"then religion itself will be exposed to "fcorn, and become contemptible; as

you may already obferve it to be in "too many poor vicarages in this nation. "And therefore, as you are by a late act "or acts of Parliament entrusted with a 66 great power to preferve or waste the "Church's lands; yet difpofe of them, "for Jefus' fake, as you have promised "to men, and vowed to God, that is, as "the donors intended: let neither falfe"hood nor flattery beguile you to do "otherwife; but put a stop to God's and "the Levites portion, I beseech you, and "to the approaching ruins of his Church, "as you expect comfort at the last great "day; for Kings must be judged. Par "don this affectionate plainness, my most "dear Sovereign, and let me beg to be "still continued in your favour; and the "Lord ftill continue you in his.”

The Queen's patient hearing this affectionate speech, and her future care to preferve the Church's rights, which till then had been neglected, may appear a fair teftimony, that he made hers and the Church's

Church's good the chiefeft of his cares, and that she also thought fo. And of this there were fuch daily teftimonies given, as begot betwixt them fo mutual a joy and confidence, that they feemed born to believe and do good to each other; fhe not doubting his piety to be more than all his oppofers, which were many; nor doubting his prudence to be equal to the chiefeft of her council, who were then as remarkable for active wisdom, as those dangerous times did require, or this nation did ever enjoy. And in this condition he continued twenty years, in which time he faw fome flowings, but many more ebbings of her favour towards all men that had oppofed him, especially the Earl of Leicefter: fo that God feemed ftill to keep him in her favour, that he might preserve the remaining Church-lands and immunities from facrilegious alienations. And this good man deferved all the honour and power with which the gratified and trufted him; for he was a pious man, and naturally of noble and grateful principles: he eased her of all her Church

cares by his wife manage of them; he gave her faithful and prudent counsels in all the extremities and dangers of her temporal affairs, which were very many; he lived to be the chief comfort of her life in her declining age, and to be then most frequently with her, and her affiftant at her private devotions; he lived to be the greatest comfort of her foul upon her death-bed, to be present at the expiration of her last breath, and to behold the clofing of thofe eyes that had long looked upon him with reverence and affection. And let this alfo be added, that he was the chief mourner at her fad funeral let this be forgotten, that, within a few hours after her death, he was the happy proclaimer, that King James (her peaceful fucceffor) was heir to the crown.

; nor

Let me beg of my reader to allow me to fay a little, and but a little, more of this good Bishop, and I shall then prefently lead him back to Mr. Hooker; and, because I would haften, I will mention but one part of the Bishop's charity and humility; but this of both. He

built a large alms-house near to his own palace at Croydon in Surry, and endowed it with maintenance for a mafter and twenty-eight poor men and women; which he vifited fo often, that he knew their names and difpofitions; and was fo truly humble, that he called them brothers and fifters: and whenfoever the Queen defcended to that lowlinefs to dine with him at his palace in Lambeth, (which was very often,) he would usually the next day fhew the like lowliness to his poor brothers and fifters at Croydon, and dine with them at his hospital; at which time, you may believe, there was joy at the table. And at this place he built alfo a fair free-fchool, with a good accommodation and maintenance for the mafter and scholars. Which gave just occafion for Boyfe Sifi, then ambaffador for the French King, and refident here, at the Bishop's death, to fay, "The Bi"fhop had published many learned books; "but a free-fchool to train up youth, "and an hofpital to lodge and maintain "aged and poor people, were the best " evi

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"evidences of Chriftian learning that a Bishop could leave to pofterity." This good Bishop lived to fee King James settled in peace, and then fell into an extreme sickness at his palace in Lambeth; of which when the King had notice, he went presently to visit him, and found him in his bed in a declining condition, and very weak; and after fome fhort difcourfe betwixt them, the King at his departure affured him," He had a great affection for him, " and a very high value for his prudence "and virtues, and would endeavour to

beg his life of God for the good of his "Church.” To which the good Bishop replied, "Pro Ecclefia Dei, pro Ecclefia "Dei:" which were the laft words he ever spake; therein teftifying, that as in his life, fo at his death, his chiefest care was of God's Church.

This John Whitgift was made Archbishop in the year 1583. In which busy place he continued twenty years and fome months; and in which time you may believe he had many trials of his courage and patience: but his motto was,