The Dead Yet Speaking, Biography 90
IOHN RENOLDS.
The Life and Death of John Reinolds.
THis singular man of infinite reading, this treasury of all learning, both divine and humane (summus ille vir immensae lectionis doctrinae & omne genus eruditionis gazophilatium) Doctor Iohn Reinolds was borne in the same County of Devo…, and bred up in the same Colledge of Corpus Christi in Oxford, with Iewell his auncient and R. Looker, his contemporary. And what Tully spake of Pompey his Noble exploits in War that they could not be matched by the valiant Acts of all the Roman Commanders in one year, nor in all years by the processe of one Commander; so it may truely be said of these three that they cannot be parrallelled by the students of all Counties, brought up in one Colledge, nor the students of all Colledges born in one County: the two former mainely opposed the enemies of the doctrine, the third of the discipline of the Church of England with like happy successe, and they were all three in severall kinds very eminent if not equall; and as Iewels fame first grew from the rhetoricke Lecture, which he read with singular applause: and Hookers from the Logicke, so Reynolds grom the Greeke in the same house. The Author that he read was Aristotle, whose three incomparable bookes of Rhetoricke, he illustrated with so exquisite a commentary so richly fraught with all polite littrature, that as well in the commentary as in the text a man may finde that aureum flumen rerum & verborium, that golden ensturrent, the Prince of Oratours telleth us of. It was his manner every Tearm to begin his Lectures with an exhortatory Oration to his auditors: of these his elegant paraeneticks, two were published in print by himselfe, the other were since his death put forth by Henry Iackeson Fellow of the same Colledge; of these later an intilligent reader will give a like censure to that of the Oratour, sunt tantuam phidiae Minerva sed tumen ex eadem efficina; they are not like the other two his malter his pieces, yet any man may perceive they were drawne with the same pensill. Whilest he continued this Lecture it was his hap as it had been of Politian, and Erasmus before him to tread upon a nest of Hornets, a sort of wrangling Sophisters bred of the excrements of the Dunsticall Commenters upon Aristotle, fed advocates to plead for all his Phylosophicall errours, and sworne enemies to all polite learning; these he so strongly confuted in his Lectures, and faceciously derided in his Orations, that any ingenuous man that peruseth them, be he a Crassus Agelastus will be in like manner affected, as Erasmus was when he read the Booke intituled Epistolae obscurorum virorum; at which he fell into such a laughter, that he much hurt his spleen and endangered his health.
All this while this our Iohn Reinolds was well affected to the Romish Religion, and his Brother William Reinolds earnest for Reformation; which difference in judgement proved a fireball of contention between them, and engaged them in a strange Duell, much like to that of Eteocles and Polynices, wherein both conquered one the other, yet neither enjoyed the victory, nor kept his prisoner; for Iohn Reinolds, who before was a Papist, by these bickerings became a zealous Protestant, and William Reinolds who before had been a zealous Protestant, became a Iesuited Papist, and wrote most pestilent Bookes against the Church and State; and as after the death of Eteocles and Polynices, when their corps were burnt, the flames are said to have parted: so the contention of these Brethren expired not with their death; for the writings which they have left behinde them, enflamed with contrary fires of zeale, hold the quarrell on foot to this day. Of these Bella plusquam civilia, among Brethren, W. A. a learned Divine, thus elegantly discourseth in English and Latine Verses:
Bella inter geminos pl…squam civilia Fratres,
Traxerat ambiguas Religionis apex;
Ille reformandae fidei pro partibus instat;
Ille reformandam deneg… esse fidem,
Propositus causae rationibus inter vtruomque,
Concurrere pares & cecidere pures,
Quod fuit in vatis fratrem capi… alter u…rumque,
Quod fuit in fates perdit uterque fidem,
Captivi gemini sine captivan… fuerunt,
Et victor victi transfugor castra petit:
Quod genus hoc pugnae est? ubi victus gaudet uterque,
Et simul alteru…e… se superasse dolet.
Englished by the Author.
Between two Brethren civill warre and worse,
The nice point of Religion long did nurse;
For reformation of the Faith he plyes;
That Faith should be reformed this denies.
The reasons of each cause a part propounded;
Both met alike, both fell alike confounded.
As heart would wish, each one his brother takes;
As fate would have, each one his faith forsakes:
Without captiver both are captive led,
And to the vanguisht camp the victor fled;
What war is this, when conquer'd both are glad,
And either to have conquered other sad?
