ift's fanctuary) were fo bold as to fay fo: though the worst of mankind, when he is left alone at midnight, may wish, but is not then able to think it even into a belief that there is no God. Into this wretched, this reprobate condition, many had then finned themselves.

And now, when the Church was pestered with them, and with all those other forenamed irregularities; when her lands were in danger of alienation, her power at least neglected, and her peace torn to pieces by feveral fchifms, and fuch herefies as do ufually attend that fin; (for herefies do usually outlive their first authors ;) when the common people feemed ambitious of doing those very things that were forbidden and attended with most dangers, that thereby they might be punished, and then applauded and pitied: when they called the fpirit of oppofition a tender confcience, and complained of perfecution, because they wanted power to perfecute others: when the giddy multitude raged, and became restlefs to find out mifery for themselves and others; and the rabble

would

would herd themselves together, and endeavour to govern and act in spite of authority in this extremity of fear, and danger of the Church and State, when, to suppress the growing evils of both, they needed a man of prudence and piety, and of an high and fearless fortitude, they were bleft in all by John Whitgift his being made Archbishop of Canterbury; of whom Sir Henry Wotton (that knew him well in his youth, and had studied him in his age,) gives this true character; "That he was a man of "reverend and facred memory, and of "the primitive temper; fuch a temper, "as when the Church by lowliness of spirit did flourish in higheft examples of virtue." And indeed this man proved fo.

And though I dare not undertake to add to this excellent and true character of Sir Henry Wotton; yet I fhall neither do right to this discourse, nor to my reader, if I forbear to give him a further and fhort account of the life and manners of this excellent man; and it shall be short,

for

for I long to end this digreffion, that I may lead my reader back to Mr. Hooker, where we left him at the Temple.

John Whitgift was born in the county of Lincoln, of a family that was ancient, and noted to be both prudent, and affable, and gentle by nature. He was educated in Cambridge; much of his learning was acquired in Pembroke-Hall; (where Mr. Bradford the martyr was his tutor ;) from thence he was removed to Peter-House ; from thence to be Mafter of PembrokeHall; and from thence to the Mastership of Trinity-College. About which time the Queen made him her Chaplain; and not long after Prebend of Ely, and then Dean of Lincoln; and having for many years paft looked upon him with much reverence and favour, gave him a fair teftimony of both, by giving him the bishopric of Worcester, and (which was not with her a ufual favour) forgiving him his first-fruits; then by conftituting him Vice-Prefident of the Principality of Wales. And having experimented his wisdom, his juftice, and moderation in the manage of her af

fairs in both thefe places, fhe in the twenty-fixth of her reign made him Archbishop of Canterbury, and, not long after, of her Privy Council; and trusted him to manage all her ecclefiaftical affairs and preferments. In all which removes, he was like the Ark, which left a bleffing upon the place where it rested; and in all his employments was like Jehoiada, that did good unto Ifrael.

Thefe were the fteps of this Bishop's afcenfion to this place of dignity and cares in which place (to fpeak Mr. Camden's very words in his Annals of Queen Elizabeth) "he devoutly confe"crated both his whole life to God, and "his painful labours to the good of his "Church." And yet in this place he met with many oppofitions in the regulation of church-affairs, which were much difordered at his entrance, by reafon of the age and remiffness of Bishop Grindal, his immediate predeceffor, the activity of the Nonconformifts, and their chief affistant the Earl of Leicester; and indeed by too many others of the like facrilegious

principles. With thefe he was to encounter; and though he wanted neither courage, nor a good caufe, yet he forefaw, that, without a great measure of the Queen's favour, it was impoffible to stand in the breach, that had been lately made into the lands and immunities of the Church, or indeed to maintain the remaining lands and rights of it. And therefore by juftifiable facred infinuations, fuch as St. Paul to Agrippa, ("Agrippa, believeft thou? I know thou "believeft,") he wrought himself into fo great a degree of favour with her, as, by his pious use of it, hath got both of them a great degree of fame in this world, and of glory in that into which they are now both entered.

His merits to the Queen, and her favours to him, were fuch, that the called him her little black husband, and called his fervants her servants: and fhe faw fo visible and blessed a fincerity shine in all his cares and endeavours for the Church's and for her good, that fhe was fuppofed to truft him with the very fecrets of her foul,