The Dead Yet Speaking, Biography 103
ANDREW WILLET.
The Life and Death o… Andrew Willet.
IT is not long since a large Relation was published aAnn. 1634 prefixed before the fift edition of his Synopsi. Papi. and written by the same hand with this.of the life and death of that faithfull servant of Christ, Dr. Andrew Willet; yet least omitted in this honorable Catalogue, he should lose his bAugu. Cen… lib. 10. c… …7right of association in renowne and glory with these his Fellow-labourers in the service of the Gospell; I though good not onelyonly to abridge part of that former discours (which alone were but cSyne. epis…. 141.to bring forth the same birth againe, but to dId. ep. 99.adde some remarkeable things then unremembered or undiscovered, being such as may conduce both to the advancement of his memory,eTerent. in Adelph. and the encouragement of our imitation, who often follow patterns more then precepts.fLips. de Cons…. l. 2. c. 4. This learned, prudent and pious man was born of worthy and religious Parents, by whom he enjoyed that gE…rip. Cy…pr. Epist. lib… 4. Ep. 5.choyce blessing and happinesse of ingenuous & godly education and example. His Father Mr. Thomas Willet was in his yonger time Subalmoner unto King Edward the sixt, while Doctor Coxe was chiefe Almoner, and Schoolmaster to that royall Prince, who was presented of God unto this Iland, only ut spectaculi & spiraculi res (to use Tertullian's words) a faire-flourishing and sweet-smelling flower soon withered and taken away.
The sad times of persecution under Queene Mary then succeeding, King Edwards Almoner and Subalmoner, with many more were not onelyonly forced from Court, but th'one from his Country, the other from his comfort of his wife and family, for the safety of their lives and consciences, till that cloud was blowne over and Queene Mary dead.
Then ro…e Englands Debor…h, that mirrour of her sex, and miracle of the World, Queen Elizabeth: Exiles returned home, amongst them Doctor Coxe, who was advanced to the Bishoprick of Ely, and soon after preferred his old Chaplaine Master Willet, this Doctors Father to a Prebend in that Church, and to the Parsonage of Barley in Hertfordshire, both which in his old age he resigned unto this his Son, who lived and dyed in them, hAmbros. li. 1. de Abrah. cap. 8.never having ambitiously hunted after higher promotions, iA…ad. Frans s…lour. ch. 21which he rather studied to deserve then to obtaine, observing how in ordinary courses some kLips.enjoy preferment…, others merit them: yet he went on so cheerfully in his praise-worthy labours, as if his pains had been his payment; according to that reason given by some, why they that bore the heat and burthen of the day had put equall pay with him that came at the last hour into the Vinyard, Matth. 20.12. lCan…. Mos …. 3. epist. 4.Because (say they) their worke is reckoned into their wages, it being no little honour to be so imployed of God.
This Doctor was both born and bred in the Towne or City of Ely, lying within the Fens of Cambridgeshire, a soyle not unlike the place of Augustines birth, (if we beleeve mIn Aug. de Civit. De… lib. 16. cap. ….Lud. Vives and others; wherupon Erasmus nPraef. ad lib. Epi. D. Augutakes occasion to divine, that had that Father been born and lived in Italy or France, his wit though uncomparable, had been much more refined, and the fruits thereof much more abundant. And Apollonius Tyaneus oAp…l. Philostrat. in vit. A.T. li. 6. c. 6.ascribes the subtile inventions of the Indians unto the purer beames or cleerer ayre wherein they live. Whereas the auncient heathen gave the attribute of foreign, unto their choysest wits; as if they were men fallen from heaven, as they said of pAntip. apud P…u…. in vit. Ho….Homer, qTertius … coelo cecidi… Cato—IuvenCato, and the like. And as Homer said of Aegypt, so may we say of every Country, rSophoc l. in Ajac.There's many good and bad things mixt together; Ne… refert quâ terrâ natus qui renatus; it matters not where he was borne that's new born. For that which is of the earth is earthly, Joh. 3.31. But every good giving & every perfect gift is from above, Iam. 1.17. which even the heathen Poet acknowledgeth, speaking thus; These and all gifts of the mind God, I say, workes in mankind. From the Grammer Schoole in Ely, where by reason of his industry unusuall in such years, denying himselfe even sIulian in Caesar.necessary recreation, he had given many tLips. de Constat. lib. 2. c. 5. Hom.rudiments of future hopes; he was at thirteen years of age or thereabout sent to the University of Cambridge: He was first admitted into Peter-house, where he was well grounded; and afterward removed to Christ's Colledge, where he was preferred to a Fellowship, every where he found Learnings doores open to him.
