- Home
- Speakers
- George Herbert
- The Temper (1)
George Herbert
George Herbert (April 3, 1593 – March 1, 1633) was an English preacher, poet, and priest whose ministry and writings shaped Anglican devotional life in the 17th century. Born in Montgomery, Wales, to Richard Herbert, a wealthy landowner and member of Parliament, and Magdalen Newport, a cultured patron of poets like John Donne, he was the fifth of ten children in an artistic, noble family. Educated at Westminster School and Trinity College, Cambridge—where he earned a B.A. in 1613 and an M.A. in 1616—he excelled in Latin, Greek, and music, becoming Public Orator at Cambridge in 1620, a role that brought him favor with King James I and a brief stint in Parliament (1624–1625). Herbert’s preaching career emerged after a shift from secular ambition following King James’s death in 1625. Ordained a deacon in 1626 and a priest in 1630, he served as rector of Fugglestone St Peter and Bemerton, near Salisbury, until his death. His sermons, delivered with heartfelt conviction, reflected his care for parishioners—visiting the sick, aiding the poor, and rebuilding the church with his own funds—earning him the title "Holy Mr. Herbert." His poetry, collected in The Temple (published posthumously in 1633), doubled as sermons in verse, exploring spiritual conflicts and divine love, while his prose work A Priest to the Temple (1652) offered practical guidance for rural clergy. Married to Jane Danvers in 1629, with no children of their own, they adopted three orphaned nieces. Herbert died at age 39 in Bemerton from tuberculosis.
Download
Topic
Sermon Summary
George Herbert's sermon emphasizes the deep desire to praise the Lord and engrave His love in our hearts, acknowledging the limitations of human understanding compared to the vastness of God's greatness. He reflects on the insignificance of man in comparison to God's immense stature and the comfort found in seeking refuge in God's presence. Herbert ultimately surrenders to God's will, recognizing that God's ways are always the best, whether in times of exaltation or humility.
Scriptures
The Temper (1)
How should I praise thee, Lord! how should my rhymes Gladly engrave thy love in steel, If what my soul doth feel sometimes, My soul might ever feel! Although there were some forty heav'ns, or more, Sometimes I peer above them all; Sometimes I hardly reach a score, Sometimes to hell I fall. O rack me not to such a vast extent; Those distances belong to thee: The world's too little for thy tent, A grave too big for me. Wilt thou meet arms with man, that thou dost stretch A crumb of dust from heav'n to hell? Will great God measure with a wretch? Shall he thy stature spell? O let me, when thy roof my soul hath hid, O let me roost and nestle there: Then of a sinner thou art rid, And I of hope and fear. Yet take thy way; for sure thy way is best: Stretch or contract me, thy poor debtor: This is but tuning of nay breast, To make the music better. Whether I fly with angels, fall with dust, Thy hands made both, and I am there: Thy power and love, my love and trust Make one place ev'ry where.
- Bio
- Summary
- Transcript
- Download
George Herbert (April 3, 1593 – March 1, 1633) was an English preacher, poet, and priest whose ministry and writings shaped Anglican devotional life in the 17th century. Born in Montgomery, Wales, to Richard Herbert, a wealthy landowner and member of Parliament, and Magdalen Newport, a cultured patron of poets like John Donne, he was the fifth of ten children in an artistic, noble family. Educated at Westminster School and Trinity College, Cambridge—where he earned a B.A. in 1613 and an M.A. in 1616—he excelled in Latin, Greek, and music, becoming Public Orator at Cambridge in 1620, a role that brought him favor with King James I and a brief stint in Parliament (1624–1625). Herbert’s preaching career emerged after a shift from secular ambition following King James’s death in 1625. Ordained a deacon in 1626 and a priest in 1630, he served as rector of Fugglestone St Peter and Bemerton, near Salisbury, until his death. His sermons, delivered with heartfelt conviction, reflected his care for parishioners—visiting the sick, aiding the poor, and rebuilding the church with his own funds—earning him the title "Holy Mr. Herbert." His poetry, collected in The Temple (published posthumously in 1633), doubled as sermons in verse, exploring spiritual conflicts and divine love, while his prose work A Priest to the Temple (1652) offered practical guidance for rural clergy. Married to Jane Danvers in 1629, with no children of their own, they adopted three orphaned nieces. Herbert died at age 39 in Bemerton from tuberculosis.