There be many fuch pafsages both of him and his wife, of which fome few will be related; but I fhall firft tell that he hafted to get the parifh-church repaired; then to beautify the chapel (which stands near his house), and that at his own great charge. He then proceeded to rebuild the greatest part of the parfonagehoufe, which he did alfo very completely, and at his own charge; and having done this good work, he caufed these verses to be writ upon, or engraven in, the mantle of the chimney in his hall: << TO MY SUCCESSOR. "If thou chance for to find "As God gives thee flore, "And then my labour's not loft." We will now, by the reader's favour, fuppofe him fixed at Bemerton, and grant him to have feen the church repaired, and the chapel belonging to it very decently adorned, at his own great charge (which is a real truth); and having now fixed him there, I fhall proceed to give an account of the rest of his behaviour both to his parishioners, and thofe many others that knew and converfed with him. Doubtlefs Mr. Herbert had confidered and given rules to himself for his Chriftian carriage both to God and man, before he entered into Holy Orders. And it is not unlike, but that he renewed thofe refolutions at his proftration before the holy altar, at his induction into the church of Bemerton; but as yet he was but a Deacon, and therefore longed for the next Ember-week, that he might be ordained Prieít, and made capable of adminiftering both the facraments. At which time the Rev. Dr. Humphrey Henchman, now Lord Bishop of ℗ Admission to a cure of fouls did not then require the perfon admitted to be in Prieft's Orders. In the times preceding the Reformation, even those who were under age, and in the loweft degree of Orders, obtained prefentations to benefices. Thus Colet, Dean of St. Paul's, was inftituted to a Rectory, when he was only nineteen years of age, and an Acolyte, But by 13 Eliz. c. 12, no perfon fhall hereafter be admitted to any benefice with cure, except he then be of the age of three and twenty years at the least, and a Deacon. And by 13, 14 Car. II. c. 4. no perfon whatfo ever fhall henceforth be capable to be admitted to any Parfonage, &c. unlefs he have formerly been made Prieft, by Epifcopal ordination. 4 Dr. HUMPHREY HENCHMAN was at that time Prebendary of the church of Salisbury. Being much efteemed by Charles II. whose escape, after the battle of Worcester, he was very inftrumental in promoting, he was preferred to the See of Salisbury in 1660, and in 1663 was removed to London, and made Lord Almoner. When the declaration for liberty of confcience was published in 1671-2, this Prelate firmly adhered to his duty, and was not afraid to incur the King's difpleafure, by strictly enjoining his Clergy to preach against Popery. 1 London (who does not mention him but with fome veneration for his life and excellent learning), tells me, "He laid his hand on Mr. Herbert's head, and alas! within less than three years, "lent his fhoulder to carry his dear friend to his grave." And that Mr. Herbert might the better preferve thofe holy rules which fuch a Priest as he intended to be ought to obferve; and that time might not infenfibly blot them out of his memory, but that the next year might fhow him his variations from this year's refolutions; he, therefore, did fet down his rules, then refolved upon, in that order as the world now fees them printed in a little book called "The Country Parfons," in which fome of his rules are: The Parfon's knowledge. The Parfon praying. The Parfon comforting the fick. The Parfon arguing. The Parfon condescending. The Parfon with his churchwardens. And his behaviour toward God and man may be faid to be a practical comment on thefe and the other holy rules fet down in that ufeful book'. A book fo full of plain, prudent, and ufeful rules, that that country parfon, that can spare 12d. and yet wants it, is fcarce excufable: because it will both direct him what he ought to do, and convince him for not having done it. At the death of Mr. Herbert, this book fell into the hands of When the good Dr. Hammond was buried without oftentation or pomp, feveral of the Gentry and Clergy of the country, and affectionate multitudes of lefs quality, attending on his obfequies, the Clergy with ambition offering themfelves to bear him on their shoulders, which accordingly they did, and laid that facred burden in the burial-place of the generous family which with fuch friendship had entertained him when alive. (Fell's Life of Dr. Hammond, p. 276.)-See "The Life of Mr. Joseph Mede," prefixed to his Works, p. xxxiii.-In the earlier ages of the churen, this custom, derived from the Jews, was religioufly observed.Perfons defigned for the office of bearing the dead upon their shoulders were called xoiari. But fometimes the friends of the deceafed parties. would carry the biv themfelves. Thus St. Bafil was carried by the hands of holy men-xegoi àyiwr "videμeros. And St. Jerom tells us, that Paula was borne to the grave by Bishops--cervicem feretro subjicientibus. 