Being but nineteen years of age he under-tooke the defence of his Master Aristotle, in a Latine Tractate against Tempell, a lover of Peter Ramus, whereof (as I have heard) divers Copyes were dispersed, one of which not long since I saw, with an Epistle deditatory to a Prala…e of that age, as if he had intended it for the presse. But his first booke which came forth in print, was that, De anim… natu…a & viribus, written by him at the age of twenty and two years. From which time, u…. de. … G…ang Cic. ora…. pro Arch. p…t.repu…ing every hour as lost, which was not spent in reading or writing something; he never gave over, till he had brought forth those numerous and voluminous labours, whereof you have the Catalogue hereafter written.
It is the counsell of Ierome, wHi…ron. ad Rustic.put not on too soon in writing, nor be transported with a kinde of light headednesse; be long in learning that which thou intends to teach. And as Philostratus saith, xVit. Ap…ll. Ty…n. l. 4. c. 11Palamedes found out letters that men might know not onelyonly what to write, but what not. But his Works plainly show (even those of youngest date) that he had learned these grave lessons, and that he ran not, before he well understood his errand. And although I beleeve he might truely say with learned Augustine, zPro…m. li. 3 de Trivit.that even by writing for the profit of others, he had much profited himselfe: Yet I am well assured that he had learned over & to good purpose many learned Authors ancient and moderne, till he b…came himself, foreign, a living Library; I have not without astonishment seen his many large paper books written with his owne hand, abundantly testifying how studiously and with singular judgement, he had read over most of the old Fathers, Councels, Ecclesiastick Histories, the Civill Code, the Body of the Canon Law, with many other Writers of all sorts; out of which he was able foreign, readily to produce apt sentences, and observations for every purpose.
And as aEccl. 7.25.he applyed his heart to know, and so search, and to seeke out wisdome: and to that end according to that Apostolicall direction gave b1 Tim. 4.13attendance unto reading. So likewise he followed that godly advice of Cyprian to cEpist. lib. 2. Epist. 2.Donatus willing him to mingle frequent prayer with diligent reading; sometimes (saith he) speake thou to God, and sometimes let God speake to thee: and he professed to his friends, how much he had thereby improved his talent.
Besides all these labors, when once he had undertaken the care of souls, he well considered what the Apostle Paul, by the …pirit of God… requireth of every Bishop or Pastor of the Church in those his two Epistles to Timothy, and …hat other to Titus, (dAug. de doc… Ch…i. li. 4. …. 5. which three Epis…les Augustine exhorteth …very Minister of the Word, set alwayes before his eyes) often lamenting the condition of those poore people, who live under ignorant or idle Ministers… of whom it may be said, in the Words of the Prophet Ieremiah, eLam…nt…c…. 4. v…r. 4.The children cry for bread, and there was none to breake it unto them; and as much bewailing the estate of those proud Prelates, who (as fEspenc. Digres. in 1 Tim lib. 2. cap. 2.Espencae speaks of some in his time) though able and learned, yet hold themselves not learn'd to descend to that servility and basenesse of Preaching; because when they have obtained fat Benefices, i… is not the manner to stoope to such dr…dgery; whilest he like a faithfull and diligent steward of Christ, was most pa…nfull in the execution of his office… Preaching in his Church of Barley for a long time thrice every weeke, and diligently himselfe Ca…echizing the younger sort of his Parish, and many of the elder, whom h… found to have need of gCry. Hieros. Cate…i. 4.such milke, as being yet but babes in Christ.
