The Life of Thomas Aquinas; A Dissertation of the Scholastic Philosophy of the Middle Ages. Forming a Portion of the Third Division of the Encyclopaedia Metropolitana, First Published in 1833 (Paperback)

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: 7. Aquinas won to the Dominican profession by John de St. Julian.?Enters a Monastery atTfaples. Probably indeed the adoption of the monastic profession by Aquinas, in the first instance, was not altogether voluntary. The first step may have been taken with little reflection on the momentous change of life consequent on it; from the mere enthusiasm of a youthful mind, and an ardent compliance with the example and wishes of a revered instructor. The Dominican and Franciscan Orders, themselves in great measure an effect of the peculiar circumstances of the times, were but recently established in the early part of the XIIIth Century. The spirit of pro- selytism consequently was actively exerting itself at this period, to obtain for each its respective votaries, and raise it to an ascendancy over the rival institution. The Dominican Order especially, as framed in a more worldly spirit of fanaticism, had its clever and active partisans dispersed every where, who, by the fame of their erudition and piety, and by their tact, won the hearts of devout hearers to their cause. It wasby the addresses of a preacher at Naples, a Dominican, by name John of St. Julian, that Aquinas was induced to take up the monastic profession. He had imbibed the teaching of the Monk with an eager attention, and anxiously sought an opportunity of personal conference with his spiritual instructor. A conversation with St. Julian decided his purpose. His religious wish was communicated to the brothers, and readily approved by them; on which he immediately assumed the habit of a Dominican, and immured himself within a Monastery of the Order at Naples. 8. Indignation of his Mother.?He is rescued by his Brothers, and confined at his own Home. Intelligence of this proceeding on his part was received by his fa...