur, propter stomachum et frequentes suas infirmitates (I Tim. V, 23); quia in opere corporali laborare non poterat, ne forte cum indigere nollet victu quotidiano ab eis quibus Evangelium ministrabat , aliqua sibi negotia quaereret, quibus animi ejus implicaretur intentio (aliud est enim corpore laborare animo libero, sicut opifex, si non sit fraudulentus et avarus, et privatae rei avidus; aliud autem ipsum animum occupare curis colligendae sine corporis labore pecuniae, sicut sunt vel negotiatores, vel procuratores, vel conductores: cura enim praesunt, non manibus operantur, ideoque ipsum animum suum occupant habendi sollicitudine): Timotheum ergo, ne in talia incideret, quia per infirmitatem corporis manibus operari non poterat, sic exhortatur, monet et consolatur: Labora, inquit, sicut bonus miles Christi Jesu. Nemo militans Deo implicat se negotiis saecularibus, ut placeat cui se probavit. Nam qui in agone contendit, non coronatur nisi legitime certaverit. Hic ne ille pateretur angustias, dicens, Fodere non possum, mendicare confundor (Luc. XVI, 3); adjunxit, Laborantem agricolam primum oportet de fructibus percipere (II Tim. II, 6): secundum illud quod ad Corinthios dixerat, Quis militat suis stipendiis unquam? Quis plantat vineam, et de fructu ejus non edit? Quis pascit gregem, et de lacte gregis non percipit (I Cor. IX, 7)? Fecit ita securum castum evangelistam, non ad hoc evangelizantem ut venderet Evangelium, sed tamen huic vitae necessaria suis sibi exhibere manibus non valentem; ut intelligeret, quod necessarium sibi sumebat ab eis quibus tanquam provincialibus militabat, et quos tanquam vineam cultura exercebat vel tanquam gregem 0562 pascebat, non esse mendicitatem, sed potestatem.