And although he had been Chaplaine to that Noble young Prince Henry, and both during that time, and sometimes since had Preached at Court, and knew how to tune his tongue to the most elegant eares; yet amongst his own people he taught foreign, after a most familiar way, affecting hVt d… E…ip…. ….a plaine phraise and humble style, applying him…selfe iAug. d… … Chri. l. 4. c. 17to the capacity of his Hearers, reputing that Sermon kVt Philest. de epist. ad Asp…th. Hier. ad Pa…best adorned, that was least set out with humane learning or eloquence, or perplexed with curious questions whi…h lHilar.helpe not toward… heaven.
He was a man of a most comely presence, his complextion faire and ruddy even mIul. in Caes.in age, hi… countenance composed o… gravity and sweetnesse; his disposition was pleasan… and cheerefull, alwayes merry in the Lord; whereby his conversation was most delightfull to good Christians that were acquainted with him: And as Suidas speakes of Macariu… the Egyptian, he drew his friends on in the wayes of God, with a kind of smoothing perswasions, and pleasant discourses upon all occasions.
And al…hough he knew how to r…prove, and to cut up roundly where there was just cause: yet he oChrys…st. i… Tit.was most aptly fitted and enclined to bind up the broaken and wounded consciences, and with heavenly consolation… drawne from the fountaine of living waters, to refresh a wearied and fainting spirit; pIob 16.5.He strengthened them with his mouth, and the moving of his lips did asswage their griefe; qCant. 4.11.While his lips dropped as the hony combe. How joyfully was he entertained by such, even as Ambrose by sick Valentinian, whose visits seemed to him as the rAmbr. in Obit. Valent.approaches of health.
He was a man of a most exemplary life, both in his owne sAr…hi. Tare. apud Phil.family, and abroad with others. He was in fastings often, and alwayes tSenec. epi 8 Cic. Offic. 1.temperate in his diet, many dayes eating little or nothing untill night, and that especially when he laboured most, as on his Lecture-dayes, professing that he vHippoc. Epid. l. 6. sect. 4.found himselfe both in body and minde more active by it. He was a constant and unwearied Student, tying himselfe for the most part to eight houres a day, and wVt E…eno…dividing every part of the day unto some peculiar work, nor easily suff…ing any avocation (though he had many secular cares lying upon him, having a wife and fourteen children living at his death) till (as he was wont to speak) xIulian in Misopog. ex Menandro.he had finished his taske. His conversation abroad was a perpetuall instruction to yIbid.his people; That true zMaca. …o. 15character of a Christian man;aClem. de …orr. eccl. stat. ca. 22. that highest degree of perfection, and most neer to Christ; that bBasil.treasury of all graces, humility was in him most eminent, he was most just and upright in all his dealings, and indeed so regardlesse of these earthly things, that he was foreign, easily beguiled by such a… were dishonest: yet he was well acquainted with the Laws, but very carefull to keepe both himselfe and his neighbor… from making use of them, as alwayes studyous of peace. And last, for that divine vertue of charity cSyn…s. ep. 57wherein alon… (saith Synesius) God and man communicates; read but that Paragraph in that more large relation of his life first menti…ned, and you will acknowledge him dA…i. c. 2.0.7Zealous of good workes.
Yet let me adde one thing there omitted, Phylostratus reported of a miraculous stone in India, which he calleth Pantarbe, eVit. Apo…. …a…. l. 3. c. 14having the vertue attractive of the Load stone, and likewise giving light by the bright-shining of it. This reverend Doctor, as by his workes of charity he gave much light to others, so by his arguments he was very powerful to draw them forward f1 Tim. 6.17 18, 19.…whom God had enabled for such performances.
