of mans hart yet in his mercy he hath not left him altogether destitute of a better guide The first seruing to teach him that there is a God the latter what that God is and how he will bee worshipped by man This light wee call the scripture which God hath not vouchsafed to all but to those only whome he gathereth more neerely and familiarly to him selfe and vouchsafeth that honor to be called his Church that as men through infirmity seeing weakely prouide vnto themselues the helpe of a better sight so what man cannot reade by the dimnes of his seeing out of the creatures he may more apparantly reade them in the holy scriptures For as there is no saluation without religion no religion without faith so there is no faith without a promise nor promise without a word for God desirous to make an vnion betwixt vs and himselfe hath so linked his word and his Church that neither can stand where both are not The Church for her part in her choice allowance testifying as well that it is the scripture as the scripture from an absolute authority doth assure vs that it is the Church For as those who are conuerted haue no reason to beleeue that to be the Church where there is no scripture so those who are not conuerted haue no great reason to admit that for scripture for which they haue not the Churches warrant So that in my opinion the contention is vnnaturall and vnfit to make a variance by comparison betwixt those two who are in reason and nature to support each other It was a memorable attonement that Abraham made with Lotte let there be no strife I pray thee betweene thee and me neither betweene thy heardsmen and my heardsmen for we be brethren so vndoubtedly may the Church and the scripture say it is then to be feared that those who treacherously make this contentious comparison betwixt both are in very deede true friends to neither For though we dislike of them by whome too much heeretofore hath bin attributed to the Church yet we are loth to grow to an error on the contrary hand and to derogate too much from the Church of God by which remoouall of one extremity with another the worlde seeking to procure a remedy hath purchased a meere exchang of the euill which before was felt We and our aduersaries confesse that the scriptures in themselues haue great authority inward witnes from that spirit which is the author of all truth and outward arguments strong motiues of beleefe which cleaueth firmely to the word it selfe For what doctrine was euer deliuered with greater maiesty What stile euer had such simplicity purity diuinity What history or memoriall of learning is of like antiquity what oracles foretold haue bin effected with such certainty What miracles more powerfull to confirme the truth What enemies euer preuailed lesse or laboured more violently to roote it out To conclude what witnesses haue dyed with more innocency or lesse feare then those that haue sealed the holinesse of this truth This the scripture is in it selfe but men who are of lesse learning then these reformers are do not vnworthily make question how that which ought thus highly to be esteemed for it selfe commeth to be accounted of thus honorably by vs for the weakenes of mans iudgement doth not euer value things by that worth which they doe deserue For vndoubtedly out of that error hath proceeded your suspition of him whose inward worthines must now be content to receiue testimony from a witnes by many thousand degrees inferiour to himselfe To them of Samaria the woman gaue testimony of our sauiour Christ not that she was better but better knowne for witnesses of lesse credit then those of whome they beare witnesse but of some more knowledge then those to whome they beare witnes haue euer bin reputed to giue a kind of warrant and authority vnto that they proue Seeing then the Church which consisteth of many doth outwardly testifie what euery man inwardly should be to swarue vnnecessarilie from the iudgement of the whole Church experience as yet hath neuer found it safe For that which by her ecclesiasticall authority she shal probably thinke define to be true or good must in congruity of reason ouerrule all other inferiour Iudgements whatsoeuer And to them that out of a singularity of their owne aske vs why we thus hang ou◠iudgements on the Churches sleeue wee answere with Salomon Two are better then one for euen in matters of lesse moment it was neuer thought safe to neglect the iudgement of many and rashly to follow the fancy and opinion of some few If the Fathers of our Church had had no greater reasō to auouch their forsaking of the Antichristian Synagogue as you call it then this point wee might iustly haue wished to haue bin recōciled to the fellowship society of their church For this point as it seemeth rightly vnderstood affordeth little difference betwixt them and vs and therfore there was no mention of it in the last councell their Church had And Bellarmine himselfe doth apparantly complaine that we wrong them in this point for doubtles it is a tolerable opinion of the Church of Rome if they go no further as some of them do not to affirme that the scriptures are holy and diuine in themselues but so esteemed by vs for the authority of the Church for there is no man doubteth but that it belongeth to the Church if we vnderstand as we ought those truely who are the Church to approue the scriptures to acknowledg to receiue to publish to commend vnto hir Children And this witnes ought to be receiued of all as true yet wee doe not beleeue the scriptures for this only for there is the testimony of the Holy-ghost without which the commendation of the Church were of little value That the scriptures are true to vs wee haue it from the Church but that wee beleeue them as true we haue it from the Holy-ghost We confesse it is an excellent office of the Church to beare witnes to the scriptures but we say not that otherwise we would not beleeue them We graunt that the scriptures rightly vsed are the iudge of controuersies that they are the triall of the Church that they are in themselues a sufficient witnes for what they are but yet for all this wee are not afraid with Master Hooker to confesse that it is not the word of God which doth or possibly can assure vs that we do well to thinke it is the word of God For by experience we all know that the first outward motion leading men so to esteeme of the scripture is the authority of Gods Church which teacheth vs to receiue Markes Gospell who was not an Apostle and refuse the Gospell of Thomas who was an Apostle to retain S. Lukes gospel who saw not Christ and to reiect the Gospell of Nicodemus that sawe him For though in themselues
