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CHAP. LXII.
Of the several sorts of Monks.
THere are yet remaining in the Church a sort of People of several Opinions which are call'd Monks and Fryars Anchorites, altogether unknown to the Old Law: At this day they assume to themselves
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the Title of Religious Persons; prescribing to them∣selves most severe Rules of Living; and Professing most Holy Duties and Exercises, march under the Name and Banner of some most Religious and noted Person or Martyr, as Bernard, Austin, Benedict, Francis, and the like: but at this time there is an Abomina∣ble Rout of sinners crept in among them. For hither, as to a Sanctuary, flock together all those, who out of the guilt of their Consciences, or otherwise fearing the Punishment of the Law, are safe no where else, others who have committed certain Crimes that are to be Expiated by Sufferance and Repentance, whom the dis-repute of their Conversations hath rendred proof against Infamy; who having wasted their Estates with Whoring, Drinking, Gaming, and all manner of Riot, at length Debt and Want compells 'um to Begg: others there are, whom the hope of ease, loss of Mistress, or their being Cheated when Young, fierce Mothers-in-Law, or severe Tutors, compel and drive to these Hou∣ses, the Massie Body of which Higgle-de Piggle-de is joyn'd and soder'd together with a reign'd Sanctimo∣ny, a Cowl, and a confidence of sturdy Begging. The Body of their Houses is that great Sea wherein, with the other little Fishes, dwell the great Leviathans and Behemoths, the Great Whales, Monsters, and creeping things, whose number is not to be told. From thence are spew'd up so many Stoical-Apes, so many Penny-Beggers, so many Mendicant Gown-men, so many Monsters in Cowls, so many Beard-weare•s, Rope-carriers, Staff-bearers, black, sad-colour, grey, white, woodden-shooes, ba••-footed Budget bearers, vary-colour'd, many-coated, canvas-wearing cloak-carriers, gown-men, coat-carriers, some loose, some tuck'd up, with all the rest of the crouds of Histrio's, who having no Faith in Worldly things themselves, by reason of their monstrous habit, are yet by the poor
Page 185
People of the World accompted Divine, Usurping the Sacred Name of Religion to themselves, and boasting themselves to be the Companions of Christ and his Apostles; whose Life and Conversation is generally most Wicked, contaminated and defil'd with all man∣ner of Covetousness, Lust, Ambition, Sawciness, Im∣pudence, and all manner of enormity; yet going safe and unpunishable, under the defence of pretended Re∣ligion. For they are fortified with the Priviledges of the Romish Church, and exempted from all Ecclesi∣astical Jurisdiction, to the end they may the more lawfully go on in Wickedness: and although they are able to cite all other Persons whatsoever before their false and illiterate Tribunal, yet they themselves can be Cited no where but either to Rome or Jerusalem. As for their Vanities and Errors, were I to set them down in Writing, not all the Parchment in Madi∣an would comprehend them; I mean of them who profess not Piety for Religions sake, but put on the Cowl to maintain their Luxurie. Most rapacious Wolves, who under Lambs-skins and Sheeps-cloathing hide the Fox in their Brests, using such Arts of Dissi∣mulation, that their whole Profession seems to be a meer Mimick Hypocrisie, and a meer trade of Piety dri∣ven on by personated Persons, which under a Pale Vi∣sage hide their pretended Fasting, making their du∣tiful Tears obey their deep Sighs, counterfeiting Pray∣ers with the Motion of their Lips, and by means of their sober Gate, and demure Postures,
With Head dejected, fixing on the Ground
Their Leacherous Eyes.
Assuming Modesty and Devoutness to themselves, with their poor Garments covering their pretended Hu∣mility, and by means of their Cowls hanging down
Page 186
their backs, creating to themselves an Opinion of Ho∣liness, though their inward and private Conversations be most detestable; who though they commit very great Enormities, are yet sav'd; with the pretence of Reli∣gion overcoming, and with their Cowls, as with Bucklers, warding off all the Darts of ill-Fortune; and thus living secure from all civil Troubles and Dan∣gers, eating the bread of Idleness, instead of that which they ought to Labour •or, they afterwards lye down to Rest in ease and quiet: Esteeming it to be Evan∣gelical poverty, to feed upon the Labours of other men in beggery and idleness. These are they who Professing utmost Humility, clad in mean and vile Habit, bare-footed, Stage-players, bound with Ropes, like Rob∣bers and Thieves, with their Heads shaven like Mad-folks, with their Cowls, Beads, and Bells like Morris-Dancers and Carneval-mummers, prosess themselves to wear these Emblems of Poverty and Contempt for the sake of Christ and Religion: yet swelling in∣wardly with Ambition, and giving to the chief of their Orders the most Arrogant•Tides of Paranymphs, Re∣ctors, Guardians, Presidents, Priors, Vicars, Provinci∣als, Archimandritae, and Generals; so that no sort of People seems more covetous of People than they are. There are not wanting many other Enormities which may be truly reported of them; but there are others before me, who have made sufficient discovery there∣of already. I will not deny but there are some Pious and Devout men among them, but the Generality of 'um are Infidels, Reprobates, and Apostates, that de∣form and deface Religion.
