OF THE

LAWS

OF

ECCLESIASTICAL POLITY.

OF THE

LAWS

OF

ECCLESIASTICAL POLITY.

BY

RICHARD HOOKER.

THE FIRST BOOK,

CONCERNING LAWS, AND THEIR SEVERAL KINDS
IN GENERAL.

PREFACE.

THE present reprint of the First Book of Hooker's

T

large Treatise was proposed by the editor-a master in a large public school-with the view of reading it with his boys. There is, so far as he is aware, no English book in common use in schools, which at all sets forth the distinctions of Laws, and the foundations on which their authority is based. Perhaps none could be found better calculated to meet this want than that which is here offered; and it will have the further advantage of introducing to the study of Hooker's great work many who otherwise would perhaps scarcely know more of it than its name.

The text and arrangement of the paragraphs will be found to agree with Mr. Keble's edition. The references to Scripture have been carefully verified, and it is hoped that they will be found exactly

correct.

With respect to citations from other authors, the editor felt himself placed in considerable difficulty. Mr. Keble has with great care and diligence verified