This being
so, what may we then think of such Armies of _Hermits_, _Monks_ and
_Friers_, who pretending to justifie a mistaken Zeal and meritorious
Abstinence; not only by a peculiar Diet and Distinction of Meats
(which God without Distinction has made the moderate Use of common and
[103]indifferent amongst _Christians_) but by other sordid Usages, and
unnecessary Hardships, wilfully prejudice their Health and Constitution?
and through a singular manner of living, dark and _Saturnine_; whilst
they would seem to abdicate and forsake the World (in Imitation, as they
pretend, of the Ancient _Eremites_) take care to settle, and build their
warm and stately Nests in the most Populous Cities, and Places of
Resort; ambitious doubtless of the Peoples Veneration and Opinion of an
extraordinary Sanclity; and therefore flying the _Desarts_, where there
is indeed no use of them; and flocking to the _Towns_ and _Cities_ where
there is less, indeed none at all; and therefore no Marvel that the
Emperour _Valentinian_ banished them the Cities, and _Constantine
Copronymus_ finding them seditious, oblig'd them to marry, to leave
their Cells, and live as did others.
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