The Marrow of Ecclesiastical History, William Whitaker
W. WHITAKER
The Life of William Whitaker, who died Ano Christi 1595.
WIlliam Whitaker was born at Holme in the Parish of Bournley in Lancashire, His birth a…d Parentage.of an ancient Family. His Father was one who by his industry increased the ancient inheritance of the Whitakers. His Mother came of the two worshipfull Familes of the Townlies and Nowels. In his childhood he was educated under his parents wings, and brought up in the School of Bournley: But when he was thirteen years old, he was sent for up to London by his Uncle Alexander Nowel, His education.Dean of Pauls, either because he saw he was brought up in the Popish Religion, or because he discerned the boy to be of an excellent wit, or out of a desire to exercise his charity, and to deserve well of his kindred: And when he came, he kept him in his own house, and placed him in Pauls School, where he profited so much, that at eighteen years old he was sent to Cambridge to Trinity Colledge under the tuition of one Master West, He goes to Cambridge.where, by his diligence and proficience in his studyes, he procured such love and esteem, that hee was chosen first Scholar,His preferment in the University. and then Fellow of the House; by which meanes being taken more notice of, the excellency of his wit and learning did more appear: For in all his Disputations either in the Colledge or Schooles, he still carried away the bell: And so with the generall approbation, and applause of all, he took his Degrees of Batchelor, and Master of Arts, which when he had done, he did not (as many) neglect his studies, as if he had need to make no further progress, but with greater alacrity and diligence he still pressed on towards perfection,His gratitude. and to shew his gratitude and proficiency to his Uncle Doctor Nowel, he turned his elegant and learned Latine Catechism into Greek very acurately, and so presented it to him; and that hee might bee usefull to the Church, he turned the English Liturgie into Latine, hereby declaring what an excellent ornament he was likely to prove to the whole Commonwealth of England: Yea he adventured upon a more difficult work, which hee performed to his great commendation, of turning Bishop Jewels Disputations against Harding into Latine, which redounded to the great benefit of all Christian Churches, and to the propagation of the Orthodox Faith. By these Works he procured much respect in the University,He is made Father at the Commencement. so that the Heads of the Houses when the Commencement drew on, choose him, being yet young, to bee Father of many Sonnes, whom he was not only to instruct and encourage in their studies, and to quicken to further diligence and industry; but also to handle Philosophicall questions, and to defend them against learned and acute opponents; which ta…k was by so much the more difficult, by how much hee had but short warning, yet did hee perform it with such strength and prudence, that hee raised in the mindes of all his Auditors an admiration of his singular learning and eloquence.
A while after leaving Plato and Aristotle, he became a diligent reader of the sacred Scriptures,He studies Divinity. to which, as every Christian ought, he alwaies attributed the chiefest authority, not onelyonly to build our Faith upon, but to determine all doubts, and controversies by. He turned over also diligently all the principal Modern Commentators who were faithfull Interpreters of the Word of God. And being of an incredible industry, enduring heat and cold, in a few years space he read over most of the Fathers both Greek and Latine, and if by any occasion of friends visits,His In…ustry. or otherwise, he was interrupted in his studies, he would gain so much time out of his sleep in the night, as to finish his task which he had imposed upon him-self But as by these his labours and watchings he much encreased his learning, so he much impaired the health of his body, which he never recovered all his life after.His Temperance. He was very temperate in his diet from his very childhood; hee drank very little wine, and in summer mixed it with water: He never overloaded his stomack with meat, no not in the greatest Feasts, but alwaies used a sparing and moderate diet. He somtimes recreated himself, for his healths sake, either by Shooting or Angling, and in the Winter time when he could do neither of them,He Recreat…ons. he sometimes refreshed himself by playing at the ingenions game at Chesse: In which recreations he used to be merry, and pleasant, without heat or wrangling, so that it might be easily discerned, that he only sought the refreshing of his mind, and the health of his body in them. Doctor Whitgift, the then Regius Professor, took so great a liking of him, and love to him, that he esteemed him as his son all his life after: when he Common-placed, or Catechised in the Chaphel, his labours favoured both of learning and piety: When hee tooke the Degree of Batchelor in Divinity, he performed his exercises so, that his Auditors knew not whether he shewed himself the better Christian or Divine. When he read in the Philosophy or Rhetorick Schools, he seemed another Basil, when he catchised another Origen. When he preached his Concio ad Clerum at his Commencement Anno Christi 1578,His excellent parts. it abounded both with sanctitie, and all manner of learning, and when the Commencement came, he handled two Theological questions very copiously, and strongly, and after defended them acutely, and appositly, as became a good Disputant; after which he obtained his degree of Batchelor of Divinity with the approbation of all, to whom he had given abundance of satisfaction.
