temperance out of bookes So that the Pâ—rson having studied and mastered all his lusts and affections within and the whole Army of Temptations without hath ever so many sermons ready penn'd as he hath victories And it fares in this as it doth in Physick He that hath been sick of a Consumption and knows what recovered him is a Physitian so far as he meetes with the same disease and temper and can much better and particularly do it then he that is generally learned and was never sick And if the same person had been sick of all diseases and were recovered of all by things that he knew there were no such Physician as he both for skill and tendernesse Just so it is in Divinity and that not without manifest reason for though the temptations may be diverse in divers Christians yet the victory is alike in all being by the self-same Spirit Neither is this true onely in the military state of a Christian life but even in the peaceable also when the servant of God freed for a while from temptation in a quiet sweetnesse seeks how to please his God Thus the Parson considering that repentance is the great vertue of the Gospel and one of the first steps of pleasing God having for his owne use examined the nature of it is able to explaine it after to others And particularly having doubted sometimes whether his repentance were true or at least in that degree it ought to be since he found himselfe sometimes to weepe more for the losse of some temporall things then for offending God he came at length to this resolution that repentance is an act of the mind not of the Body even as the Originall signifies and that the chiefe thing which God in Scriptures requires is the heart and the spirit and to worship him in truth and spirit Wherefore in case a Christian endeavour to weep and cannot since we are not Masters of our bodies this sufficeth And consequently he found that the essence of repentance that it may be alike in all Gods children which as concerning weeping it cannot be some being of a more melting temper then others consisteth in a true detestation of the soul abhorring and renouncing sin and turning unto God in truth of heart and newnesse of life Which acts of repentance are and must be found in all Gods servants Not that weeping is not usefull where it can be that so the body may joyn in the grief as it did in the sin but that so the other acts be that is not necessary so that he as truly repents who performes the other acts of repentance when he cannot more as he that weeps a floud of tears This Instruction and comfort the Parson getting for himself when he tels it to others becomes a Sermon The like he doth in other Christian vertues as of faith and Love and the Cases of Conscience belonging thereto wherein as Saint Paul implyes that he ought Romans 2. hee first preacheth to himselfe and then to others CHAP. XXXIV The Parson's Dexterity in applying of Remedies THe Countrey Parson knows that there is a double state of a Christian even in this Life the one military the other peaceable The military is when we are assaulted with temptations either from within or from without The Peaceable is when the Divell for a time leave us as he did our Saviour and the Angels minister to us their owne food even joy and peace and comfort in the holy Ghost These two states were in our Saviour not only in the beginning of his preaching but afterwards also as Mat. 22.35 He was tempted And Luke 10.21 He rejoyced in Spirit And they must be likewise in all that are his Now the Parson having a Spirituall Judgement according as he discovers any of his Flock to be in one or the other state so he applies himselfe to them Those that he findes in the peaceable state he adviseth to be very vigilant and not to let go the raines as soon as the horse goes easie Particularly he counselleth them to two things First to take heed lest their quiet betray them as it is apt to do to a coldnesse and carelesnesse in their devotions but to labour still to be as fervent in Christian Duties as they remember themselves were when affliction did blow the Coals Secondly not to take the full compasse and liberty of their Peace not to eate of all those dishes at table which even their present health otherwise admits nor to store their house with all those furnitures which even their present plenty of wealth otherwise admits nor when they are among them that are merry to extend themselves to all that mirth which the present occasion of wit and company otherwise admits but to put bounds and hoopes to their joyes so will they last the longer and when they depart returne the sooner If we would judg ourselves we should not be judged and if we would bound our selves we should not be bounded But if they shall fear that at such or such a time their peace and mirth have carryed them further then this moderation then to take Iobs admirable Course who sacrificed lest his Children should have transgressed in their mirth So let them go and find some poore afflicted soul and there be bountifull and liberall for with such sacrifices God is well pleased Those that the Parson findes in the military state he fortifyes and strengthens with his utmost skill Now in those that are tempted whatsoever is unruly falls upon two heads either they think that there is none that can or will look after things but all goes by chance or wit Or else though there be a great Governour of all things yet to them he is lost as if they said God doth forsake and persecute them and there is none to deliver them If the Parson suspect the first and find sparkes of such thoughts now and then to break forth then without opposing directly for disputation is no Cure for Atheisme he scatters in his discourse three sorts of arguments the first taken from Nature the second from the Law the third from Grace For Nature he sees not how a house could be either built without a builder or kept in repaire without a house-keeper He conceives not possibly how the windes should blow so much as they can and the sea rage as much as it can and all things do what they can and all not only without dissolution of the whole but also of any part by taking away so much as the usuall seasons of summer and winter earing and harvest Let the weather be what it will still we have bread though sometimes more somtimes lesse wherewith also a carefull Ioseph might meet He conceives not possibly how he that would beleeve a Divinity if he had been at the Creation of all things should lesse beleeve it seeing the Preservation of all things For Preservation is a Creation and more it is a continued Creation and a creation every
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 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
