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 not only idle, but also busy bodies and full of words, speaking what they ought not.”87    1 Tim. v. 13 This very thing said he concerning evil women, which we also in evil men do mourn and bewail, who against him, the very man in whose Epistles we read these things, do, being idle and full of words, speak what they ought not. And if there be any among them who did with that purpose come to the holy warfare,88    2 Tim. ii. 4. [See R.V.] that they may please Him to whom they have proved themselves, these, when they be so vigorous in strength of body, and soundness of health, that they are able not only to be taught, but also, agreeably unto the Apostle, to work, do, by receiving of these men’s idle and corrupt discourses, which they are unable, by reason of their unskilled rawness, to judge of, become changed by pestiferous contagion into the same noisomeness: not only not imitating the obedience of saints which quietly work, and of other monasteries89    Cassian. de Inst. x. 22. which in most wholesome discipline do live after the apostolic rule; but also insulting better men than themselves, preaching up laziness as the keeper of the Gospel, accusing mercy as the prevaricator therefrom. For a much more merciful work is it to the souls of the weak, to consult for the fair fame of the servants of God, than it is to the bodies of men, to break bread to the hungry. Wherefore I would to God that these, which want to let their hands lie idle, would altogether let their tongues lie idle too. For they would not make so many willing to imitate them, if the examples they set were not merely lazy ones, but mute withal.

26. Contingit enim eis quod in viduis junioribus indisciplinatis cavendum idem apostolus dicit: Simul autem et otiosae esse discunt; non solum autem otiosae, sed etiam curiosae et verbosae, loquentes quae non oportet (I Tim. V, 13). Hoc ille de malis feminis dicebat, quod nos etiam in malis viris dolemus et plangimus, qui adversus eum ipsum, in cujus Epistolis ista legimus, otiosi et verbosi, quae non oportet loquuntur. Et si qui sunt inter eos, qui eo proposito ad sanctam militiam venerint, ut placeant cui se probaverunt (II Tim. II, 4), cum ita vigeant viribus corporis et integritate valetudinis, ut non solum erudiri, sed 0569 etiam secundum Apostolum operari possint; exceptis istorum otiosis corruptisque sermonibus, quos judicare per imperitum tirocinium non valeant, in eamdem labem pestifera contagione mutantur : non solum non imitantes obedientiam sanctorum quiete operantium, et aliorum monasteriorum in saluberrima disciplina secundum apostolicam normam viventium; sed etiam insultantes melioribus, tanquam conservatricem Evangelii praedicantes pigritiam, tanquam praevaricatricem accusantes misericordiam. Multo enim misericordius operatur erga animas infirmorum qui bonae famae servorum Dei consulit, quam erga corpora egentium qui panem esurientibus frangit. Quapropter utinam isti qui vacare volunt manibus, omnino vacarent et linguis. Neque enim tam multos ad imitationem invitarent, si eis non tantum exempla pigra, sed etiam muta proponerent.