Read to this purpose his large gSynop. Pap. p. 2220. of the fift edition.Catalogue of charitable works, done since the times of the Gospell, within the space of sixty years, under the happy raign of King Edward the sixt, Queen Elizabeth, and part of King Iames, and that onelyonly within the City of London, or by the Citizens thereof, and within the two famous Universities, Cambridge and Oxford; confining himselfe to these Places, onelyonly for want of means to travel further in the search: By which examples he hath not onelyonly incited all hTit. 3.8. Cyr. Hieros. Ca…ech. 15. ibid Cat. 1.that beleeve God to study to goe before others in good workes; as hereby discovering the life of their Faith, and laying up to themselves treasures in heaven: But withall invincibly confuting that calumny of the Romanists, charging our doctrine of justification by Faith onelyonly, as a great adversary to good works. For he hath made this challenge to all the Champions of that party, to produce and proove (if possibly they can) the iAmounting in the totall to almost 1000000 1.like acts of piety and charity, to have been done within the same compasse of yeares under Popery, and within these places, or within twice so many years, immediately preceding the date, whence his account commenceth. And to …his day I heare of none that undertakes to enter the lists with him upon this challenge.
I know there have been some even amongst us who either out of kTerem. Adelph. Tim. Sillagr.ignorance, envy or lIu…i. Mosop.proud disdaine, or because in some things they accord not with him in opinion, have cast out flirting censures against this Catalogue (which King Iames highly applauded) and against all other of his labors. Some such he met with in his owne life time, who like the Indians preferre mPhi…. vit Apoll. Tyan. l. 2. c. 9.blach before white, being their owne naturall hue; whose cavil… he no mor… regarded nIul. Mis.then the croaking of so many Frogs, oHiero…. ad …ustic.he knew he must offend some, who while they take offence at him discover their owne consciences. Many have carpt at his large book of Controversies before mentioned, as if pGreg… Naz. contr. E…nomupon every sparkle he had raised a flame, and m…de more difference betweene the Church of Rome and us then others have done, and that these things were sufficiently if not too much exagitated before his time. These and such like things I have sometimes heard, but I must needs say, onelyonly from those of that sect or cut, whom a Jesuite qChurch …nquera. against Chillingwort. chap. 6.cals, Moderate Protestants, such as least exoribitate from the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of Rome. Or such squinting Protestants rAug. de …. Orig. l. 2. c. 22as willing to retaine their corrupt opinions, and to decline the odious name of Hereticks; dares to affirme sR. M. Gagg. pag. 14.that there is no Controversie between the Romish party and us, that ei…ther concerneth Faith or good Life; but that the diff… rences are of an inferiour alloy, of which a man may be ignorant without any danger of his soule at all.
And therefore in his defence against these, I will say no more, but praejudicium tollit judicium; prejudice takes away right judgement: and male rerum examinat omnis corruptas judex; a corrupt Judge never well examineth the truth. And for his handling things often handled by others, Prosper tEpi. Pros. ad Aug. de reli… Pel…g. …er.thinkes it both necessary and profitable so to doe, least the matters be reputed of small moment which are not often argued.
As for those who have slighted his laborious Commentaries upon divers parts of Scripture, pretending them to be but Scraps and Fragments gathered from the F…asts of others, I know not whether they discover more malice or more folly: If with Socrates uApud P…at. in P…do.he filled himselfe as a vessell at the Wels or springs of others, and yet could say as Lipsius of his Politickes, Omnia mea sunt & nihil, all is min… and nothing at all. wHier. adve. Vigil.If he gathered many Flowers together and put them as a Posie into our hands; if he hath xAmb. Proe…. in Luc.read many things, to spare us th… reading of them; i… …e hath collected the judgements of most Writers ancient and moderne upon those Bookes, and disposed them by a most exquisite method, and fitted them for all necessary use, …s plainly appeareth to every unpartiall and judicious …ye… Then have we just cause to praise God for his profi…able paines, and to desire that some other would follow him in that way, yOp….wherein no man hath gone befor… him.
