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Chapter 14HerbertParson.1.14

CHAP. XIII. The Parson's Church.

A Fitting House for God

The parson cares for the church building and its furnishings so that everything is repaired, clean, beautifully adorned, and properly equipped for worship and charity.

The country parson takes special care of his church, so that everything there is decent and fitting for the Name by which it is called. So first he makes sure that everything is in good repair—walls plastered, windows glazed, floors paved, seats sound, sturdy, and uniform—and especially that the pulpit, the reading desk, the Communion table, and the font are as they should be, for the great duties performed at them.1 Second, that the church is swept and kept clean, free of dust and cobwebs, and at the great festivals strewn and dressed with boughs and perfumed with incense.2 Third, that fitting and proper texts of Scripture are painted everywhere, and that all the painting is grave and reverent—not done in flashy colors or with foolish decorations.3 Fourth, that all the books appointed by authority are there, and not torn or soiled, but whole, clean, and well bound; and that there is a suitable and handsome Communion cloth of fine linen, with a proper and seemly carpet of good, costly fabric or cloth—all kept fresh and clean in a strong, decent chest, with a chalice and cover, a stoup or flagon, and a basin for alms and offerings. Besides these, he has a poor box set in a convenient place, to receive the charity of well-minded people and to lay up treasure for the sick and needy.4

The Apostle's Two Rules

The parson justifies his care by the Apostle's two rules—decent order and edification—citing 1 Corinthians 14:40 and 14:26.

And he does all this not out of bare necessity, or as if holiness resided in the things themselves, but because he wants to keep the middle way between superstition and slovenliness, and because he is following the Apostle's two great and admirable rules in matters of this kind. The first of them is: Let all things be done decently and in order. 1 Cor. 14:40. The second is: Let all things be done for edification. 1 Cor. 14:26.✦

The Double Object of Duty

These two rules together direct our duty to God and neighbor, perfectly guiding even external indifferent things and proving the sufficiency of Scripture.

For these two rules encompass the twofold object of our duty, God and our neighbor: the first is for the honor of God; the second is for the benefit of our neighbor.✦ Thus they mark out the way excellently, and fully and exactly contain—even in external and indifferent matters—what course to take; and they put to great shame those who deny that Scripture is perfect.567

Read the original English

THe Countrey Parson hath a speciall care of his Church, that all things there be decent, and befitting his Name by which it is called. Therefore first he takes order, that all things be in good repair; as walls plaistered, windows glazed, floore paved, seats whole, firm, and uniform, especially that the Pulpit, and Desk, and Communion Table, and Font be as they ought, for those great duties that are performed in them. Secondly, that the Church be swept, and kept cleane without dust, or Cobwebs, and at great festivalls strawed, and stuck with boughs, and perfumed with incense. Thirdly, That there be fit, and proper texts of Scripture every where painted, and that all the painting be grave, and reverend, not with light colours, or foolish anticks. Fourthly, That all the books appointed by Authority be there, and those not torne, or fouled, but whole and clean, and well bound; and that there be a fitting, and sightly Communion Cloth of fine linnen, with an handsome, and seemly Carpet of good and costly Stuffe, or Cloth, and all kept sweet and clean, in a strong and decent chest, with a Chalice, and Cover, and a Stoop, or Flagon; and a Bason for Almes and offerings; besides which, he hath a Poor-mans Box conveniently seated, to receive the charity of well minded people, and to lay up treasure for the sick and needy. And all this he doth, not as out of necessity, or as putting a holiness in the things, but as desiring to keep the middle way between superstition, and slovenlinesse, and as following the Apostles two great and admirable Rules in things of this nature: The first whereof is, Let all things be done decently, and in order: I Cor. 14:40. The second, Let all things be done to edification, I Cor.

14:26. For these two rules comprize and include the double object of our duty, God, and our neighbour; the first being for the honour of God; the second for the benefit of our neighbor. So that they excellently score out the way, and fully, and exactly contain, even in externall and indifferent things, what course is to be taken; and put them to great shame, who deny the Scripture to be perfect.

Scripture echoes

  1. ↩1Cor.14.26 — What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a teaching, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up.
  2. ↩1Cor.14.40;1Cor.14.26 — But all things should be done decently and in order. 1Cor.14.26 — What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a teaching, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up.

Notes

  1. 1 ↩Desk here is the reading desk or lectern used for the liturgy, not a modern office desk.
  2. 2 ↩strawed means strewn, typically with rushes or similar flooring for feast days, not stuffed with straw.
  3. 3 ↩anticks means grotesque or frivolous ornamental figures, not theatrical antics in the modern sense.
  4. 4 ↩Stoop is a stoup/flagon for Communion wine; Carpet is the covering for the Communion table, not a floor rug.
  5. 5 ↩Early modern 'score out' means to mark or cut a clear line; rendered as 'mark out' for the path-charting sense without losing force.
  6. 6 ↩Kept 'indifferent' in its older sense of adiaphora—matters neither commanded nor forbidden—rather than modern 'uninterested.'
  7. 7 ↩Retained 'perfect' as Herbert's claim about Scripture's sufficiency/completeness for guidance, including in outward and adiaphora matters; not softened to mere 'useful.'

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