Church of God, and how happiness not eternal only but also temporal doth depend upon it.

LXXVII. Of power given unto men to execute that heavenly office, of the gift of the Holy Ghost in Ordination; and whether conveniently the power of order may be sought or sued for.

LXXVIII. Of Degrees whereby the power of Order is distinguished, and concerning the Attire of ministers.

LXXIX. Of Oblations, Foundations, Endowments, Tithes, all intended for perpetuity of religion; which purpose being chiefly fulfilled by the clergy's certain and sufficient maintenance, must needs by alienation of church livings be made frustrate.

LXXX. Of Ordination lawful without Title, and without any popular Election precedent, but in no case without regard of due information what their quality is that enter into holy orders.

LXXXI. Of the Learning that should be in ministers, their Residence, and the Number of their Livings.

In the first four Books of the Ecclesiastical Polity, Hooker has been dealing with the general assertions and objections of the Puritans, and the axioms by which they desired to rule and settle the controversy. "In the Fifth Book, he comes to deal with an assertion which concerns particular points, and must be met not with a general answer but at

point after point—the assertion that touching the several public duties of Christian Religion, there is amongst us much superstition retained in them..

THE SIXTH BOOK

CONCERNING THEIR FIFTH ASSERTION, THAT OUR LAWS ARE CORRUPT AND REPUGNANT TO THE LAWS OF GOD, IN MATTER BELONGING TO THE POWER OF ECCLESIASTICAL JURISDICTION, IN THAT WE HAVE NOT THROUGHOUT ALL CHURCHES CERTAIN LAY-ELDERS ESTABLISHED FOR THE EXERCISE OF THAT

POWER

I. The question between us, whether all congregations or parishes ought to have lay-elders invested with power of jurisdiction in spiritual causes.

II. The nature of spiritual jurisdiction.

III. Of penitence, the chiefest end propounded by spiritual jurisdiction. Two kinds of Penitency, the one a private duty towards God, the other a duty of external discipline. Of the Virtue of Repentance, from which the former duty proceedeth; and of Contrition, the first part of that duty.

IV. Of the Discipline of Repentance instituted by Christ, practised by the Fathers, converted by the Schoolmen into a Sacrament: and of Confession; that which belongeth to the virtue of repentance, that which was used among the Jews, that which the 1 Paget, Introduction to the Fifth Book of Hooker, p. 123.

Papacy imagineth a Sacrament, and that which ancient discipline practised.

V. Of Satisfaction. The end of satisfaction. The way of satisfying by others. The ground of satisfying by the Pope's indulgences.

VI. Of Absolution of Penitents.

THE SEVENTH BOOK

CONCERNING THEIR SIXTH ASSERTION, THAT THERE OUGHT NOT TO BE IN THE CHURCH, BISHOPS ENDUED WITH SUCH AUTHORITY AND HONOUR AS OURS ARE

I. The state of Bishops, although some time oppugned, and that by such as therein would most seem to please God, yet by his providence upheld hitherto, whose glory it is to maintain that whereof himself is the author.

II. What a Bishop is, what his name doth import, and what doth belong unto his office as he is a Bishop.

III. In Bishops two things traduced; of which two, the one their authority; and in it the first thing condemned, their superiority over other ministers: what kind of superiority in ministers it is which the one part holdeth, and the other denieth lawful.

IV. From whence it hath grown that the Church is governed by Bishops.

V. The time and cause of instituting every where

Bishops with restraint.

VI. What manner of power Bishops from the first beginning have had.

VII. After what sort Bishops, together with presbyters, have used to govern the churches which were under them.

VIII. How far the power of Bishops hath reached from the beginning in respect of territory, or local

compass.

IX. In what respects episcopal regiment hath been gainsaid of old by Aërius.

X. In what respect episcopal regiment is gainsaid by the authors of pretended reformation at this day.

XI. Their arguments in disgrace of regiment by Bishops, as being a mere invention of man, and not found in Scripture, answered.

XII. Their arguments to prove there was no necessity of instituting Bishops in the Church.

XIII. The fore-alleged arguments answered.

XIV. An answer unto those things which are objected concerning the difference between that power

which Bishops now have, and that which ancient Bishops had more than other presbyters.

XV. Concerning the civil power and authority which our Bishops have.

XVI. The arguments answered, whereby they would prove that the law of God, and the judgment of the best in all ages condemneth the ruling superiority of one minister over another.

XVII. The second malicious thing wherein the state of
Bishops suffereth obloquy, is their honour.
XVIII. What good doth publicly grow from the Prelacy.
XIX. What kinds of honour be due unto Bishops.

XX. Honour in Title, Place, Ornament, Attendance,

and Privilege.

XXI. Honour by Endowment with Lands and Livings. XXII. That of ecclesiastical Goods, and consequently of

the Lands and Livings which Bishops enjoy, the propriety belongs unto God alone.

XXIII. That ecclesiastical persons are receivers of God's rents, and that the honour of Prelates is to be thereof his chief receivers, not without liberty from him granted of converting the same unto their own use, even in large manner.

XXIV. That for their unworthiness to deprive both them and their successors of such goods, and to convey the same unto men of secular callings, now [were?] extreme sacrilegious injustice.

THE SUPREME REGENT THEREOF

I. State of the Question between the Church of
England and its Opponents regarding the King's
Supremacy.

II. Principles on which the King's modified Supremacy is grounded.

III. Warrant for it in the Jewish Dispensation.

IV. Vindication of the Title, Supreme Head of the Church within his own Dominions.

V. Vindication of the Prerogative regarding Church Assemblies.

VI. Vindication of the Prerogative regarding Church Legislation.