the state of unmarried persons, to which, according to the doctrine, or at least the discipline, of the church of Rome, the clergy are obliged.

That celibacy has no pretence of divine or apostolic institution, seems no difficult point to prove: whence it is, at first, hard to conceive from what motive the court of Rome persisted so very obstinately to impose this institution on the clergy. But we are to observe, that this was a leading step to the execution of the project formed of making the clergy independent of princes, and rendering them a separate body, to be governed by their own laws. In effect, while priests had children, it was very difficult to prevent their dependence upon princes, whose favours have such an influence on private men; but having no family, they were more at liberty to adhere to the pope.