He is not witty, or learned, or eloquent, but HOLY :— a character that Hermogenes never dreamed of, and therefore he could give no precepts thereof. But it is gained,-First, by choosing texts of devotion, not controversy; moving and ravishing texts, whereof the scriptures are full.-Secondly, by dipping and seasoning all our words and sentences in our hearts before they come into our mouths; truly affecting, and cordially expressing all that we say so that the auditors may plainly perceive that every word is heart-deep.-Thirdly, by turning often, and making many apostrophes to God; as, "O Lord! bless my people, and teach them this point!" or, "O my Master, on whose errand I come, let me hold my peace, and do thou speak thyself; for thou art love; and when thou teachest, all are scholars." Some such irradiations scatteringly in the sermon, carry great holiness in them. The prophets are admirable in this. So Isa. Ixiv.; Oh, thou that wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, &c. And Jeremy (chap. x.), after he had complained of the desolation of Israel, turns to God suddenly, O Lord! I know that the way of man is not in himself, &c.-Fourthly, by frequent wishes of the people's good, and joying therein; though he himself were, with St. Paul, even sacrificed upon the service of their faith. For there is no greater sign of holiness, than the procuring and rejoicing in another's good. And herein St. Paul excelled, in all his epistles. How did he put the Romans in all his prayers (Rom. i. 9); and ceased not to give thanks for the Ephesians (Eph. i. 16); and for the Corinthians (1 Cor. i. 4); and for the Philippians made request with joy (Phil. i. 4); and is in contention for them whether to live or die, be with them or Christ (ver. 23); which, setting aside his care of his flock, were a madness to

doubt of. What an admirable epistle is the second to the Corinthians! How full of affections! He joys, and he is sorry; he grieves, and he glories! Never was there such a care of a flock expressed, save in the great Shepherd of the fold, who first shed tears over Jerusalem, and afterwards blood. Therefore this care may be learned there, and then woven into sermons; which will make them appear exceeding reverend and holy.Lastly, by an often urging of the presence and majesty of God; by these, or such like speeches-" Oh, let us take heed what we do! God sees us; he sees whether I speak as I ought, or you hear as you ought; he sees hearts, as we see faces. He is among us; for if we be here, he must be here; since we are here by him, and without him could not be here." Then, turning the discourse to his majesty,-" and he is a great God, and terrible; as great in mercy, so great in judgment! There are but two devouring elements, fire and water; he hath both in him. His voice is as the sound of many waters, (Rev. i.); and he himself is a consuming fire." (Heb. xii.)—Such discourses shew very holy.

The parson's method in handling of a text consists of two parts:-First, a plain and evident declaration of the meaning of the text;-and Secondly, some choice observations, drawn out of the whole text, as it lies entire and unbroken in the scripture itself. This he thinks natural, and sweet, and grave. Whereas the other way, of crumbling a text into small parts, (as, the person speaking or spoken to, the subject, and object, and the like,) hath neither in it sweetness, nor gravity, nor variety; since the words apart are not scripture, but a dictionary, and may be considered alike in all the scripture.

The parson exceeds not an hour in preaching, because

all ages have thought that a competency: and he that profits not in that time, will less afterwards; the same affection which made him not profit before, making him then weary; and so he grows from not relishing, to loathing.

CHAPTER VIII.

The Parson on Sundays.

THE Country Parson, as soon as he awakes on Sunday morning, presently falls to work, and seems to himself so as a market-man is, when the market-day comes; or a shop-keeper, when customers use to come in. His thoughts are full of making the best of the day, and contriving it to his best gains. 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 turns to request for his people, " that the Lord would be pleased to sanctify them all; that they may come with holy hearts, and awful minds, into the congregation; and that the good God would pardon all those who come with less prepared hearts than 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

an a tist

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 the 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 himself. Then, having read divine service twice fully, and preached in the morning, and catechised in the afternoon, he thinks he hath in some measure, according to poor and frail man, discharged the public duties of the congregation. The rest of the day he spends either in reconciling neighbors that are at variance; or in visiting the sick; or in exhortations to some of his flock by themselves, whom his sermons cannot, or do not, reach. And every one is more awaked, when we come and say, Thou art the man. This way he finds exceeding useful, and winning and these exhortations he calls his privy purse; even as princes have theirs, besides their public disbursements. At night he thinks it a fit time, both suitable to the joy of the day, and without hindrance to public duties, either to entertain some of his neighbors, 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 minds to apprehend God's good blessing to our church and state; that order is kept in the one, and peace in the other, without disturbance or interruption of public divine 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 hind's feet, ever climbing up higher and higher unto him."

CHAPTER IX.

The Parson's State of Life.

THE Country Parson, considering that virginity is a higher state than matrimony, and that the ministry requires the best and highest things, is rather unmarried than married. 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 than 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 keep house, he hath not a woman in his house; but finds opportunities of having his meat dressed and other services done by men servants at home, and his linen washed abroad. If he be unmarried, and sojourn, he never talks 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 companies, both of his behavior, speech, and very looks; knowing himself to be both suspected and envied. 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 days 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 thinks it not enough for him to observe the fasting days of the church, and the