His life [was] most innocent.. . . his knowledge and learning most flourishing and eminent. and. . . his purpose and life most holy and devout.
Andrewes. Vol. 5. p. 288.
So preached his friend Bishop John Buckeridge at his funeral in 1625. Undoubtedly the teaching of Lancelot Andrewes through his sermons and lectUres. beginning in the latter part of Elizabeth's reign. contributed greatly to what today we describe as Anglo- Catholicism. Indeed, his sermons reflect very much the Renaissance spirit; Eliot described him as having 'that breath of culture an ease with humanism and Renaissance learning.' 1 For well over a quarter of a century he was the most popular preacher at court. Feast after feast, year after year he delivered his sermons before Queen Elizabeth I and James 1.
As well as preaching before Court he also preached in his parish of St. Giles', Cripplegate and within the university of Cambridge. Thus his sermons touched the lives of monarchs. courtiers, aristocrats, academics and students as well as the ordinary parishioners. Except for the odd exception, here and there his sermons rarely refer to the political happenings of his day, but they do reflect the religious climate of his time. However his sermons were basically to preach the Catholic faith through the main Christian festivals. In this context they reveal the joy of being a Christian which radiates from believing in a God who is above all loving, good, beautiful, compassionate and merciful to all of His creation which is continually sanctified by the Spirit. For Andrewes God cannot act contrary to His own nature. Thus God is always Love, and it is this Love which bore our human flesh.
Born in 1555 in the parish of All Hallows, Barking, Andrewes began to make his impact in c.1578 after his appointment as Catechist at Pembroke College, Cambridge. After gaining his first degree he devoted his life to theological studies. Much of this was undertaken in Cambridge. It was not until his appointment to the see of Chichester by James I in 1605 that Andrewes resigned as Master of Pembroke, a position he had held since 1589. However his links with his old college and Cambridge were soon renewed in 1609 when as bishop of Ely he was the official Visitor to the university.
For another ten years he was a Cambridgeshire man until his appointment to the ancient see of Winchester. Before accepting Chichester, Andrewes had been Dean of Westminster Abbey, where he also acted as Headmaster of the School. Students during his time have always been grateful for the knowledge he imparted to them.
The two volumes below aim to give the reader an introduction to the Court sermons he preached throughout his ministry.
