The Holy Rules of St. Benedict
Chapter 1 defined the four kinds of monks: (1) Cenobites, the monastic, who live under a rule and an Abbot.; (2) Anchorites, or hermits, those who, after long successful training in a monastery, are now coping single-handedly, with only God for their help; (3) Sarabites, who have been tried by no rule under the hand of a masterliving ; and (4) Landlopers, who keep going their whole life long from one province to another
Chapter 2 describes the necessary qualifications of an abbot
Chapter 3 ordains the calling of the brethren to council upon all affairs of importance to the community.
Chapter 4 gives a list of seventy-four "tools for good work"/"tools of the spiritual craft" that are to be used in the "workshop" that is "the enclosure of the monastery and the stability in the community".these are the instruments of the spiritual art
Chapter 5 prescribes prompt, ungrudging, and absolute obedience to the superior in all things lawful, "unhesitating obedience" being called the first degree, or step, of humility.
Chapter 6 deals with silence.
Chapter 7 treats of humility, which virtue is divided into twelve degrees or steps in the ladder that leads to heaven. They are: fear of God; repression of self-will; submission of the will to superiors for the love of God; obedience in difficult, contrary or even unjust conditions; confession of sinful thoughts and secret wrong-doings; contentment with the lowest and most menial treatment and acknowledgment of being "a poor and worthless workman" in the given task; honest acknowledgement of one's inferiority to all others; being guided only by the monastery's common rule and the example of the superiors; speaking only when asked a question; stifling ready laughter; seriousness, modesty, brevity and reasonableness in speech and a calm voice; outward manifestation of the interior humility.
Chapters 9-19 are occupied with the regulation of the Divine Office, the opus Dei to which "nothing is to be preferred", namely the canonical hours, seven of the day and one of the night. Detailed arrangements are made as to the number of Psalms, etc., to be recited in winter and summer, on Sundays, weekdays, Holy Days, and at other times.
Chapter 20 directs that prayer be made with heartfelt compunction rather than many words, and prolonged only under the inspiration of divine grace, but in community always short and terminated at the sign given by the superior.
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