Of the several sorts of Monks.
THere are yet remaining in the Church a sort of People of several Opinions which are call'd Monks and Fryars Anchorites, altogether unknown to the Old Law: At this day they assume to themselves
Page 184
the Title of Religious Persons; prescribing to them∣selves most severe Rules of Living; and Professing most Holy Duties and Exercises, march under the Name and Banner of some most Religious and noted Person or Martyr, as Bernard, Austin, Benedict, Francis, and the like: but at this time there is an Abomina∣ble Rout of sinners crept in among them. For hither, as to a Sanctuary, flock together all those, who out of the guilt of their Consciences, or otherwise fearing the Punishment of the Law, are safe no where else, others who have committed certain Crimes that are to be Expiated by Sufferance and Repentance, whom the dis-repute of their Conversations hath rendred proof against Infamy; who having wasted their Estates with Whoring, Drinking, Gaming, and all manner of Riot, at length Debt and Want compells 'um to Begg: others there are, whom the hope of ease, loss of Mistress, or their being Cheated when Young, fierce Mothers-in-Law, or severe Tutors, compel and drive to these Hou∣ses, the Massie Body of which Higgle-de Piggle-de is joyn'd and soder'd together with a reign'd Sanctimo∣ny, a Cowl, and a confidence of sturdy Begging. The Body of their Houses is that great Sea wherein, with the other little Fishes, dwell the great Leviathans and Behemoths, the Great Whales, Monsters, and creeping things, whose number is not to be told. From thence are spew'd up so many Stoical-Apes, so many Penny-Beggers, so many Mendicant Gown-men, so many Monsters in Cowls, so many Beard-weare•s, Rope-carriers, Staff-bearers, black, sad-colour, grey, white, woodden-shooes, ba••-footed Budget bearers, vary-colour'd, many-coated, canvas-wearing cloak-carriers, gown-men, coat-carriers, some loose, some tuck'd up, with all the rest of the crouds of Histrio's, who having no Faith in Worldly things themselves, by reason of their monstrous habit, are yet by the poor
Page 185
People of the World accompted Divine, Usurping the Sacred Name of Religion to themselves, and boasting themselves to be the Companions of Christ and his Apostles; whose Life and Conversation is generally most Wicked, contaminated and defil'd with all man∣ner of Covetousness, Lust, Ambition, Sawciness, Im∣pudence, and all manner of enormity; yet going safe and unpunishable, under the defence of pretended Re∣ligion. For they are fortified with the Priviledges of the Romish Church, and exempted from all Ecclesi∣astical Jurisdiction, to the end they may the more lawfully go on in Wickedness: and although they are able to cite all other Persons whatsoever before their false and illiterate Tribunal, yet they themselves can be Cited no where but either to Rome or Jerusalem. As for their Vanities and Errors, were I to set them down in Writing, not all the Parchment in Madi∣an would comprehend them; I mean of them who profess not Piety for Religions sake, but put on the Cowl to maintain their Luxurie. Most rapacious Wolves, who under Lambs-skins and Sheeps-cloathing hide the Fox in their Brests, using such Arts of Dissi∣mulation, that their whole Profession seems to be a meer Mimick Hypocrisie, and a meer trade of Piety dri∣ven on by personated Persons, which under a Pale Vi∣sage hide their pretended Fasting, making their du∣tiful Tears obey their deep Sighs, counterfeiting Pray∣ers with the Motion of their Lips, and by means of their sober Gate, and demure Postures,
With Head dejected, fixing on the Ground
Their Leacherous Eyes.
Assuming Modesty and Devoutness to themselves, with their poor Garments covering their pretended Hu∣mility, and by means of their Cowls hanging down
Page 186
their backs, creating to themselves an Opinion of Ho∣liness, though their inward and private Conversations be most detestable; who though they commit very great Enormities, are yet sav'd; with the pretence of Reli∣gion overcoming, and with their Cowls, as with Bucklers, warding off all the Darts of ill-Fortune; and thus living secure from all civil Troubles and Dan∣gers, eating the bread of Idleness, instead of that which they ought to Labour •or, they afterwards lye down to Rest in ease and quiet: Esteeming it to be Evan∣gelical poverty, to feed upon the Labours of other men in beggery and idleness. These are they who Professing utmost Humility, clad in mean and vile Habit, bare-footed, Stage-players, bound with Ropes, like Rob∣bers and Thieves, with their Heads shaven like Mad-folks, with their Cowls, Beads, and Bells like Morris-Dancers and Carneval-mummers, prosess themselves to wear these Emblems of Poverty and Contempt for the sake of Christ and Religion: yet swelling in∣wardly with Ambition, and giving to the chief of their Orders the most Arrogant•Tides of Paranymphs, Re∣ctors, Guardians, Presidents, Priors, Vicars, Provinci∣als, Archimandritae, and Generals; so that no sort of People seems more covetous of People than they are. There are not wanting many other Enormities which may be truly reported of them; but there are others before me, who have made sufficient discovery there∣of already. I will not deny but there are some Pious and Devout men among them, but the Generality of 'um are Infidels, Reprobates, and Apostates, that de∣form and deface Religion.