PIETRO GIANNONE. 



COLLATERAL ARTICLE. 



From your Refleffioni morali e teologiche, I fho~ 

 roughly comprehend, that the bifhops, priefb and 

 deacons, and other degrees of clergy wherein the 

 hierarchy of the church coniifts, muft be of little im- 

 portance to us. In the light of fo great a monarch and 

 fuch magnificent fenators, they difappear like the ftars 

 in the brightnefs of the fun, and are nothing but their 

 officers and their fatellites. By the prefent hierarchy I 

 perceive you mean nothing more than the orders of 

 monks, whom you juftly ftyle, the lights and pillars of 

 chriftendom. I cannot deny that they are the tremen- 

 dous legions whereon the romifli monarchy has always 

 been fupported. Who has ever trumpeted forth the 

 papal power with greater zeal than they ? With their 

 own-invented pietifms they have fafcinated the whole 

 catholic world. As the aggrandifement of the papal 

 authority, and the fplendour of the grand court of 

 chriftendom is their laudable aim, I lament that I 

 have ever written a word againft them. — I have there- 

 fore nothing to fay againft the rofary of the Domini- 

 cans^ againft the rope of the Francifcans, againft the 

 girdle of the Auguftines, againft the fcapulary of the 

 Carmelites ; neither can I find in my heart to laugh 

 at the wonderful names, Converfae, Tertiariae, Bi- 

 guinas, Corrigiatae, Mantellatag, Pinzocheriae, Ca- 

 noniffe, JefuitifTae. Only I cannot comprehend, how 

 one order can carry their diflike to the devotions and 



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