nothing spoken or done in the Company where he is but comes under his Test and censure If it be well spoken or done he takes occasion to commend and enlarge it if ill he presently lays hold of it least the poyson steal into some young and unwary spirits and possesse them even before they themselves heed it But this he doth discretely with mollifying and suppling words This was not so well said as it might have been forborn We cannot allow this or else if the thing will admit interpretation Your meaning is not thus but thus or So farr indeed what you say is true and well said but this will not stand This is called keeping Gods watch when the baits which the enemy lays in company are discovered and avoyded This is to be on Gods side and be true to his party Besides if he perceive in company any discourse tending to ill either by the wickedness or quarrelsomnesse thereof he either prevents it judiciously or breaks it off seasonably by some diversion Wherein a pleasantness of disposition is of great use men being willing to sell the interest and ingagement of their discourses for no price sooner then that of mirth whither the nature of man loving refreshment gladly betakes it selfe even to the losse of honour CHAP. XIX The Parson in reference THe Countrey Parson is sincere nnd upright in all his relations And first he is just to his Countrey as when he is set at an armour or horse he borrowes them not to serve the turne nor provides slight and unusefull but such as are every way fitting to do his Countrey true and laudable service when occasion requires To do otherwise is deceit and therefore not for him who is hearty and true in all his wayes as being the servant of him in whom there was no guile Likewise in any other country-Countrey-duty he considers what is the end of any Command and then he suits things faithfully according to that end Secondly he carryes himself very respectively as to all the Fathers of the Church so especially to his Diocesan honouring him both in word and behaviour and resorting unto him in any dufficulty either in his studies or in his Parish He observes Visitations and being there makes due use of them as of Clergy councels for the benefit of the Diocese And therefore before he comes having observed some defects in the Ministry he then either in Sermon if he preach or at some other time of the day propounds among his Brethren what were fitting to be done Thirdly he keeps good Correspondence with all the neighbouring Pastours round about him performing for them any Ministeriall office which is not to the prejudice of his own Parish Likewise he welcomes to his house any Minister how poor or mean soever with as joyfull a countenance as if he were to entertain some great Lord Fourthly he fulfills the duty and debt of neighbourhood to all the Parishes which are neer him For the Apostles rule Philip 4. being admirable and large that we should do whatsoever things are honest or just or pure or lovely or of good report if there be any vertue or any praise And Neighbourhood being ever reputed even among the Heathen as an obligation to do good rather then to those that are further where things are otherwise equall therefore he satisfies this duty also Especially if God have sent any calamity either by fire or famine to any neighbouring Parish then he expects no Briefe but taking his Parish together the next Sunday or holy-day and exposing to them the uncertainty of humane affairs none knowing whose turne may be next and then when he hath affrighted them with this exposing the obligation of Charity and Neighbour-hood he first gives himself liberally and then incites them to give making together a summe either to be sent or which were more comfortable all together choosing some fitt day to carry it themselves and cheere the Afflicted So if any neighbouring village be overburdened with poore and his owne lesse charged hee findes some way of releeving it and reducing the Manna and bread of Charity to some equality representing to his people that the Blessing of God to them ought to make them the more charitable and not the lesse lest he cast their neighbours poverty on them also CHAP. XX The Parson in Gods stead THe Countrey Parson is in Gods stead to his Parish and dischargeth God what he can of his promises Wherefore there is nothing done either wel or ill whereof he is not the rewarder or punisher If he chance to finde any reading in anothers Bible he provides him one of his own If he finde another giving a poor man a penny he gives him a tester for it if the giver be fit to receive it or if he be of a condition above such gifts he sends him a good book or easeth him in his Tithes telling him when he hath forgotten it this I do because at such and such a time you were charitable This is in some sort a discharging of God as concerning this life who hath promised that Godlinesse shall be gainfull but in the other God is his own immediate paymaster rewarding all good deeds to their full proportion The Parsons punishing of sin and vice is rather by withdrawing his bounty and courtesie from the parties offending or by private or publick reproof as the case requires then by causing them to be presented or otherwise complained of And yet as the malice of the person or hainousness of the crime may be he is carefull to see condign punishment inflicted and with truly godly zeal without hatred to the person hungreth and thirsteth after righteous punishment of unrighteousnesse Thus both in rewarding vertue and in punishing vice the Parson endeavoureth to be in Gods stead knowing that Countrey people are drawne or led by sense more then by faith by present rewards or punishments more then by future CHAP. XXI The Parson Catechizing THe Countrey Parson values Catechizing highly for there being three points of his duty the one to infuse a competent knowledge of salvation in every one of his Flock the other to multiply and build up this knowledge to a spirituall Temple the third to inflame this knowlegde to presse and drive it to practice turning it to reformation of life by pithy and lively exhortations Catechizing is the first point and but by Catechizing the other cannot be attained Besides whereas in Sermons there is a kinde of state in Catechizing there is an humblenesse very sutable to Christian regeneration which exceedingly delights him as by way of exercise upon himself and by way of preaching to himself for the advancing of his own mortification For in preaching to others he forgets not himself but is first a Sermon to himself and then to others growing with the growth of his Parish He useth and preferreth the ordinary Church-Catechism partly for obedience to Authority partly for uniformity sake that the same common truths may be every where
