The Works of that Learned and Judicious Divine, Mr. Richard Hooker

A corrupt Aristocracy the natural Ally of Puritanism. 7

Dedication.

he took it, saw what the title was, read over an unsavoury BOOK V. sentence or two, and delivered back the libel with this answer: "I am sorry you are of the mind to be solaced "with these sports, and sorrier you have herein thought mine "affection to be like your own.'

[8.] But as these sores on all hands lie open, so the deepest wounds of the Church of God have been more softly and closely given. It being perceived that the plot of discipline did not only bend itself to reform ceremonies, but seek farther to erect a popular authority of elders, and to take away episcopal jurisdiction, together with all other ornaments and means whereby any difference or inequality is upheld in the ecclesiastical order; towards this destructive part they have found many helping hands, divers, although peradventure not willing to be yoked with elderships, yet contented (for what intent God doth know) to uphold opposition against bishops; not without greater hurt to the course of their whole proceedings in the business of God and her Majesty's service, than otherwise much more weighty adversaries had been able by their own power to have brought to pass. Men are naturally better contented to have their commendable actions suppressed, than the contrary much divulged. And because the wits of the multitude are such, that many things they cannot lay hold on at once, but being possest with some notable either dislike or liking of any one thing whatsoever, sundry other in the meantime may escape them unperceived: therefore if men desirous to have their virtues noted do in this respect grieve at the fame of others, whose glory obscureth and darkeneth theirs; it cannot be chosen but that when the ears of the people are thus continually beaten with exclamations against abuses in the Church, these tunes come always most acceptable to them, whose odious and corrupt dealings in secular affairs both pass by that mean the more covertly, and whatsoever happen do also the least feel that scourge of vulgar imputation, which notwithstanding they most deserve 11.

with Reynolds might well have access to familiar anecdotes of Walsingham: who, it may be added, died in 1590; and this may be

thought to make it the more likely
that he is the person referred to in
the text.]

"[All this seems very apposite

BOOK V.

[9.] All this considered as behoveth, the sequel of duty on Dedication. our part is only that which our Lord and Saviour requireth, harmless discretion; the wisdom of serpents tempered with the innocent meekness of doves 12. For this world will teach them wisdom that have capacity to apprehend it. Our wisdom in this case must be such as doth not propose to itself τò idɩov, our own particular, the partial and immoderate desire whereof poisoneth wheresoever it taketh place; but the scope and mark which we are to aim at is rò κowòv, the public and common good of all; for the easier procurement whereof, our diligence must search out all helps and furtherances of direction, which scriptures, councils, fathers, histories, the laws and practices of all churches, the mutual conference of all men's collections and observations may afford: our industry must even anatomize every particle of that body, which we are to uphold sound. And because be it never so true which we teach the world to believe, yet if once their affections begin to be alienated, a small thing persuadeth them to change their opinions, it behoveth that we vigilantly note and prevent by all means those evils whereby the hearts of men are lost: which evils for the most part being personal do arm in such sort the adversaries of God and his Church against us, that, if through our too much neglect and security the same should run on, soon might we feel our estate brought to those lamentable terms, whereof this hard and heavy sentence was by one of the ancient uttered upon like occasions, "Dolens dico, gemens denuncio, sacerdotium quod apud nos intus "cecidit, foris diu stare non poterit 13."

[10.] But the gracious providence of Almighty God hath I trust put these thorns of contradiction in our sides, lest that should steal upon the Church in a slumber, which now I doubt not but through his assistance may be turned away from us, bending thereunto ourselves with constancy; constancy in labour to do all men good, constancy in prayer unto God for all men her especially whose sacred power matched with incomparable goodness of nature hath hitherto been God's most

to Leicester and considering how
directly he was opposed to Whitgift
in his lifetime, and that he had been
now dead so long (since 1588) as to
make his character matter of history,

we may perhaps conclude that the
writer was thinking of him.]
12 [St. Matth. x. 16.]
13 Leg. Carol. Mag. fol. 421.

in critical Times of the Church.

