Question IV: Whether religious ought, on account of poverty, to wear mean clothing

¶ I ASSERT that it is lawful to use a rough habit, nay, that it befits them. Thus St. Bonau. in cap. 2. Reg. et p. p. speculi discipl. ad novitios, cap. 25. This indeed contributes to poverty, humility, penance, and contempt of worldly things. Vuald. pursues these at length, lib. 3. doctr. fidei, cap. 27. Each orders obtains its own peculiar habit from the ancient custom and tradition of the Church, as is evident from St. Dionys. cap. 6. Eccl. Hier. from the Councils, Gangr. at the end, Aurel. V. cap. 19. Carth. IV. cap. 11. et 104. Tolet. VI. cap. 6. Tol. X. cap. 4. 5. 6. The Sixth General Synod, cap. 42. and excommunication is imposed upon one who rashly lays aside the habit, cap. es periculosa, tit. Ne Clerici, vel Monach. lib. 6. See Caiet. V. Excom. cap. 61. Valencia, d. 10. quaest. 5. puncto 4.

¶ I ASSERT that meanness of habit befits Religious.

¶ It is proved by St. Bonaventure first: The habit indicates the state of the person, Eccli. 19. The apparel of a man declares him, but the Religious ought to be discerned from delicate seculars. Surely they who are clothed in soft garments are in the houses of kings, Matth. 11.

LEARN THE COMPOSITION of the habit in the Seraphic Doctor.

FURTHERMORE he ENJOINS, that they not be stripped of the habit without necessity, even for a short time.

IT IS FORBIDDEN under excommunication incurred ipso facto, to lay aside the habit rashly, cap. Ut periculosa, cit.

NOTE that it is incurred through rashness, if it is laid aside without cause, and another is assumed unto apostasy, or he could be said to have laid it aside. See Politius in cap. 2. Reg. where he adds that excom. is not incurred by him who would strip himself in order to commit fornication, unless he put on another garment, that he might go unknown. Thus also Nauar. Man. cap. 27. num. 131. Sylvest. V. Excom. 9. num. 24. yet he would sin lethally. The habit ought to be worn openly abroad, from Trident. sess. 25. cap. 1. t. Rodrig. tom. 1. qq. quaest. 30. art. 2. It ought also to be worn at night, cap. Sanctimon. d. 23. See also Sanctem. ad cap. 2. Regulae.

St. BONAVENTURA published another little work on sandals, in which he shows that these were worn from the times of the infant Church even by the very Apostles. Read him through.