Anglican ministry is about the word and sacraments — not only preaching, but rightly administering baptism and the Lord’s Supper. So Herbert sets out his opinion on how the pastor should go about this part of his work.

His first point is about reverence. He speaks about the seriousness of “receiving God” in the Lord’s Supper — though he cannot believe in transubstantiation of course, as if the bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ physically and literally! He refers to the Anglican liturgy, which calls on those who receive the bread and wine to “feed on Christ in your heart by faith with thanksgiving”, just as the Apostle Paul also talks about participating or sharing in Christ as we eat the bread and drink the wine (1 Corinthians 10:16-17). “Wine becomes a wing”, as he once put it poetically, to raise our eyes to where Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He considers kneeling at the Lord’s Supper a suitable posture, having to comment on this because of controversy in some quarters over the Black Rubric.

Calvin famously favoured a weekly celebration of the Lord’s Supper, which only became the norm in some Anglican parishes in the early 20th century as part of the Parish Communion movement. Herbert, however, is content with monthly or bi-monthly celebrations. The Book of Common Prayer specifies three times a year, and commands Church Wardens to “present” (for rebuke) those who did not attend three times. Herbert favours 5-6 opportunities for people to celebrate the Supper.

Regarding the other sacrament, of baptism, he is happy with the practice of signing the baby with the sign of the cross after baptism. Again, this was controversial for many, who saw it as “a sacrament upon a sacrament” and unnecessary or unhelpful (given that some thought that baptism in water was not sufficient without this additional sign). Martin Bucer said that it was a simple and effectual reminder of the cross of Christ, provided it was understood without such superstition or casual adherence to custom, and so Cranmer left one signing in his Reformed service (where previous baptism services had contained many). As Canon B25 now says, although the sign is retained following primitive use, “The Church of England has ever held and taught, and holds and teaches still, that the sign of the Cross used in baptism is no part of the substance of the sacrament.”

Finally, Herbert would not allow people to give their children silly names when baptising them. All sorts of weird and wacky (and sometimes pious but wacky) names did get past ministers in those days. For example, see here.

CHAPTER 22
The Parson in Sacraments

The country parson being to administer the sacraments, is at a stand with himself, how or what behaviour to assume for so holy things. Especially at Communion times he is in a great confusion, as being not only to receive God, but to break and administer him. Neither finds he any issue in this, but to throw himself down at the throne of grace, saying, “Lord, you know what you did, when you appointed it to be done thus; therefore fulfil what you appointed; for you are not only the feast, but the way to it.”

At baptism, being himself in white, he requires the presence of all, and baptises not willingly but on Sundays or great days. He admits no vain or idle names, but such as are usual and accustomed. He says that prayer with great devotion where God is thanked for calling us to the knowledge of his grace, baptisme being a blessing that the world has not the like.

He willingly and cheerfully crosses the child, and thinks the ceremony not only innocent, but reverend. He instructs the godfathers, and godmothers that it is no complemental or light thing to sustain that place, but a great honour, and no less burden, as being done both in the presence of God and his saints, and by way of undertaking for a Christian soul.

He advises all to call to mind their baptism often; for if wise men have thought it the best way of preserving a state to reduce it to its principles by which it grew great, certainly it is the safest course for Christians also to meditate on their baptism often (being the first step into their great and glorious calling) and upon what terms, and with what vows they were baptised.

At the times of the Holy Communion, he first takes order with the Church Wardens, that the elements be of the best, not cheap, or coarse, much less ill-tasted, or unwholesome.

Secondly, he considers and looks into the ignorance or carelessness of his flock, and accordingly applies himself with catechisings and lively exhortations, not on the Sunday of the Communion only (for then it is too late) but the Sunday, or Sundays before the Communion, or on the Eves of all those days.

If there be any, who having not received yet, are to enter into this great work, he takes the more pains with them, that he may lay the foundation of future blessings. The time of everyone’s first receiving is not so much by years, as by understanding. Particularly, the rule may be this: When any one can distinguish the sacramental from common bread, knowing the institution and the difference, he ought to receive, of what age soever. Children and youths are usually deferred too long, under pretence of devotion to the sacrament, but it is for want of instruction. Their understandings being ripe enough for ill things, and why not then for better?

But Parents, and Masters should make hast in this, as to a great purchase for their children, and servants; which while they defer, both sides suffer — the one in wanting many excitings of grace; the other, in being worse served and obeyed.

The saying of the Catechism is necessary, but not enough; because to answer in form may still admit ignorance. But the questions must be propounded loosely and wildly, and then the answerer will discover what he is.

Thirdly, for the manner of receiving, as the Parson uses all reverence himself, so he administers to none but to the reverent. The feast indeed requires sitting, because it is a feast; but man’s unpreparedness asks kneeling. He that comes to the sacrament has the confidence of a guest, and he that kneels confesses himself an unworthy one, and therefore differs from other feasters. But he that sits, or lies, puts up to an Apostle. Contentiousness in a feast of charity is more scandal then any posture.

Fourthly, touching the frequency of the Communion, the parson celebrates it, if not duly once a month, yet at least five or six times in the year — as, at Easter, Christmas, Whitsuntide, afore and after Harvest, and the beginning of Lent. And this he does not only for the benefit of the work, but also for the discharge of the Church Wardens, who being to present all that receive not three times a year — if there be but three Communions, neither can all the people so order their affairs as to receive just at those times, nor the Church Wardens so well take notice who receive three times, and who not.