One of Herbert’s contemporaries and biographers, Izaak Walton, explained Herbert’s life in the parish “as a kind of intentional humbling of himself. At the age of 39, George Herbert died on March 1, 1633.
Sadly, his ministry only lasted three years. It would seem Herbert genuinely enjoyed the life and work of a parish pastor. George and Jane settled down at the small parish church in Bemerton. However, a couple years later brought some bright spots, in the form of a wife, Jane Danvers, in 1629 and then ordination to the priesthood in 1630. He became gravely ill in 1626, and 1627 brought the death of his mother. But in 1624, Herbert embarked on a very different path: the ministry. He was also plagued by poor health for most of his adult life. With family and university connections, Herbert attempted a career with Parliament and the court for a short time, but personal struggles and doubts over his vocation kept him from pursuing a life in politics. Such a prestigious position could provide excellent opportunities for advancement at the royal court. He spent many years at Cambridge, not only as a tutor and lecturer, but was eventually made the university orator-a kind of spokesman for the university, often writing official letters and speeches. In keeping with his class, he attended Cambridge University as a member at Trinity College. His father died when he was only 3, and so he was mostly raised by his mother. George Herbert (1593-1633) came from a noble family in Wales. They give voice to both God and the soul as these two commune with one another through Scripture, prayer, and the Sacraments. Instead, Herbert’s poems baptize the reader’s imagination and invite him to meditate on the mysteries and revelations of God’s Holy Word. Readers of Herbert are less likely to get themselves tied into metaphysical knots (as fun as that can be!). His conceits, metaphors, and typologies are deep but not quite as esoteric as other sacred poets can be, like John Donne, for example. It has also stood the test when it comes to many a Christians’ life. His sacred verse has easily stood the test of time. George Herbert is arguably one of the greatest English poets, certainly one of the few great Christian poets.
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