professed especially since many remove from Parish to Parish who like Christian Souldiers are to give the word and to satisfie the Congregation by their Catholick answers He exacts of all the Doctrine of the Catechisme of the younger sort the very words of the elder the substance Those he Catechizeth publickly these privately giving age honour according to the Apostles rule 1 Tim. 5.1 He requires all to be present at Catechizing first for the authority of the work Secondly that Parents and Masters as they hear the answers prove may when they come home either commend or reprove either reward or punish Thirdly that those of the elder sort who are not well grounded may then by an honourable way take occasion to be better instructed Fourthly that those who are well grown in the knowledg of Religion may examine their grounds renew their vowes and by occasion of both inlarge their meditations When once all have learned the words of the Catechisme he thinks it the most usefull way that a Pastor can take to go over the same but in other words for many say the Catechisme by rote as parrats without ever piercing into the sense of it In this course the order of the Catechisme would be kept but the rest varyed as thus in the Creed How came this world to be as it is Was it made or came it by chance Who made it Did you see God make it Then are there some things to be beleeved that are not seen Is this the nature of beliefe Is not Christianity full of such things as are not to be seen but beleeved You said God made the world Who is God And so forward requiring answers to all these and helping and cherishing the Answerer by making the Question very plaine with comparisons and making much even of a word of truth from him This order being used to one would be a little varyed to another And this is an admirable way of teaching wherein the Catechized will at length finde delight and by which the Catechizer if he once get the skill of it will draw out of ignorant and silly souls even the dark and deep points of Religion Socrates did thus in Philosophy who held that the seeds of all truths lay in every body and accordingly by questions well ordered he found Philosophy in silly Trades-men That position will not hold in Christianity because it contains things above nature but after that the Catechisme is once learn'd that which nature is towards Philosophy the Catechism is towards Divinity To this purpose some dialogues in Plato were worth the reading where the singular dexterity of Socrates in this kind may be observed and imitated Yet the skill consists but in these three points First an aim and mark of the whole discourse whither to drive the Answerer which the Questionist must have in his mind before any question be propounded upon which and to which the questions are to be chained Secondly a most plain and easie framing the question even containing in vertue the answer also especially to the more ignorant Thirdly when the answerer sticks an illustrating the thing by something else which he knows making what hee knows to serve him in that which he knows not As when the Parson once demanded after other questions about mans misery since man is so miserable what is to be done And the answerer could not tell He asked him again what he would do if he were in a ditch This familiar illustration made the answer so plaine that he was even ashamed of his ignorance for he could not but say he would hast out of it as fast he could Then he proceeded to ask whether he could get out of the ditch alone or whether he needed a helper and who was that helper This is the skill and doubtlesse the Holy Scripture intends thus much when it condescends to the naming of a plough a hatchet a bushell leaven boyes piping and dancing shewing that things of ordinary use are not only to serve in the way of drudgery but to be washed and cleansed and serve for lights even of Heavenly Truths This is the Practice which the Parson so much commends to all his fellow-labourers the secret of whose good consists in this that at Sermons and Prayers men may sleep or wander but when one is asked a question he must discover what he is This practice exceeds even Sermons in teaching but there being two things in Sermons the one Informing the other Inflaming as Sermons come short of questions in the one so they farre exceed them in the other For questions cannot inflame or ravish that must be done by a set and laboured and continued speech CHAP XXII The Parson in Sacraments THe Countrey Parson being to administer the Sacraments is at a stand with himself how or what behaviour to assume for so holy things Especially at Communion times he is in a great confusion as being not only to receive God but to break and administer him Neither findes he any issue in this but to throw himself down at the throne of grace saying Lord thou knowest what thou didst when thou appointedst it to be done thus therefore doe thou fulfill what thou didst appoint for thou art not only the feast but the way to it At Baptisme being himselfe in white he requires the presence of all and Baptizeth not willingly but on Sundayes or great dayes Hee admits no vaine or idle names but such as are usuall and accustomed Hee says that prayer with great devotion where God is thanked for calling us to the knowledg of his grace Baptisme being a blessing that the world hath not the like He willingly and cheerfully crosseth the child and thinketh the Ceremony not onely innocent but reverend He instructeth the God-fathers and God-mothers that it is no complementall or light thing to sustain that place but a great honour and no less burden as being done both in the presence of God and his Saints and by way of undertaking for a Christian soul He adviseth all to call to minde their Baptism often for if wise men have thought it the best way of preserving a state to reduce it to its principles by which it grew great certainly it is the safest course for Christians also to meditate on their Baptisme often being the first step into their great and glorious calling and upon what termes and with what vowes they were Baptized At the times of the Holy Communion he first takes order with the Church-Wardens that the elements be of the best not cheape or course much lesse ill-tasted or unwholsome Secondly hee considers and looks into the ignorance or carelesness of his flock and accordingly applies himselfe with Catechizings and lively exhortations not on the Sunday of the Communion only for then it is too late but the Sunday or Sundayes before the Communion or on the Eves of all those dayes If there be any who having not received yet is to enter into this great work he takes the more