Works of Hooker, Frontispiece – To the reader 1
SVNT MELIORA MIHI
RICHARDVS HOOKER Exoniensis scholaris socius que Collegij Corp. Chrisli Oxon̄: deinde Londi: Templi interioris in sacris magister Rector que huius Ecelesiae▪ scripsit octo libros Politiae Ecclesiasticae Angelicanae, quorum tres desiderantur: Obijt; An̄: Dō: M.DC. III. AEtat: suae L. Posuit hoc pijssimo viro monumentum Ano. Dō: M. DC. XXX.V. Guli: Comper Armiger. in Christo Iesu quem genuit per Evangelium. 1 Corinth: 4. 15.
OF THE LAWES of ECCLESIASTICAL Politie.
Eight Bookes By RICHARD HOOKER.
LONDON Printed for Andrew Crooke at ye greene Dragon in S Pauls Church-yard. 1666.
THE WORKS OF Mr. Richard Hooker, (That Learned and Judicious Divine) IN EIGHT BOOKS OF Ecclesiastical Polity, Compleated out of his own Manuscrips; Never before Published.
With an account of his LIFE and DEATH.
Dedicated to the Kings most Excellency Majesty, CHARLES IId. By whose ROYAL FATHER (near His Martyrdom) the former Five Books (then onelyonly extant) were commended to His Dear Children, as an excellent means to satisfie Private Scruples, and settle the Publick Peace of this Church and Kingdom.
JAM. 3. 17.
The Wisdom from above, is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easie to be intreated, full of mercy and good works, without partiality and hypocrisie.
foreign
Plat.
Multitadio investiganda verilalis ad proximos divertunt errores.
Min. Fel.
LONDON: Printed by Thomas Newcomb for Andrew Crook, at the Green-Dragon in St. Pauls Church-yard. 1666.
To the KINGS most Excellent MAJESTY CHARLES IId, By the Grace of God, King of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, &c.
Most Gracious Soveraign,
ALthough I know how little leisure Great Kings have to read large Books, or indeed any, save onelyonly Gods, (the study, belief and obedience of which, is precisely commanded, even to Kings, Deut. 17.18,19. And from which, whatever wholly diverts them, will hazard to damn them; there being no affairs of so great importance, as their serving God, and saving their own Souls; nor any Precepts so wise, just, holy, and safe, as those of the Divine Oracles; nor any Empire so glorious, as that by which Kings being subject to Gods Law, have dominion over themselves, and so best deserve and exercise it over their Subjects.)
Yet having lived to see the wonderful and happy Restauration of Your Majesty to Your Rightful Kingdoms, and of this Reformed Church to its just Rights, Primitive Order, and Pristine Constitution, by Your Majesties prudent care, and imparallel'd bounty, I know not what to present more worthy of Your Majesties acceptance, and my duty, then these Elaborate and Seasonable Works of the Famous and Prudent Mr. Richard Hooker, now augmented, and I hope compleated with the Three last Books, so much desired, and so long concealed.
The publishing of which Volume so intire, and thus presenting it to Your Majesty, seems to be a blessing and honor reserved by Gods Providence, to add a further lusture to Your Majesties glorious Name, and happy Reign, whose transcendent favor, justice, merit, and munificence to the long afflicted Church of England, is a subject no less worthy of admirasion then gratitude to all Posterity. And of all things (next Gods grace) not to be abused or turned into wantonness by any of Your Majesties Clergy, who are highly obliged beyond all other Subjects to Piety, Loyalty, and Industry.
I shall need nothing more to ingratiate this incomparable Piece to Your Majesties acceptance, and all the English Worlds, then those high commendations it hath ever had, as from all prudent, peaceable, and impartial Readers, so especially from Your Majesties Royal Father, who a few days before he was Crowned with Martyrdom, commended to His dearest Children, the diligent Reading of Mr. Hookers Ecclesiastical Polity, even next the Bible; as an excellent means to settle them in the Truth of Religion, and in the Peace of this Church, as much Christian, and as well Reformed as any under Heaven: As if God had reserved this signal Honor to be done by the best of Kings, and greatest Sufferers for this Church, to Him who was one of the best Writers, and ablest Defenders of it.
To this Compleated Edition, is added such particular accounts as could be got of the Authors Person, Education, Temper, Manners, Fortunes, Life, and Death, which is now done with much exactness and proportion: That hereby Your Majesty, and all the World, may see what sort of Men are fittest for Church-work (which like the Building of Solomons Temple, is best carried on with most evenness of Iudgement, and least noise of Passion.) Also what manner of Man he was, to whom we all ow this Noble Work, and durable Defence.
Which is indeed at once (as the Tongues of Eloquent Princes are to themselves, and their Subjects) both a Treasury and an Armory, to inrich their friends, and defend them against the Enemies of the Church of England: Arare composition of unpassionate Reason, and unpartial Religion; the mature product of a Indicious Scholar, a Loyal Subject, an Humble Preacher, and a most Eloquent Writer: The very abstract and quintessence of Laws Humane and Divine; a Summary of the Grounds, Rules, and Proportions of true Polity in Church and State: VponUpon which clear, solid and safe Foundations, the good Order, Peace, and Government of this Church was anciently setled, and on which, while it stands firm, it will be flourishing. All other popular and specious pretensions being found by late sad experiences, to be as novel and unfit, so factious and fallacious, yea, dangerous and destructive to the Peace and Prosperity of this Church and Kingdom, whose inseparable happiness and interests are bound up in Monarchy and Episcopacy.
