XIV. OF MONASTIC VOWS.

Inasmuch as monastic vows operate directly against the first chief article, they should be utterly abolished; for they are the very delusions which caused Christ, Matt. 24, 25, to say: "I am Christ," &c. For whoever commends monastic life, believes that he pursues a better course of life than the common Christian does, and wishes by his works to merit heaven not only for himself, but also for others: this is denying Christ. But they refer to St. Thomas, and boast that monastic vows are equal to Baptism: this is a blasphemy against God.