Synopsis papismi, that is, A generall viewe of papistry wherein the whole mysterie of iniquitie, and summe of antichristian doctrine is set downe, which is maintained this day by the Synagogue of Rome, against the Church of Christ, together with an antithesis of the true Christian faith, and an antidotum or counterpoyson out of the Scriptures, against the whore of Babylons filthy cuppe of abominations: deuided into three bookes or centuries, that is, so many hundreds of popish heresies and errors. Collected by Andrew Willet Bachelor of Diuinity.

THE FOVRTH PART, CONCERNING THE maintenance of Monkes.

The Papists.

[error 97] THey neither denie that it is vnlawfull for Monkes to labour with their hands, where necessitie, bodily strength, the order of the Church doth require thē, neither doe they confesse, that it is necessary for them to worke: And so are not ashamed to maintaine their idle, slothfull, and Epicures life, Bellarm. cap. 41.42. Rhemists, Thessal. 2.3. sect. 2. But they may either liue of the lands giuen to their houses, or els by their religious begging, cap. 44.

1 Monkes are not now bound to worke, hauing wherewithall to liue beside of lands giuen vnto them, because most of them are Priests, and doe serue at the Altar, Rhemist. ibid.

Ans. First, we grant that Ministers of the Gospell labouring in the word and Sacraments, ought to be maintained by the Gospell: But such are fewe or none of your Monkes, who being fit for no other seruice either in the Church or com∣monwealth, are thrust into Monasteries by their friends: they are idolatrous Priests, and serue little better then at Baals altar. If any of them be fit for the Mi∣nisterie, as we denye not but some haue come out of your Cloysters, as Luther, Bucer, P. Martyr, by whom the Church of God hath receiued much good: but they must come first out of your Dennes, and relinquish their Monkish life, and labour amongst the people: so shal they be no more regular, but secular priests, as you terme them. Secondly, the lands which were bestowed vpon them, were first giuen vpon an euill intent, that by their prayers they should redeeme the soules of their founders, who most of them had cōmitted some notable sinne, & so pro remedio animarū, to helpe their soules, they built Monasteries: So King E∣thelstane for killing his brother Edwin, built two Monasteries, Middleton and Michelney for his soule, Fox. pag. 152. King Offa for killing Ethelbert a good Prince, who came peaceably for the despousage of Atheldred his daughter, be∣ing pricked in conscience, gaue the first Peter pence to Rome, pag. 114. Those lands therefore being giuen first for vngodly purposes, and continued by them for idolatrous vses, ought cleane to bee taken from them, and to be bestowed vpon better vses, neither is it lawfull for them in that sort to enioy them.

2 They proue the impudent begging of Friers, which they call religious begging, to be lawfull and commendable, by the example of Christ, who had not a place where to put his head, Luk. 9. and of his Apostles, that were charged not to possesse gold or siluer in their purses, Math. 10. Bellarm. cap. 45.

Ans. First, I pray you where euer did you reade that Christ went a begging? he liued not of almes, but gaue almes, and Iudas was the almesman, though he playd his part but euill. Augustine flatly denyeth that you auouch: He saith that Christs bagge was as Fiscus regis, euen as the Kings Exchequer: and that what was giuen him, was as due as tribute money to the Prince: But the King, I trow, is not a begger. Nisi putetis, (sayth he) quia dominus petebat & indigebat, cui seruiebant angeli, qui de quinque panibus tot millia pauit. Vnlesse you thinke (sayth he) that Christ begged, and wanted, whom the Angels serued, and who fed with fiue loaues not a fewe thousands, in Psal. 146. Secondly, if the Apostles were beggers, then they liued of almes, but that is vntrue: for Christ saith, The labourer is worthie of his hire: but the labourers wages is earned and deserued, it is no almes.

The Protestants.

FIrst we say, that no idle persons ought to be maintained in a Christian com∣monwealth, but they that haue not any other necessary calling, should labour

with their hands, and therefore Monkes that are fit for no other seruice in the Church, ought to labour and worke.

1 Saint Paul giueth a general rule: He that will not worke, let him not eate, 2. Thessal. 3.10. speaking of those that haue no necessarie calling in the Church: Ergo, Monkes must worke, or els by S. Paules rule, not eate. The Rhemists an∣swere, that this is but a naturall admonition or counsel. Nay, it is a precept and commandement, that all in their seuerall places and callings should labour, none liue idlely: for S. Paul saith not, this I counselled you, but this I warned you of, or denounced vnto you, and he calleth those that followed not this rule, inordinate walkers.

2 Againe, if you will needes haue Monks, let them be as they were in times past: for then they were lay men and laboured with their hands, till anno. 606. when Boniface made a decree that Monkes might vse the office of preaching and Christening: but before that, Monks were forbidden by the generall Coun∣cel of Chalcedon, not to entermeddle with matters Ecclesiasticall, Fox. pag. 154. But perhaps they will say, as they doe, that some of them work, as their Nunnes: And I pray you, why not their Monkes too? I thinke their great bellies hinder them. Neither are their Monkes altogether idle; for some of them in painting, caruing, grauing, and garnishing their Idols, are very cunning. But, according to the saying, they might better be idle then ill occupied, and as good neuer a whit, as neuer the better.

3. Neither is it to be permitted, that Friers should get their liuing by begging: for what are they els but valiant beggers? First, there ought to be no beggers in the common-wealth: as Deuteron. 15. Though the Lord say, that they should neuer be without poore or beggers, which should want their helpe, vers. 11. Yet vers. 5. this charge is giuen, that by them, that is, their default, there should not be a begger in Israel: they should so prouide for the poore, that they neede not go a begging. There are also positiue lawes, to restraine the number of beggers, and therefore there is no reason, that by a number of idle vagrant persons, bel∣li-god Friers, that begging order should be enlarged. Secondly, but seeing it can not bee chosen, but there must needes be some beggers: they ought not to bee young sturdie lubbers, that are able to worke, as most of the Friers were, but such as are described, Luk. 14.21. where the King saith to his seruants, Goe out quick∣ly, and bring hither the poore, the maimed, the halt, the blinde: Ergo, such lusty fellowes ought to liue by the sweate of their browes, not to eate vp the bread of the poore. Lastly, in the sermons, Ad fratres in eremo, which are ascribed to Augustine, thus we reade: Eia fratres mei, semper boni aliquid facite, quem tadet orare,* 1.1 vel psallere non desistat, quem taedet orare, vel psallere, manibus laborare non desistat. My brethren, alwaies bee ye doing of some good; if you bee wearie of praying, sing, if of singing, then labour with your hands. And in the same place, old men onely of 80. yeere old are exempted from working. And in another place Augustine sheweth, that the Monkes in his time did so plye their worke, Vsque adeo, vt etiam naues oneratas in ea loca mittant, qua inopes incolunt: that

they sent shippes laden with necessaries, vnto those places where the poore in∣habited. De morib. eccles. cap. 32. Ergo, in Augustines time Monkes liued not by begging, but with labour of their hands.

Thus by Gods goodnes we haue finished this question, and this whole Con∣trouersie: One other question remaineth: whether the Monasticall life be me∣ritorious or not: which we haue referred to another place, when we shall come to the question of Virginitie in generall and the priuiledges thereof.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Serm. 16.