Richard Hooker
1554–1600
Architect of the Anglican settlement; Of the Laws of Ecclesiastical Polity answered Puritan objections with reason, Scripture and tradition.
In his own words
Finally, we see that because those latter exclude not the former quite and clean as unnecessary, therefore together with such supernatural duties as could not possibly have been otherwise known to the world, the same law that teacheth them, teacheth also with them such natural duties as could not by light of Nature easily have been known. XIII. In the first age of the world God gave laws unto our fathers, and by reason of the number of their days their memories served instead of books; whereof the manifold imperfections and defects being known to God, he mercifully relieved the same by often putting them in mind of that whereof it behoved them to be specially mindful. In which respect we see how many times one thing hath been iterated unto sundry even of the best and wisest amongst them. After that the lives of men were shortened, means more durable to preserve the laws of God from oblivion and corruption grew in use, not without precise direction from God himself. First therefore of Moyses it is said, that he “wrote all the words of God;” not by his own private motion and device: for God taketh this act to himself, “I have written. ” Furthermore, were not the Prophets following commanded also to do the like? Unto the holy evangelist St. John; how often express charge is given, “Scribe,” “Write these things. ” Concerning the rest of our Lord’s disciples, the words of St.
Quoted verbatim from the library, as an answer would quote it.
What we hold of him
Of the Laws of Ecclesiastical Polity
Classic
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