And when this work was over he lived quietly for a while in the Colledge, being never less idle then when idle, nor lesse alone then when alone: For when hee was free from publick businesses, hee prepared himself by studying Controversies for publick work, as it were thereby presaging what afterwards came to passe. For it fell out by Gods providence that shortly after Doctor Chaderton, the Master of Queens Colledge and the Regius Professor was made a Bishop, and though Whitaker was but young for such a place,He is chosen Professor. yet considering his great learning, he was unanimously chosen to be his successor in the Professorship, though some were much vexed to see such a young man preferred before an old, whom they judged unable to undertake so great a task. But when hee began to read his Lectures, he performed them to the abundant satisfaction of all his hearers, nothing being found wanting which could be required in the best Divine, and most accomplished Professor: For hee shewed much reading, a sharp judgement, a pure and easie stile, with sound and solid learning, so that his fame spreading abroad; abundance resorted to his Lectures, and reaped much profit thereby.
The first that he began with in his Lectures was to expound the three first Chapters of Luke: His Lectures.After which he went over the Epistle to the Galathians, the first to Timothy, and the Canticles. Afterwards he betook himself to the Controversies between the Papists and us,He confutes the Papists. Anno Christi 1585. About that time there came into England a proud and vain-glorious Jesuit called Edmund Campian, As Campian.an English man, who set forth ten Arguments whereby he boasted that he had utterly overthrown the Protestant Religion. To these Whitaker answered so fully and learnedly, that all the Jesuits brags vanished into smoak. But shortly after there rose up Durie a Scottish Jesuit,Dury. who undertook to answer Whitaker, and to vindicate Campian. And whereas Campian had set forth his Arguments with a great deal of ostentation, and youthly confidence: Durie on the other side prosecuted the cause with dog-like barking, and railing, and scurrility. Whitaker gave him the preheminence in that, but did so solidly answer all his Arguments, and discover his fallacies, that the truth in those points was never more fully cleared by any man. Then rose up Nicolas Sanders, Sanders.an English Jesuit, who wrote about the person of Antichrist, boasting that by forty demonstrative Arguments he had proved that the Pope was not Antichrist. These Arguments Whitaker examined, & answered learnedly, and solidly, truly retorting many of them upon himself. Then Rainolds, Rainolds.a Divine of Remes, another English Apostate, pretended a reply, but subtilly and maliciously presented the English Divines differing amongst themselves; that by their differences he might expose their Religion to the greater hatred, and obloquy. But VVhitaker perceived, and plainly discovered his craftie fetches, and lies; yet withall declared that he judged his book so vain, and foolish, that he scarce thought him worthy of an answer.
About this time hee married a Wife,His marriage. a prudent, pious, chaste, and charitable woman. After whose death at the end of two years, he married another, a grave Matron, the Widdow of Dudley Fenner, by these he had eight children, whom he educated religiously.Stapleton reproaches him for his marriage. Upon this occasion the crabbed old man, Stapleton, who had neither learned to teach the truth, nor to speak well, nor to thinke chastly of others, wrote a book against him, objecting his marriage as a great reproach; but surely this man had not read the words of Christ, Mat. 9. 11. nor of Paul 1 Cor. 9. 5. 1 Tim. 3. 2. Nor what the Council of Nice decreed concerning the Marriage of Presbyters upon the motion of Paphnutius; nor what Augustine, and others of the Fathers had written about that point: Or else he was of Ho…aeus the Jesuits mind, one of the Popes Counsellors, who declared openly, that Priests sinned lesse by committing Adultery, then by marrying wives. VVhitaker never had his Catamites, as many of the Popish Priests, Jesuits, Cardinals, yea and some of the Popes themselves had. But to leave him, and return to our matter.
Doctor VVhitaker was shortly after chosen Master of Saint Johns Colledge in Cambridge, He is chosen Master of St. Johns.which though at first some of the Fellows and Students out of self-ends disliked, and opposed, yet, within a little space, by his clemency, equitie, and goodnesse, he so overcame their exulcerated mindes, that he turned them into love, and admiration of him: Yea he alwaies governed the Colledge with much prudence and moderation, not seeking his own profit but the publick good, as appeared not onelyonly by the testimony of those which lived with him, but by his frugality, wherein yet his gaines exceeded not his expences. In choosing Scholars and Fellows, he alwayes carryed himself unblameably and unpartially, so as hee would never suffer any corruption to creep into the Election; and if he found any who by bribes had sought to buy Suffrages, he of all others (though otherwise never so deserving) should not be chosen.
