pray either blessing God, that he will be pleased to dwell among men; or beseeching him that whenever he repairs to his house, he may behave himself so as befits so great a presence; and this briefly. But it happens that, near the place where he is to pray, he spies some scoffing ruffian, who is likely to deride him for his pains. If he now shall, either for fear or shame, break his custom, he shall do passing ill; so much the rather ought he to proceed, as that by this he may take into his prayer humiliation also. On the other side, if I am to visit the sick in haste, and my nearest way lie through the church, I will not doubt to go without staying to pray there (but only, as I pass, in my heart), because this kind of prayer is additionary, not necessary; and the other duty overweighs it; so that if any scruple arise, I will throw it away, and be most confident that God is not displeased.

This distinction may run through all Christian duties; and it is a great stay and settling to religious souls.

THE Country Parson hath not only taken a particular survey of the faults of his own parish, but a general also of the diseases of the time; that so, when his occasions carry him abroad or bring strangers to him, he may be the better armed to encounter them.-The great and national sin of this land, he esteems to be idleness: great in itself, and great in consequence; for when men have nothing to do, then they fall to drink, to steal, to whore, to scoff, to revile, to all sorts of gamings.

"Come," say they, "we have nothing to do; let's go to the tavern, or to the stews;" or what not? Wherefore the parson strongly opposeth this sin, wheresoever

he goes.

And because idleness is twofold,-the one in having no calling, the other in walking carelessly in our calling, he first represents to every body the necessity of a vocation. The reason of this assertion is taken from the nature of man; wherein God hath placed two great instruments, reason in the soul, and a hand in the body, as engagements of working. So that even in paradise man had a calling; and how much more out of paradise? when the evils which he is now subject unto, may be prevented or diverted by reasonable employment. Besides, every gift or ability is a talent to be accounted for, and to be improved to our Master's advantage. Yet is it also a debt to our country to have a calling; and it concerns the commonwealth, that none should be idle, but all busied. Lastly, riches are the blessing of God, and the great instrument of doing admirable good; therefore all are to procure them, honestly and seasonably, when they are not better employed. Now this reason crosseth not our Saviour's precept of selling what we have; because, when we have sold all and given it to the poor, we must not be idle, but labor to get more, that we may give more; according to St. Paul's rule (Eph. iv. 28, 1 Thess. iv. 11, 12). So that our Saviour's selling is so far from crossing St. Paul's working, that it rather establisheth it; since they that have nothing, are fittest to work.

Now because the only opposer to this doctrine is the gallant, who is witty enough to abuse both others and himself, and who is ready to ask if he shall mend shoes, or what he shall do; therefore the parson, unmoved,

sheweth, that ingenuous and fit employment is never wanting to those that seek it. But, if it should be, the assertion stands thus:-All are either to have a calling, or prepare for it: he that hath or can have yet no employment, if he truly and seriously prepare for it, he is safe, and within bounds. Wherefore all are either presently to enter into a calling, if they be fit for it, and it for them; or else to examine, with care and advice, what they are fittest for, and to prepare for that with all diligence.

But it will not be amiss, in this exceeding useful point, to descend to particulars; for exactness lies in particulars.

Men are either single, or married. The married and house-keeper hath his hands full, if he do what he ought to do. For there are two branches of his affairs: first, the improvement of his family, by bringing them up in the fear and nurture of the Lord; and secondly, the improvement of his grounds by drowning, or draining, stocking, or fencing, and ordering his land to the best advantage both of himself and his neighbors. The Italian says "None fouls his hands in his own business. And it is an honest and just care, so it exceed not bounds, for every one to employ himself to the advancement of his affairs, that he may have wherewithal to do good. But his family is his best care: to labor Christian souls, and raise them to their height, even to heaven; to dress and prune them, and take as much joy in a straight-growing child or servant, as a gardener doth in a choice tree. Could men find out this delight, they would seldom be from home; whereas now, of any place, they are least there. But if, after all this care well despatched, the house-keeper's family be so small, and his dexterity so great, that he have leisure to look

out, the village or parish which either he lives in, or is near unto it, is his employment. He considers every one there; and either helps them in particular, or hath general propositions to the whole town or hamlet, of advancing the public stock, and managing commons or woods, according as the place suggests. But if he may be of the commission of peace, there is nothing to that. No commonwealth in the world hath a better institution than that of justices of the peace. For it is both a security to the king, who hath so many dispersed officers at his beck throughout the kingdom, accountable for the public good; and also an honorable employment of a gentle or nobleman in the country he lives in, enabling him with power to do good, and to restrain all those who else might both trouble him and the whole state. Wherefore it behoves all, who are come to the gravity and ripeness of judgment for so excellent a place, not to refuse, but rather to procure it. And, whereas there are usually three objections made against the place the one, the abuse of it, by taking petty country bribes; the other, the casting of it on mean persons, especially in some shires; and lastly, the trouble of it: —these are so far from deterring any good man from the place, that they kindle them rather to redeem the dignity either from true faults, or unjust aspersions.

Now, for single men, they are either heirs, or younger brothers. The heirs are to prepare in all the forementioned points against the time of their practice. Therefore they are to mark their father's discretion in ordering his house and affairs; and also elsewhere, when they see any remarkable point of education or good husbandry, and to transplant it in time to his own home; with the same care as others, when they meet with good fruit, get a graft of the tree, enriching their or

chard, and neglecting their house. Besides, they are to read books of law and justice; especially the statutes at large. As for better books, of divinity, they are not in this consideration; because we are about a calling, and a preparation thereunto. But, chiefly and above all things, they are to frequent sessions and assizes. For it is both an honor which they owe to the reverend judges and magistrates, to attend them, at least in their shire: and it is a great advantage to know the practice of the land; for our law is practice. Sometimes he may go to court, as the eminent place both of good and ill. At other times he is to travel over the king's dominions; cutting out the kingdom into portions, which every year he surveys piecemeal. When there is a parliament, he is to endeavor by all means to be a knight or burgess there; for there is no school to a parliament. And when he is there, he must not only be a morning man, but at committees also; for there the particulars are exactly discussed, which are brought from thence to the house but in general. When none of these occasions call him abroad, every morning that he is at home he must either ride the great horse, or exercise some of his military gestures. For all gentlemen, that are not weakened and disarmed with sedentary lives, are to know the use of their arms; and as the husbandman labors for them, so must they fight for and defend him, when occasion calls. This is the duty of each to other, which they ought to fulfil; and the parson is a lover and exciter to justice in all things; even as John the Baptist squared out to every one, even to soldiers, what to do. As for younger brothers, those whom the parson finds loose, and not engaged in some profession by their parents (whose neglect in this point is intolerable, and a shameful wrong both to the commonwealth and their