Page:The Church of England, its catholicity and continuity.djvu/148

 a part of the revenues of Sees to the Crown. In 1604 he was Dean of Westminster. It was with the accession of King James that Andrewes came prominently into notice. There were good reasons why they should have been drawn to each other. The divine was without doubt the greatest theologian and the most profound scholar of his day. It is said that he could speak fifteen languages. The king also prided himself upon his theological knowledge. This must have formed a bond of friendship between them. Andrewes also believed in James' pet doctrine that kings held their position by divine right, and not through the election or will of the people. We now see Andrewes as one of the Bishops of the Bench. In 1605 he was Bishop of Chichester, in 1609 he was translated to Ely, and in 1618 to Winchester. Here he entertained King James at an enormous cost to himself.

In his position as Bishop, Andrewes, by his quiet life and his devotion to his work, gave a check to the efforts of the Puritans. In a small degree he was able to mould the public mind against their teaching. We read that he was present at the Wesminster [sic] Assembly of divines, called to consider the Puritan grievances, but we do not hear that he took much part in the discussion. He, above all men, desired peace, and if he saw this could not be procured, he would say nothing to irritate existing evils. He was asked at this Assembly to take part in the translation of the Scriptures. He was the head of a company to whom was assigned the translation of the Pentateuch, the Book of Joshua, and the Second Book of Kings.

Andrewes did not enter into controversy with the Puritans as Laud. He preferred above all to show them by his way