Lady, Bull in the Relapse, Say-grace,
Cuff-cushion, and others, all learning their
Lessons of their stubborn Superior our Reformer, and
all tending to governing, brow-beating, snubbing,
commanding Families, and the like, but not one word
of humility tack’d to’t, for fear
of spoiling the Character; there you may find 24 pages,
one after another, all written to prove most gloriously,
that ’tis impossible for a Chaplain to
be a Servant; that tho’ you find a poor fellow
in a tatter’d Excommunicated Gown with one sleeve,
Shoes without heels, miserable Antichristian breeches,
with some two dozen of creepers brooding in the seams;
and tho’ you take him charitably to your House,
feed, clothe, and give him wages, yet he belongs only
to God, and not you, and you must not think
him your Domestick, but your Superior.
Why, what a Scheme is here laid for Vanity and Folly,
add how much more shining and beautiful does gratitude
and humility appear in such a Depender, than such a
bloated opinion as this? Would any honest Gentleman,
that has his sences, shew his Indulgence and Generosity
to Wit or Learning, on such terms as these? And
does not this Chapter shew more the Spirit of Pride
in our Absolver, relating to his own humour,
than the veneration he has for the Clergy, or the
Justice he would seem to do them in it? I dare
affirm, most of them are against this Opinion, at least
I’m sure all the modest part are, who cannot
but own themselves subservient to their Patrons that
maintain them, tho’ at the same time they are
Ministers of Gods holy Words and Sacraments.
Yet he buffly goes on, He is Gods Minister, not
Mans Servant. [Footnote: Office of a Chaplain,
p. 178.] And a little way further, he clenches this
admirable Notion through and through; therefore, says
he, for a Patron to acconnt such a Consecrated
Person, as if he belong’d to him as a Servant,
is in effect to challenge Divine Honours, and set
himself up for a God. [Footnote: Ib. p.
185.] Here’s Ambition, here’s Perfection,
here’s old Bonner for ye. Now by
his Hollidame, for I can’t forbear that
Oath now, what can a squeamish Critick, that would
make Remarks upon the Remarker call this?
But stay, he’s at it again, Dolopion,
says he, was Priest to Scamander_, and regarded
like the God he belong’d to_. [Footnote:
Collier, p. 113.] Pray mind him, the Priest
was worshipp’d equal with the God—oh
rare Moralist—if he were, ’twas an
AEgyptian Worship, where only Calves
and Apes, and Carrots and Onions,
were Gods. But pray let us see a little,
has not this Divine quotation a tang of Blasphemy
in’t? Oh fie, no; what, the Moralist!
Reformer of Vices! Speak Blasphemy!
Impossible! he can’t sure! Yes, yes, he
may, when he thinks no body can find him out:
and faith, to my sence now, this smells as rank of