So that in this manner the prelates, both then and ever since, coming from a mean and plebeian life on a sudden to be lords of stately palaces, rich furniture, delicious fare, and princely attendance, thought the plain and homespun verity of Christ’s gospel unfit any longer to hold their lordships’ acquaintance, unless the poor threadbare matron were put into better clothes; her chaste and modest vail, surrounded with celestial beams, they overlaid with wanton tresses, and in a staring tire bespeckled her with all the gaudy allurements of a whore.[139] In this the clash is between _plebeian life_ and _stately palaces_, _rich furniture_, etc.; _homespun verity_ and _lordship’s acquaintance_; _threadbare matron_ and _better clothes_; _chaste and modest vail_ and _wanton tresses_, _staring tire_, and _gaudy allurements of a whore_. Lastly I should like to take a sentence from the same work, which has been admired by Aldous Huxley for its energy. Thus then did the spirit of unity and meekness inspire and animate every joint and sinew of the mystical body; but now the gravest and worthiest minister, a true bishop of his fold, shall be reviled and ruffled by an insulting and only canon-wise prelate, as if he were some slight paltry companion: and the people of God, redeemed and washed with Christ’s blood, and dignified with so many glorious titles of saints and sons in the gospel, are now no better reputed than impure ethnics and lay dogs; stones, pillars, and crucifixes, have now the honour and the alms due to Christ’s living members; the table of communion, now become a table of separation, stands like an exalted platform on the brow of the quire, fortified with bulwark and barricado, to keep off the profane touch of the laics, whilst the obscene and surfeited priest scruples not to paw and mammock the sacramental bread as familiarly as his tavern biscuit.[140] In this typical specimen of Milton’s vehemence, _gravest and worthiest minister, a true bishop_ contrasts with _insulting and only canon-wise prelate_ and with _slight paltry companion_; _the people of God, redeemed and washed with Christ’s blood, and dignified with so many glorious titles of saints and sons in the gospel_ with _impure ethnics_ and _lay dogs_; _stones, pillars, and crucifixes_ with _Christ’s living members_; _communion_ with _separation_; _fortified with bulwark and barricado_ with the earlier _unity and meekness_; _obscene_, _surfeited_, _paw_, and _mammock_ with _priest_; and _sacramental bread_ with _tavern biscuit_.