Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 61.djvu/297

 Willet churches in the world.' He affirms that the church of England approves the first four general councils, 'whereunto also may be added the fifth;' and he maintains the position of Jewel as regards the necessity of the episcopal order. He argues strenuously against the mass, and inveighs against the mediaeval practice of regarding the mass as a vicarious and solitary sacrifice, at each celebration, of the one atoning death, but always holds 'that Christ is present with all His benefits in the sacrament, that the elements of bread and wine are not bare and naked signs of the body and blood of Christ.' He further enforces, among other points, 'confession to the minister before reception of the holy communion,' and desires a restoration of 'godly discipline in our church.' The 'Synopsis' and his next principal work, 'The Hexapla on Romans,' have retained a place in theological literature. Besides being; a theologian, Willet was one of the foremost biblical textual critics of his day. One of his earlier works, a century of 'Sacred Emblems' (printed about 1591), deserves notice, as being one of the rarest of English books (see, Bibliographical Account, of Rarest Books). It is referred to by Francis Meres (Palladia Tamia, 1598) in the following terms: 'As the Latins have their emblematists, Andreas, Alciatus, &c., so we have these, Geoffrey Whitney, Andrew Willet, and Thomas Combe.' Willet's emblems are in Latin, with English rendering. They enjoyed a wide circulation, and, from the marked likeness to the types and imagery to be found in 'Pilgrim's Progress,' appear to have been diligently read by Bunyan.

The lesser literary productions of Willet were mainly passing contributions to the questions of the hour. Several of his works Lave been translated into Dutch.

The following full and corrected list of his works is taken from that (itself incomplete) given by Dr. Peter Smith and prefixed to the 'Hexapla in Levit.,' from another in Cole's manuscripts in the British Museum, and other shorter lists and first editions. Only twenty of Willet's works are in the British Museum: In Latin : 1. 'De animæ natura et viribus questiones quædam; partim ex Aristotelis scriptis decerptæ, partim ex vera philosophia id est rationis thesauris depromptæ in usum Cantabrigiensium,' Cambridge, 1585, 8vo. In Latin and English: 2. 'De universali et novissima Judæorum vocatione,' Cambridge, 1590, 4to. 3. 'Sacrorum emblematum centuria una,' Cambridge [circa 1591], 4to. 4. 'De Conciliis.' 5. 'De universali gratia.' 5. 'De gratia generi humano in primo parento collata, de lapsu Adami, peccato originali', 1609. 7. 'Epithalamium.' 8. 'Funebres concionies.' 9. 'Apologiæ Serenissimi Regis defensio.' 10. 'Roberti Bellarmini de lapsu Adami, peccato originali, prædestinatione, gratiâ, et libero arbitrio libri, refutati ab Andreâ Willeto,' Leyden, 1618, 8vo.

In English: 1. 'Synopsis Papismi, or a General View of Papistrie,' 1594, 4to; 2nd edit, 1600, fol.; 3rd edit. 1614; 4th edit. 1630; 6th edit. 1634 (a thick folio of over 1300 pages); new edit, in 10 vols., edited by Dr. John Cumming, London, 1852. 2. 'Hexapla upon Genesis,' London, 1595, fol., 2nd edit. 1608. 3. 'Tetrastylon Papismi, or Four Principal Pillars of Papistrie;' supplement to 'Synopsis,' 1596; afterwards bound up with folio editions of the 'Synopsis.' 4. 'A Catholicon: Exposition of St. Jude,' 1602, 4to; Cambridge, 1614, fol. 5. 'A Relection, or Discourse of a False Relection' (defence of 'Synopsis' and 'Tetrastylon'), London, 1603, 8vo. 6. 'Harmonie upon 1 Samuel,' Cambridge, 1607, 4to. 7. 'Hexapla upon Exodus,' London, 1608, fol. 8. 'Hexapla upon Daniel,' 1610, fol. 9. 'Hexapla upon Romans,' Cambridge, 1611. 10. 'Ecclesia Triumphans (on Coronation of James I) : Exposition of 122 Psalm,' 2nd edit. Cambridge, 1614. 11. 'Harmonie upon 1 and 2 Samuel,' Cambridge, 1614. 12. 'Thesaurus Ecclesiae: Exposition of St. John xvii.,' Cambridge, 1614. 13. 'Hexapla upon Leviticus,' London, 1631, fol. 14. 'King James his Judgment by way of Counsell, &c.; extracted from his speaches,' 1642 (collection of political pamphlets, Brit. Mus.) The following are undated: 15. 'Limbomastix: an Answer to Richard Parkes of Brazen-nose College,' 4to. 16. 'Epithalamium in English, by the author of Limbomastix.' 17. 'Lædoromastix,' 4to. 18. 'Funeral Sermons in English.' 19. 'An English Catechisme.' 20. 'An Antilogie: Catalogue of Charitable Works done within space of 60 years' (reigns of Edward, Elizabeth, and James); bound up with fifth edition of 'Synopsis.'

[Life and Death of Andrew Willet, by Dr. Peter Smith (his son-in-law), vicar of Barkway, 1610-47, minister of Barley, 1647-1652, prefixed to the 5th edition of Synopsis Papismi, 1634, reproduced (wholly or in part) in Fuller's Abel Redivivus; Barksdale's Remembrancer, Registers of Parish of Barley; Deeds of Barley Bequests and Charities; Register of Christ's College, Cambridge; Strype's Annals (Oxford ed. 1828), iii. 441, 490, 645, 679; Newcourt's Repert. Eccl. i. 801); Wood's Fasti Oxon. and Athenæ Oxon.; Brit. Mus. Add. MS. 5836, f. 55; Fuller's Church History, bk. x. 36; Fuller's Worthies, i. 238, History of Cambridge; Bentham's Hist. 