the hardest!
if they can get by heart, _Quid est fides? Quid est Ecclesia? quot sunt
Concilia Generalia_? and gain Orders; they may prove Readers or
Preachers, according as their gifts and opportunities shall lie. Now
many, such as these, the Church being not able to provide for (as there
is no great reason that she should be solicitous about it) must needs
prove a very great disparagement to her; they coming hither, just as the
old heathens used to go to prayers. When nothing would stop the anger of
the gods, then for a touch of devotion! and if there be no way to get
victuals; rather than starve, let us Read or Preach!

In short, Sir, we are perfectly overstocked with Professors of Divinity:
there being scarce employment for half of those who undertake that
office. And unless we had some of the Romish tricks, to ramble up and
down, and cry Pardons and Indulgences; or, for want of a living, have a
good store of clients in the business of Purgatory, or the like, and so
make such unrighteous gains of Religion: it were certainly much better if
many of them were otherwise determined. Or unless we have some vent
[_export_] for our Learned Ones, beyond the sea; and could transport so
many tons of Divines yearly, as we do other commodities with which the
nation is overstocked; we do certainly very unadvisedly, to breed up so
many to that Holy Calling, or to suffer so many to steal into Orders:
seeing there is not sufficient work and employment for them.

The next thing that does as much to heighten the misery of our Church, as
to the _poverty_ of it, is the Gentry's designing, not only the weak, the
lame, and usually the most ill-favoured of their children for the office
of the Ministry; but also such as they intend to settle nothing upon for
their subsistence: leaving them wholly to the bare hopes of Church
preferment. For, as they think, let the Thing look how it will, it is
good enough for the Church! and that if it had but limbs enough to climb
the pulpit, and eyes enough to find the day of the month, it will serve
well enough to preach, and read _Service_!

So, likewise, they think they have obliged the Clergy very much, if they
please to bestow two or three years' education upon a younger son at the
University: and then commend him to the grace of GOD, and the favour of
the Church; without one penny of money, or inch of land!

You must not think, that he will spoil his eldest son's estate, or hazard
the lessening of