they haue an apparant great difference as there must needs be betwixt Scripture and no Scripture yet to those that are vnable to discerne so much the matter stands ouerruled only by the authoritie of the Church For though as Maister Hooker saith the Scriptures teach vs that sauing truth which God hath discouered to the world by reuelation yet it presumeth vs taught otherwise that it selfe is diuine and sacred And therefore the reading of the Scripture in our Churches is one of the plainest euidences we haue of the Churches assent and acknowledgement that it is the Scripture And yet without any contradiction at all who so assenteth to the words of eternall life doth it in regard of his authoritie whose words they are Those with whom the Church is to deale are often heretikes and these will much sooner beleeue the Church then the Scriptures Therefore saith Saint Austine in that knowne place I had not beleeued the Scriptures if I had not beene compelled by the authoritie of the Church And howsoeuer the Church may seeme now little to need her authoritie because the greatest haruest of heresies is past yet we must not contemne her for all that because euen the weedes of heresie being growne vnto a ripenesse doe euen in their verie cutting downe scatter oftentimes those seedes which for a whilely vnseene and buried in the earth but afterwards freshly spring vp againe no lesse pernicious then at the first Therfore the Church hath and must haue to the end of the world foure singular offices towards the Scripture First to be a witnesse and keeper of them as it were a faithfull Register whose fidelitie in that behalfe vnlesse we be bastard children we haue no reason at all â—o suspect witnesses of lesse truth and authoritie hauing oftentimes the credite to be beleeued Secondly to discerne and iudge betweene false and adulterate and that which is true and perfect in this respect it hath a propertie which other assemblies want to heare and discerne the voice of her husband neither can she be thought a chast spouse who hath not the abilitie to do that But as the Goldsmith either in his ballance or with his touchstone discerneth pure gold from other mettals of lesse value yet doth not make it so dealeth the Church who hath not authoritie to make scripture that which is not but maketh a true difference from that which did only seeme Neither in this respect is the Church aboue the Scriptures but acknowledgeth in humilitie that shee is left in trust to tell her children which is her husbands voice and to point our to the world as Iohn Baptist did Christ a truth of a farre more excellent perfection then her selfe is As if I doubted of a strange coine wherein I rest satisfied in the resolution of a skilfull man but yet valuing the coine for the matter and the stampe of the coine it selfe The third office of the Church is to publish and diuulge to proclaime as a cryer the true edict of our Lord himself not daring as Chrysostom saith to adde anie thing of her owne which shee no sooner doth but the true subiects yeeld obedience not for the voice of him that proclaimeth but for the authoritie of him whose ordinances are proclaimed The last is to be an Interpreter and in that following the safest rule to make an vndiuided vnitie of the truth vncapable of contradiction to be a most faithfull expositor of his owne meaning Thus whilest the Church for that trust reposed in her dealeth faithfully in these points we are not afraid to acknowledge that wee so esteeme of the Scriptures as rightly wee are led by the authoritie of Gods Church Those that are of that iudgement that they dare giue credit without witnesse though we follow not their example in ouermuch credulitie yet we blame not their iudgmeÌ„ts in that kind Touching therfore the authoritie of the Church the scriptures though we graunt as you say that the Church is truly distinguished by the scriptures that the scriptures which is a straÌ„ge phrase warraÌ„t y e trial of Gods word that it was euer beleeued for the words sake yet without feare of vnderpropping anie popish principle as you tearme it we say that we are taught to receiue it from the authoritie of the Church we see her iudgement we heare her voice and in humilitie subscribe vnto all this euer acknowledging the Scriptures to direct the Church and yet the Church to affoord as she is bound her true testimony to the Scripture For the verse of Menander Aratus or Epimenides was and had beene euer but the saying of Poets had not the Church assured vs that it was vttered since by an instrument of the holy Ghost ARTICLE V. Of Freewill IN searching out the nature of humane reason whilest wee reach into the depth of that excellencie which man had by creation we must needs confesse that by sinne he hath lost much who now is vnable to comprehend all that hee should but wee dare not affirme that hee hath lost all who euen in this blindnesse is able to see something and in this weakenesse strong enough without the light of supernaturall Iustifying