A briefe view of the state of the Church of England as it stood in Q. Elizabeths and King James his reigne, to the yeere 1608 being a character and history of the bishops of those times ... / written ... by Sir John Harington ..., Knight.

Doctor Andrews.

His Majesty having a great desire to prefer Doctor Andrews, then Dean of Westminster, made speciall choyce of him to succeed him as well in the Bishoprick as the Aumnership, and I suppose if Hen. the 3d his Chaplain had been so good a Schollar, he had not been refused for his Learning. This Bishop your Highness knoweth so well, and have heard him so oft, as it may be you think it needless to hear more of him. But I will be bold to say your Highness doth but half know him, for the vertues that are not seen in him, are more and greater then those that are seen, I will therefore play the blab so far, that your Higlmess may know him better. He was born in London, and train∣ed up in the School of that famous Mul∣caster, and for the speciall towardness was found in him in very young yeares, he was not onely favoured, but had libe∣rall exhibition given him by a great Councellor of those times, as I shall note hereafter. The course of his study was

not as most mens are in these times, to get a little superficiall fight in Divinity, by reading two or three of the new wri∣ters, and straight take Orders, and up in∣to the Pulpit. Of which kind of men a Reverent Bishop yet living said as proper∣ly as pleasantly, when one told of a young man that preached twice every Lords day, beside some exercising in the Week dayes, it may be (saith he) he doth talk so often, but I doubt he doth not preach. And to the like effect the late Queen said to the same Bishop, when she had on the Fryday heard one of those talking Preachers much commended to her by some body, and the Sunday after heard a well labour'd Sermon that smelt on the Candle, I pray said the, let me have your bosom Sermons, rather then your lip-Sermons; for when the Preacher takes pains, the Auditor takes profit. But to come to Doctor Andrews that gathered before he did spend, reading both new Writers and old Writers, not as tasting but as disgesting them, and finding ac∣cording to our Saviours saying. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the old to be more profita∣ble, at last his sufficiency could be no longer conceal'd. But as an industrious

Marchant that secretly and diligently follows his Trade with small showe, till his wealth being grown so great, it can be no longer hidden, is then call'd on for Subsidies and Loans, and publique services: so did this mans excellencies suddenly break forth. His Patron that studied projects of policy, as much as precepts of piety, hearing of his fame, and meaning to make use thereof, sent for him (as I have credibly heard) and dealt earnestly with him, to hold up a side that was even then falling, and to maintain certain state points of Puritanisme. But he had too much of the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in him to be scar'd with a Councellors frown, or blown aside with his breath, answered him plainly, they were not onely against his Learning, but his Conscience. The Councellor seeing this man would be no Fryer Pinhie (to be taught in a Closet what he should say at Pauls) dismist him with some disdain for the time; but afterward did the more reverence his in∣tegrity and honesty, and became no hin∣derer to his ensuing preferments. Of these one was a Prebend in Pauls, belonging to him, they call the Confessor or Confessi∣oner, a place notoriously abused in time

of Popery by their tyranny and superstiti∣tion; but now of late by a contrary ex∣tream too much forgotten and neglected: while he held this place, his manner was, especially in Lent time, to walk duly at certain hours, in one of the Iles of the Church, that if any came to him for spi∣rituall advice and comfort, as some did, though not many, he might impart it to them. This Custom being agreeable to Scripture, and Fathers, expressed and re∣quired in a sort in the Communion Book, not repugning the 39 Articles, and no lesse approved by Calvin in his Instituti∣ons, yet was quarrel'd with by divers (upon occasion of some Sermons of his) as a point of Popery. The like scandall was taken of some, though not given by him, for his reverent speaking of the highest Mystery of our Faith and heaven∣ly food the Lords Supper, which some are so stiffe in their knees, or rather in their hearts, that they hold it Idolarry to receive that kneeling. But whatsoever such barked at, he ever kept one tenor of life and Doctrine Exemplar and unre∣proveable.

Two speciall things I have observed in his Preaching, that I may not omit to

speak of. One to raise a joynt reverence to God and the Prince, to spirituall and civill Magistrate, by uniting and not severing them.

The other to lead to amendment of Life, and to good works, the fruits of true Repentance.

Of the first kind, he made a Sermon before the Queen long since, which was most famous of this Text. Thou leddest thy people like Sheep by the hands of Moses and Aaron. Which Sermon, (though courteous ears are commonly so open, as it goes in at one ear, and out at the o∣ther) yet it left an Aculeus behind in ma∣ny of all sorts. And Henry Noel one of the greatest Gallants of those times, sware as he was a Gentleman, he never heard man speak with such a spirit. And the like to this was his Sermon before the King, of two silver Trumpets to be made of one peece. Of the second kind I may say all his Sermons are, but I will menti∣tion but his last, that I heard the fifth of the last November, which Sermon I could wish ever to read upon that day. When the Lord turned the Captivity of Sion, &c. And I never saw his Majesty more sweet∣ly affected with any Sermon then with

that. But to conclude, I perswade my self, that whensoever it shall please God to give the King means, with consent of his confederate Princes to make that great peace which his blessed word Beati Paci∣fici seemeth to promise, I mean the end∣ing of this great Schisme in the Church of God, procured as much by ambition, as by superstition; This reverent Pre∣late will be found one of the ablest, not of England onely, but of Europe, to set the course for composing the controver∣sies, which I speak not to add reputation to his sufficiency by my judgement; but rather to win credit to my judgement by his sufficiency. And whereas I know some that have known him so long as I have, yet have heard and believe no lesse of his Learning then I speak, find fault that he is not so apt to deliver his resolu∣tion upon every question moved as they could wish, who if they be not quickly resolved of that they aske, will quickly resolve not to care for it. I say this Cunctation is the mean between Preci∣pitation and Procrastination, and is spe∣cially commended by the Apostle St. James, as I have heard him alledge it, Sit omnis homo 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 tar∣dus

ad loquendum, tardus ad iram.