doctrines of life and death:
only little men do that. Milton means what he says; and means it with
his might too--is going to put the whole strength of his spirit
presently into the saying of it. For though not a lover of false
bishops, he _was_ a lover of true ones; and the Lake-pilot is here, in
his thoughts, the type and head of true episcopal power. For Milton
reads that text, "I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of
Heaven" quite honestly. Puritan though he be, he would not blot it out
of the book because there have been bad bishops; nay, in order to
understand _him_, we must understand that verse first; it will not do
to eye it askance, or whisper it under our breath, as if it were a
weapon of an adverse sect. It is a solemn, universal assertion, deeply
to be kept in mind by all sects. But perhaps we shall be better able
to reason on it if we go on a little farther, and come back to it. For
clearly this marked insistence on the power of the true episcopate is
to make us feel more weightily what is to be charged against the false
claimants of episcopate; or generally, against false claimants of power
and rank in the body of the clergy; they who, "for their bellies' sake,
creep, and intrude, and climb into the fold."

21. Never think Milton uses those three words to fill up his verse, as
a loose writer would. He needs all the three; specially those three,
and no more than those--"creep," and "intrude," and "climb"; no other
words would or could serve the turn, and no more could be added. For
they exhaustively comprehend the three classes, correspondent to the
three characters, of men who dishonestly seek ecclesiastical power.
First, those who "_creep_" into the fold: who do not care for office,
nor name, but for secret influence, and do all things occultly and
cunningly, consenting to any servility of office or conduct, so only
that they may intimately discern, and unawares direct, the minds of
men. Then those who "intrude" (thrust, that is) themselves into the
fold, who by natural insolence of heart, and stout eloquence of tongue,
and fearlessly perseverant self-assertion, obtain hearing and authority
with the common crowd. Lastly, those who "climb," who by labor and
learning, both stout and sound, but selfishly exerted in the cause of
their own ambition, gain high dignities and authorities, and become
"lords over the heritage," though not "ensamples to the flock."

22. Now go on:--

"Of