Iohn R…inolds might truely have said to his brother a… Caecillius sometimes spake to Octavius in that most exquisit dialogue of Minutius Faelix. Vtrique vicim… tui victor mei & ego triumphator er…eres; thou hast conquered me, and I triumph over my fo…mer errours: but William Reinolds might one the contrary side have said, we are both loosers, for thou hast l…st me thy brother, and I have lost my mother the Church of England, and the true Religion. As soone as our Iohn Reinolds according to th… manner of Massie bodies, after some quavering was fix'd unmoveably upon the grounds of the Protestant Religion; the Statutes of the Colledge called upon him to enter into holy Orders, after which he wholly addicted himselfe to the study of the holy Scriptures, and because an excellent textuary and very often exercised his sweete gift in preaching, a tast whereof we have in his Lectures upon Obadi…, published after his death by Master Hind…. When the time drew neare that by the Founders Statutes he was upon necessity to take his degree in Divinity, he was chosen out by the University to answer the Boctovers in the Act… Iuly the 13. 1579. and the same year November the third he answered for his degree in the Divinity Schooles, the Theses maintained by him in the Act were these:
1. The holy Scriptures teacheth the Church all things necessary to salvation.
2. The Church militant upon earth is subject to error both in faith and manners.
3 The Authority of the Scriptures is greater then that o… the Church.
The Theses propounded by him in the Divinity Sbhool … th… third, were these.
1. The holy Catholike Church, which we beleeve is the whole number of Gods elect.
2. The Roman Church is neither the Catholike Church nor a sound member thereof.
3. The reformed Churches in England, Scotland, France, Germany, and other Kingdom… and Common-wealths have lawfully severed themselve… from the Church of Rome.
The handling of these questions gave so good contentment to the whole University, that his suppositions as they call them, that is, the Speeches he made in the explication and confirmation of these Positions were extorted from him to the Presse; by the Printing whereof, when he understood how he had netled all the Romanists, who in diverse virilent pamphlets disparaged them, and threatened by a speedy refutation to ecclipse the fame thereof; he …he better to arme himselfe against these Romish locusts, with indifatigable paines in a short space read all the Greek and Latine Fathers, and perused all auncient records of the Church, that he could come by; and grew so perfect in them… that as Livie conceiveth that if Alexander had turned his progresse Westward towards Italy, as he did Eastwards towards the territories of the Persian Empire, the Noble Commander of the Romans Paperius surnamend Curser, or the raser, would have matched him, if not out stript him: so if Reinolds his owne inclination or Authority, had put upon him the taske of examining Caesar Baronius his Annals, he would not onelyonly every way have matched that so much admired Cardinall, but in such sort have detected his Romish friends in postures and forgeries; that any man whose eyes were not darkned with mist of prejudicate affection should have clearly seene that the doctrine of the reformed Churches hath as great a share in true antiquity as in auncient truth.
But Reinolds was drawn into the Lists with another, one Iohn Heart, who tooke the heart and boldnesse to challenge the learnedest of both Universities to try the Doctrine of our Church, by the touchstone of Scripture and Faith, &c. To enco…nter him Master Reinolds is sent for by a grea… Councellour of Estate, and many combats (lingua & calamo) he had with this antagonist; in all which Master Hear… gave ground, and in the end quite qui…ted the field… as appeareth by a Letter wri…ten with his owne hand, wh…ch I have seene, sent from the Tower of London. In which Letter prefixt to the Conference, he hath words to this effect… I acknowledge that the Narration of the conference set forth be…weene Master Reinolds and me is true; and whereas he somewhere affirme…h, namely chap. 7. Sect. 7. that I should grant that it is not lawfull for the Pope to depose Princes: it … tr…e, I said as much, and am still of this judgement… that howsoever the spirituall power be more excellent and noble then the temporall, yet they both are from God, and neithe… dependeth of the o…her. Whence I inferre this undoub…ed conclusion, That their opinion who make the Pope a temporoll Lord over Kings and Princes, hath no ground at all, nor so much as pr… bability nor shew of reason.
This conference confirmed by the …ubscription of both parties, was shortly after printed by authority; and it gave such satisfaction to all indifferent readers, that thereby the fame of Master Reynolds was cryed up as well at the Court as the University; and it pleased Queen Elizabeth, after he had taken his degree of Doctor, to appoint him to read an extraordinary Divinity Lecture in Oxford; in which he grapled with a more renowned Champion of the Rom…n Church then Iohn Heart, namely father Robert Bellarmine; for his subtile head, afterwards graced with a Cardinals Cap. This Iesuite was then Reader to the English Seminary in Rome; whose Dictates (wonderfully favoured) no sooner taken in writing by his Auditors; but by some of Secr… tary Walsingams intelligencers residing at Rome, they were sent by Post in Packets to the Court, and from thence speeded to Doctor Reynolds, who acquainting his Auditory with the very dayes in every monethmonth and weeke, in which father Robert handled such a point, addressing himselfe immediately to make a punctuall answer thereunto; insomuch, that what Saint Bernard speaketh to another purpose, may be truely affirmed of Cardinall Bellarmines books of controversies, that they were primes damnati quam nati; branded before they were printed.