grace to tread out those paths of moral vertues which haue not only great vse in humane society but are also not altogether of a nature oppositely different from mans saluation And therefore the naturall way to find out lawes by reason guideth as it were by a direct path the will vnto that which is good which naturally hauing a freedome in herselfe is apt to take or refuse any particular obiect whatsoeuer being presented vnto it Which though wee affirme yet we neither say that Reason can guide the will vnto all that is good for though euery good that concerneth vs hath euidence inough for it selfe yet reason is not diligent to search it out nor we say not that the will doth take or refuse any particular obiect but is apt rather noting the nature wherby it hath that power then shewing the ability wherby it hath that strength For though sinne hath giuen as the Schoolemen obserue foure wounds vnto our nature Ignorance Malice Concupisence and infirmity the first in the vnderstanding the second in the will the third in our desiring appetite the last in the Irascible yet the will is free from necessity and coaction though not from misery and infirmity For as Saint Bernard saith there is a threefold freedome from necessity from sinne from misery the first of nature the second of grace the third of glory In the first from the bondage of coaction the will is free in it owne nature and hath power ouer it selfe In the second the will is not free but freed from the bondage of sin And in the third it is freed from the seruitude of corruption Now that freedome by which the will of man is named free is the first only and therefore we dare
of God then the word Church Somtimes it is taken for any assembly somtimes for a faithful religious assembly and theÌ„ it sometimes noteth out the whole bodie of the elect in all ages times places both in heauen earth and only them So it is in the article of our faith I beleeue the catholike church that is all those who are or shal be saued both Angels men so it is taken in that speech of our Sauior VpoÌ„ this rock will I build my church that is the whole catholike church Somtimes it is taken for that part only which is in heauen as when it is said that the church is without spot or wrinckle which can be verified of no part whatsoeuer the Anabaptists dreame but of that which triumpheth Sometimes it is taken for that part of the catholike church which is militant that thou maist knowe howe thou oughtest to behaue thy selfe in the house of God which is the church of the liuing God the piller and ground of truth So feare came vpon all the church Sometimes it is taken for the pastors and gouernours onely of the church as when it is said Tell the church that is the heads and gouernours of the church Sometimes for the people Take heede therefore vnto yourselues and to all the flocke whereof the holy Ghost hath made you ouerseers to feede the church of God which he hath purchased with that his owne bloud Somtimes for particular churches professing the doctrine and religion of Christ as To the Angell of the church of Ephesus so we say the church of Rome the church of Corinth the church of England now from the mistaking of this worde Church doubtlesse much harme and needlesse contentions haue come vnto the church of Christ. For in the first great contention of what persons the Church consisteth in my opinion wee dispute of one Church namely the true Catholike all which must be saued they dispute of the visible wherein are hypocrites also So that the reasons that are brought on both sides are smally to the purpose seeing both sides directly mistake the question Thus in the iudgment of those of the Church of Rome persons excommunicate though vniustly are cut off froÌ„ the particular Church but not froÌ„ the catholike excommunication being only the censure of a particular Church Therfore saith our Sauior Christ many are called with an externall calling to the society of the â—isible Church but few are chosen that is to the Cathoâ—icke For though both be a folde yet of the visible Church saith Saint Austin In the Church there are many wolues and out of the Church there are many sheepe but in the Catholicke without any other mixture are sheepe only Now visible and inuisible maketh not two Churches but the diuers estate condition of one the same Church Hence coÌ„meth it to passe that in this question of the visibility of the Church there is the like mistaking as in the former for they of Rome say we haue made this distinction because our Church hath not bin alwaies visible but we say if our Church had bin as glorious and as famous as any Church in the world we would haue accounted the Catholicke Church inuisible Which no doubt of it they of Rome doe vnderstanding Catholick and visible as we meane For the Church of Christ which we properly tearme his mystical body can be but one neither can that one be sensibly discerned by any man in as much as the parts therof are some in heauen already with Christ and the rest that are on earth albeit their natural persons be visible yet we cannot discerne vnder this property wherby they are truly and infallibly of that body only our minds by internal conceit are able to apprehend that such a real body there is a body collectiue because it conteyneth a huge multitude a body mystical because the mystery of their coniunction is remoued altogether from sense Whatsoeuer we reade in scripture concerning the endles loue and the sauing mercy which God shewed towards his Church the only proper subiect therof is this Church They who are of this society haue such markes and notes of distinction from al others as are not subiect vnto our sense only vnto God who seeth their harts and vnderstandeth al their secret cogitations vnto him they are cleere and manifest In the eie of God they are against Christ that are not truly and sincerely with him in our eies they must be receiued as with Christ that are not to outward shew against him to him they seeme such as they are but of vs they must be taken for such as they seeme Al men knew Nathaniel to be an Israelite but our Sauiour pearsing deeper giâ—eth further testimony of him then men could haue done with such certainty as he did behold indeede an Israelite in whom is no guile Now as those euerlasting promises of loue mercy and blessednes belong to the mystical Church euen so on the other side when wee reade of any duty which the Church of God is bounde vnto the Church whom this doth concerne is a sensible knowne company and this visible Church in like sort is but one continued from the first beginning of the world to the last end which company beeing deuided into two parts the one before the other since the comming of Christ that part which since the comming partly hath imbraced and partly shal hereafter imbrace the Christian Religion we tearme as by a proper name the Church of Christ. For all make but one body the vnity of which visible body and the Church of Christ consisteth in that vniformity which al seueral persons thereunto belonging haue by reason of y e one Lord whose seruants they all professe theÌ„selues to be that one faith which they al acknowledge that one baptisme wherwith they are al receiued into the church As for those vertues y t belong vnto morall righteousnes honesty of life we do not speake of them because they are not proper vnto Christian meÌ„ as they are Christian but do concerne theÌ„ as they are men True it is the waâ—t of these vertues excludeth from saluation so doth much more the absence of inward beleefe of heart so doth despaire and lack of hope so emptinesse of Christian loue and charity but we speake now of the visible Church whose Children are signed with this marke One Lord one Faith one Baptisme In whomsoeuer these things are the Church doth acknowledge them for her children them only she holdeth for aliens and strangers in whom these things are not found For want of these it is that Saracens Iewes and infidels are excluded out of the bounds of the Church others we may not though you doe denie to be of the visible Church as long as these things are not wanting in them For apparant it is that al men are of necessity either Christians or not Christians if by externall
vnfitly applyed euen by orators to the best things The next is these words In Baptisme God doth bestow presently remission of sins and the Holy-ghost binding also himselfe to ad in processe of time what grace soeuer shall be further necessasary for the attainment of euerlasting life Heere you aske of Maister Hooker what warrant he hath of present grace in the very work wrought of baptisme where by the way you cūningly with a truth of his mingle an error of your owne for who euer doubted but that baptisme doth bestow the remission of sins and yet not this as we haue often told you for the very work wrought of baptisme The next in these wordes The signe of the Crosse as we vse it is in some sort a meane to work our preseruation from reproch and Christs marke It seemes that this speech hath made you to forget that ciuill respect which had bin fit to one whome worthily you ought to esteeme as reuerend for very rudely you say when where or how did Christ tell thee that the signe of the Crosse as we vse it is the marke of Christ and preserueth frō reproch Be not caried more violently then the cause requireth for Maister Hooker doth not affirme but saith shall I say and addeth surely the minde which as yet hath not hardned it selfe in sinne is seldome prouoked thereunto in any grosse and greeuous manner but natures secret suggestiō obiecteth against it ignominy as a bar which conceit being entred into that pallace of mans fancy the gates wherof haue imprinted in thē that holy signe which bringeth forthwith to mind whatsoeuer Christ hath wrought and we vowed against sinne it commeth hereby to passe that Christian men neuer want a most effectuall though a silent teacher to auoid whatsoeuer may deseruedly procure shame Let vs not thinke it superfluous that Christ hath his marke applied vnto that part where bashfulnes appeareth in token that they which are Christians should at no time be ashamed of his ignominie The last words misliked by you in this article are these Assuredly whosoeuer doth wel obserue how much al inferiour things depend vpon the orderly courses and motions of these greater orbs wil hardly iudge it meet or good that the Angels assisting them should be driuen to betake themselues vnto other stations although by nature they were not tyed where now they are but had change also else where as long as their absence from beneath might but tollerably be supplyed and by descending their roomes aboue should become vacant Heere wholy mistaking Maister Hooker you run into a strange discourse of Angels of their attendance vpon the elect and aske where it is reuealed that they attend vpon celestiall orbs and whether it be not sinne to leaue their naturall charge and here you aske whether he meane not the Angels that fel These and such like are those collections which your iudgement thath gathered wholy mistaking the scope of this excellent speech For he sheweth here that there may be iust reasons of non-residence in Vniuersities in Bishops houses and last of all for their imployment in the families of noble men or in princes courts For assuredly whosoeuer doth well obserue how much all inferiour things depend vpon the orderly courses and motions of those greater orbs will hardly iudge it either meete or good that the Angels assisting them should be driuen to betake themselues vnto other stations although by nature they were not tyed where now they are but had charge also else where as