For the church of England, in casting out papal tyranny and superstition, to have shewed greater willingness of accepting the very ceremonies of the Turk, Christ's professed enemy, than of the most indifferent things which the church of Rome approveth; to have left not so much as the names which the church of Rome doth give to things innocent; to have rejected whatsoever that church doth make account of, be it never so harmless in itself, and of never so ancient continuance, without any other crime to charge it with, than only that it hath been the hap thereof to be used by the church of Rome, and not to be commanded in the word of God: this kind of proceeding might happily have pleased some few men, who having begun such a course themselves, must needs be glad to see their example followed by us. But the Almighty, which giveth wisdom, and inspireth with right understanding whomsoever it pleaseth him, he foreseeing that which man's wit had never been able to reach unto; namely, what tragedies the attempt of so extreme alteration would raise in some parts of the Christian world, did for the endless good of his church, (as we cannot chuse but interpret it) use the bridle of his provident restraining hand to stay those eager affections in some, and to settle their resolution upon a course more calm and moderate. HOOKER. One man alone there was to speak of (whom let no suspicion of flattery deprive of his deserved commendation), who, in the defiance of one part, and courage of the other, stood in the gap, and gave others respite to prepare themselves to the defence; which, by the sudden eagerness and violence of their adversaries, had otherwise been prevented: wherein God hath made good unto him his own impress, Vincit qui patitur. For, what contumelious indignities he hath at their hands sustained, the world is witness: and what reward of honour above his adversaries God hath bestowed upon him, themselves, though nothing glad thereof, must needs confess. GEORGE CRANMER. ADVERTISEMENT. THE Life of Archbishop Whitgift, which was first published in the year 1612, is here printed intire from the second edition, - intitled "The Life of John Whitgift, archbishop of Canterbury, in the times of q. Elizabeth and k. James I.; written by sir George Paule, comptroller of his grace's houshold. London, 1699." 8vo. TO THE MOST REVEREND FATHER IN GOD, GEORGE, LORD ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY, PRIMATE OF ALL ENGLAND AND METROPOLITAN ; one of the LORDS OF HIS MAJESTY'S MOST HONOURABLE PRIVY COUNCIL Most Reverend and my ever HONOURED LORD, I SEE it incident to personages of high place and deserving, to win by their living favours many obsequious followers, who, after their decease, prove but cold remembrancers of their bounty, or other virtues: which slackness in others forced that boldness in me, rather to chuse the hazard of disreputation to my pen, which was never cunning, than to my heart, which shall never be ungrateful. And therefore I have presumed to set down the godly and religious courses of the most reverend archbishop WHITGIFT. your grace's late predecessor, to shew mine own obligation to his memory, and to make known his worthy parts to future ages. And because your grace's beginnings shew how careful an enbracer you are of his chiefest virtues, as well in your industrious studies, as in your private and public government; I held it my duty to present both this, and my best services to your grace: that here you may see, if nothing else, those virtues in another. that are so aimed at by yourself: which make many true affected hearts pray, that by your godly, vigilant, and prudent guidance. his church may long and happily flourish among us. To your grace most bounden, GEO. PAULE. |