Political Science Of The State

476 POLITICAL SCIENCE.
introduction into orders, the power of jurisdiction, especially
the standing and authority of bishops in the church of England.
" And because," Hooker adds, " besides the power of order
which all consecrated persons have, and the power of juris-
diction which neither they all nor they only have, there is a
third power, a power of ecclesiastical dominion, communica-
ble, as we think, unto persons not ecclesiastical, and most fit
to be restrained unto [i.e., to belong exclusively to] the prince
or sovereign commander over the whole body politic; the
eighth book is reserved unto this question, and we have sifted
therein your objections against those pre-eminences royal
which thereunto appertain." (Pref. ch. vii., 172, 173, ed.
Keble, vol. i.)
In the early books Hooker in some passages elevates
" ecclesiastical authority even in matters of belief,"—I cite
Hallam's words (Const. Hist., i. 296),—" with an exaggera-
tion not easily reconciled to the Protestant right of private
judgment, not indeed on the principles of the church of Rome,
but on such as must end in the same conclusion, and even of
dangerous consequence in those times." This charge seems
to go too far. Hooker says (iv., 13, p. 476), that in things
indifferent, what the whole church doth think convenient for
the whole, the same, if any part do wilfully violate it, may be
reformed and inrailed again by that general authority where-
unto each particular is subject." And again (p. 477), " the way
to establish the same things indifferent throughout them [*>,,
through all churches], must needs be the judgment of some
judicial authority drawn into one only sentence, which may
be a rule for each particular to follow. And because such
authority over all churches is too much to be granted unto
any one mortal man, there yet remains that which hath been
always followed as the best, the safest, the most sincere and
reasonable way, namely, the verdict of the whole church, or-
derly taken and set down in the assembly of some general
council." And yet he says (ch. 14, p. 484), " true it is that
neither councils nor customs, be they never so ancient and so
general, can let the church from taking away that thing which