Never were any Lectures in our memory so frequented, as these in that University; nor any in Cambridge, save those of Doctor Whitaker, the great light of the other University as Reynolds was of this; on these golden tapers were the eyes of all that loved the truth fixed, and the Queen hearing of the good service they did to the Church, preferred them both, the one to a Headship in Cambridge, the other to a dignity in the Church, the Deanery of Lincolne. Into which after Doctor Reynolds was invested, and setled the …ffaires of the Church ther…, but of an exceeding delight he tooke in an Academicall life, he returned backe to Oxford, and there lived some few year… in Queens Colledge, which place he made choice of for the infinite amity betwixt him and Doctor Robinson Bishop of Ca…lile. In which time, besides many other, he began a noble worke of very great importance, de Romanae Ecclesiae idololutria: this most learned and elaborate peece consisted of eight Bookes, whereof two he put forth in the year 1596. and dedicated the… to the Earl of Essex.
Of his life and manner of conversation whilst he abode in Queens Colledge, let Dr. Cracanthorp, then a Student in that Colledg speak ou… of his own knowledg. When we were yong Students in Queen… Colledge, Doctor Reynolds conversed with us so familiarly and so profitably, that whatsoever, how often soever, how much soever any man desired to learne from him in any kinde of knowledge, we daily drew it from his mouth, as an ever-springing and never failing Well; for he had turned over (as I conceive) all Writers, prophane, Ecclesiasticall and Divine; all the Councels, Fathers and Histories of the Church; he was most excellent in all Tongues which might be any way of use, or serve for ornament to a Divine: he was of a sharpe and nimble wit, of a grave and mature judgement, of indefatigable industry, exceeding therein Oregen, surnamed Adamantius; he was so well seene in all Arts and Sciences as if he had spent his whole time in each of them; moreover for his vertue, probaty, integrity, and which is above all, piety and sanctity of life; he was so eminent and conspicuous that as Nazianzen speaketh of Athanasius, it might be said of him, to name Reinolds is to commend vertue it selfe. In a Word, so modest, courteous, affable and sweete was his carryage, that though he were to be ranked above the highest, yet he made himselfe equall in a manner with the lowest.
In this Naioth he conversed after this manner, with the Prophets and Prophets children till the 50th year of his age, when by the meanes of Archbishop Whitgift and the Earle of Essex, he procured an exchange with Doctor Cole, mor… for his convenience then his profit: the Deanry of Lincolne was conferred upon Doctor Cole and Doctor Reinolds was chosen President of Corpus Christi Colledge, in which eminent place of preferment in the University, though he continued not above eight years, yet according to the distinction of Seneca, betweene Vixit & fuit N…n, ille diu fuit sed din vixit: we may truely say, that though he aboad not there long, yet he lived ther… long; diu precedit licet, non diu fedi… he ruled there long, though he sate but a short time, h… did more good to that Society in eight years, then any of his Predecessors in the like time trebled.
For he brought the Colledge much before hand, which before through the covetousnesse of the Governours or negligence of inferiour officers, was very much impoverished: he procured an Act of Parliament for assuring some lands to it: he caused diverse ambiguous Statutes to be expounded by the visitor Doctor Bilson Bishop of Winton, and all the Statutes to be more duely observed then ever they had beene before. He repaired and exceedingly beautified the Chappell, Library and Hall; he much improved the Schollars, Chaplaines and Clarkes places; to the Fellowships he added nothing, partly becaus he found their maintenance very competent, but especially because he conceived that the more he should encrease their ma…ntenance the more he should take off their edge from seeking preferments abroad, and taking on them the cure of soules, and furnishing the Church with able and learned Pastors, which he knew to be the chiefe end for which most if not all the Colledges in the University were built; wch as it appeareth by the Founders Statutes ought to be as nursers for choyce plants to be set & nourished there for a while, and after to be transplanted into the Spouse garden, and not to wither in these beds. It was said of Sparta that it was the best place in the world for men to grow old in, because old age there was most respected and honoured… but the contrary may be said of Schollars and Fellowes places in the University, for the lesse time they stay there after they are ripe for preferment the better they deserve of the Church and Common-wealth.
