The Rule of Saint Benedict

Ir is recognized that there are four kinds of monks, The first are the Cenobites : that is, those who live in a monastery under a Rule or an abbot. The second kind is that of Anchorites, or Hermits, who not in the first fervour of conversion, but after long trial in the monastery, and already taught by the example of many others, have learnt to fight against the devil, are well prepared to go forth from the ranks of the brotherhood to the single combat of the desert, They can now, by God’s help, safely fight against the vices of their flesh and against evil thoughts

singly, with their own hand and arm and without

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the encouragement of a companion. The third and worst kind of monks is that of the Sarabites, who have not been tried under any Rule nor schooled by an experienced master, as gold is proved in the furnace, but soft as is lead and still in their works cleaving to the world, are known to lie to God by their tonsure.

These in twos or threes, or more frequently singly, are shut up, without a shepherd; not in our Lord's fold, but in their own. ‘The pleasure of carrying out their particular desires is their law, and whatever they dream of or choose this they call holy ; but what they like not, that they account unlawful.

The fourth class of monks is called Gyrovagi (or Wanderers). ‘These move about all their lives through various countries, staying as guests for three or four days at different monasteries. They are always on the move and never settle down, and are slaves to their own wills and to the enticements of

gluttony. In every way they are worse than the

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Sarabites, and of their wretched way of life it is better to be silent than to speak.

Leaving these therefore aside, let us by God's help set down a Rule for Cenobites, who are the best kind

of monks.?1

CHAPTER: 411 What the Abbot should be

An abbot to be fit to rule a monastery should ever remember what he is called, and in his acts illustrate his high calling. For in a monastery he is considered to take the place of Christ, since he is called by His name as the apostle saith, Ye have received the spirit of the adoption of sons, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.” Therefore the abbot should neither teach, ordain, nor require anything against the command of our Lord (God forbid !), but in the minds of his disciples let his orders and teaching be mingled with the leaven

of divine justice,

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'The abbot should ever be mindful that at the dread judgment of God there will be inquiry both as to his teaching and as to the obedience of his disciples. Let the abbot know that any lack of goodness, which the master of the family shall find in his flock, will be accounted the shepherd's fault. On the other hand, he shall be acquitted in so far as he shall have shown all the watchfulness of a shepherd over a restless and disobedient flock : and if as their pastor he shall have employed every care to cure their corrupt manners, he shall be declared guiltless in the Lord's judgment, and he may say with the prophet, I have mot hidden Thy justice in my heart; I have told Thy truth and Thy salvation ;?9. but they contemned and despised me.?* And then in the end shall death be inflicted as a meet punishment upon the sheep which have not responded to his care. When, therefore, any one shall receive the name of abbot, he ought to rule his disciples with a twofold teaching: that is,

he should first show them in deeds rather than words

THE RULE OF ST. BENEDICT r1:

all that is good and holy. "To such as are understanding, indeed, he may expound the Lord's behests by words ; but to the hard-hearted and to the simpleminded he must manifest the divine precepts in his life. ‘Thus, what he has taught his disciples to be contrary to God's law, let him show in his own deeds that such things are not to be done, lest preaching to others he himself become a castaway,?5 and God say unto him thus sinning, Why dost thou declare My justices, and take My testament in thy mouth? Thou hast hated discipline, and cast My speeches behind thee.% And Thou, who didst see the mote in thy brother's eye, hast thou not seen the beam that is in thine own ? ?!

Let him make no distinction of persons in the monastery. Let not one be loved more than another, save such as be found to excel in obedience or good works. Let not the free-born be put before the serfborn in religion, unless there be other reasonable cause

for it. If upon due consideration the abbot shall see

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such cause he may place him where he pleases ; otherwise let all keep their own places, because whether bond or free we are all one in Christ,8 and bear an equal burden of service under one Lord : for with God there is no accepting of persons? For one thing only are we preferred by Him, if we are found better than others in good works and more humble. Let the abbot therefore have equal love for all, and let all, according to their deserts, be under the same discipline. The abbot in his teaching should always observe that apostolic rule which saith, Reprove, entreat, rebuke.89 ‘That is to say, as occasions require he ought to mingle encouragement with reproofs. .Let him manifest the sternness of a master and the loving affection of a father. He must reprove the undisciplined and restless severely, but he should exhort such as are obedient, quiet and patient, for their better profit. We charge hin however! to reprove and punish the stubborn and negligent.

Let him not shut his eyes to the sins of offenders ;

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but, directly they begin to show themselves and to grow, he must use every means to root them up utterly, remembering the fate of Heli, the priest of Silo.! To the more virtuous and apprehensive, indeed, he may for the first or second time use words of warning ; but in dealing with the stubborn, the hard-hearted, the proud and the disobedient, even at the very beginning of their sin, let him chastise them with stripes and with bodily punishment, knowing that it is written, The fool is mot corrected with words.® And again, Strike thy son with a rod and thou shalt : deliver his soul from death.8

The abbot ought ever to bear in mind what he 1s and what he is called; he ought to know that to whom more is entrusted, from him more is exacted. Let him recognize how difficult and how hard a task he has undertaken, to rule souls and to make himself a servant to the humours of many. One, forsooth, must be led by gentle words, another by sharp re-

prehension, another by persuasion ; and thus shall he

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so shape and adapt himself to the character and intelligence of each, that he not only suffer no loss in the flock entrusted to his care, but may even rejoice in its good growth. Above all things let him not slight nor make little of the souls committed to his care, heeding more fleeting, worldly and frivolous things ; but let him remember always that he has undertaken the government of souls, of which he shall also have to give an account. And that he may not complain of the want of temporal means, let him remember that it is written, Seek first the kingdom of God, and His justice, and all things shall be given to you.9* And again, Nothing is wanting to such as fear Him.35

He should know that whoever undertakes the government of souls must prepare himself to account for them. And however great the number of the brethren under him may be, let him understand for certain that at the Day of Judgment he will have to give to our Lord an account of all their souls as well

as of his own. In this way, by fearing the inquiry

AC THE RULE OF ST. BENEDICT 1i; concerning his flock which the Shepherd will hold, he

is solicitous on account of others souls as well as of his own, and thus whilst reclaiming other men by

his corrections, he frees himself also from all vice.