Whereupon Mr Welch was called into the king's presence; and upon his admission silently prayed to GOD for wisdom and assistance. The king asked him, 'How ⚫he durst preach where he was, since it was against the law of France, for any man to preach within the verge of his court?' Mr Welch answered, "Sir, if you did ❝right, you would come and hear me preach, and make "all France hear me likewise; for (said he), I preach "not as those men whom you hear; my preaching differs "from their's in these two points: First, I preach that "you must be saved by the merits and death of Jesus "Christ, and not by any merits or works of your own. "Next, I preach, that as you are king of France, you ❝are under the authority and command of no man on "earth: Those men (added he), whom you hear, sub"ject you to the pope of Rome, which I will never do." The king replied no more, but Et bien vous etiez mon ministre: Well, well, you shall be my minister.' Accordingly, he was favourably dismissed, and the king left the town in peace.

In a short time after, the war was renewed; and Mr Welch then told the inhabitants of the city, that now their cup was full, and they should no more escape; which accordingly came to pass. The king ordered Vitry, captain of his guard, to preserve his minister from all danger; and to provide him with horses, and waggons, and all other conveniences necessary to convey him and his family to Rochelle. This story lord Kenmure, who was bred at Mr Welch's house, told Mr Livingstoun, minister of Ancrum, and from him (says the biographer) I had it.

Soon after this, Mr Welch obtained liberty to come to England; and his friends petitioned the king, that he might be permitted to return to Scotland; the physicians giving it as their opinion, that nothing could preserve his life but his native air. But the king gave them an absolute denial; so he languished in London a considerable time. His disease was thought by some to be of the leprousy kind; but the physicians said, he had been poisoned. When, in the time of his weakness, he was desired to remit somewhat of his excessive labour and study; his answer was, "He had his life of God, and that it should "be spent for him." It is said, that by frequent and long praying, the flesh of his knees was hard and callous like horn.

His friends again importuned the king, that if he was not permitted to go to Scotland, he might at least have

liberty

liberty to preach in London; but neither would the king grant this request, till he heard all hopes of life were past; then, not fearing his activity, he allowed him. Mr Welch no sooner heard that he had liberty to preach, than he readily embraced it; and having access to a lecturer's pulpit, he preached both long and fervently. This was the last performance of his life; for, after he had ended his sermon, he returned to his chamber, and within two hours, quietly and without pain, he resigned his spirit into his maker's hands; and was buried near Mr Deering, the famous English divine, in the year 1623, in the fifty-third year of his age.

He was of a strong, robust constitution, and underwent a deal of fatigue. Among his PAPERS were found Saurez's Metaphysics abridged; and a great number of Sermons, some of which were printed in Glasgow some years ago. He printed his Dispute with Abbot Brown the papist, in which his learning appears to be nothing behind his other excellencies. Another Piece, called Dr Welch's ARMAGEDDON, he printed in France, in which are given his Meditations on the enemies of the Church: But this performance is very rarely to be met with.

We will conclude this article with the extract of a letter, sent by Mr Welch to the lady Mar while he was an exile in France, which has been preserved by the excellent Mr Fleming.

I thank my God, (says he) in Christ, for all the "gracious consolation it pleaseth him to vouchsafe on me in the days of my affliction, whereby I perceive the good pleasure of his will to minister unto me comfort, that, not only with patience, but with joy, I might bear "his cross; and I dare not but give testimony, that the "Lord has been faithful in his promises, and has remem

bered his mercy and covenant towards me, has made his yoke easy, and his burden light, and has caused his consolations to abound, far beyond all that ever I yet "suffered. 'Tis true, it cannot but be sometimes griev

ous to remember the glory that I have seen both in pub«lic and private in the communion of saints, from which "I am now exiled; yet it pleaseth my Lord to minister such tranquillity of mind unto me, that I cannot but wonder at it, and at those exceeding and incredible joys, wherewith I now see by experience it pleases him to accompany his own cross. O how sweet a thing is it * to suffer for Christ! How glorious and rich treasures are there, that lye hid under that vile and ignominious

"veil of the cross! The world, yea, the princes and wise of this world know not the glorious and unspeak"able joys that are joined with the cross: Yea, who "knows it, but he that hath experience of it?-Surely "affliction is a testimony and seal of the love of God !"

JOHN PISCATOR.

JOHN

OHN PISCATOR, a learned and laborious divine, was born at Strasburg in the year 1546. He was from a youth a lover of study, and made an early proficiency in learning; and, in his study of logic, reconciled and united. Aristotle and his commentator Peter Ramus. Having made great progress in divinity, he was invited to Herborn to accept of the professor's chair, which he filled with such general satisfaction, and so very agreeably to the students, that many flocked thither from Germany, France, Poland, and other northern countries. He was very diligent and laborious; scarce allowing himself sufficent time for sleep.

