It Is Not Wisdom But Authority That

What Reason Is There That He Which Laboreth Much, And, Sparing The Fruits Of His Labor, Consumeth Little, Should Be More Charged Than He That, Living Idly, Getteth Little And Spendeth All He Gets, Seeing The One Hath No More Protection From The Commonwealth Than The Other?

For If I Should Not Believe All That Is Written By Historians, Of The Glorious Acts Of Alexander, Or Caesar; I Do Not Think The Ghost Of Alexander, Or Caesar, Had Any Just Cause To Be Offended; Or Any Body Else, But The Historian. If Livy Say The Gods Made Once A Cow Speak, And We Believe It Not; We Distrust Not God Therein, But Livy. So That It Is Evident, That Whatsoever We Believe, Upon No Other Reason, Then What Is Drawn From Authority Of Men Only, And Their Writings; Whether They Be Sent From God Or Not, Is Faith In Men Only.

When The Nature Of The Thing Is Incomprehensible, I Can Acquiesce In The Scripture: But When The Signification Of Words Is Incomprehensible, I Cannot Acquiesce In The Authority Of A Schoolman.

Man Is Distinguished Not Only By His Reason, But Also By This Singular Passion, From All Other Animals.

Hell Is Truth Seen Too Late.