—Carpite florem
Qui nisi carpius erit turpiter ipse cadit. During his Government in Corpus Christi Colledge, though he were incumbered with multiplicity of other businesse (and which was worse) often visited with an ill guest the Gout, which not onelyonly keepes possession against the owners will, but imprisons his landlord and claps such bolts upon his feet that he cannot stir: Yet being moved thereunto by Archbishop Whitgift (impurum & impium sanderiue schismate, Anglicano volumen ut refutarem rogusti) he begun the refutation of Sander his impure and impious booke de Schismate Angli, and proceeded so far therein, that he cleared all matters of faith: But wanting some records to clear diverse matters of fact objected in that scandalous Libell, he was forced to make a pause, and in the meane time he …ramed an Apology of his Theses, and unanswerably vindicated them against the Roman Elymases Stapleton, Martine, Bellarmine, Baronius and Iustius Calvinus vetra, Castrencus. And lying in London to over-see the Presse and correct the proofes: as he walked in Finsbu…y fields, in the year of our Lord 1602. an Arrow whether shot purposely by some Jesuited Papist or at randome I know not, fell upon his brest, but entered not his body, not so much by reason of the weake fence of his Gowne held up before him in folds, as the strong buckler of faith, which whosoever hath on him, need not feare any torrour by night, nor the arrow that flyeth by day, Psalme 91.5.
Howbeit, though he then shunned the danger of this flightsha…t, yet he escaped not other arrow…s mentioned by the Psalmist, even bitter words, these sharpe arrowes headed with malice and pointed with envie, were daily shot at him, not onelyonly by forreigne enemies abroad, as namely Weston and Spalatenses after his revolt (dictione sar…ata studio vanissimus secta fanaticus) but by ill willers at home, whose loose life kept no good quarter with his strict government. Who as he was a most exact observer of the Statutes himselfe. so he was a most sever censurer of the contemners and wilfull breakers thereof, and though he were of a tender and compassionate disposition, yet like a wise Chirurgion, when h… saw Plaisters and Poultesses would doe no good, and the flesh begin to gangreine, he cut off by expulsion two rotten members of that Society; Cuncta prius tentanda sed immedicabile vulnus …use recidendum est ne pars sincera tra…atur. The one of them was a Chaplaine of the House; homo nullarum artium nullarum par…ium: a worthlesse man, who to his other impardonable crimes added a dull but most malicious Lib…ll against the President himselfe; and therefore deserved not onelyonly to be banished the Colledge, but exiled also out of all memory; the other was a Batchellour of Art, as I take it, intra brennium probationes; a man of other wise commendabl… parts; but of whom it might be truely said as it was of Galba, ingenium Galbae male habitat.
This Delinquent, who by often reiteration of the like offences had encurred the censure of expulsion, which the President and seven Seniors were bound by oath to execute upon him, craved leave of the President to make his farewell Oration; His Theame was Medicum saeverum intemporanes aeger facit: that is, A waward Patient maketh a froward Physitian. In that Speech of his he tooke occasion to justifie the President and Fellowes proceeding against him, and dep…ored his incorrigible enormities with teares, but then it was too late:
nullis ille movetur
Fle…ibus aut voces ullus tractabiles audit
I confesse Sen…ca his observation is true; qui vult amari languida reg…e… manu: a Governour that will be loved and generally spoken well of… must hold an easie reine; but where mettle Colts or restie jades are to be broken, he that holdeth no… a streight raine, and maketh not use of a strong cur…e, may be cast out of the saddle, as Doctor Reynolds his immediate Predecessour had like to have been, whose pruning Knife, though it were keen and sharpe, yet was so discreetly used by him, that the choyce Plant… in that Nursery never thriv…d better then in his time.
