2 Thessalonians — Chapter 3

And Monkes for the most part in the primitiue Church (few of them being Priests, and many taken from seruile workes and handy-crafts, yea often-times professed of bond-men, made free by their maisters to enter into religion) were appointed by their superiours to worke certaine houres of the day, to supply the lackes of their Monasteries: as yet the Religious doe (women specially) in many places, which standeth wel with their profession. And S. Augustin writeth a whole booke (de opere Monachorum to. 3.) against the errour of certaine disordered Monkes that abused these words, (Nolite esse soliciti, be not careful &c. and Respicite volatilia cæli, behold the foules of the aire &c.) to proue that they should not labour at al, but pray only and commit their finding to God: not only so excusing their idlenes, but preferring themselues in holines aboue other their fellowes that did worke, and erroneously expounding the said Scriptures for their defence: as they did other Scriptures, to proue they should not be shauen after the manner of Monkes. Monkes were shauen in the primitiue Church, and Nonnes clipped of their haire. Which letting their heads to grow he much blameth also in them. See li. 2. Retract. c. 21. & do op. Monach. c. 31. and S. Hierom ep. 48. c. 3. of Nonnes cutting their haire. Where by the way you see that the Religious were shauen euen in S. Augustines time, who reprocheth them for their haire, calling them Crinitos, Hairelings, as the Heretiks now contrariewise deride them by the word Rasos, Shauelings. So that there is a great difference between the ancient Fathers and the new Protestants. S. Augustines opinion concerning Religious mens working or not working. And as for hand-labours, as S. Augustine in the *book alleadged would not haue Religious folke to refuse them, where necessitie, bodily strength, and the order of the Church or Monasterie permit or require them; so he expresly writeth, that al can not nor are not bound to worke, and that whosoeuer preacheth or ministreth the Sacraments to the people or serueth the altar (as al Religious men commonly now doe) may chalenge their liuing of them whom they serue, and are not bound to worke, no nor such neither as haue been brought vp before in state of Gentlemen, and haue giuen away their lands or goods, and made themselues poore for Christes sake. Which is to be noted, because the Heretikes affirme the said Scripture and S. Augustin to condemne al such for idle persons. * li. de op. Monac. c. 21.

10. Neither let him eate.) The heretikes cauillation agaist Religious men that worke not, answered. It is not a general precept or rule, that euery man should liue by his handy-worke, as the Anabaptists argue falsely against Gentlemen, & the Caluinists applie it peruersely against the vacant life of the Clergie, specially of Monkes and other Religious men. But it is a natural admonition only, giuen to such as had not wherwith to liue of their owne, or any right or good cause why to chalenge their finding of others, and to such as vnder the colour of Christian libertie did passe their time idly, curiously, vnprofitably, and scandalously, refusing to do such workes as were agreable to their former calling and bringing vp. Such as these, were not tolerable, specially there and then, when the Apostle and others (that might lawfully haue liued of the altar and their preaching) yet to disburden their hearers, and for the better aduancement of the Ghospel, wrought for their liuing: *protesting neuertheles continually, that they might haue done otherwise, as wel as S. Peter and the rest did, who wrought not, but were found otherwise iustly and lawfully, as al sorts of the Clergie preaching or seruing the Church and the altar, be, and ought to be, **by the law of God and nature. * 1 Cor. 9. ** See S. Cypr, ep. 66. The spiritual trauailes of the Clergie. Whose spiritual labours farre passe al boldily trauailes, where the dueties and functions of that vocation be done accordingly: as S. Augustin affirmeth of his owne extraordinarie paines incident to the Ecclesiastical affaires & regiment: insteed of which, if the vse of the Church and his infirmitie would haue permitted it he wisheth he might haue laboured with his hands somme houres of the day. Religious mens working with their hands. As some of the Clergie did euer voluntarily occupie themselues in teaching, writing, grauing, painting, planting, sowing, embrodering, or such like seemely and innocent labours. See S. Hierom. ep. 114. seu præf. in Iob. and in vit. Hilario. And Monkes for the most part in the primitiue Church (few of them being Priests, and many taken from seruile workes and handy-crafts, yea often-times professed of bond-men, made free by their maisters to enter into religion) were appointed by their superiours to worke certaine houres of the day, to supply the lackes of their Monasteries: as yet the Religious doe (women specially) in many places, which standeth wel with their profession. And S. Augustin writeth a whole booke (de opere Monachorum to. 3.) against the errour of certaine disordered Monkes that abused these words, (Nolite esse soliciti, be not careful &c. and Respicite volatilia cæli, behold the foules of the aire &c.) to proue that they should not labour at al, but pray only and commit their finding to God: not only so excusing their idlenes, but preferring themselues in holines aboue other their fellowes that did worke, and erroneously expounding the said Scriptures for their defence: as they did other Scriptures, to proue they should not be shauen after the manner of Monkes. Monkes were shauen in the primitiue Church, and Nonnes clipped of their haire. Which letting their heads to grow he much blameth also in them. See li. 2. Retract. c. 21. & do op. Monach. c. 31. and S. Hierom ep. 48. c. 3. of Nonnes cutting their haire. Where by the way you see that the Religious were shauen euen in S. Augustines time, who reprocheth them for their haire, calling them Crinitos, Hairelings, as the Heretiks now contrariewise deride them by the word Rasos, Shauelings. So that there is a great difference between the ancient Fathers and the new Protestants. S. Augustines opinion concerning Religious mens working or not working. And as for hand-labours, as S. Augustine in the *book alleadged would not haue Religious folke to refuse them, where necessitie, bodily strength, and the order of the Church or Monasterie permit or require them; so he expresly writeth, that al can not nor are not bound to worke, and that whosoeuer preacheth or ministreth the Sacraments to the people or serueth the altar (as al Religious men commonly now doe) may chalenge their liuing of them whom they serue, and are not bound to worke, no nor such neither as haue been brought vp before in state of Gentlemen, and haue giuen away their lands or goods, and made themselues poore for Christes sake. Which is to be noted, because the Heretikes affirme the said Scripture and S. Augustin to condemne al such for idle persons. * li. de op. Monac. c. 21.

14. Obey not.) Ecclesiastical censures against the disobedient. Our Pastours must be obeied, and not only secular Princes. And such as wil not be obedient to their spiritual Gouernours, the Apostle (as S. Augustin saith) giueth order and commandment that they be corrected by correption or admonition, By degradation, excommunication, and other lawful kinds of punishments. Cont. Donatist. post Collat. c. 4. 20. Read also this holy Fathers answer to such as said: Let our Prelates command vs only what we ought to doe, and pray for vs that we may doe it: but let them not correct vs. Where he proueth that Prelates must not only command and pray, but punish also if that be not done which is commanded. Li. de correp. & great. c. 3.