Tollitur etiam otium per laborem doctrinae, quo contra hostes fidei dimicatur, secundum illud apostoli: labora sicut bonus miles Christi, II ad Tim. II, 3, ubi dicit Glossa: in praedicando Evangelium contra hostes fidei. Fateor etiam hoc necessitatis esse his qui aliunde non habent de quo licite vivant. Licitum autem est Evangelistis etiam monachis ut de Evangelio vivant, et de altaris ministerio, sicut Augustinus dicit in libro de operibus monachorum. Alioquin numquid solas illas possessiones communes monachis licet habere quas possunt lucrari de opere manuali? Nonne autem derisibilis est, si quis dicat licere religiosis in eleemosynam amplas possessiones accipere, non autem eis licere accipere de fidelium eleemosynis ea quae pertinent ad quotidianum et simplicem victum? Sic igitur nulla necessitas imminet his qui communes possessiones non habent, manibus operari. De hoc tamen alibi diffusius a nobis dictum est.
Idleness is also prevented by the warfare which we wage against the enemies of the Faith, according to St. Paul’s injunction: labour like a good soldier of Jesus Christ (2 Tim 2:3). This the Gloss interprets to mean the preaching of the Gospel against the enemies of the faith. This I acknowledge to be a necessary work, for those who have not otherwise a means of subsistence. For it is lawful for all preachers of the Gospel, even monks, to live by the Gospel and by their ministry at the altar. St. Augustine in De opere monachorum asks whether it is permissible for monks to have any common property, save what they gain by their own labour. Is it not ridiculous to say that religious may receive large possessions as alms, and yet may not accept donations to provide for their simple daily needs? Therefore no necessity constrains those who do not possess common property to labour with their hands. We have, however, elsewhere spoken more fully on this point.
Iam vero quod septimo propositum est, magis est derisione quam responsione dignum. Quis enim non videat in immensum maioris solicitudinis esse possessionibus procurandis curam impendere, ad quod vix saeculares sufficiunt, quam acquirere simplicem victum ex fidelium pietate collatum, et clementia divina provisum?
The seventh argument deserves ridicule, rather than reply. For, who does not see that the task of heaping up riches—a task which seculars can barely achieve—involves far more anxiety of mind than that of merely procuring from the charity of the faithful and the mercy of God a simple, daily provision for the necessities of life.
Quod vero octavo propositum est de hoc quod religiosi necesse habent circa eorum negotia solicitari a quibus pascuntur: fateor, habent quidem, sed circa spiritualem eorum salutem, vel ut tribulatos consolentur; quae quidem solicitudo caritatis est, unde religioni non repugnat; quinimmo, ut dicitur Iac. I, 27: religio munda et immaculata apud Deum et patrem haec est, visitare pupillos et viduas in tribulatione eorum.
As for the eighth argument, namely, that religious must occupy themselves about the affairs of those who minister to them, I acknowledge that this is true. But the affairs about which they must be busied are such as concern the spiritual welfare of their benefactors, or their consolation when they are in trouble. Such solicitude is a work of charity by no means incompatible with religion. For, as St. James says, religion pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the orphan and the widow in their tribulation (Jas 1:27).
Quod autem ultimo propositum est, omnino est frivolum: quia ea quibus utuntur religiosi ad sustentationem vitae, non sunt eorum quantum ad proprietatem dominii, sed dispensantur ad usum necessitatis ipsorum ab his qui harum rerum dominium habent, quicumque sint illi.
The last argument is absolutely worthless. For the things used by religious for their support are not absolutely their own property or under their own control, but are ministered to them for their necessities by those who have the management of such things.
Haec igitur sunt quae ad praesens scribenda occurrunt contra erroneam et pestiferam doctrinam avertentium homines a religionis ingressu. Si quis his contradicere voluerit, non coram pueris garriat, sed scribat, et Scripturam proponat in publico; ut ab intelligentibus diiudicari possit quid verum sit, et hoc quod erroneum est, auctoritate veritatis confutetur.
This is all that occurs to me at present to write against the pernicious end erroneous teaching which deters some men from entering religious life. If any man desires to contradict my words, let him not do so by chattering before boys but let him write and publish his writings, so that intelligent persons may judge what is true, and may be able to confute what is false by the authority of the truth.