About this time Queen Elizabeth exchanged her mortall crown with …n immortall, and King Iames succeeded her, and swayed the Scepter of this Kingdome; who in the beginning of his reigne, desirous to settle peace in the Church commanded many learned men to meet at Hampton Court, to compose some differences about the externall Discipline of the Church. In that Conference, what part by royall command was put upon Doctor Re…nolds, and how he acted it (with profession and promise of all conformity) appears by the Acts thereof set forth by Bishop Barloe. After this Conference, is pleased his Majesty to set some learned men on worke, to translate the Bible into the English tongue, among others Doctor Reynolds was thought upon, to whom for his great skill in the originall Languages, Doctor Smith afterward Bishop of Glos…er, Doctor Harding President of Magdalens, Doctor Kilbie Rector of Lincolne Colledge, Doctor Bret, and others, imployed in that worke by his Majesty, had recourse once a weeke, and in his Lodgings perfected their Notes; and though in the midst of this Worke the gout first tooke him, and after a consumption, of which he dyed; yet in a great part of his sicknesse the meeting held at his Lodging, and he lying on his Pallet, assisted them and in a manner in the very translation of the booke of … was translated to a better life. All the time of his sicknesse, sa… when he conferred with the translators, was spent in pra… er and hearing partly Treatises of devotion, and partly bookes of controversie read unto him. This course held till Assention day, when his sicknesse growing sore upon him he fell in a trance, of which when he was recovered, he spake comfortably to us all there present, saying, that He well hoped that he should have ascended that very day of o…r Lords ascention; but now, saith he, I shall stay a little longer w…h you, in which time I intreat you to read nothing to me, but such chapters of holy Scripture as I shall appoint. Among others designed by him when we read the first chapter of Saint Paul to the Philippians, and staid a little upon those words, God is … record how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Iesus Chri… and this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more … knowledge and in all judgement, that you may approve things th…t are excellent; that you may be sincere and without offence till the … of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousnesse which are … Iesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God. And proceeding afterwards in that chapter to the twentieth verse: As … wayes so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it … by life or by death; for to me to live is Christ, and to dye is gain… but if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour, yet what I shall choose I wot not, for I am in a strait between two, having a desire to depart and to be with Christ, which is farre better; neverthelesse to abide in the flesh is more needfull for you. And as we were going further and reading the five and twentiet… verse; having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and contin… with you, he bad us there stop and make an end; intimatin… thereby that unto us, which after a few dayes …ell out to our great griefe, that he was not to continue with us.
By this time the University being full of the newes of his end approaching, the Noble men Sons then re…iding in the University, and the Heads of divers Colledges together with the Kings Professor Doctor Holland came to visit him; who Prayed with him and for him; for whose love Doctor Reynolds thanked him: the day before he dyed, when the Vicechancellour Doctor Aery and Master Bo…lton of Brazennose, Master Wilkinson of Wadsdowne, Master Lindle Vice-president of the Colledge and my selfe came to take our last leave of him, at the motion of Master Boulton Doctor Aery acquainted Doctor Reynolds what scandalous reports the Papists had cast out concerning the nature of his disease, and how they were confuted by Doctor Chennell his Physitian, & Master White his Apothecary, and added withall that it was likely they might sprea… such a brute of him as they had of Beza, that he recanted upon his death bed: and therefore that it was earnestly desired by many of his deare friends in the University, that he would give some testimony of his constancy in the truth before his departure: at this he shookee his head and seemed much to be grieved, because his spe…ch was taken from him; which the Vicechancellor perceiving with teares in his eyes, besought him that he would give him leave to set downe a forme in writing to which if he liked it, God might enable him to set his hand, and thereby give satisfaction to all his friends: which Doctor Reynolds expressed by sighes, that he approved of the Vicechancellors advising, with the rest of us there present wrote a few lines to this effect.
These are to testifie to all the world, that I dye in the profession of that faith which I have taught all my life, both in my Preaching and in my Writings, with an assured hope of my salvation, onelyonly by the merits of Christ my saviour: this forme being …wise read unto him, he seriously pondered every Word, and after clapt his hand upon his nose, whereby his servant Iohn Duhurst who attended him in his sicknesse, told us that he desired a paire of spectacles, which a…ter they were reached unto him, and he had put them on, he tooke the pen out of Doctor Aeries hand and subscribed his name not onelyonly in legible, but in very faire caracters: at which we all admired the more, because he had diverse times that morning assayed to write but could not through extreame weaknesse write one word or syllable in a legible hand, whether the earnest intention of his minde at this time strengthned his hand, or God extraordinarily assisted him; I leave it to the judgement of all that are truely religious, and take such things to heart: The morrow after, death seazing upon all parts of his body he expressed by signes that he would have the passing bell tole for him, and as his friends runing in compassed his b…d all about, and every one cast in his shot which was some choyce and comfortable text of holy Scripture; he lifting up one of his hands (which presently fell downe and stir…d no more) and after his lifting up his eyes to heaven, and fixing them there immovable without any trouble or signe of paine, without so much as any sigh or groan, he breathed out his soule into the hands of his redeemer the Thursday after Ascen…ion day betweene eleven and twelve of the clock the twenty one of May 1607. on Munday following he w… honorably interred, the Vice-chancellor in close mourning, the Noble mens sons, heads of Celledges and Hals with all their companies in Academicall habits, and the Mayor and Aldermen in their Scarlet gownes attending the Funerall; the corps brought out of Corpus Christi Colledge, was first carried to Saint Maries where a funerall Sermon was made by Doctor A…rie then Vice-chancellour: after the Sermon ended the body being removed to the Chancell, Mr. Isack… Wake, then the University Oratour, after Lord Embassador in Venice and France successively honoured the dead with … short but elegant Panegyrick, which followes after this, … body was carried back to the Colledge, and their a seco…d Funerall Oration appointed to be made in the Chapp…ll neare his grave, but the Chappell being not capable of the fourth part of the Funerall troope, a Desque was set up and covered with mourning in the quadrangle, and there a briefe History of his life with the manner of his death, s…t forth by Daniel Featley then fellow and deane of Arts in …hat Colledge. After his buriall, a Monument and Statue in the Chappell was erected for him by Doctor Spencer his successour, with an inscription in golden letter… as followeth
Virtuti Sacrum.
