also discovereth their intent and purpose to be rather destructive than corrective. 3. Those very exceptions which they take are frivolous and impertinent: some things, indeed, they accuse as impious; which if they may appear to be such, God forbid they should be maintained. to say, Against the rest it is only alleged, that they are idle ceremonies without use, and that better and more profitable might be devised. Wherein they are doubly deceived: for neither is it a sufficient plea "This must give place, because a better may be devised:" and in our judgment of better and worse, we oftentimes conceive amiss, when we compare those things which are in device with those which are in practice; for the imperfections of the one are hid, till by time and trial they be discovered: the others are already manifest and open to all. But last of all (which is a point in my opinion of great regard, and which I am desirous to have enlarged), they do not see, that for the most part when they strike at the state ecclesiastical, they secretly wound the civil state. For personal faults, what can be said against the church, which may not also agree to the commonwealth? In both statesmen have always been, and will be always men, sometimes blinded with error, most commonly perverted by passions: many unworthy have been and are advanced in both, many worthy not regarded. As for abuses which they pretend to be in the laws themselves; when they inveigh against non-residence, do they take it a matter lawful or expedient in the civil state, for a man to have a great and gainful office in the north, himself continually remaining in the south? "He that hath an office let him attend his office." When they condemn plurality of livings spiritual to the pit of hell, what think they of the infinite of temporal promotions? By the great philosopher, it is forbidden as a thing most dangerous to commonwealths, that by the same man many great offices should 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 justice are used? Were it hard to argue even against circumcision, the ordinance of God, as being a cruel ceremony? against the passover, as being ridiculous shod, girt, a staff in their hand, to eat a lamb? To conclude, you may exhort the clergy (or what if you direct your conclusion, not to the clergy in general, but only to the learned in, or of both universities?), you may exhort them to a due consideration 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 desert. The chiefest labor of a Christian should be to know, of a minister to preach, Christ crucified: in regard whereof, not only worldly things, but even things otherwise precious, even the discipline itself is vile and base. 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, 126 THE LIFE OF RICHARD HOOKER. therefore, they are to be exhorted, to preach Christ crucified, the mortification of the flesh, the renewing of the spirit; not those things which in time of strife seem precious, but, passions being allayed, are vain and childish. THIS Epitaph was long since presented to the world in memory of Mr. HOOKER, by Sir WILLIAM COWPER; who also built him a fair Monument in Bourne Church, and acknowledges him to have been his spiritual father. THOUGH nothing can be spoke worthy his fame, Or that perhaps this only glorious one And God in me this lesson did inspire, |