tinue. Thofe things, therefore, which either in the perfons, or in the laws and orders themselves, are faulty, may be complained on, acknowledged, and amended; yet they no whit the nearer their main purpose. For what if all errors by them fuppofed in our liturgy were amended, even according to their own hearts defire; if non-refidence, pluralities, and the like, were utterly taken away; are their lay-elders, therefore, prefently authorised? their fovereign ecclefiaftical jurifdiction eftablified?

But even in their complaining against the outward and accidental matters in church-government, they are many ways faulty. 1. In their end which they propofe to themselves. For in declaiming againft abuses, their meaning is not to have them redrefsed, but, by difgracing the prefent state, to make way for their own difcipline. As, therefore, in Venice, if any fenator fhould discourse against the power of their fenate, as being either too fovereign, or too weak in government, with purpose to draw their authority to a moderation, it might well be fuffered; but not fo, if it fhould appear he fpake with purpofe to induce another ftate by depraving the prefent; fo, in all caufes belonging either to church or commonwealth, we are to have regard what mind the complaining part doth bear, whether of amendment or of innovation; and accordingly either to fuffer or fupprefs it. Their objection therefore is frivolous, Why, may not men speak against abuses? Yes, but with defire to cure the part affected, not to deftroy the whole. 2. A fecond fault is in their manner of complaining, not only becaufe it is for the most part in bitter and reproachful terms, but also because it is unto the common people, judges incompetent and infufficient, both to determine any thing amifs, and for want of fkill and authority to amend it. Which also discovereth their intent and purpose to be rather deftructive than corrective. 3dly, Thofe very exceptions which they take are frivolous and impertinent: Some things, indeed, they accufe as impious; which if they may appear to be fuch, God forbid they should be maintained.

Against the reft it is only alleged, that they are idle ceremonies without use, and that better and more profitable might be devifed. Wherein they are doubly deceived; for neither is it a fufficient plea to fay, This must give place, because a better may be devised and in our judgments of better and worse, we oftentimes conceive amifs, when we compare thofe things which are in devife with those which are in practice; for the imperfections of the one are' hid, till by time and trial they be difcovered: the others are already manifeft and open to all. But laft of all (which is a point in my opinion of great regard, and which I am defirous to have enlarged), they do not fee, that for the most part when they ftrike at the ftate ecclefiaftical, they fecretly wound the civil ftate. For perfonal faults, what can be faid against the church, which may not alfo agree to the

commonwealth? In both statesmen have always been, and will be always men, fometimes blinded with error, most commonly perverted by pafsions: many unworthy have been and are advanced in both, many worthy not regarded. As for abuses which they pretend to be in the laws themfelves; when they inveigh against non-refidence, do they take it a matter lawful or expedient in the civil ftate, for a man to have a great and gainful office in the north, himself continually remaining in the fouth? He that hath an office, let him attend his office. When they condemn plurality of livings fpiritual to the pit of hell, what think they of the infinite of temporal promotions? By the great philofopher, it is forbidden as a thing most dangerous to com- » monwealths, that by the fame man many great offices fhould be exercised. When they deride our ceremonies as vain and frivolous, were it hard to apply their exceptions even to those civil ceremonies, which at the coronation, in Parliament, and all courts of juftice are ufed? Were it hard to argue even against circumcifion, the ordinance of God, as being a cruel ceremony? against the pafsover, as being ridiculous-fhod, girt, a staff in their hand, to eat a lambb?

To conclude, you may exhort the clergy (or what if you direct your conclufion, not to the clergy in general, but only to the learned in, or of both Univerfities), you may exhort them to a due confideration of all things, and to a right esteem and valuing of each thing in that degree wherein it ought to stand: for it oftentimes falleth out, what men have either devised themselves, or greatly delighted in, the price and excellency thereof they do admire above defert. The chiefeft labour of a Chriftian fhould be to know, of a minifer to preach Chrift crucified in regard whereof not only worldly things, but even things otherwife precious, even the difcipline itself is vile and bafe. Whereas now, by the heat of contention, and violence of affection, the zeal of men towards the one hath greatly decayed their love to the other. Hereunto, therefore, they are to be exhorted, to preach Chrift crucified, the mortification of the flesh, the renewing of the fpirit; not thofe things which in time of ftrife feem precious, but, pafsions being allayed, are vain and childish.

b A ftrange reading is found in all the fubfequent editions: " Againft "the pafsover as being ridiculous; fhould be girt, a staff in their hand, "to eat a lamb."

THIS EPITAPH was long fince prefented to the world in memory of Mr. HOOKER, by Sir WILLIAM COWPER; who allo built him a fair Monument in Borne Church, and acknowledges him to have been his fpiritual father.