It cannot be denyed, but that a… B…a…us Rhenac… truely observeth, in z… Teriu….the most beautifull body som blemish may be found, and we are men aLips. praef. ad polit.subject to errours: and cons… quently in the great and many labors of this learned man, someting may be found that may require a r…v…z ill, some thing may admit the sponge. B…t when like unto Momus, who could finde nothing else amisse in Venus, but bPhilo. ep. ad ….onelyonly that her shooe creakt; men will pretend errours wher… there are none, I must tell such in the words, of Ierom…, cAd Dominwhen they come to write themselves, and to set foot to foot, th…y will tug and sweat, and find great difference between pub…lick writing and private carping. Or let thi… blessed Doctor speake to them though dead, and say, dMar…ial. ad L…lium.Carpere vel noli nos…ra, vel ede…ua. Snarle not at mine, or se… forth thin…. And on the other side, where something may be blame worthy pardon it eTheod. de Cura…d. Greac affect. in Proloand doe not despise the Works because of this, but reape profit by that which is well written, and give God the glory, who found folly in hi… Angel…, …nd …s alone impeccable.
To come neare to his death: It is …ported by fOrat. de vit. & Obit. D. …r. Mar….Iosias Simle…u…, how that after D…ctor Peter Martyr that famou… writer had published many of his Labours, he began at the last, …b initio Bibliorum, at the beginning of the Bible, and after he had expounded the book… of Genesis and Exodus, & bonam par…m Levitici, and a good part of Liviticus, prevented by the stroke of death, he ended all his labour…: So …his his exact par…ed D…ct…r Andrew Will… (besides many other Works) had written his sixfold Commenta…ie… upon the same books of Genesis and Exodu…, and had made a good progresse in the like way upon Leviticus (since fi…is…ed by …nother) here also God determined his travail…. And le… me not omit this one thing, it my poore judgement very remarkeable, how God in his divine providence and gracious favour to him, answered him in a solemne Vow, which you may find expressed in a latine Epistle of his, in words to this effect in English, gEpist. D…d. Prefix. before the second part of his second Book of He…p. up…on Exod.It is most honourable for a Souldier to dye fighting, and for a Bishop or Pastor praying, and if my mercifull God shall vouchsafe to grant me my request, my earnest desire is, that writing and commenting upon some part of the Scripture, I might finish my dayes. And accordingly God gave him his hearts desire, and denyed him not the request of his lips; Blessed is that Servant, whom his Lord when he commeth shall find so doing, Matth. 24.46.
He departed this life December the fourth 1621. in the fifty nine yeare of his age: of whom considering his strength and healthfull constitution, varying a little the words of Virgil, I may say, —Had not God said no, He might have lived ten years or twenty more. It pleased God who hath appointed to every man foreign, his owne proper and peculiar kinde of death, and without whose Providence, iTert. li. 1. ad uxorem.not a leafe falling from the ground, so to dispose of this godly mans death, that as a Pilgrim here on earth, he must dye in an Inne: In a journey from London homewards, he was forced to take up his Lodging in Hodsdon, a town in Hertfordshire, having not farre from thence, by kCic. de Fata fall from his horse, his right leg broken. It is sweetly said of Gregory N…ssen. lD… …nt. Hierosol.Wheresoever thou art (whether in thine owne house or in an Inne) God will come to thee, if thou makest thy soule a fit lodging for him. And that saying of Augustine may stop the mouth of every rash unchristian Censurer; mAug. epist. 122.God regardeth not in his servants, after what manner they depart this life, but what manner of men they are when they depart.
Here in this place he continued as Gods prisoner, confined to hi… bed for nine day…s together, spending the most part of them, in meditating upon the Song of Ezekiel, when he had been sicke, recorded by the Prophet Esay chap. 38. which heavenly contemplations were written from hi… mouth, by a Sonne of his then attending upon him. And upon two Sabbaths following within that time, observing the people of the hou…e, upon pretence of waiting. upon him, to stay from Church, h… called them together, and gave them some concionatory exhortations, both forenoon and afternoone, and this with such a spirit, as if had been no wayes sensible of his paine; which putteth me in minde of that saying of Tertullian, nTertull. ad Mart.The leg feeles nothing in the nerves, when the minde is (as it were rapt) in heaven.