The Politick and Visible managing of both which, God hath now graciously restored and committed to Your Majesties Soveraign Wisdom and Authority, after the many and long Tragedies suffered from those Club Masters and Tub-Ministers, who sought not fairly to obtain Reformation of what might seem amiss, but violently and wholly to overthrow the ancient and goodly Fabrick of this Church and Kingdom. For finding themselves not able in many years to Answer this one Book, long ago written in defence of the Truth, Order, Government, Authority, and Liberty (in things indifferent) of this Reformed Church, agreeable to Right Reason, and True Religion (which makes this well tempered Peice, a File capable to break the Teeth of any that venture to bite it;) they conspired at last to betake themselves to Arms, to kindle those horrid fires of Civil Wars, which this wise Author foresaw, and foretold in his admirable Preface, would follow those sparks, and that smoak which he saw rise in his days: So that from impertinent Disputes (seconded with scurrilous Pamphlets) they fled to Tumults, Sedition, Rebellion, Sacriledge, Parricide, yea, Regicide; Counsels Weapons, and Practices, certainly, no way becoming the hearts and hands of Christian Subjects, nor ever sanctified by Christ for his Service, or his Churches good.
What now remains, but Your Majesties perfecting and preserving that (in this Church) which you have with much prudence and tenderness, so happily begun and prosecuted, with more zeal then the establishment of Your own Throne. The still crazy Church of England, together with this Book (its great and impregnable Shield) do further need, and humbly implore Your Majesties Royal Protection under God: Nor can Your Majesty by any generous instance and perseverance (most worthy of a Christian King) more express that pious and grateful sense which God and all good Men expect from Your Majesty, as some retribution for his many miraculous mercies to Your Self, then in a wise, speedy, and happy setling of our Religious peace, with the least grievance, and most satisfaction to all Your good Subjects; Sacred Order and Uniformity being the centre and circumference of our Civil Tranquillity: Sedition naturally rising out of Schism, and Rebellion out of Faction; The onelyonly cure and antidote against both, are good Laws and Canons, first wisely made, with all Christian Moderation, and Seasonable Charity; next, duly executed with Iustice and Impartiality; which sober Severity, is indeed the greatest Charity to the Publique. Whose Verity, Vnity, Sanctity and Solemnity in Religious Concernments, being once duly established, must not be shaken or sacrificed to any private varieties and extravagancies. Where the internals of Doctrines, Morality, Mysteries, and Evangelical Duties, being (as they are in the Church of England) sound and sacred, the externals of decent Forms, Circumstances, Rites and Ceremonies, being subordinate and servient to the main, cannot be either evil or unsafe, neither offensive to God nor good Christians.
For the attaining of which blessed ends of Piety and Peace, that the sacred Sun and Shield of the Divine Grace and Power directing and protecting, may ever shine upon Your Majesties Person and Family, Counsels and Power, is the humble Prayer of
Your Sacred Majesties most Loyal Subject, and devoted Servant, IOH. EXON.
TO THE READER.
I Think it necessary to inform my Reader that Doctor Gauden (the late Bishop of Worcester) hath also lately wrote and publisht the Life of Master Hooker; and though this be not writ by design to oppose what he hath truly written; yet, I am put upon a neccessity to say, That in it there be many Material Mistakes, and more Omissions. I conceive some of his Mistakes did proceed from a Belief in Master Thomas Fuller, who had too hastily published what be hath since most ingenuously retracted. And for the Bishops Omissions, I suppose his more weighty Business and Want of Time, made him pass over many things without that due Examination, which my better Leisure, my Diligence, and my accidental Advantages, have made known unto me.
And now for my self, I can say, I hope, or rather know, there are no Material Mistakes in what I here present to you, that shall become my Reader. Little things that I have received by Tradition (to which there may be too much and too little Faith given) I will not at this distance of Time undertake to justifie; for, though I have used great Diligence, and compared Relations and Circumstances, and probable Results and Expressions: yet, I shall not impose my Belief upon my Reader; I shall rather leave him at liberty: But, if there shall appear any Material Ommission, I desire every Lover of truth and the Memory of Master Hooker, that it may be made known unto me. And, to incline him to it, I here promise to acknowledge and rectifie any such Mistake in a second Impression, which the Printer says he hopes for; and by this means my weak (but faithful) Endeavours may become a better Monument, and in some degree more worthy the Memory of this Venerable Man.
I confess, that when I consider the great Learning and Vertue of Master Hooker, and what satisfaction and Advantages many Eminent Scholars and Admirers of him have had by his Labours: I do not a little wonder that in Sixty years no man did undertake to tell Posterity of the Excellencies of his Life and Learning, and the Accidents of both; and sometimes wonder more at my self, that I have been perswaded to it; and indeed I do not easily pronounce my own Pardon, nor expect that my Reader shall, unless my Introduction shall prove my Apology, to which I refer him.