Examination of those Plausible Appearances in the Romish Church, Chapter 40
CHAP. XL. That the profession of Monkes is not a note of true humilitie, and that their life hath nothing Angelicall in it.
WE see then, what kinde of povertie the povertie of Monks is: what kinde of austerity their austeritie is, hauing nothing admirable in them, nothing which may prejudice their opposites in a matter of so great importance as is religion, seeing there is nothing extraordinary in them, nothing which is not common in the ordinary course of life, nothing which may not bee both parallel'd, and transcended in the most horrible superstitions.
But peradventure they are humble, contemning the world? But whence should that be coniectured? Is it from their povertie, or from the meanesse of their apparell, or from their savage kinde of life quite estranged from humane civilitie? This coniecture indeed might hauehave some colour and probabilitie, if their povertie (such as it is,) their habit & their strange course of life made them contemptible and despicable to the world. But povertie, basenesse of apparell, and stoicall incivilitie which make any other person cōtemptible, adorne a Monke, and make him honorable. Aboundance of wealth, bravery in apparell, fashionable carriage are not honourable in the world, but onelyonly because they make him to be honoured who hath them. But if basenesse procure respect and applause, it's pride to seeme cont…mptible, and ambition to affect basenesse. He spake not like a foole, who told the Cynick Philosopher, that he saw his pride through the holes of his cloake, because he was so poorely clad, that he might be the more respected. There was not anciently any sort of men so proud as that …ect of Philosophers, with their long beards, course cloakes, beggerly scrips, bare feet, like to our Capuchins now a daies. The Gentrie, and common people of those times with a kinde of emulation, outvyed one another in a superstitious respect to that Idol of gravity, that deceitfull outside of humilitie, which inwrapped a prouder heart then the royall robe of Alexander. True humilit…e is seated in the heart, and in the inmost closet of the soule: shee is not commended by any thing which may bee counterfeited: shee is discerned as well vnderunder the robes of David, as vnderunder the rags of Lazarus. But some will say, that the Monkes would bee more respected then they are, if they were not Monks. Let vsus see how true this is; what should we thinke of those heauie, blockish spirits thrust into a Monastery by their kindred, because of their vnfitnesse for any thing else, that they might not serue for a reproach to the family of which they are descended: is it likely these creatures would bee more respected not being Monkes? What should we thinke of those poore fellowes, which if they were out of the Covent, would hardly finde wherewith to sustaine nature, vnlesse they got it by their fingers ends at some base occupation? Would these be more respected? Lastly, what should we thinke of those more sublimated wits, and soaring spirits amongst them, to whom the Monastery is insteed of a Galerie through which they may walke to a Bishopricke, thence climbe to a Cardinalship, and thence ofttimes iump into the Papall throne? Would these hauehave fared better out of the Monastery? Suppose all them hit not this marke, could they hauehave aymed better at it out of the Couent? It was a Pope who before he came to this dignity, vsed out of his austerity a net insteed of a bed, and now seeing the world to wonder at the change which he had made of his net bed into a fether bed, answered, that he had caught his fish. The Monkish profession serues now adaies to heighthen & adorne the lustre of learning, eloquence, and the like good parts, as shadowes in a picture grace the other colours. Mantuan amongst the Poets, was but the more esteemed because hee was a Monke. Hath Onuphrius beene any whit the lesse admired by his own, or lesse esteemed of by the learned? Aquinas, and Scotus, hauehave they not beene so much the more renowned because they were Monkes?
The glory, and applause which Monsieur du Bouchage hath gotten by his Monasticke profession, hauehave they not equalled all the honour which he could expect from Martiall feats? Those actions cannot bee true notes of humilitie wherein one sowes a small honour, for an assured haruest of a greater: but those wherein a man debaseth and deiecteth himselfe, expecting no advancement or preferment but in heauen. The praise also of this humilitie is not of men, but from God, who seeth it in secret and rewardeth it openly. Let it be proued vntounto vsus then, that the Monks contemne honour, and we will beleeue that they contemne the world. It is not to tread the world vnderunder foot, not to plead at barre, not to sit in the chaire of state, not to beare armes, not to serue ones King and country, to liue in idlenesse according to the precepts of Epicurus: but not sollicitously to ayme at, not to affe…t that honour which is wont to accompany all these professions. The Monkish profession cannot bring a testimoniall of such a contempt of the world; yea on the contrary, it betrayes a great louelove of it, seeing it is the most certaine and easie way to that honour which other men purchase with so much sweat and anxiety. Finally they tell vsus, that the Monkish life is Angelicall, but I would willingly know wherefore: Doe the Angells vse to be idle during their abode vponupon earth? Yea are they not all ministring spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heires of salvation. Are they not busie for the preservation of men? But these Angel-Monkes, what doe they? It will bee said, they spend much time in prayer; yea, they devoure widdowes houses, vnderunder the pretence of their long prayers, as anciently did the Scribes & Pharises. To pray to God, and to serue the world, are these matters which cannot stand together? The Patriarchs, Prophets, & Apostles did not they pray? And yet did they not labour day and night for the setting forward of the salvation of men? Questionlesse, their charity is cold and hypocriticall who being able to doe more, spend it only in prayers; iustly deseruing, that their prayers should redescend vponupon their owne heads turned into curses.