long as their absence from beneath might but tolerably be supplied and by descending the roumes aboue should become vacant Who vnderstandeth not now that by orbes are ment those great persons which by their motion do carrye inferiours with them And by Angels assisting them are ment those graue diuines which are by their wisdome holinesse and direction to moderate their motion Why then being but a parable or an allegorie run you to examination of orbes of Angels of motion and yet these are things so well knowne in the Philosophers schooles as that Maister Hooker had no reason to feare to take a similitude from them without being called to examination of the truth of the thing it selfe And this may suffice for a moderate answere to those things which in this article are tearmed by you speculatiue doctrine Only I must ad this which Maister Hooker noteth in a troublesome aduersary with whom he had to deale that in this article as often in this letter besides there are two faults predominant which would tyre out any which should answeare to euery poynt seuerally first vnapt speaking of schoole controuersies secondly a very vntoward reciting of M. Hookers words that as he which should promise to draw a mans countenance and did indeed expresse the parts at least the most of them truly but peruersely place them could not represent a more offensiue visage then a mans owne would be to himselfe so haue you dealt with M. Hooker where your misplacing of those words which he hath vttered hath framed a picture which as you direct men to looke at it little differeth from the shape of an vgly monster for answeare whereunto this labour is sufficient wherein I haue set downe both his words and meaning in such sort that where your accusation doth depraue the one or that either you misinterpret or without iust cause mislike the other it will appeare so plainly that to the indifferent reader I shall not neede to ad any further answeare for any man may see that you haue iudged his words as they doe colours which looke vpon them with greene spectacles and thinke that which they see is greene when indeede that is greene whereby they see The best remedy will be to vse charity where iudgment wanteth ARTICLE XIX Of Caluin and the reformed Churches WHere the persons of particular men is the subiect of our discourse we cannot well either be too short or too charitable for of the best if we speake much something will be wrested to a hard construction if vncharitablie we shal seeme to follow the practise of those which haue no other skill to ouerthrow a generall cause but by wounding of some particular men And howsoeuer that cause must needs be weake which either hath his beginning or his greatest strength from one priuate man yet doubtles in common reason it is no small policie to blemish a truth by detracting frō the sincerity and religion of such as are the principal defenders of it How much this part of the world hath cause to esteeme of Luther and Caluin there is no man of any learning that can be ignorāt in which respect notwithstāding by some mē a threefold wrong is don vnto our Church First to make thē authors of that religion amongst vs which by many hūdreth yeers was far more ancient then they both were Secondly to lay the infirmities that were in thē as being mē it were too great ignorance
A IVST AND TEMPERATE DEFENCE OF THE FIVE BOOKS OF ECCLESIASTICAL POLICIE WRITTEN BY M. RICHARD HOOKER Against an vncharitable Letter of certain English Protestants as they tearme themselues crauing resolution in some matters of doctrine which seeme to ouerthrow the foundation of religion and the Church amongst vs. Written by WILLIAM COVEL Doctor in Diuinitie and published by authority The contents whereof are in the page following Psalm 112.6 The righteous shall be had in an euerlasting remembrance At LONDON Printed by P. SHORT for CLEMENT KNIGHT dwelling at the signe of the holy Lambe in Paules church-yard 1603. The Articles handled in this Booke 1 Of the Deity of the Sonne of God 2 Of the coeternitie of the Sonne and the proceeding of the holy Ghost 3 Whether the holy Scriptures containe all things necessary to saluation 4 Whether the Scriptures be aboue the Church 5 Of the nature and freedome of mans will 6 Of the vse of faith and good works 7 Whether God allow more then he commandeth 8 Of the vertue of good works 9 None free from euery sinne how from all 10 Of Predestination 11 Whether the Church of Rome be any part of the visible Church 12 Of Preaching and Sermons 13 Of the Ministers office 14 Of the nature of the Sacraments 15 Of Christs institution of the Sacraments 16 Of the necessitie of Baptisme 17 Of Transubstantiation 18 Of speculatiue doctrine or sentences mistaken 19 Of Caluin and the reformed Churches 20 Of Schoolemen Philosophie Reason c. 21 Of the stile and maner of M. Hookers writing TO THE MOST REVEREND Father in God my verie good Lord the Lord Archbishop of Canterburie his Grace Primate and Metropolitan of all England THree principall causes Right Reuerend haue moued me to offer this small Labour to your Graces view First the iust respect of my particular dutie which challengeth al parts of my labor as a most thankefull acknowledgement of that seruice which I owe vnto you Secondly the forme of our Church gouernment which imposeth a submitting of our labours to the censure and allowance of those to whom by right that charge belongeth wherein seeing your authoritie and care next vnto our dread Soueraigne is and is to bee esteemed greatest I desire you to vouchsafe to giue that allowance which your Grace in your wisdome shall thinke fit The last reason is the person of him who whilest he liued was aduanced honoured and esteemed by you and now being dead his learning and sinceritie against the false accusations of others challengeth a defence at your