JO. RAINOL… S. The…l. D. erud…tione, Pi…ta…e, Integritate incomparabili hujus Coll. Pes. qui obi…t Mai 21 0. Anno 1607 0. aeta…. suae 5… 0. JO. SPEN…ER aud…tor… successor, virtutum & sanctitatis admirator, b.m. amoris er…o posuit.
But these are darke and divine caracters in respect of those wherewith his fame is Printed in his Workes, whereof some are come to light, others may in good time. His Printed Workes are these.
1 Two Orations Printed in the year 1576. 2 His six Theses Printed in the year 1579. 3 His conference with Heart, Prin…ed in English 1585. and afterwards translated into Latine by Henry Pary Bishop of Gloster, and Printed by command of Archbishop Bancroft 1610. 4 De Romanae ecclesiae Idololatria, Printed in the year 1596. 5. An Apologie of his Theses 1602. 6 Since his death certaine Epistles betweene him, Doctor G…g…r and Alberi…us Gentius concerning Stage playes. 7 A Treatise of divorce, amd marrying againe in case of adultery. 8 A c…nsure of the Apochrypha in two T…m…s contain…ng in them 250. of his Lectures in the Divinity Schooles. 9 Cer…aine Epistles and Orations of his in Latine, set forth by Henry Jackson. 10 His Lectures upon Obediah in English with a Sermon of thanksgiving for the Queens Majesties deliverance from a dangerous treason, set forth by Mr. Hinde. His Works which remaine in Manuscript never yet printed are… 11 A commen…ary in Latine upon Aristotles three book…s of Rhe…oricke. 12 The materials and first draught of six bookes, de Idololatria Romanae eccl…siae. 13 Sermons upon Aggi the Prophet, Preached in Oxford. 14 His learned answer to Sanders de scismate Anglicano, in defence of our Reformation, the regall supremacy, and the booke of Ordination of Bishops Priests and Deacons. 15 A defence of the English liturgie against Robert Browne the father of …he separatists his scismaticall booke. 16 A Treatise of the beginning and progesse of Popish errours, and that for the first three hundred yeares after Christ, Bishops ruled their owne diocesse without subjection to the Pope. 17 A Treatise of Daniel Weekes against Hugh Braughton, dedicated to Archbishop Whitgift.
A Funerall Oration delivered in St. MARIES Church in Oxon; at the sad Interment of Doctor Iohn Reynols, by Master Isacke Wake, the University Orator, May 25. 1607. Translated out of Latine.
