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private reason, where the law of public should take place, they breed disturbance.

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And thus we see, how even one and the selfsame thing is, under divers considerations, conveyed through many laws; and that to measure by any one kind of law all the actions of men, were to confound the admirable order wherein God hath disposed all laws, each, as in nature, so in degree, distinct from other.

In answer to the main position of the Puritans, that “the Scripture is our only guide in all the affairs and transactions of men; amidst a multitude of other arguments, Hooker urges the following.

An earnest desire to draw all things unto the determination of bare and naked Scripture, hath caused here much pains to be taken in abating the estimation and credit of man, which if we labour to maintain as far as truth and reason will bear, let not any think that we travail about a matter not greatly needful. For the scope of all their pleading against men's authority, is to overthrow such orders, laws, and constitutions in the church, as depending thereupon, if they should therefore be taken away, would, peradventure, leave neither face nor memory of

church to continue long in the world, the world especially being such as now it is. That which they have in this case spoken, I would for brevity sake let pass, but that the drift of their speech being sử dangerous, their words are not to be neglected. Wherefore, to say that simply an argument taken from man's authority, doth hold no way, neither affirmatively nor negatively, is hard. By a man's authority we here understand the force which his word hath for the assurance of another's mind that buildeth upon it. The strength of man's authority is affirmatively such, that the weightiest affairs in the world depend thereon.

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if it be admitted, that in matter of fact, there is some credit to be given to the testimony of man, but not in matter of opinion and judgment, we see the contrary both acknowledged and universally practised also thoughout the world. In matter of

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state, the weight, many times, of some one man's authority, is thought reason sufficient even to sway over whole nations. And this is not only with the simple sort; but the learneder and wiser we are, the more such arguments, in some cases, prevail with us. The reason why the simple sort are moved with authority, is the conscience of their own ignorance; whereby it cometh to pass, that having learned men in admiration, they rather fear to dislike them, than know wherefore they should allow and follow

their judgments. Contrariwise, with them that are skilful, authority is much more strong and forcible; because they only are able to discern how just cause there is, why to some men's authority, so much should be attributed. For which cause the name of Hippocrates, no doubt, were more effectual to persuade even such men as Galen himself, than to move a silly empirick. Even negatively, an argument from human authority may be strong; as namely thus: the Chronicles of England mention no more than only six kings bearing the name of Edward, since the time of the last conquest; therefore it cannot be there should be more. * Infinite wherein the testimony of

cases there are,

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man will stand as a ground of infallible assurance. That there is a city of Rome, that Pius Quintus and Gregory XIII, and others, have been popes of Rome, I suppose we are certainly enough persuaded. The ground of our persuasion, who never saw the place, nor persons before named, can be nothing but man's testimony. Will any man here, notwithstanding, alledge those mentioned human infirmities, as reasons why these things should be mistrusted or doubted of? yea, that which is more, utterly to infringe the force and strength of man's testimony, were to shake the very fortress of God's truth. For whatsoever we believe concerning salvation by Christ, although the Scripture be therein

the ground of our belief; yet the authority of man is, if we mark it, the key which openeth the door of entrance into the knowledge of the Scripture. The Scripture doth not teach us the things that are of God, unless we did credit men who have taught us that the words of Scripture do signify those things.

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Let them with whom we have hitherto disputed consider well, how it can stand with reason, to make the bare mandate of Sacred Scripture the only rule of all good and evil in the actions of mortal men. The testimonies of God are true, the testimonies of God are perfect, the testimonies of God are all-sufficient unto that end for which they were given. * What the Scripture proposeth, the same in all points it doth perform.

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The scope and purpose of God in delivering the Holy Scripture, such as to take more largely than behoveth, they on the contrary side racking and stretching it further than by him was meant, are drawn into sundry as great inconveniences. These pretending the Scriptures perfection, infer thereupon, that in Scripture all things lawful to be done must needs be contained.

We may even as well conclude so of every sentence, as of the whole sum and body thereof, unless we first of all prove, that it was the drift, scope, and purpose of Almighty God, in Holy Scripture, to comprise all things which man may prac

tise. But admit this, and mark I beseech you what would follow. God, in delivering Scripture to his church, should clean have abrogated amongst them the law of nature, which is an infallible knowledge imprinted in all the minds of men, whereby both general principles for directing of human actions are comprehended, and conclusions derived from them; upon which conclusions groweth, in particularity, the choice of good and evil in the daily affairs of this life. Admit this, and what shall the Scripture be but a snare and a torment to weak consciences, filling them with infinite perplexities, scrupulosities, doubts insoluble, and extreme despairs? * * For, in every action of common life, to find out some sentence clearly and infallibly setting before our eyes what we ought to do, (seem we in Scripture never so expert) would trouble us more than we are aware. In weak and tender minds we little know what misery this strict opinion would breed, besides the stops it would make in the whole course of all men's lives and actions, make all things sin, which we do by direction of nature's light, and by the rule of common discretion, without thinking at all upon Scripture, &c. &c. ** Whatsoever is spoken of God, or things appertaining to God, otherwise than as the truth is, though it seem an honour, it is an injury. And as incredible praises given unto men, do often abate and impair the credit of their deserved commendation; so

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