156 s The late Dr. John Burton, Fellow of Eton College, whilft he gives a just character of Mr. Herbert, feems to have confidered this work as a poetical compofition. Georgius Herbert, Domini Baronis de Cherbury frater, aliquando in Acad. Cantab. Orator publicus, deinde Rector de "Bemerton in agro Wilts. pietate infignis et ingenio poëma fcripfit, cui * titulus Sacerdos paræcialis rufticus, ipfe tituli quem libello præfcripfit "fidem moribus fuis adimplens, et officia facerdotalia, quæ defcripfit, ex"emplo fuo illuftrans." t From his obfervance of thefe rules, Mr. Nicholas Ferrar, who knew him, had great reafon to pronounce him "A peer to primitive faints, and "more than a pattern to his own age." his friend Mr Woodnot; and he commended it into the trusty hands of Mr. Barnabas Oley", who published it with a most U BARNABAS OLEY, a private clergyman of fingular piety, learning, and charity, was born at Warmfield, a village in the Weft-Riding of Yorkfire, where his father was Vicar. Having received his education in the free grammar-school of Wakefield, under Mr. Jeremy Gibson, he was admitted of Clare Hall in the Univerfity of Cambridge. He was elected Probationary Fellow of the old foundation of Lady Clare, Nov. 28, 1623; and in 1627 he became a Senior Fellow, that is, a Fellow of Lady Clare's foundation. Having for fome time difcharged the office of Tutor in his College with great credit, he fucceeded to the Vicarage of Great Grandfden in Huntingdonshire. In 1635, he was one of the Proctors of the Univer fity. In 1644 he was ejected from his Fellowship by Edward Earl of Manchefter, major-general of the Parliament's forces, for not refiding at Cambridge, nor repairing thither upon being fummoned. But thefe were not the true caufes of this feverity. Mr. Oley; at the imminent hazard of his life, led the party which conveyed the plate and money, collected. in that University for the fupport of the royal caufe, to his Majefty King Charles, at Nottingham." Barivicus autem aliique selecti academici, que"rum arcano Rudio tantæ difficultatis opus mandabatur, confilii Crom"welliani compotes facti, fubfidium regium per loca devia exiguâ equi"tum manu ftipatum ablegant, eâ ipsâ nocte quâ Cromwellus cum fuo "pedite viam folitam obftruebat, certo certius luce proximâ ab hofte cor"ripiendum. Hujos itineris ducem confultifsimum virum BARNABAM "OLEUM locorum quibus deviandum erat peritum conftituunt. Is erat "Aula Clarenfis Præfes, pietatis certè Cantabrigienfis in optimum regem "et charifsimam patriam aptifsimus nuncius et interpres. Hoc enim viro "nescio an Academia Cantabrigiensis unquam quicquam habuit aut mo"destius aut sanctius. Ille autem fub divinis aufpiciis hoc qualecunque "academiæ fidei pignus et teftimonium ad regios pedes Nottinghamiæ sub"mifit." (Vita Johannis Berwick, S. T. P. p. 16, 17.)-He was at this time plundered of all his property, and fo much haraised and menaced by the rebels as to be under the necefsity of leaving his Vicarage. To avoid difcovery he frequently changed his habit. For feven years he wandered about, having fcarce wherewith to fupport himself. He filed for fafety to the town of Wakefield; and we find him at one time in Pontefract cattle with fome other loyal and worthy Clergymen, preaching to the foldiers of the garrifon, and encouraging them to defend the place against the King's enemies, In 1659 he returned to Grandfden, when he had not, to use his own words, where to lay his head. In 1660 he was restored to his Fellowship. A Prebend in the church of Worcester, and the Archdeaconry of Ely were conferred upon him. The latter he refigned, the former he kept with his Vicarage to the time of his death, Feb.20, 1685-6. He was the editor of the learned Dr. Thomas Jackson's Works, and of Mr. Geo. Herbert's " Prieft to the Temple." "His prefaces to both "thole publications are truly excellent, and will always be read with equal "pleasure and edification. His letters, fome of which were in the pofsef"fion of the Rev. Mr. Bigg, the late Vicar of Great Grandfden, breathe the "fpirit of primitive piety and apoftolical fimplicity. I cannot dismiss this "article without obferving that Mr. Oley was a generous benefactor to "his College, which becoming ruinous was taken down and re-edified. "Fuller fays, that he may be truly termed Master of the Fabric, so industrious and judicious was he in overfeting the fame. Nor was he "like the foolish builder that could not, but the unhappy, that might “not finish his work, being outed the College on the account of the Co"venant. 19 (History of the University of Cambridge, p. 38.) confcientious and excellent preface; from which I have had fome of those truths, that are related in this Life of Mr. Herbert. The text for his first fermon was taken out of Solomon's Proverbs, and the words were, " Keep thy heart with all diligence." In which first fermon he gave his parishioners many necefsary, holy, fafe rules for the discharge of a good confcience both to God and man. And delivered his fermon after a most florid manner, both with great learning and eloquence. But, at the clofe of this fermon, told them, "That should not be his con"ftant way of preaching; for fince Almighty God does not "intend to lead men to heaven by hard questions, he would not therefore fill their heads with unnecessary notions; but "that for their fakes, his language and his exprefsions should be more plain and practical in his future fermons *.' And he then made it his humble request, "that they would be conftant "to the afternoon's fervice and catechifing;" and fhowed