THOUGH nothing can be spoke worthy his fame,
Or the remembrance of that precious name,
Judicious HooKER; though this coft be spent.
On him that hath a lafting monument

In his own books; yet ought we to exprefs,
If not his worth, yet our respectfulness.
Church-ceremonies he maintained: then why,
Without all ceremony, fhould he die?
Was it because his life and death fhould be
Both equal patterns of humility?

Or that perhaps this only glorious one
Was above all, to afk, why had he none?
Yet he that lay fo long obfcurely low

Doth now preferred to greater honours go.
Ambitious men, learn hence to be more wife :
Humility is the true way to rife:

And God in me this lefson did infpire,

To bid this humble man--" Friend, fit up higher."

W. C.

APPENDIX.

THE WORKS OF MR. RICHARD HOOKER.

THE Works of Mr. Hooker, exclufive of the Books of Ecclefiaftical Polity, the different editions of which are enumerated in a fubfequent Page, are,

I." ANSWER to the SUPPLICATION that Mr. TRAVERS made to the COUNCIL. Oxon. 1612." 4to.

II. "A learned DISCOURSE of JUSTIFICATION, WORKS, and how the FOUNDATION of FAITH is overthrown on Habak. i. 4. Oxon. 1612." 4to.

III. "A learned SERMON of the NATURE of PRIDE: on Habak. ii. 4. Oxon. 1612." 4to.

IV." A REMEDY against SORROW and FEAR, delivered in a FUNERAL SERMON: on John xiv. 27. Oxon.

1612. 4to.

V. "A learned and comfortable SERMON of the CERTAINTY and PERPETUITY of FAITH in the ELECT: efpecially of the PROPHET HABAKKUK's FAITH: on Habak. i. 4. Oxon. 1612." 4to.

VI." TWO SERMONS upon part of St. JUDE's EPISTLES. Epist. Jude, ver. 17, 13, 19, 20, 21. Oxon.

1613." 4to.

Thefe Sermons were originally published by Mr. Henry Jackfon, with "Wickliff's Wicket," and afterward reprinted without that tract. What reception they met with from the public we learn from one of his letters preferved in Fulman's papers in the library of Corpus Chrifti College, Oxford. "Edidi ante paucos dies tractatus quofdam D. Richardi "Hookeri, qui omnium Applaufu, excipio Puritanos ut vocant, "ita excepti funt, ut necefse jam fit typographo noftro novam "Editionem parare, quæ primà illâ emendatior meâ curâ, deo "volente, proftitura eft. Cùm itaque prodierit, expecta bina exemplaria unà cùm Wiclefi Tractatu, quem edidi eodem "Tempore."

VIII. In 1641, a volume was published under the following title: "A SUMMARIE VIEW of the GOVERNMENT both of the OLD and NEW TESTAMENT; whereby the EPIS

COPAL GOVERNMENT of CHRIST's CHURCH is vindicated," out of the rude draughts of Launcelot Andrews, late Bishop of Winchester.

To this volume is prefixed, as a preamble to the whole, “A DISCOVERY of the CAUSES of these CONTENTIONS touching CHURCH GOVERNMENT, out of the FRAGMENTS of RICHARD HOOKER."

This volume contains certain brief treatifes, written by divers learned men, concerning the ancient and modern Government of the Church. The treatifes are feven in number, of which this pofthumous work of Mr. Hooker is one, and as it stands before the reft it is therefore called a Preamble to the whole.

IX. THREE TREATISES inferted in the "CLAVI TRABALES." viz. 1. "On the KING's POWER in Matters of RELIGION." 2. "Of his POWER in the ADVANCEMENT of BISHOPS to their ROOMS of PRELACY." 3. "The KING'S EXEMPTION from CENSURE, and other JUDICIAL POWER."

It will not be improper to notice a publication of great merit, entitled "A FAITHFUL ABRIDGMENT of the WORKS of that learned and judicious Divine, Mr. RICHARD HOOKER, in eight books of ECCLESIASTICAL POLITY, and of all the other Treatifes which were written by the fame Author. With an Account of his Life. By a Divine of the Church of England. London, 1705."

In "Fulman's Manufcript Hiftory of Corpus Chrifti College, Oxford," the time and birth of Mr. Hooker, with fome other particulars relative to him, are ascertained.

"Richardus Hooker apud Heavy-tree juxta Civitatem Exoniam "natus eft circa finem Martii Menfis, Anno 1554 ineunte."

"He was admitted Scholar of C. C. C. Dec. 24, 1573, being "twenty years old the Eafter following; and admitted Pro"bationer, Sept. 16, 1577, being 23 years old the Easter pres "ceding."