never committed to me, nor am I responsible for their Souls. I'll do their Offices, however, perfunctorily, read them Prayers, and preach • them: Sermons, and go to their Sick, if they please to fend for me; but as for the great Paftoral Care of their Souls, let him look to that, for be has undertook it, and has the Pay for it: The little Pittance I have is fufficiently earned in what I do." This, I fear, my Lord, is the Language of too many Breafts, and will never be remov'd as long as their Condition is thus precarious and dependent. The John E. Hireling fleeth, as our Saviour obferves, or (what is little better) ftayeth to fmall Purpofe, because be is an Hireling, and careth not for the Sheep, because the Sheep are not his own; and a bleffed Condition must that Flock be in, whofe Shepherd is wandering about the World, and Hireling loitering at home! THE Hireling, however, does no more than what may be expected from him; for what Encouragement has he to fet himself heartily to the difficult Parts of his Office, when he fees he has no fix'd Station, nor any Profpect of long Continuance in the Place? For what Purpofe fhou'd he endeavour to acquaint himfelf with the Parish, to learn the Maladies of their Souls, and to apply proper Remedies to them, by Doctrine, 2 Tim. by Reproof, by Correction, by Inftruction in Righteaufness, every where, and from House to House, when the next ill Humour his Matter is in, he must be fure to turn out? For what Purpose fhould he labour to excel in Preaching, or take fuch mighty Pains in the Compofition of a Sermon; when, perhaps before next Sunday coraes, he may be forbid to preach it; or, if he is not, may only provoke the Indignation of a Man that reckons his own Parts achipfed, and binafelf is 1 4 jurad jured, by the Learning or Eloquence of his Curate. For there is Danger of an Oftracism in the Church, as well as elsewhere; and a Popularity, rais'd upon no worse Foundation than too much Diligence, or too great Abilities, has (if it durft be own'd) occafion'd more fcandalous Difmiffions than any thing else. Ir may not be amifs then for those that have Curacies of this uncertain Tenure, and are willing at any Rate to fecure themselves in them, to conceal their Parts, and preach the very worst Stuff they have (tho' this be contrary to the common Practice, I know) when their Mafter is. at Church, intending to hear them, for fear of raifing his Envy, and * deftroying themselves by their own Brightness. He only muft be allow'd to fhine in the Pulpit, and it will be deem'd Prefumption, upon pain of high Displeasure, to pretend to rival him there: Not amifs, to fwear Fealty to his Opinions, both Religious and Political, to pay great Deference to his Judgment in all things; give him the Afcendant in every Company, and the Privilege of prefcribing to them upon all Occafions: Not amifs, to footh his Pride and flatter his Folly, and blow up the † Bubble with an Imagination of his great Learning and Ingenuity (if therein lies his Foible) never minding what an honeft Tongue * Urit enim fulgore fuo, qui prægravat artes HOR. + Importunus amat laudari? Donec ohe! jam + Vincet longe plus Expugnare caput. Scribit mala carmina vecors ? Laudato. Ibid. fhould fhould fay, but what the Ears of Vanity are moft delighted with: Not amifs, to cringe, and. fawn, and run, and fly, and ftand at an awful Distance, and turn themfelves into ten thoufand * ridiculous Shapes, if all will but please, and keep him in good Humour. THESE are Rules of excellent ufe in their Kind, and yet I have known them all defeated for want of one Inftruction more, viz. a due Complaifance to fuch as are the fanctified Goffips, and religious Backbiters of the Place. Thefe are Vipers that we must carefs, for fear of Stinging, and worship, as fome Indians do the Devil, that they may not hurt us. I HAVE known one of thefe godly Goffips, fuch as the Poet defcribes, † Qui follement outree en fa ferverite that has perfuaded a Minifter to turn away his Curate (after the folemneft Proteftations of Friendship and Fidelity to him) merely because fhe thought herself neglected, and that he paid her not Homage, forfooth, fuitable to her Qualities. "So neceffary it is to make our court "fometimes to the She-Favourite, and to + Davus fis comicus, atque Stes capite obftipo, multum fimilis metuenti. Ibid. +Boileau, Sat. 10. plow with the Heifer, if ever we wou'd find 66 out the Riddle of fome Mens Humour." THUS, my Lord, you fee what vile things we must become, if we think to continue in Curacies, that are held by no other Title than the bare Will of the Incumbent.. We must be fubject to every one's Humour and Cognizance ;; for every one will then take an Authority over us :: We must be Slaves, and Flatterers to the Vanity and wild Caprice of our Principals, for we have no other Hold of their Favour and Affection to us. We may be abus'd, and illí treated by others, for Injuries are invited very often by a known Inability to refift them: We may be difmifs'd for Trifles, for Surmifes, for nothing, nay,. for what deferves Commendation, our more abundant Labour and Affiduity; or we may fink into the Neglect and Indifference to a Charge, which we cannot think our own,, because we may be driven out from it before the next Sun goes down; and all. this for want of Licences. C "But what should you do with a Licence? fays the Incumbent to the Curate, a little before the Day of Wifitation, comes (for I know his. Language upon that Head to a Tittle) what fhould you do with a Licence? 'Tis but throwing away fo much Money to a worthless Officer, • that inhances the Price of every thing, and makes us pay Sauce, whenever we come into bis Clutches. The Bifkep is old, and cannot live long: I too fall be removed from this, to a much better Living in a little while. I have great Friends, and vaft Promifes, and daily *Affurances that make me not doubt it: You too, bave a Chance to be promoted to fomething. better; and if any of these things happen, why, there's an End of the Validity of your • Licence Licence, or fo much Money to be thrown away upon a Renewal of it. What Occafion is there • then for this Expence, when People agree, and mean to deal honourably with one another? For my part, I can only fay, that in me you are Safe. The Parish justly likes you, and fo do 1, nor fball I ever think of another, till you find your Account in the Change. Our beft Way therefore, I think, confidering all things, will be to go on as we have hitherto done, not troubling our Heads with a thing that's of no real Service, unless it be to create Charges, and raise uneafy Jealoufies between us. For it • looks like Diftruft of the Minifter's Honour and Honesty (and my Behaviour, you know, can give no fuch Umbrage) when a Curate is too * follicitous for a Licence. I'll take Care therefore to be at the Vifitation myfelf, and if your Name be called upon, anfwer for you, and • make fome Excufe or other, to spare you the • Trouble of going, and fave you so much Money in your Pocket? * Mene falis placidi vultum, fluctufque quietos Ignorare jubes? Mene buic confidere Monftro? THREE Weeks, perhaps, are scarce come and gone, till this Gentleman of ftrict Honour and Honefty, of Civility and great Complai fance, with all his fair Words and folemn Proteftations, affumes another Air; picks a Quarrel with you, you know not for what; turns you out with as little Ceremony as Lord † Peter t did his two Brothers; and for all his former Care and Frugality of your Money (if he denies |