HOw fraile and unconstant the condition of our life is, and how fitly resembled to a dreame, or a tale, I could wish (most honoured Doctors, & the rest of the sad troope, all the children of our mother the University) had it so pleased the highest, wee might have learned by any other experiment, rather then this sad spectacle; doubtlesse we have seene but too many evidences of the decrepit age of the warld, now drooping to ruine; as the distemper of the Heavens, the malignity of the Stars, the boysterous gusts of the Windes, the deluges of water from the Clouds, the foming billoes of the Sea, swelling with unheard of fury: which sad presages terrifie religious minds with a feare of the Skye falling about our ears, and nature breathing out her last gaspe; yet we fl…ttered our selves in to a vaine beliefe that the Muses were eternall, and though all other things fade like flowers, yet that the Arts were immortall untill this great Atlas of learning, with whom sacred studies seemed to totter, if not lye on the ground; taught us by his death the vanity of that our hope. Whose happy passe, agreeable to his godly life, God forbid that any should deplore with Heathenish rikes & lamentable Elegies, since our ferventest zeale can now wish him no other addition to his happinesse then that of Virginius Rufus to have another Tacitus to make his Funerall Panegyricke. As for me, when I behold this solemn and sad Assembly, not usually accustomed to such dejected lookes, me thinkes I see those teares that fell from the royall eyes of great King Xerxes dropping at the view of his puissant Army, which makes me deeply …igh, because in this deplored mirrour, blubbered with teares, I finde the reflection even of your mortality: For which of you now can hope that either learning, wisdome, or vertue can prolong his life, since the churlish Sisters refused to spare this mighty Hercules of the Orthodox Faith; this great Champion of Christian Religion, though they were solic…ted by the teares of our Mother the University, and importuned by the prayers of our sorrowing Church. Verily, if the in…stimable treasures of thy minde and indefeizible riches of thy soule could have contributed any thing to the strength and vigour of the body, thou shouldest still have lived (worthy Reynolds) not so much according to thine owne desire, who wishedst for heaven as houres, who wished longer for thee, and so lived 1000. that thou shouldst never have dyed, waxed old, or drooped. But to the great losse of Man-kinde and prejudice of Learning, it fals out far otherwise, even that in those who more enrich their minde with the treasures of wisdome and knowledge, the soule sooner growes weary of her earthly habitation, and aspireth to heaven… and their body also, by reason their spirits are wholly spent in that noble, yet laborious worke of study, more speedily faileth and decayeth. Which was the true cause that thou Reynolds after so many conquests and triumphs over the enemie… of our Faith, yet the strength of thy body being impayred, in the end didst yeeld to nature, and breathedst out thy victorious soule, and leftest nothing to us but sighes for our sad losse.
But what? could not thy singular piety, nor thy vertue, nor thy sanctity, nor thy so much admired learning preserve thee? Or didst thou resolve to live no longer, because there was nothing left which thy studies had not already attained unto? Was not Ficinus worthy thy perusing who discourseth so learnedly, not onelyonly of the preservation of health, but also of the prerogation of our life to eternity upon earth? Well: long enough peradv…nture thou hast lived for thy particul…r ends, long enough to be so truely honoured, that 'twas not possible that ever thou shouldest out-live thy fame: Yet not long enough for the Common-wealth, which misseth in thee a perfect sampler of all vertues. Not long enough for the University, which hath lost in thee the light of a glorious taper of learning: nor yet long enough for the good state, our pure Religion, which tossed in the swelling billowes of a troubled Sea, is ready almost to suffer shipwracke for want of thee her skilfull Pylot.
Truth it is, none can denie it, that like a second Cocles (but yet more couragious) thou didst rout the tro…p… of thy stout…st enemies. Truth, that even whē the enemy had cut off the bridge on which thou stoodst, thou leaping downe to thi… eternall honour, didst preserve the colour…, and as …ast didst beate the adversaries to a shamefull retreat. But the le… guer is not yet broken up; for though thou hast unma…ked the Idolatry of the Church of Rome, and exposed it to the detestation of God and man, yea and thy sword was ev…n at the throat of that Antichristian monster, and through the sides of Iohn Heart, thou struckst Popery it selfe to the very heart: yet Sanders remained untouched, save that he hath felt the revenging hand of God upon him, and dyed miserably, being starved on the Irish mountains. Bellarmines forces are not quite discomfited, or all Baronius his impostures sufficiently discovered; to speake nothing of those monsterous heads of heresies, which like Hydras continually grow up in the Church one under another. In the midst of such troubles, how couldest thou finde leasure to dye? since the harvest is so great, and the labourers so few: (so few indeed, or none like thee) since Superstition, like to our Virginian Sea, swels continually with newer billowes. This, oh this was the sad complaint of our lamenting Church, fetch'd from the deepest sense of bitternesse and sorrow, as if she her selfe had been ready to expire with thi… our Reynolds. But what Timanthes hath the skill to pourtray the sadder (if yet a sadder can be immagined) and more dejected countenance of our Mother, the University.
Here flow the teares so free
That drowne our Niobe.
