stle of Mr. Hooker's. So that his dear
friend and companion in his studies, Dr. Spencer, might, after his
death, justly say, "What admirable height of learning, and depth of
judgment, dwelt in the lowly mind of this truly humble man--great in
all wise men's eyes, except his own; with what gravity and majesty of
speech his tongue and pen uttered heavenly mysteries; whose eyes, in
the humility of his heart, were always cast down to the ground; how
all things that proceeded from him were breathed as from the Spirit of
Love; as if he, like the bird of the Holy Ghost, the Dove, had wanted
gall:--let those that knew him not in his person, judge these living
images of his soul, his writings."

[Sidenote: Desire for quietness]

The foundation of these books was laid in the Temple; but he found
it no fit place to finish what he had there designed; he therefore
earnestly solicited the Archbishop for a remove from that place; to
whom he spake to this purpose: "My Lord, when I lost the freedom of my
cell, which was my College, yet I found some degree of it in my quiet
country parsonage: but I am weary of the noise and oppositions of this
place; and indeed God and Nature did not intend me for contentions,
but for study and quietness. My Lord, my particular contests with Mr.
Travers here have proved the more unpleasant to me, because I believe
him to be a good man; and that belief hath occasioned me to examine
mine own conscience concerning his opinions; and, to satisfy that, I
have consulted the Scripture, and other laws, both human and divine,
whether the conscience of him, and others of his judgment, ought to be
so far complied with, as to alter our frame of Church-government,
our manner of God's worship, our praising and praying to him, and our
established ceremonies, as often as his, and other tender consciences
shall require us. And in this examination, I have not only satisfied
myself, but have begun a Treatise, in which I intend a justification
of the Laws of our Ecclesiastical Polity; in which design God and his
holy angels shall at the last great Day bear me that witness which my
conscience now does; that my meaning is not to provoke any, but rather
to satisfy all tender consciences: and I shall never be able to do
this, but where I may study, and pray for God's blessing upon my
endeavours, and keep myself in peace and privacy, and behold God's
blessings spring out of my mother earth, and eat my own bread without
oppositi