Graces hand For doubtlesse it is more right to vertue to defend the deceased then to aduance those that are liuing This as reason euer expecteth at the hands of vertue so especially then when men of worth of desert of learning are mistaken and accused by those that doe want all I craue to the rest of all your Graces fauours that this last may be added That whatsoeuer my imperfections are in this iust and temperate Defence they may no way diminish the honourable remembrance of him whom I doe defend all allowance is his due the faults are mine for which in all humilitie I craue pardon Your Graces to bee commaunded W. COVEL TO THE READER SEeing we are all bound in the dutifull respect of a common iust cause euen to defend those who are strangers to vs it cannot seeme vnfit to any if we affoord theÌ„ so much fauour whose persons and deserts are verie well knowne There is no better contentment for our labour past then in the assurance from our conscience that it is well imployed for doubtlesse the spurning at vertue giueth a greater stroke to the doer then to him that suffereth yet euen that religion that coÌ„mandeth patience forbiddeth not the iust defence of our selues in a good cause especially then when by wronging a particular man there may be some hazard of the truth it selfe Our Church hath had some enemies more openly discontent in the case of Discipline then they now appeare whom to satisfie with reason Maister Hooker indeuoured with much paines that which might haue contented all was in diuers a spurre to a more violent choler for medicines how profitable soeuer worke not equally in all humours From hence proceeded a desire in some to make question of things whereof there was no doubt and a request for resolution of some points where in there was no danger to this end a Letter which heere is answered was published by certaine Protestants as they tearme themselues which I heare how true I know not is translated into other tongues this they presume hath giuen that wound to that reuerend and learned man that it was not the least cause to procure his death But it is farre otherwise for he contemned it in his wisdome as it was fit and yet in his humilitie would haue answered it if he had liued Surely for mine owne part I neuer thought it conuenient that the grauity of this present businesse and the reuerend worthinesse of him that is accused should not be answered with grauitie both of person and speech and my witnesses are both in heauen and earth how iustly I can excuse my selfe as Elihu did Behold I did wait vpon the word of the ancient and harkened for their knowledge I stayed the time and a long time vntill some elder and of viper iudgement might haue acquited me from all opinion of presumption in this cause which being not done by theÌ„ whom many reasons might haue induced to this Defence I could not for that part which I beare in that Church whose gouernment was defended by Maister Hooker with patience endure so weake a Letter anie longer to remaine vnanswered And herein I haue dealt as with men although to me vnknown of some learning and grauitie to whom peraduenture in manie respects I am farre inferiour and yet for anie thing that I know or appeareth in this Letter they may bee clothed with the same infirmities that I am But if this had beene by himselfe performed which I heare he hath done and I desire thee to expect it thy satisfaction gentle Reader would haue beene much more yet vouchsafe in thy kindnesse to accept this The Authours Preface LIttle hath labour done to make any man excellent if vertue haue not as much power to make it continue neither were it anie honour to deserue well if our memories might die with our names â—or our names be buried as often â—s malice or enuie doth seeke to hide them Fewe things are eminently good which are indured amongst distempered iudgements without bitter reprehension for where weakenesse hath not strength enough to imitate and reuerence that vertue which it feareth it hath violence and malice sufficient to detract from that vertue which it hateth Amongst euill persons as there be fewe things that are good in themselues so there be not manie things which they are willing should appeare good in others for vertue where it is not followed
far hazarded himselfe for the iust defence of religion and Church gouernement If hee had broched any new fancies or proudly opposed the wise established discipline there had bin some reason to haue suspected that by intising speech he had meant to deceiue the Church But seeing hee hath laboured in a waighty cause with reasons against those whom the Magistrats seuerity could not easily suppresse seeing he hath vndertaken it by appointment and performed it with allowance and seeing he hath made no other shew of supporting popery but only by resisting Puritans the slaunder must needs be too light and the accusation without color to say that he hath beaten against the heart of al true Christian doctrine professed by her Maiestie the whole state of this Realme as though which you desire the world might beleeue the hart of Christian religion were only amongst such whom the affectation of singularity hath tearmed by the name of Puritans And that the rest who are not of that temper are dangerous and close hereticks Thus Appollinarius the yonger who wrote so much in defence of the Christian faith that Saint Basil said of him that with his volumes he had filled the whole world and wrote against rauing and frantick Porphury thirty bookes more excellent then any other of his workes was afterward accused that he held the error of the Millenaries that into the trinity he had brought Great greater and greatest of all that he thought not right of the incarnation of Christ but seeing Theophilus Bishop of Alexandria who was an enemy vnto him diuers other Authors