of the day and contriving it to his best gaines To this end besides his ordinary prayers he makes a peculiar one for a blessing on the exercises of the day That nothing befall him unworthy of that Majesty before which he is to present himself but that all may be done with reverence to his glory and with edification to his flock humbly beseeching his Master that how or whenever he punish him it be not in his Ministry then he turnes to request for his people that the Lord would be pleased to sanctifie them all that they may come with holy hearts and awfull mindes into the Congregation and that the good God would pardon all those who come with lesse prepared hearts then they ought This done he sets himself to the Consideration of the duties of the day and if there be any extraordinary addition to the customary exercises either from the time of the year or from the State or from God by a child born or dead or any other accident he contrives how and in what manner to induce it to the best advantage Afterwards when the hour calls with his family attending him he goes to Church at his first entrance humbly adoring and worshipping the invisible majesty and presence of Almighty God and blessing the people either openly or to himselfe Then having read divine Service twice fully and preached in the morning and catechized in the afternoone he thinks he hath in some measure according to poor and fraile man discharged the publick duties of the Congregation The rest of the day he spends either in reconciling neighbours that are at variance or in visiting the sick or in exhortations to some of his flock by themselves whom his Sermons cannot or doe not reach And every one is more awaked when we come and say Thou art the man This way he findes exceeding usefull and winning and these exhortations he cals his privy purse even as Princes have theirs besides ther publick disbursments At night he thinks it a very fit time both sutable to the joy of the day and without hinderance to publick duties either to entertaine some of his neighbours or to be entertained of them where he takes occasion to discourse of such things as are both profitable and pleasant and to raise up their mindes to apprehend Gods good blessing to our Church and State that order is kept in the one and peace in the other without disturbance or interruption of publick dvinie offices As he opened the day with prayer so he closeth it humbly beseeching the Almighty to pardon and accept our poor services and to improve them that we may grow therein and that our feet may be like hindes feet ever climbing up higher and higher unto him CHAP. IX The Parson's state of Life THe Country Parson considering that virginity is a higher state then Matrimony and that the Ministry requires the best and highest things is rather unmarryed then marryed But yet as the temper of his body may be or as the temper of his Parish may be where he may have occasion to converse with women and that among suspicious men and other like circumstances considered he is rather married then unmarried Let him communicate the thing often by prayer unto God and as his grace shall direct him so let him proceed If he be unmarried and keepe house he hath not a woman in his house but findes opportunities of having his meat dress'd and other services done by men-servants at home and his linnen washed abroad If he be unmarryed and sojourne he never talkes with any woman alone but in the audience of others and that seldom and then also in a serious manner never jestingly or sportfully He is very circumspect in all companyes both of his behaviour speech and very looks knowing himself to be both suspected and envyed If he stand steadfast in his heart having no necessity but hath power over his own will and hath so decreed in his heart that he will keep himself a virgin he spends his dayes in fasting and prayer and blesseth God for the gift of continency knowing that it can no way be preserved but only by those means by which at first it was obtained He therefore thinkes it not enough for him to observe the fasting dayes of the Church and the dayly prayers enjoyned him by auctority which he observeth out of humble conformity and obedience but adds to them out of choyce and devotion some other dayes for fasting and hours for prayers and by these hee keeps his body tame serviceable and healthfull and his soul fervent active young and lusty as an eagle He often readeth the Lives of the Primi tive Monks Hermits and virgins and wondreth not so much at their patient suffering and cheerfull dying under persecuting Emperours though that indeed be very admirable as at their daily temperance abstinence watchings and constant prayers and mortifications in the times of peace and prosperity To put on the profound humility and the exact temperance of our Lord Iesus with other exemplary vertues of that sort and to keep them on in the sunshine and noone of prosperity he findeth to be as necessary and as difficult at least as to be cloathed with perfect patience and Christian fortitude in the cold midnight stormes of persecution and adversity He keepeth his watch and ward night and day against the proper and peculiar temptations of his state of Life which are principally these two Spirituall pride and Impurity of heart against these ghostly enemies he girdeth up his loynes keepes the imagination from roving puts on the whole Armour of God and by the vertue of the shield of faith he is not afraid of the pestilence that walketh in darkenesse carnall impurity nor of the sicknesse that destroyeth at noone day Ghostly pride and self-conceite Other temptations he hath which like mortall enemies may sometimes disquiet him likewise for the humane soule being bounded and kept in in her sensitive faculty will runne out more or lesse in her intellectuall Originall concupisence is such an active thing by reason of continuall inward or outward temptations that it is ever attempting or doing one mischief or other Ambition or untimely desire of promotion to an higher state or place under colour of accommodation or necessary provision is a common temptation to men of any eminency especially being single men Curiosity in prying into high speculative and unprofitable questions is another great stumbling block to the holinesse of Scholers These and many other spirituall wickednesses in high places doth the Parson fear or experiment or both and that much more being single then if he were marryed for then commonly the stream of temptations is turned another way into Covetousnesse Love of pleasure or ease or the like If the Parson be unmarryed and means to continue so he doth at least as much as hath been said If he be marryed the choyce of his wife was made rather by his eare then by his eye his
