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Chapter 21HerbertParson.1.21

CHAP. XX. The Parson in Gods stead.

Rewarding Virtue on God's Behalf

The parson, as God's deputy, rewards virtuous acts with tangible benefits, such as providing Bibles or multiplying charitable gifts, thus fulfilling God's promises in this life.

The country parson stands in God's place for his parish, and he fulfills as many of God's promises as he possibly can.1 Therefore, nothing is done—whether well or badly—without him acting as the one who rewards or punishes it. If he happens to find someone reading someone else's Bible, he provides them with one of their own. If he finds someone giving a poor person a penny, he gives them a sixpence for it, provided the giver is in a position to receive such a gift; or if they are of a status above such gifts, he sends them a good book or gives them a break on their tithes, telling them, once they've forgotten the original act, "I'm doing this because at such-and-such a time you were charitable."2 In a sense, this is fulfilling God's work regarding this life, since He has promised that godliness is profitable; but in the next life, God is His own immediate paymaster, rewarding all good deeds to their full measure.✦3

Punishing Vice with Godly Zeal

The parson punishes sin primarily through withholding kindness and reproof, but also ensures just punishment for serious offenses, because country people are moved more by present rewards and punishments than by future ones.

The parson punishes sin and vice more by withdrawing his generosity and courtesy from the offenders, or by offering private or public reproof as the situation requires, rather than by having them formally reported or complained about.45 And yet, depending on the person's malice or the severity of the crime, he is careful to ensure fitting punishment is inflicted, and with truly godly zeal—without hatred toward the person—he hungers and thirsts for the righteous punishment of unrighteousness.6 Thus, both in rewarding virtue and punishing vice, the parson endeavors to stand in God's place, knowing that country people are moved more by their senses than by faith—by present rewards or punishments more than by future ones.7

Read the original English

THe Countrey Parson is in Gods stead to his Parish, and dischargeth God what he can of his promises. Wherefore there is nothing done either wel or ill, whereof he is not the rewarder, or punisher. If he chance to finde any reading in anothers Bible, he provides him one of his own. If he finde another giving a poor man a penny, he gives him a tester for it, if the giver be fit to receive it; or if he be of a condition above such gifts, he sends him a good book, or easeth him in his Tithes, telling him when he hath forgotten it, This I do, because at such, and such a time you were charitable. This is in some sort a discharging of God; as concerning this life, who hath promised, that Godlinesse shall be gainfull: but in the other God is his own immediate paymaster, rewarding all good deeds to their full proportion. The Parsons punishing of sin and vice, is rather by withdrawing his bounty and courtesie from the parties offending, or by private, or publick reproof, as the case requires, then by causing them to be presented, or otherwise complained of. And yet as the malice of the person, or hainousness of the crime may be, he is carefull to see condign punishment inflicted, and with truly godly zeal, without hatred to the person, hungreth and thirsteth after righteous punishment of unrighteousnesse. Thus both in rewarding vertue, and in punishing vice, the Parson endeavoureth to be in Gods stead, knowing that Countrey people are drawne, or led by sense, more then by faith, by present rewards, or punishments, more then by future.

Scripture echoes

  1. ↩1Tim.6.6 — But godliness with contentment is great gain.

Notes

  1. 1 ↩'Discharges God…of his promises' means he acts as God's deputy, fulfilling what he can of God's promised rewards and punishments on God's behalf.
  2. 2 ↩Source 'tester' (testoon): a sixpenny piece. The parson rewards the giver with about six times the original alms.
  3. 3 ↩'Discharging of God' continues s1: the parson's temporal rewards partly fulfill God's promise that godliness is profitable in this life; eternal recompense remains God's alone.
  4. 4 ↩Source 'presented': formally brought before the church courts (often by churchwardens) for ecclesiastical discipline.
  5. 5 ↩Source 'then' is early-modern 'than' in a rather…than comparison.
  6. 6 ↩Source 'condign' rendered as 'fitting': punishment proportioned to desert.
  7. 7 ↩Source 'sense' means present sensory experience and tangible incentives, contrasted with faith in future goods.

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