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decently to the station wherein God hath placed me, I am covetous. More particularly, and to give one instance for all; if God have given me servants, and I either provide too little for them, or that which is unwholesome, being sometimes baned meat, sometimes too salt, and so not competent nourishment, I am covetous. I bring this example, because men usually think, that servants for their money are as other things that they buy; even as a piece of wood, which they may cut or hack, or throw into the fire; and, so they pay them their wages, all is well.-Nay, to descend yet more particularly; if a man hath wherewithal to buy a spade, and yet he chooseth rather to use his neighbor's and wear out that, he is covetous.-Nevertheless, few bring covetousness thus low, or consider it so narrowly; which yet ought to be done, since there is a justice in the least things, and for the least there shall be a judgment. Country people are full of these petty injustices, being cunning to make use of another, and spare themselves. And scholars ought to be diligent in the observation of these, and driving of their general school-rules ever to the smallest actions of life; which, while they dwell in their books, they will never find; but, being seated in the country, and doing their duty faithfully, they will soon discover; especially if they carry their eyes ever open, and fix them on their charge, and not on their preferment.

Secondly, for gluttony, the parson lays this ground. He that either for quantity eats more than his health or employments will bear, or for quality is liquorous after dainties, is a glutton;-as he that eats more than his estate will bear, is a prodigal; and he that eats offensively to the company, either in his order or length of eating, is scandalous and uncharitable. These three

rules generally comprehend the faults of eating; and the truth of them needs no proof. So that men must eat, neither to the disturbance of their health, nor of their affairs (which, being over-burdened, or studying dainties too much, they cannot well despatch), nor of their estate, nor of their brethren. One act in these things is bad; but it is the custom and habit that names a glutton. Many think they are at more liberty than they are, as if they were masters of their health; and, so they will stand to the pain, all is well. But to eat to one's hurt comprehends, besides the hurt, an act against reason, because it is unnatural to hurt one's self; and this they are not masters of. Yet, of hurtful things, I am more bound to abstain from those, which by mine own experience I have found hurtful, than from those which by a common tradition and vulgar knowledge are reputed to be so.-That which is said of hurtful meats, extends to hurtful drinks also. As for the quantity, touching our employments, none must eat so as to disable themselves from a fit discharging either of divine duties, or duties of their calling. So that, if after dinner they are not fit (or unwieldy) either to pray or work, they are gluttons. Not that all must presently work after dinner. For they rather must not work, especially students, and those that are weakly. But that they must rise so, as that it is not meat or drink that hinders them from working. To guide them in this, there are three rules. First, the custom and knowledge of their own body, and what it can well digest. The second, the feeling of themselves in time of eating; which because it is deceitful (for one thinks in eating, that he can eat more, than afterwards he finds true). The third is the observation with what appetite they sit down. This last rule, joined with the first,

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340

THE COUNTRY PARSON.

never fails. For, knowing what one usually can well
digest, and feeling when I go to meat in what disposition
I am, either hungry or not; according as I feel myself,
either I take my wonted proportion, or diminish of it.
Yet physicians bid those that would live in health, not
keep a uniform diet, but to feed variously; now more,
now less. And Gerson, a spiritual man, wisheth all to
incline rather to too much, than to too little; his reason
is, because diseases of exinanition are more dangerous
than diseases of repletion. But the parson distinguish-
eth according to his double aim; either of abstinence a
moral virtue, or mortification a divine. When he deals
with any that is heavy and carnal, he gives him those
freer rules. But when he meets with a refined and
heavenly disposition, he carries them higher, even some-
times to a forgetting of themselves; knowing that there
is one who, when they forget, remembers for them.
As when the people hungered and thirsted after our
Saviour's doctrine, and tarried so long at it, that they
would have fainted had they returned empty, he suf-
fered it not; but rather made food miraculously, than
suffered so good desires to miscarry.

CHAPTER XXVII.

The Parson in Mirth.

THE Country Parson is generally sad, because he knows nothing but the cross of Christ; his mind being defixed on it with those nails wherewith his Master was. Or, if he have any leisure to look off from thence, he meets continually with two most sad spectacles,—sin and misery; God dishonored every day, and man

afflicted. Nevertheless, he sometimes refresheth himself, as knowing that nature will not bear everlasting droopings, and that pleasantness of disposition is a great key to do good: not only because all men shun the company of perpetual severity; but also for that, when they are in company, instructions seasoned with pleasantness both enter sooner, and root deeper. Wherefore he condescends to human frailties, both in himself and others; and intermingles some mirth in his discourses occasionally, according to the pulse of the hearer.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

The Parson in Contempt.

THE Country Parson knows well, that,-both for the general ignominy which is cast upon the profession, and much more for those rules which out of his choicest judgment he hath resolved to observe, and which are described in this book,--he must be despised. Because this hath been the portion of God his Master, and of God's saints his brethren; and this is foretold, that it shall be so still, until things be no more. Nevertheless,

according to the apostle's rule, he endeavors that none shall despise him; especially in his own parish he suffers it not, to his utmost power, for that, where contempt is, there is no room for instruction. This he procures, First, by his holy and umblamable life; which carries a reverence with it, even above contempt. Secondly, by a courteous carriage and winning behavior. He that will be respected, must respect; doing kindnesses, but receiving none, at least of those who are apt to despise; for this argues a height and eminency of mind,

which is not easily despised, except it degenerate to pride. Thirdly, by a bold and impartial reproof, even of the best in the parish, when occasion requires: for this may produce hatred in those that are reproved, but never contempt, either in them or others. Lastly, if the contempt shall proceed so far as to do any thing punishable by law, as contempt is apt to do if it be not thwarted, the parson, having a due respect both to the person and to the cause, referreth the whole matter to the examination and punishment of those which are in authority that so, the sentence lighting upon one, the example may reach to all.

But if the contempt be not punishable by law; or, being so, the parson think it in his discretion either unfit or bootless to contend: then, when any despises him, he takes it either in a humble way, saying nothing at all; -or else in a slighting way, shewing that reproaches touch him no more than a stone thrown against heaven, where he is and lives;-or in a sad way, grieved at his own and others' sins, which continually break God's laws, and dishonor him with those mouths which he continually fills and feeds;-or else in a doctrinal way, saying to the contemner, "Alas, why do you thus? you hurt yourself, not me; he that throws a stone at another, hits himself;" and so, between gentle reasoning and pitying, he overcomes the evil;-or, lastly, in a triumphant way, being glad and joyful that he is made conformable to his Master, and, being in the world as he was, hath this undoubted pledge of his salvation. These are the five shields, wherewith the godly receive the darts of the wicked: leaving anger, and retorting, and revenge to the children of the world; whom another's ill mastereth, and leadeth captive, without any resistance, even in resistance, to the same destruction. For

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