Upon the tenth day after his hurt received (oMartia. l. 6 Epigr. 152. having over night supped cheerfully, and reposed himselfe to rest) early in the morning, upon occasion of the toling of a Bell for one then at the poynt of death, he suddenly awoke and with him his wife, who lay in the same chamber by him; he then tooke occasion to discourse with her touching the joyes of heaven, and touching the Saints mutuall acknowledgement of one another in that blessed estate… which discourse ended, he with his wife sang an Hymne, composed by himselfe, wherewith they usually every morning praised God for their rest the night past, and prayed his blessing for the day succeeding. Their spirits being thus raised, they continued their melody, and sang the 146. Psalme; he sometime stopped a little, and glossing upon the words, applyed divers things therein unto himselfe and to his present condition. And on the sudden (his pGennad. Conc. de mor…hour being now come) fetching a deep sigh or groan, he sunke downe in his bed; but helpe comming in, upon meanes used, he seemed to raise up himselfe a little, and then said, Let me alone, I shall doe well; Lord Iesus, and with that word he gave up …he ghost.
Soon after his body was carryed by coach to hi… Towne of Barley, and was in his Chancell solemnly interred, with decent Funerall rites and with many teares, and there lyeth covered with a faire Graven stone of Marble. But his more durable monuments are these.
The Work… of Andrew Willet Doctor of Divinity in Latin and English, Printed and unprinted.
Printed books in Latine.
1 De animae natura & viribu…. 2 S…cra emblemata. 3 De Universali vocatione Judaeorum. 4 De conciliis. 5 De Universali gratia. 6 De Antichristo. 7 Epithalamium. 8 Funebres Conciones. 9 Apologiae serenissimi Regis Jac: defensio.
In English.
14 Synopsis Papismi in five bookes. 16 Hexapla upon Genesis in two books. 18 Hexapla upon Exodus in two books. 20 An Harmony upon the first and second bookes of Samuel. 21 Hexapla upon Daniel. 22 Hexapla upon the Epistle to the Romans. 23 VponUpon the twenty two Psalme. 24 VponUpon the seven…eenth of Iohn. 25 VponUpon the Epistle of Iude. 26 Te…rastylon Papismi. 27 A Catalogue of good workes. 28 Limbomastix. 29 Loedoremasti…. 30 Epithalamium in English. 31 Funerall Sermons in English. 32 An English Catechisme. 33 A Retection. 34 An Antil…gy. 35 Hexapla upon Levi…icus.
Not Printed. In Latine.
36 Defensio Aristotelis … contra Tempellum. 37 Catechismus Latinus. 38 G…mitus Columbae, ceu Comment in Jnam. 39 S…cri paralleli. 40 Haeptaphonon. 41 Scala Coeli. 42 Antithesis Pontificiae & Evangelicae Doctrinae. 43 Variae lectione… in Pen…a…euchion.
In English.
44 An expos…on upon Genesis. 45 Marginall Annotations upon the Petateuch. 46 The Doctrine of the Christian Sabbath.
Abi, & tu fac similiter.
See here a true Nathaniel, in whose bres…
A carefull conscience kept her lasting feast;
Whose simple heart could never lodge a guile
In a soft word, nor malice in a smile:
He was a faithfull labourer, whose pains
Was pleasure; and an others good, his gaines:
The height of whose ambition was, to grow…
More ripe in knowledge, to make others know
Whose Lamp was ever shining, never hid;
And when his tongue preacht not, his actions did:
The world was least his care; he sought for heaven;
And what he had he held not earnd, but given:
The dearest wealth he own'd, the worl… near gave,
Nor owes her ought but house…rent for a grave.