ABSTRACT
Nowadays we see that many monks and nuns live in monasteries against their wills, and everything they do proceeds from a forced soul and unwillingly. They are discouraged from leaving because of the world's shame, because they have promised to stay. Often they curse those who persuaded and advised them to enter the monastery, and they wish that their cloisters would be burned down. Their hearts are never content, and their consciences are unable to find rest. They are more alienated from God than they were when they were laypersons .... In the whole world there is no more dangerous sin than this perversity and hypocrisy. It would be much better for such people to leave the cloister. 22
One enters out of need, to have his expenses covered; another to become a great prelate; a third to live in idleness and to have a good time; and 1l1any out of vanity, to be reputed saints and devout and to be honoured by common people, or to demonstrate by preaching that they are intelligent.23