Dedication.

happy instrument, by him miraculously kept for works of so BOOK V miraculous preservation and safety unto others, that as, "By "the sword of God and Gideon 14," was sometime the cry of the people of Israel, so it might deservedly be at this day the joyful song of innumerable multitudes, yea the emblem of some estates and dominions in the world, and (which must be eternally confessed even with tears of thankfulness) the true inscription, style, or title, of all churches as yet standing within this realm, "By the goodness of Almighty God and his "servant Elizabeth we are." That God who is able to make mortality immortal give her such future continuance, as may be no less glorious unto all posterity than the days of her regiment past have been happy unto ourselves; and for his most dear anointed's sake grant them all prosperity, whose labours, cares, and counsels, unfeignedly are referred to her endless welfare: through his unspeakable mercy, unto whom we all owe everlasting praise. In which desire I will here rest, humbly beseeching your Grace to pardon my great boldness, and God to multiply his blessings upon them that fear his name.

Your Grace's in all duty,

RICHARD HOOKER.

14 Judges vii. 20.

THE FIFTH BOOK.

OF THEIR FOURTH ASSERTION, THAT TOUCHING THE SEVERAL PUBLIC DUTIES OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION, THERE IS AMONGST US MUCH SUPERSTITION RETAINED IN THEM; AND CONCERNING PERSONS WHICH FOR PERFORMANCE OF THOSE DUTIES ARE ENDUED WITH THE POWER OF ECCLESIASTICAL ORDER, OUR LAWS AND PROCEEDINGS ACCORDING THEREUNTO ARE MANY WAYS HEREIN ALSO CORRUPT.

MATTER CONTAINED IN THIS FIFTH BOOK.

I. True Religion is the root of all true virtues and the stay of all wellordered commonwealths.

II. The most extreme opposite to true Religion is affected Atheism.

III. Of Superstition, and the root thereof, either misguided zeal, or ignorant fear of divine glory.

IV. Of the redress of superstition in God's Church, and concerning the question of this book.

V. Four general propositions demanding that which may reasonably be granted, concerning matters of outward form in the exercise of true Religion. And, fifthly, of a rule not safe nor reasonable in these cases. VI. The first proposition touching judgment what things are convenient in the outward public ordering of church affairs.

VII. The second proposition.
VIII. The third proposition.

IX. The fourth proposition.

X. The rule of men's private spirits not safe in these cases to be followed. XI. Places for the public service of God.

XII. The solemnity of erecting Churches condemned, the hallowing and dedicating of them scorned by the adversary.

XIII. Of the names whereby we distinguish our Churches.

XIV. Of the fashion of our Churches.

XV. The sumptuousness of Churches.

XVI. What holiness and virtue we ascribe to the Church more than other places.

XVII. Their pretence that would have Churches utterly razed.

XVIII. Of public teaching or preaching, and the first kind thereof, catechising.

XIX. Of preaching by reading publicly the books of Holy Scripture; and
concerning supposed untruths in those Translations of Scripture which
we allow to be read; as also of the choice which we make in reading.
XX. Of preaching by the public reading of other profitable instructions;
and concerning books Apocryphal.

XXI. Of preaching by Sermons, and whether Sermons be the only ordi-

nary way of teaching whereby men are brought to the saving knowledge

of God's truth.

XXII. What they attribute to Sermons only, and what we to reading also.

XXIII. Of Prayer.

XXIV. Of public Prayer.

XXV. Of the form of Common Prayer.

XXVI. Of them which like not to have any set form of Common Prayer.
XXVII. Of them who allowing a set form of prayer yet allow not ours.
XXVIII. The form of our Liturgy too near the papists', too far different
from that of other reformed Churches, as they pretend.

XXIX. Attire belonging to the service of God.

XXX. Of gesture in praying, and of different places chosen to that pur-

pose.

XXXI. Easiness of praying after our form.

XXXII. The length of our service.

XXXIII. Instead of such prayers as the primitive Churches have used, and

those that the reformed now use, we have (they say) divers short cuts or

shreddings, rather wishes than prayers.

XXXIV. Lessons intermingled with our prayers.

XXXV. The number of our prayers for earthly things, and our oft re-

hearsing of the Lord's Prayer.

XXXVI. The people's saying after the minister.