that it deserves reproof not refutation Or else because they think it empty and superfluous But that which the Apostles used so diligently in their writings nay which our Saviour himselfe used Marke 10.16 cannot bee vain and superfluous But this was not proper to Christ or the Apostles only no more then to be a spirituall Father was appropriated to them And if temporall Fathers blesse their children how much more may and ought Spirituall Fathers Besides the Priests of the old Testament were commanded to Blesse the people and the forme thereof is prescribed Numb. 6. Now as the Apostle argues in another case if the Ministration of condemnation did bless how shall not the ministration of the spirit exceed in blessing The fruit of this blessing good Hannah found and received with great joy 1 Sam. 1.18 though it came from a man disallowed by God for it was not the person but Priesthood that blessed so that even ill Priests may blesse Neither have the Ministers power of Blessing only but also of cursing So in the old Testament Elisha cursed the children 2 Kin. 2.24 which though our Saviour reproved as unfitting for his particular who was to shew all humility before his Passion yet he allows in his Apostles And therfore St Peter used that fearfull imprecation to Simon Magus Act. 8. Thy mony perish with thee and the event confirmed it So did St Paul 2 Tim. 4.14 and 1 Tim. 1.20 Speaking of Alexander the Coppersmith who had withstood his preaching The Lord saith he reward him according to his works And again of Hymeneus and Alexander he saith he had delivered them to Satan that they might learn not to Blaspheme The formes both of Blessing cursing are expounded in the Common-Prayer-book the one in The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ c. and The Peace of God c. The other in generall in the Commination Now blessing differs from prayer in assurance because it is not performed by way of request but of confidence and power effectually applying Gods favour to the blessed by the interesting of that dignity wherewith God hath invested the Priest and ingaging of Gods own power and institution for a blessing The neglect of this duty in Ministers themselves hath made the people also neglect it so that they are so far from craving this benefit from their ghostly Father that they oftentimes goe out of church before he hath blessed them In the time of Popery the Priests Benedicite and his holy water were over highly valued and now we are fallen to the clean contrary even from superstition to coldnes and Atheism But the Parson first values the gift in himself and then teacheth his parish to value it And it is observable that if a Minister talke with a great man in the ordinary course of complementing language he shall be esteemed as ordinary complementers but if he often interpose a Blessing when the other gives him just opportunity by speaking any good this unusuall form begets a reverence and makes him esteemed according to his Profession The same is to be observed in writing Letters also To conclude if all men are to blesse upon occasion as appears Rom. 12.14 how much more those who are spiritual Fathers CHAP. XXXVII Concerning detraction THe Countrey Parson perceiving that most when they are at leasure make others faults their entertainment and discourse and that even some good men think so they speak truth they may disclose anothers fault finds it somwhat difficult how to proceed in this point For if he absolutely shut up mens mouths and forbid all disclosing of faults many an evill may not only be but also spread in his Parish without any remedy which cannot be applyed without notice to the dishonor of God and the infection of his flock and the discomfort dicredit hinderance of the Pastor On the other side if it be unlawful to open faults no benefit or advantage can make it lawfull for we must not do evill that good may come of it Now the Parson taking this point to task which is so exceeding useful and hath taken so deep roote that is seems the very life and substance of Conversation hath proceeded thus far in the discussing of it Faults are either notorious or private Again notorious faults are either such as are made known by common fame and of these those that know them may talk so they do it not with sport but commiseration or else such as have passed judgment been corrected either by whipping or imprisoning or the like Of these also men may talk and more they may discover them to those that know them not because infamy is a part of the sentence against malefactours which the Law intends as is evident by those which are branded for rogues that they may be known or put into the stocks that they may be looked upon But some may say though the Law allow this the Gospel doth not which hath so much advanced Charity and ranked backbiters among the generation of the wicked Rom. 1.30 But this is easily answered As the executioner is not uncharitable that takes away the life of the condemned except besides his office he add a tincture of private malice in the joy and hast of acting his part so neither is he that defames him whom the Law would have defamed except he also do it out of rancour For in infamy all are executioners and the Law gives a malefactour to all to be defamed And as malefactors may lose forfeit their goods or life so may they their good name and the possession thereof which before their offence and Judgment they had in all mens brests for all are honest till the contrary be proved Besides it concerns the Common-Wealth that Rogues should be known and Charity to the publick hath the precedence of private charity So that it is so far from being a fault to discover such offenders that it is a duty rather which may do much good and save much harme Neverthelesse if the punished delinquent shall be much troubled for his sins and turne quite another man doubtlesse then also mens affections and words must turne and forbear to speak of that which even God himself hath forgotten FINIS Dr Dōn