Lellarmine about this time growing famous,He confutes Bellarmine. and being looked upon by his own party as an invinicible Champion, him Whitaker undertakes, and cuts off his head with his own weapons: First in the controversie about the Scriptures, published Anno Christi 1588. Then about the Church, Councils, Bishop of Rome, the Minister, Saints departed, the Church Triumphant, His fidelity therein.the Sacraments, Baptism, and the Lords Supper; though hee had not leisure to print them all. In all which controversies, he dealt not with his adversarie with taunts, reproaches, and passion, but as one that indeed sought out the truth. Hereupon that superstitious old man, Thomas Stapleton, Professor of Lovane, Stapleton tails.perceiving that Bellarmine held his peace, undertook to answer Whitaker in that third question of his first part, about the Scriptures, which he performed in a volume large enough, but as formerly, in a scurrilous, and railing language. Therefore Whitaker, Whitaker answereth.lest the testy old man should seeme wise in his own eyes, answered him in somewhat a tarter language then he used to doe.
The week before he dyed he performed an excellent work, not only for the University of Cambridge, but for the whole English Church, for whose peace and unity he alwaies studied in truth, by undertaking to compose some differences which sprang up about some …ads of Religion; for which end he went toward London in the midst of winter, in the company of Doctor Tyndal, Master of Queens Colledge: but what with his journey, and want of sleep (being too intent upon his business) he fel sick by the way,His sicknesse. which made him return to Cambridge again; and finding his disease to encrease, he sent for the Physitians, who, after debate, resolved to let him blood, which yet was neglected for two daies: The third day when they went about it, he was unfit, by reason of a continual sweat that he was in, yet that night he seemed to sleep quietly; and the next morning a friend asking him how he did? he answered, O happy night▪ I have not taken so sweet a sleep since my disease seised upon me: But his friend finding him all in a cold sweat, told him, that signes of death appeared on him. To whom he answered, Life or death is welcome to me, which God pleaseth; for death shall be an advantage to me▪ And after a while he sayd, I desire not to live, but onelyonly so farre as I may doe God and his Church service: And so shortly after he quietly departed in the Lord, Anno Christi 1595,His death. and of his age forty seven; Having been Professor sixteen years.
Cardinal Bellarmine procured his picture out of England, Bellarmine admired him.and hung it up in his study, much admiring him for his singular learning; and being asked by a Jesuit, why he would suffer the picture of that Heretick to hang there, he answered, Quòd quamvis Haereticus, & Adversarius esset, esset tamen doctus Adversarius, that though hee was an Heretick, and his Adversary, yet he was a learned Adversary.
In the whole course of his disease, which was a Fever,His carriage in his sicknesse. hee demeaned himself quietly and mildly, acknowledging God to be the author of his disease, to whose will hee willingly submitted himself, without the least sign of impatiency, saying with Job, Lord my God, though thou kill me, yet I am sure that with these eyes I shall see thee; His Character.for in thee do I hope. In his habit countenance, and in the whole course of his life he… shewed forth piety and holynesse; and in his private family where he most discovered himself, he was the same man. Hee was most patient in injuries, which he quickly forgat, & was easily reconciled to those which deserved worst of him. Hee was very charitable and liberal to the poor, according to his estate,His great charity. which yet he alwaies carried privately, that others might not take notice of it; but especially he was most bountiful to such poor as were modest, godly, and industrious, and yet more especially to such poor Students as were ingenious, & painful. These he would often secretly furnish with mony, and prefer them to places as far as by the Statutes of the Colledge he could. In passing judgement upon other mens lives and actions he was alwaies very modest and moderate. Those whom he saw doe well, he would encourage and commend: For those that brake out into inordinate practises, he would grieve, and mourn. In his converse with his friends, he was very courteous, apert, and pleasant: Faithfull in keeping secrets; prudent and grave in serious matters: Alwaies most prompt, and ready to assist his friends in every condition, either with counsel, comfort, or money. His piety towards his parents was singular,His piety to his parents. towards whom he was very dutyfull, and whom he supported being faln into decay through ill husbandry: And that which added a lustre to his learning, virtue, and graces, was, that they were accompanied with Moses-like meekness, and almost incredible humility. For although hee was endued with a most sharp wit,His humility. happy memory, variety of reading, excellent eloquence as ever was in any Divine, and lastly with a most learned, and polite judgement, so that he was the Oracle of the University, and miracle of the world, yet did he not hold any singular, or private opinion, but what was agreeable to the sound Doctrine of the Word of God, and the peace of the Church; yea he was so humble, that he despised not his inferiours, but carried himself as a child that is weaned from his Mothers breasts.
Besides what works are mentioned before in his life, His Works.and are printed, he left divers others, as, Conciones ad Clerum. Breves determinationes questionum Theologicarum. Determinationes aliae pleniores. Libollus contra Thomam Stapletonum de originali peccato.