The Holy State, Book 2 · Chapter 11
CHAP. 11. The good Parishioner.
WE will onelyonly describe his Church-reference; his Civill part hath and shall be met with under other Heads. Conceive him to live under such a faithfull Minister as before was character'd, as, either judging charitably that all Pastours are such, or wishing heartily that they were.
Though near to the Church he is not farre from God. Maxime 1Like unto Justus, Acts 18.8. One that worshipped God, and his house joyned hard to the Synagogue. Otherwise if his distance from the church be great, his diligence is the greater to come thither in season.
He is timely at the beginning of Common prayer. 2Yet as *De sinibus boni & mali, lib. 2.Tullie Charged some dissolute people for being such sluggards that they never saw the sunne rising or setting, as being alwayes up after the one, and abed before the other; so some negligent people never heare prayers begun, or sermon ended: the Confession being past before they come, and the Blessing not come before they are passed away.
In sermon he sets himself to heare God in the Minister. 3Therefore divesteth he himself of all prejudice, the jaundise in the eyes of the soul presenting colours false unto it. He hearkens very attentively: 'Tis a shame when the Church it self is Coemeterium, wherein the living sleep above ground as the dead do beneath.
At every Point that concerns himself, 4he turns down a leaf in his heart; and rejoyceth that Gods word hath peirc'd him, as hoping that whilest his soul smarts it heals. And as it is no manners for him that hath good venison before him, to ask whence it came, but rather fairly to fall to it; so hearing an excellent Sermon, he never enquires whence the Preacher had it, or whether it was not before in print, but falls aboard to practise it.
5He accuseth not his Minister of spight for particularizing him. It does not follow that the archer aimed, because the arrow hit. Rather our Parishioner reasoneth thus; If my sinne be notorious, how could the Minister misse it? if secret, how could he hit it without Gods direction? But foolish hearers make even the bells of Aarons garments to clink as they think. And a guilty conscience is like a whirlpool, drawing in all to it self which otherwise would passe by. One, causelessely disaffected to his Minister, complained that he in his last Sermon had personally inveighed against him, and accused him thereof to a grave religious Gentleman in the parish: Truly, said the Gentleman, I had thought in his Sermon he had meant me, for it touched my heart. This rebated the edge of the others anger.
6His Tithes he payes willingly with cheerfulnesse. How many part with Gods portions grudgingly, or else pinch it in the paying. *Fluctus Decimus pro maximo. Ovidio & Lucano.Decimum, the Tenth, amongst the Romanes was ever taken for what was best or biggest. It falls out otherwise in paying of Tithes, where the least and leanest are shifted off to make that number.
7He hides not himself from any Parish-office which seeks for him. If chosen Churchwarden, he is not busily-idle, rather to trouble then reform, presenting all things but those which he should. If Overseer of the poore, he is carefull the rates be made indifferent (whose inequality oftentimes is more burthensome then the summe) and well disposed of. He measures not peoples wants by their clamorous complaining, and dispenseth more to those that deserve then to them that onelyonly need relief.
He is bountifull in contributing to the repair of Gods house. 8For though he be not of their opinion, who would have the Churches under the Gospell conform'd to the magnificence of Solomons Temple (whose porch would serve us for a Church) and adorn them so gaudily, that devotion is more distracted then raised, and mens souls rather dazeled, then lightened; yet he conceives it fitting that such sacred places should be handsomly and decently maintained: The rather because the climactericall yeare of many Churches from their first foundation, may seem to happen in our dayes; so old, that their ruine is threatned if not speedily repaired.
He is respectfull to his Ministers widow and posterity for his sake. 9When the onelyonly daughter of Peter Martyr was, through the riot and prodigality of her debauched husband, brought to extreme poverty, the *Thuan obit. vir. doct. Anno. 1562.State of Zurick, out of gratefull remembrance of her Father, supported her with bountifull maintenance. My prayers shall be, that Ministers widows, and children may never stand in need of such relief, and may never want such relief when they stand in need.