Page:Readings in European History Vol 2.djvu/148

 no Readings in European History the condition of the monasteries, and how many things have every day been committed in them contrary to the rules. In Augustine's time monastic brotherhoods were free ; but afterward, when discipline was corrupted, vows were every- where laid upon them, in order that, by establishing a new kind of prison, the discipline might be restored again. Besides vows, many other observances were added little by little. And these bonds and snares were cast upon many before they came to ripe years, contrary to the rules ; many through error fell into this kind of life unawares, who, though they wanted not years, yet wanted discretion to judge of their strength and ability to lead the monastic life. They who were once got within these nets were constrained to abide in them, though, by exceptions provided for in the rules, some might be set at liberty. Conditions were even worse in the monasteries of nuns than in those of monks, although the weaker sex ought more to have been spared. The monastic This rigor and severity have displeased many good men in the past, when they saw young maids and young men thrust into monasteries merely with a view of having them sup- ported there. ... To all these evils there was added such an exalted esteem of vows as, is well known, did in former times displease even the monks themselves, — if any of them perchance were somewhat wiser than the rest. The advo- cates of monasticism taught that vows were equal to bap- tism ; they taught that by this kind of life they merited remission of sins and justification before God ; yea, they added that the monk's life did not only merit righteousness before God, but more than that, because it observed not only the commandments but also the counsels of the gospel. And thus they taught that the monk's profession was better than baptism, that the monk's life did merit more than the life of magistrates, of pastors, and such like, who, in obedi- ence to God's commandment, followed their calling, without any such religion of man's making. . . . The people do also conceive many pernicious opinions from these false commendations of the monastic lite. They hear celibacy praised above measure ; therefore they do life overrated.