them convincing reasons why he defired it; and his obliging example and perfuafions brought them to a willing conformity to his defires. The texts for all his future fermons (which God knows were not many) were conftantly taken out of the gospel for the day; and he did as conftantly declare why the Church did appoint that portion of Scripture to be that day read; and in what manner the collect for every Sunday does refer to the gospel or to the epiftle then read to them; and, that they might pray with understanding, he did usually take occafion to explain, Z * The famous painter, Albrecht Durer, ufed to fay, he took no delight in thofe pictures which were painted with many colours, but in those that were made molt plain: "Even fo," faid Luther, "I take delight in thofe "fermons that enter fine and fimply, fo that they may well be understood " and comprehended of the common man." (Luther's Table Talk, p. 510.) y Mr. Herbert's chief delight was in the holy Scripture; one leaf whereof he profefsed he would not part with, though he might have the whole world in exchange. That was his wildom, his comfort, his joy: Out of that he took his motto: "Lesse than the least of all God's mer"cies." In that he found the fubftance, Chrift; and, in Chrift, remiffion of fins; yea, in his blood, he placed the goodness of his good works. "It is a good work" (faid he, of building a Church), " if it be sprinkled "with the blood of Chrift." But it will be diffhow the reference (Mr. Barnabas Oley's Life of Mr. George Herbert.) 2. The excellency of fome of the collects in our liturgy is truly admirable; fuch, indeed, as no other Church can boaft. ficult to conceive how Mr. Herbert could difcover and that the collect for every Sunday has to the gofpel or epiftle of that day. The relation which many of them bear to the refpective gospels and epiftles is very striking and obvious; as in thofe used on the two first Sundays in Advent, on the fixth Sunday after the Epiphany, and fome others: but it must be owned, that in feveral of them, the connexion is fought for in vain. When commifsioners were appointed in 1680 to revife the liturgy, &c. among other amendments propofed, new collects were drawn up agreeable to the epistles and gofpels, not only the collect for every particular Sunday, but the reafons of all the other collects and refponfes in our churchservice; and made it appear to them, that the whole fervice of the church was a reasonable, and therefore an acceptable facrifice to God; as namely, that we begin with confefsion "of our"felves to be vile miferable finners;" and that we begin fo, becaufe till we have confefsed ourselves to be füch, we are not capable of that mercy which we acknowledge we need and pray for: but having, in the prayer of our Lord, begged pardon for those fins which we have confefsed; and hoping that as the priest hath declared our abfolution, fo by our public confefsion, and real repentance, we have obtained that pardon; then we dare and do proceed to beg of the Lord, "to open our lips, that "our mouths may fhow forth his praife:" for, till then, we are neither able nor worthy to praife him. But this being fuppofed, we are then fit to fay, "Glory be to the Father, and to "the Son, and to the Holy Ghoft;" and fit to proceed to a further fervice of our God, in the collects, and pfalms, and lauds, that follow in the fervice. And as to thefe pfalms and lauds, he proceeded to inform them, why they were fo often, and fome of them daily, repeated in our church-fervice; namely, the pfalms every month, because they be an hiftorical and thankful repetition of mercies past ; and fuch a compofition of prayers and praifes as ought to be repeated often and publicly, for "with fuch facrifices God is ho"noured and well-pleafed." This for the pfalms. And for the hymns and lauds, appointed to be daily repeated or fung after the first and fecond lefsons are read to the congregation; he proceeded to inform them, that it was most reafonable, after they have heard the will and goodness of God declared or preached by the Prieft in his reading the two chap-. ters, that it was then a seasonable duty to rife up and exprefs their gratitude to Almighty God for thofe his mercies to them, and to all mankind; and then to fay with the blessed Virgin, that their "fouls do magnify the Lord, and that their fpirits do alfo "rejoice in God their Saviour." And that it was their duty allo to rejoice with Simeon in his fong, and fay with him, that their 66 eyes have" alfo" feen their falvation;" for they have feen that falvation which was but prophefied till his time: And he then broke out into thofe exprefsions of joy that he did fee it; but they lived to fee it daily in the hiftory of it, and, therefore, ought daily to rejoice, and daily to offer up their facrifices of praife to their God for that particular mercy. A fervice which is now the conftant employ-` ment of that blessed Virgin and Simeon, and all those blessed faints that are pofsefsed of heaven; and where they are at this time interchangeably and conftantly finging, "Holy, holy, "holy Lord God, glory be to God on high, and on earth peace.' And he taught them, that to do this was an acceptable fervice. to God; because the prophet David says, in his Pfalms, “He "that praifeth the Lord honoureth him." |