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Of the Law of Reason.
THE law of Reason is that whic•• deduceth principles by the dis¦course of sound reason. Wherof T•• saith, Ratio cum est in mente bomini•• confirmata & confecta, lex est: An•• * 1.1 againe, Lex est radius diuini luminis, and r••¦cta ratio sūmi Iouis. Plato, by way of Poeti¦call * 1.2 fiction doth imagine that there were a•• the first, two contrarie humors that raigne•• in man, and (as it were) two fooles of hi•• councell that did rule him, Pleasure an••
••••ine. Each had two other affections to ••••tend them, Hope of good things to come, and Feare of future euils, whereby mens minds were haled and pulled hither and thither, and diuersly distracted. Then to gouern both, God set in man 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the reasoning or discoursing part, to teach what is good or bad in either; which hee calleth 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the golden and sacred rule of reason. Wee may terme it, that vncorrupt reason which Adam had at the first in full perfection: But through Adams fall (that brought sinne in∣to the world, and the fruit of sinne, Blind∣nesse and corruption) that excellent image of Reason is now so wonderfully defaced euen in the best and wisest, that the light of this, as the light of the Moone, shineth more obscurely: But yet shineth, so that from it all the other Lawes receiue their Light.
And hereupon are grounded more or lesse cleerely, diuers rules of reason, that euerie where goe for vndoubted Oracles, which (confirmed by iudgement, learning, and much experience, and rightly and wel applied) are so many starres and shining lights, to direct our course in the arguing of any case: yea such is their singular and incomparable vse, that, as Lords para∣mount, they rule and ouerrule the grounds themselues. And rather than any of these (rightly vnderstood) should faile, the verie maximes and principles of the positiue law
will yeeld, as to a higher and more perfect Law.
Cic. lib. 1. de Leg.
Plat. l. 1. de Legib.