He wrote many things; and translated the whole bible with great industry and faithfulness into the German language; besides his analysis logical and theological of the greatest part of it. He died at Herborn in 1625, and in the eightieth year of his age. Our Dr Twisse says of him, that he was an excellent scripture divine, but no school divine, and that therefore it is not to be wondered at, if he did not use the accuracy of scholastic expressions. But if what Luther says be right (as we are nclined to believe), Bonus textuarius est theologus bonus; i. e. A good textuary is a good divine;' it is possible to pardon him, especially as no man living can find out, what benefit ever occurred to the world from the scholastic divinity; unless the filling the pope's coffers can be thought to have been an advantage to it.

LANCELOT

LANCELOT ANDREWS, D. D.

BISHOP OF WINCHESTER.

ANCELOT ANDREWS, an eminent divine, and bishop of Winchester in the reigns of James I. and Charles 1. was born at London, in 1565, in the parish of All-Hallows Barking, being descended from the ancient family of the Andrews's in Suffolk. He had his education in grammar-learning, first in the Cooper's free-school at Ratcliff under Mr Ward; and afterwards in MerchantTaylor's school at London, under Mr Mulcaster. Here he made such a proficiency in the learned languages, that Dr Watts, residentiary of St Paul's and archdeacon of Middlesex, who had lately founded some scholarships at Pembroke-hall in Cambridge, sent him to that college, and bestowed on him the first of those exhibitions. After he had been three years in the university, his custom was to come up to London once a year, about Easter, to visit his father and mother, with whom he usually stayed a month; during which time, with the assistance of a master, he applied himself to the attaining some language, or art, to which he was before a stranger: And by this means, in a few years, he had laid the foundations of all the arts and sciences, and acquired a competent skill in most of the modern languages.

Having taken the degree of bachelor of arts, he was, upon a vacancy, chosen fellow of his college. In the mean time Hugh Price, having built Jesus-college in Oxford, and hearing much of the fame of young Mr Andrews, appointed him one of his first fellows on that foundation. Having taken the degree of master of arts, he applied himself to the study of divinity, in the knowledge of which he greatly excelled; insomuch that, being chosen catechist in the college, and having undertaken to read a lecture on the ten commandments every Saturday and Sunday at three o'clock in the afternoon, great numbers out of the other colleges of the university, and even out of the country, duly resorted to Pembroke-chapel, as to a divinity lecture. At the same time, he was esteemed

se

so profound a casuist, that he was often consulted in the nicest and most difficult cases of conscience. And now his reputation being spread far and near, Henry earl of Huntingdon prevailed upon him to accompany him into the North, of which he was president; where, by his diligent preaching, and private conferences, in which he used a due mixture of zeal and moderation, he converted several recusants, priests as well as others, to the Protestant religion. From that time he began to be taken notice of by Sir Francis Walsingham, secretary of state to Q. Elizabeth. That minister, who was unwilling so fine a genius should be buried in the obscurity of a country benefice, his intent being to make him reader of controversies in the university of Cambridge, assigned him for his maintenance the lease of the parsonage of Alton in Hampshire, and afterwards procured for him the vicarage of St Giles's, Cripplegate, in London.

Afterwards he was chosen a prebendary and residentiary of St Paul's, as also prebendary of the collegiate church of Southwell. Being thus preferred to his own contentment, he distinguished himself as a diligent and excellent preacher, and read divinity lectures three times a week at St Paul's, in term time. Upon the death of Dr Fulke, he was chosen master of Pembroke-hall, of which he had been scholar and fellow: A place of more honour than profit, since he spent more upon it than he received from it, and was a considerable benefactor to that college. He was appointed one of the chaplains in ordinary to Q. Elizabeth, who took such delight in his preaching, that she first made him a prebendary of Westminster, in the room of Dr Richard Bancroft promoted to the see of London; and afterwards dean of that church, in the room of Dr Gabriel Goodman deceased. Dr Andrews soon grew into far greater esteem with her successor K. James I. who not only gave him the preference to all other divines as a Preacher, but likewise made choice of him to vindicate his sovereignty against the virulent pens of his enemies.

That king promoted him to the bishopric of Chichester, to which he was consecrated November 3, 1605. At the same time he made him his lord almoner; in which place of great trust he behaved with singular fidelity, disposing of the royal benevolence in the properest manner, and not making those advantages to himself that he might legally and fairly have done. Upon the vacancy of the bishopric of Ely, he was advanced to that see, and con

secrated