besides report that he was vehement to confute the Arrians Eunomians Origenists and many other hereticks in many volumes it may be thought whatsoeuer his other errors were the malice of his aduersaries had forged this to diminish the authority of those bookes which hee had written against them So that this practise is no new thing to diminish the soundnes of their religion whose iudgements and reasons we are vnable to withstand But I doubt not by that which followeth but it shall easily bee made to appeare that he is of the same iudgement with the Church of England that he hath not committed any ouersight nor that he goeth not about to contradict the reuerend fathers of our Church which things in al likeliehood are matters by al you much desired and therefore I hope you will accept as you desire this charitable direct plaine and sincere answere which no doubt of it from himselfe had bin far more learned and more speedy if he could either haue resolued to haue don it or after he had resolued could haue liued to haue seene it finished But first of all he was loth to entermeddle with so weake aduersaries thinking it vnfit as himselfe said that a man that hath a long iourney should turne backe to beate euerie barking curre and hauing taken it in hand his vrgent and greater affaires together with the want of strength weakened with much labour would not giue him time to see it finished Yet his mind was stronger then his yeares and knew not well how to yeeld to infirmitie Wherein if hee had somewhat fauoured himselfe he might peraduenture haue liued to haue answered you to the benefite of the Church and the comfort of a great number But death hath done what hee could it hath killed his bodie and it is laid vp in the heart of the earth it hath taken from vs and from the Church of God a sweete friend a wise counsellour and a strong Champion so that I may say as it was sometimes said of Demosthenes Demosthenes is meete for Athens Demades ouergreat Others fit enough to liue in the midst of errour vanitie vnthankfulnesse and deceit but hee too good For he was as the morning starre in the middest of a cloud and as the Moone when it is full and as the Sunne shining vpon the Temple of the most High and as the rainebowe that is bright in the faire cloudes when he put on the garment of honour and was clothed with all beautie hee went vp to the holy Altar and made the garment of holinesse honourable But this ought to content vs that the soules of the righteous are in the hand of God and no torment shall touch them In the sight of the vnwise they appeared to die and their end was thought grieuous and their departing from vs destruction but they are in peace ARTICLE I. Of the Deity of the Sonne of God AL points in Diuinitie are not of the like easinesse of apprehension For in some the dimme light of nature not wholy darkened can giue a reason of that wee doe as well as faith out of precept doth warrant what wee doe beleeue And therefore the Gentiles both before and after the Lawe were to themselues a kind of Lawe euen by the light of nature not to doe all those thinges that they did desire but they had a thing in their hearts equiualent to the law in respect of forbidding because they could accuse and excuse themselues hauing the witnesse of their conscience present with them Thus the effect of all the commandements was in the Iewes before the lawe and in the Gentiles who had not the law giuen vnto them Thus the first commuandement was in Terah Abrahams father which was the reason of his departure from Vr of the Chaldees to goe into the land of Canaan And afterwards in Iacob when hee departed out of Labans house aboue foure hundred yeares before the Lawe was giuen so the second commandement in Rachel the third in Abraham to his seruant the fourth had a precept in the creation the fift for honouring his parents euen in Esau the sixt in Cain who knew the greatnesse of that euill which hee had committed that slew his brother feare making him out of a guiltie conscience to denie that which loue before had not power enough to teach him to forbeare The seuenth in the hatred of the sinne of Sichem which Iacob though he allowed not to be rightly punished yet he did not approue as to be well done The eight euen in Egypt which made Ioseph to say What act is that you haue done when the cup of Pharaoh was found in the sacke of Beniamin The ninth when Iudah feared the witnesse of Thamar The last in Abimelech for taking the wife of Abraham where the vision did not so much tell him it was a sinne which hee knew by nature as that she was another mans wife Now in these things which were obserued before the morall Law some were of more apparant dislike euen in the opinion of the heathen who had no other direction but the light of nature as the third fift sixt seuenth eight and ninth commandements For the Egyptians had a lawe Sweare not least thou die And this was punished in the twelue tables of the Romans For the fift Homer saith of
