uld but just keep himself and his family
from melancholy and despair, shroud under his protection as many Curates
as the best Nobleman in the land hath Chaplains [_i.e., eight_].

Now, many such as these, go into Orders against the sky falls! foreseeing
no more likelihood of any preferment coming to them, than you or I do of
being Secretaries of State. Now, so often as any such as these, for want
of maintenance, are put to any unworthy and disgraceful shifts; this
reflects disparagement upon all that Order of holy men.

And we must have a great care of comparing our small preferred Clergy
with those but of the like fortune, in the Church of Rome: they having
many arts and devices of gaining respect and reverence to their Office,
which we count neither just nor warrantable. We design no more, than to
be in a likely capacity of doing good, and not discrediting our religion,
nor suffering the Gospel to be disesteemed: but their aim is clearly, not
only by cheats, contrived tales, and feigned miracles, to get money in
abundance; but to be worshipped, and almost deified, is as little as they
will content themselves withal.

For how can it be, but that the people belonging to a Church, wherein the
Supreme Governor is believed never to err (either purely by virtue of his
own single wisdom, or by help of his inspiring Chair, or by the
assistance of his little infallible Cardinals; for it matters not, where
the root of not being mistaken lies): I say, how can it be, but that all
that are believers of such extraordinary knowledge, must needs stand in
most direful awe, not only of the aforesaid Supreme, but of all that
adhere to him, or are in any ghostly authority under him?

And although it so happens that this same extraordinary knowing Person is
pleased to trouble himself with a good large proportion of this vile and
contemptible world; so that should he, now and then, upon some odd and
cloudy day, count himself _mortal_, and be a little mistaken; yet he has
chanced to make such a comfortable provision for himself and his
followers, that he must needs be sufficiently valued and honoured amongst
all. But had he but just enough to keep himself from catching cold and
starving, so long as he is invested with such spiritual sovereignty and
such a peculiar privilege of being infallible; most certainly, without
quarrelling, he takes the rode [?] of all mankind.

And as for the most inferior priests of all, although they pretend