Alasse she thinkes still on nothing but Reynolds: sees nothing but Reynolds: and in the strength of her disturbed fancy heares, talks with, catches at Reynolds. And truely though in this flourishing age our mother be blessed with such a great and numerous issue, that she hath more reason to rejoyce that shees become so fruitfull then bewaile so much her present losse; and she might now if ever take up the language of the mother of …rasidus, my son was a good Souldier indeed, and valiant, but Sparta hath many left that are like him: yet I cannot chuse but excuse her tears of piety, and my selfe justly lament with her, when I consider that she hath lost her Reynolds, who (let none repine at it) did so much out-shine the rest of her sons in the clearest lustre of the best perfections both in languages, Arts, and Sciences, that he seemed to flye above the pitch of humane wit and industry, as if he had been borne of purpose to discover the height of the Muses utmost abilities. Sirs, I detract from no man in giving Reynolds his due: I know that neither these grave Fathers assembled, who here at home doe honour our Oxford with their authority, letters and piety, nor those our right reverend religious and learned Prelate… abroad, who sitting at the helme of the Church, are become admired Patterns to the whole Christian world, of wisdome, sanctity and learning, will ever envy his … encomiums.
If any man shall thinke lesse of Reynolds then of those great lights, either of Church or University, because he shined not so gloriously either at home or abroad in lustre of eminent fortunes and outward preferments, let him remember the testimony which the great Bishop St. Austine gave of Saint Ierome; Though a Priest be inferiour to a Bishop, yet Hierome the Priest is a better man then Austine the Bishop. And howsoever others admired in Reynolds his knowledge, lowlinesse of minde, and incredible abstinence; in all which he so excelled, that he even exceeded wonder: yet for my part I doe, and ever shall admire at one thing in him chiefl…, even that he could so sleight and neglect all wayes of preferment; of whom (although I will not say as Illyricus and Wigandus spake of Luther, That he was the Germane Prophet: yet) since neither Luther, nor Calvin, nor Beza, nor Whitaker can challenge any honour which Reynolds hath not merited, I cannot but exceedingly congratulate our Countrey where he was borne, our Mother the University where he was educated, and that most pregnant House of excellent wits, wherein he sucked the first rudiments of exquisite Literature; who (that I may compare him with those of the same Colledge) for vertue, piety, learning, in the judgement of many, is extolled above their Iewell, Wotton, Vines, Hooker, yea and above their Pole. Let yet Westone that lewd and shamelesse Rabshake belch out what reproaches he pleaseth against him, and charge him not onelyonly with stupid dulnesse, but also that he counterfeited sicknesse, and pretended onelyonly to a disease, to preserve his credit. Belike then all we University men were leaden witted, who admired so dull a man; we were besides our selves, who beleeved that he was sicke, whom to our great griefe we here see dead. Notwithstanding this Weston himselfe (so like his Unckle in his ill conditions and ignominious flight) when he challenged all the Heads of the University, and branded them for impure, onelyonly for that some of them had entred into the state of Matrimony; could not finde any one Act of Doctor Reynolds in all his life, to blemish him with all.
Let this runnagate Weston passe, who was wandered too farre to looke into his life, what report was given him by those that were neer? Truely, every one loved his person, his demeanure, his integrity. If any object against him overmuch strictnesse, and a resolution not to be diverted from just proceedings by any motives, though never so powerfull: If thi… or any thing else of this nature might be disliked in him, I dare confidently affirme, as Seneca doth of Cato, that a man may with much more ease prove the fact which he chargeth Reynolds with to be faire, then Reynolds to be any way foule. But blessed Saint, he'… already in the caelestiall Quire: As for us, who now honour the remaines of this most excellent and learned man, we shall never confidently pronounce Oxford ble…ed, till she can boast of another Reynolds. For though we may have men of singular eloquence, infinite reading, rare wits, grave judgements, studious, courteous, and very famous for their Workes to be left behinde them; yet a Reynolds in all respects we shall never have. But why doe I name this man of a thousand, as if we still had him, when we see the grave openeth her mouth wide, to devoure these small reliques of him b…fore us, which we now last see, salute, and mus… take our farewell of …or ever.
This minute is the last we can
Behold thi… rare accomplisht man.
For my part, I must stand dumbe, when I should commend his remaines to their honorable interment: for,
Nor tongue, nor pen, nor Poets bayes,
Can set forth hi… deserved praise.
I will therefore borrow part of an Epitaph from Sophocles:
Come friends and lend your helpe, let's now inter
Truths noble champion, and Romes conquerer.
And never let the best, the chiefest dare,
To wrong his ashes by a proud compare.
Behold, in lesse then halfe a span,
The lovely modell of that Man,
Whose worth a world as big againe
Were all too little to containe,
That famous Reynolds; at the stroke
Of whose learn'd Quill, Romes sturdy Oke
Trembled; whom, had not early death
Prevented thus, his very breath
Had made such winde fals, round about
In Babels forrest… that no doubt,
In some few dayes, her savage Beasts
Had found no covert; nor her Uulters nests.
He was Times wonder, vert…es story,
Truths champion, and the Churches glory.