Salust others Caesar a third Seneca a fourth Tacitus in one word euery man according to his owne fancy This as it is in stiles so it is in the seuerall actions of men where they are no sooner borne into the world but Censure as a gossip names them A thing I confesse needfull and vnfit to be prohibited seeing we reape oftentimes more benefit by our enemies then our friends yet this sheweth that the world is vnhappy where the best offices are performed by our worst acquaintance If we come to Authours some dislike Plato as Athenaeus did calling him confused others say I only esteem Plato who doth so cunningly weaue knowledge and vertue together as if he said he were content to giue you knowledge vpon condition that you should be honest Some compared Aristotle to that fish whose humour is like inke Liuiâ— he likes not Trogus nor Tully Demosthenes Lenaeus a seruant of Pompeies mislikes Salust Asenius calleth him an affecter Quintilian calleth Seneca chalke without sand Galigula dispraised Liuie as ful of words and yet negligent in suppressing the triumphes of Romulus gotten by the victorie of the Tuscans Thus Varro without question a maÌ„ most learned euen in the opinion of S. Austin by one Quintus Rhemius Palâ—â—on was called a hog Surely emulation of learning and difference either of opinion or maners breedes a dislike in schollers This hath bin is and shall be that euill whereunto learned men must be subiect in the variety of other mens censures nay euen those bookes which wee translate because they are excellent others wish because they are excellent not to be translated Surely it is much easier saith Dio Cassius to reprehend others then to moderate our selues Some are of so feeble and weake stomackes that they loath bread nay some are of that inconstant humour that what they commeÌ„d now they dispraise the next day and what yesterday they dispraisd they commend to day For in the beginning of your Letter you cal it a sweet sound of M. Hookers melodious stile and in another place you confesse that his bookes are very excellently and learnedly penned and yet in this Article your last scruple is because his bookes are so long and tedious in a stile not vsuall and as you thinke the like hard to bee found Where it seemes you are desirous to reprehend if you could but resolue of the maner how I dare not take vpon mee to censure those whom you say he is vnlike Cranmer Ridley Latimer Iewel Whitgift Foxe Fulke but I perswade my selfe that whatsoeuer their other vertues were wherein peraduenture they were more eminent yet doubtlesse the best of them that now liueth will acknowledge M. Hookers stile to be very excellent And although it is vnmeet I should compare him with others whose labours haue beene profitable in another kind yet I hope I may say without offence that as profoundly to iudge with sound variety of al learning was coÌ„mon to him with diuers others so to expresse what he conceiued in the eloquence of a most pure stile was the felicitie almost of himself alone That honorable Knight S. Philip Sidney gaue a taste in an argument of recreation how well that stile would befit an argument of a grauer subiect which it may be is more vnpleasing in the taste of some because the maner is learned the subiect is not agreeing to their humour Doubtlesse the perfecting of a stile and especially of our English stile which in my opinion refuseth not the purest ornaments of any language hath many mo helps then those honorable places of learning the Vniuersities can affoord And therfore in those things which they conceiue and some of them conceiue much there are found in the Princes court diuers most purely eloquent whom euen the best in the Vniuersities may despaire to imitate And if I may speake without offence I am fully perswaded that M. Hookers stile if he had had lesse learning a strange fault for the weight of his learning made it too heauy had bin incomparably the best that euer was written in our Church If our English story had been borne to that happinesse euer to haue beene attired in such rich ornaments she might worthily haue beene entertained in the best courts that the world hath but all Countries know our actions haue beene better done then they haue beene â—old Of things affected we may giue a reason but to aske as you do a reason of M. Hooker for his stile it is all one as if you asked him why he knew so much For doubtlesse out of iudgement he made this choise in my weake opinion or strong fancie simply the best and without comparison imitable to few Therefore your comparison of the bramble was vnfit which by a shew deceiued you a farre off for there is much more by a narrow view to bee discerned in him then hee seemeth to promise at the first sight Three things you desire with all instancie First to shew what arguments he hath alleaged which are not to be found in the answer of that reuerend Father vnto M. Cartwright To satisfie you in this demaund if there were no difference yet the consent of their arguments were reason enough for you to allow M. Hooker seeing you haue giuen your approbatioÌ„ of the works of that most reuereÌ„d Father whose worthines no doubt can receiue litle honor from your praise yet you know that the whole subiect of M. Hookers first foure books is an argument as ful of learning so directly heretofore not handled by any that I know Secondly you desire that if he set forth his other books which are promised that he would be more plaine and sensible Concerning those three bookes of his which from his own mouth I am informed that they were finisâ—â— I know not in whose hands they are nor whether y e church shall euer be bettered by so excellent a worke for as the Church might haue been happie if he had liued to haue written more so she were not altogether so much harmed if she might but inioy what he hath written But for you to prescribe him a stile as it is an authority vnfit to assume vnto your selfe so it were a request if he liued vnpossible to obtaine For as once the greatest of place for iudgement of law in our land answeared a client of his in my hearing who was desirous to haue him take information of his cause from another lawyer that seemed more fully acquainted with it he wil speake saith he wel himselfe by his own direction but if I should speake by his information I should speake but like a foole so I am sure howsoeuer you your selfe may write following your owne stile yet Maister Hooker by your direction could hardly attaine the commendations that himselfe had already gaind Lastly you wish him to be carefull not to corrupt the English creed by philosophie or vaine deceiâ— of Schoolemens new borne diuinity giue me leâ—ue to