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THE SECOND BOOKE 335
those vagabonding- and arbitrary devotions, and fixt it
upon the eternall base of his holy word ? What will
Philosophie then say to us in this necessity ? that we
follow the lawes of our country, that is to say, this
waveing sea of a peoples or of a Princes opinions, which
shall paint me forth justice with as many colours, and
reforme the same into as many visages as there are
changes and alterations of passions in them. I cannot
have my judgement so flexible. What goodnesse is
that which but yesterday I saw in credit and esteeme,
and to morrow to have lost all reputation, and that the
crossing of a river is made a crime ? What truth is
that which these Mountaines bound, and is a lie in the
world beyond them ? But they are pleasant, when to
allow the lawes some certaintie, they say that there be
some firme, perpetuall and immoveable which they call
naturall, and by the condition of their proper essence,
are imprinted in mankind : of which some make three
in number, some foure, some more, some lesse: an
evident token that it is a marke as doubtfull as the rest.
Now are they so unfortunate (for how can I terme that
but misfortune, that of so infinit a number of lawes
there is not so much as one to be found which the
fortune or temeritie of chance hath graunted to be
universally received, and by the consent of unanimitie
of all Nations to be admitted ?) they are (I say) so miserable
that of these three or four choice-selected lawes
there is not one alone that is not impugned or disallowed,
not by one nation, but by many. Now is the generalise
of approbation the onely likely ensigne by which they
may argue some lawes to be naturall; for what nature
had indeed ordained us, that should we doubtlesse follow
with one common consent; and not one onely nation,
but every man in particular should have a feeling of
the force and violence which he should urge him with,
that would incite him to contrarie and resist that law.
Let them all (for example sake) shew me but one of
this condition. Protagoras and Ariston gave the justice
of the lawes no other essence, but the authority and
opinion of the law giver, and that excepted, both good