CHAP. V. The Parsons Accessary Knowledges.
The Parson’s Personal Compendium of Divinity
The parson builds his own body of divinity from the Fathers, Schoolmen, and later writers, which becomes the lifelong storehouse for his sermons and a joyful record of his diligent youth.
The Country Parson has also read the Fathers, the Schoolmen, and the later writers—or a good portion of them all—and from all these he has compiled a book and body of divinity, which is the storehouse of his sermons, and which he preaches throughout his life, though variously clothed, illustrated, and enlarged.1 For though the world is full of such compositions, still every person's own is the most fitting, the handiest, and the most satisfying to him. Besides, since this work is meant to be done in his younger and preparatory years, it is an honest joy ever after to look back on his well-spent hours.
Catechizing as the Organizing Method
The parson chooses to expound the Church Catechism because it is the most useful and canonical path—adapting a lighter form for country people and using both when the audience is mixed.
He made this body of divinity by expounding the Church Catechism, to which all divinity can easily be reduced. For since it makes no difference in itself which method one chooses, the best method to choose is the one that is likely to be of most use. Now, since catechizing is a work of singular and admirable benefit to the Church of God, and is required under canonical obedience, expounding our Catechism must of necessity be the most useful form. Yet the Parson also has, besides this laborious work, a lighter form of catechizing better suited to country people; depending on his audience, he uses one or the other—or sometimes both, if his audience is mixed.
The Centrality of Cases of Conscience
The parson values and practices cases of conscience, for his greatest skill is to guide his people exactly in truth, distinguishing when actions become sin in matters of wealth, honor, eating, drinking, and more.
He also greatly values cases of conscience, in which he is thoroughly practiced. And indeed, a parson's greatest skill is this: to lead his people exactly in the ways of Truth, so that they don't turn to the right or to the left. And no one should think this is a small matter. For not everyone has fully worked out when it is a sin to charge interest on a loan, and when it is not; when it is wrong to expose someone else's fault, and when it is not; when the soul's affections—desiring and securing more wealth or honor—become a sin of covetousness or ambition, and when they do not; when the body's appetites for eating, drinking, sleep, and the pleasure that comes with sleep become sins of gluttony, drunkenness, sloth, and lust, and when they do not—and so on through many circumstances of actions.23 Now if a shepherd doesn't know which grass will poison and which will not, how is he fit to be a shepherd?4 So the parson has thoroughly examined all the particulars of human actions—at least all those he sees that are most common in his parish.5
Read the original English
THe Countrey Parson hath read the Fathers also, and the Schoolmen, and the later Writers, or a good proition of all, out of all which he hath compiled a book, and body of Divinity, which is the storehouse of his Sermons, and which he preacheth all his Life; but diversly clothed, illustrated, and inlarged. For though the world is full of such composures, yet every mans own is fittest, readyest, and most savory to him. Besides, this being to be done in his younger and preparatory times, it is an honest joy ever after to looke upon his well spent houres. This Body he made by way of expounding the Church Catechisme, to which all divinity may easily be reduced. For it being indifferent in it selfe to choose any Method, that is best to be chosen, of which there is likelyest to be most use. Now Catechizing being a work of singular, and admirable benefit to the Church of God, and a thing required under Canonicall obedience, the expounding of our Catechisme must needs be the most usefull forme. Yet hath the Parson, besides this laborious work, a slighter forme of Catechizing, fitter for country people; according as his audience is, so he useth one, or other; or somtimes both, if his audience be intermixed. He greatly esteemes also of cases of conscience, wherein he is much versed.
And indeed, herein is the greatest ability of a Parson to lead his people exactly in the wayes of Truth, so that they neither decline to the right hand, nor to the left. Neither let any think this a slight thing. For every one hath not digested, when it is a sin to take something for mony lent, or when not; when it is a fault to discover anothers fault, or when not; when the affections of the soul in desiring and procuring increase of means, or honour, be a sin of covetousnes or ambition, and when not, when the appetites of the body in eating, drinking, sleep, and the pleasure that comes with sleep, be sins of gluttony, drunkenness, sloath, lust, and when not, and so in many circumstances of actions. Now if a shepherd know not which grass will bane, or which not, how is he fit to be a shepherd? Wherefore the Parson hath throughly canvassed al the particulars of humane actions, at least all those which he observeth are most incident to his Parish.
Notes
- 1 ↩Source reading 'proition' is almost certainly a compositor's error for 'portion'; translated as 'portion'.
- 2 ↩Early modern 'digested' means thoroughly thought through or assimilated, not merely eaten; rendered as 'thoroughly worked out'.
- 3 ↩'Take something for money lent' refers to casuistry about usury/interest or other gain on a loan; kept close to the source rather than modernized as a banking term.
- 4 ↩'Bane' = poison / make poisonous; rendered as 'poison'.
- 5 ↩'Humane' is early modern spelling for 'human'; 'incident to' means most likely to occur among, rendered as 'most common in'.
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