Of the Laws of Ecclesiastical Polity MCQs

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Author: Nasir Iqbal | Assistant Professor of English Literature

Of the Laws of Ecclesiastical Polity MCQs
Updated on: November 7, 2025
Estimated Reading Time: 16 min

Of the Laws of Ecclesiastical Polity MCQs

1. Who do people automatically support when governance is criticized?

A. Time-servers
B. Status defenders
C. Independent thinkers
D. Establishment men

C. Independent thinkers.
Critics are seen as independent, gaining easy favour, regardless of whether their arguments have enough substance.

2. Why might discussing the law’s foundations seem obscure?

A. Foundations are hidden
B. Complex legal terms
C. People dislike reading
D. Arguments are long

A. Foundations are hidden.
Important truths, like house foundations or tree roots, lie hidden and require labour to uncover them.

3. What is the central accusation against the Church’s laws?

A. They are too new
B. Refusing Christ’s rule
C. They lack clarity
D. Ignoring old customs

B. Refusing Christ’s rule.
The Church is accused of casting aside Christ’s statutes and refusing submission to His discipline.

4. How is a Law generally defined?

A. Achieving high ends
B. Determining work form
C. Creating free will
D. Working randomly

B. Determining work form.
Law sets limits on a thing’s power and fixes the mode or form of its intended work.
5. What is God’s eternal decree for voluntary action called?

A. Natural operation
B. Divine essence
C. Hypostatic unity
D. Eternal law

D. Eternal law.
God’s voluntary choice about when and how external operations should happen is the eternal law.

6. God limits the effects of His power using what?

A. Infinite goodness
B. Measure, number, weight
C. Divine wisdom only
D. Bare will alone

B. Measure, number, weight.
God works toward a specific end, restraining His infinite power, using measure, number, and weight.

7. What is nature compared to in relation to God’s skill?

A. A rational being
B. A necessary guide
C. An instrument
D. Natural destiny

C. An instrument.
Nature is a tool that performs work guided by divine skill and is often referred to as natural destiny.

8. Natural agents obey their laws in what manner?

A. Necessarily
B. Voluntarily
C. Rationally
D. Irregularly

A. Necessarily.
Natural agents, like elements or heavens, obey their laws without having any choice in what they do.

9. What do all created things desire?

A. External goods
B. To achieve perfection
C. Infinite existence
D. Absolute power

B. To achieve perfection.
Desire makes all things incline to change into a more perfect condition, which is goodness.
10. What is the soul of man initially compared to?

A. A strong spirit
B. An empty book
C. A perfect mirror
D. A divine idea

B. An empty book.
At birth, the soul is like a book with nothing written, but capable of receiving all knowledge.

11. The two main sources of human action are what?

A. Choice and reason
B. Knowledge and will
C. Senses and passions
D. Appetite and choice

B. Knowledge and will.
Action springs from understanding (knowledge) and the inclination to act (will or choice).

12. What action is provoked by the appearance of good?

A. Necessary actions
B. All deliberate actions
C. Only difficult actions
D. Actions of nature

B. All deliberate actions.
Action is provoked by the perception or appearance of goodness, not necessarily absolute goodness itself.

13. What is the ultimate object of all human desires?

A. Earthly riches
B. Our happiness
C. Sense pleasure
D. Absolute virtue

B. Our happiness.
Happiness (beatitude) is the final goal of all desires, towards which reason judges actions.

14. What is the most certain sign of goodness?

A. Rational causes
B. Universal agreement
C. Infallible proof
D. Sensory pleasure

B. Universal agreement.
The general conviction of all humanity is the strongest external mark or sign of true goodness.
15. The first law concerning man’s nature is that what must command?

A. The body
B. Lesser faculties
C. The spirit of mind
D. Outward customs

C. The spirit of mind.
The highest power of the mind (the spirit of our mind) must command the body and lesser faculties.

16. What kind of actions are prerequisite for rewards and punishments?

A. Necessary actions
B. Willing actions
C. Forced actions
D. Unconscious acts

B. Willing actions.
Rewards and punishments apply only to actions that are done freely and willingly, not to actions done under compulsion.

17. What two pillars uphold public societies?

A. Law enforcement
B. Inclination, arrangement
C. Wisdom, depravity
D. Rulers, subjects

B. Inclination, arrangement.
Societies are upheld by natural desire for fellowship and an implicit or explicit arrangement for common life.

18. What makes purely human law positive?

A. Eternal obligation
B. Express imposition
C. Natural reason only
D. Moral subject matter

B. Express imposition.
Positive laws bind only when authority has intentionally and explicitly imposed them on a society.

19. Why must the good desired for its own sake be infinite?

A. Our power is great
B. Desire is infinite
C. Finite things satisfy
D. God commanded it

B. Desire is infinite.
If desire for a final good is infinite, the object of that desire must also be infinite (God).
20. What is the most frequent cause of error regarding laws?

A. Lack of wisdom
B. Ignoring customs
C. Impudent accusations
D. Ignorance of derivation

D. Ignorance of derivation.
The error stems from not knowing how lower laws are correctly traced back to the supreme or eternal law.

21. What extreme belief about Scripture do the opponents hold?

A. Scripture is ambiguous
B. Only Scripture directs all
C. Law of reason suffices
D. Traditions are equal

B. Only Scripture directs all.
Opponents argue that Scripture is the sole rule necessary to direct all human actions, even trivial ones.

22. Wisdom teaches men every good way, but not in what manner?

A. Necessarily needed
B. In the same way
C. Only by reason
D. Only by grace

B. In the same way.
Wisdom uses diverse methods to reveal truth, including Scripture, nature, and experience.

23. To glorify God means primarily to acknowledge what?

A. Conscious intent
B. Divine power
C. Explicit commands
D. Moral actions

B. Divine power.
Glorifying God is recognizing His existing glory and divine power manifested in all actions, including natural ones.

24. When Thomas believed in the resurrection, what persuaded him?

A. Scripture only
B. God’s testimony
C. His senses
D. Rational proof

C. His senses.
Thomas believed only after he used his senses to see and touch the resurrected Christ’s body.
25. What is the definition of a “thing indifferent”?

A. Commanded or permitted
B. Neither commanded nor forbidden
C. Forbidden by God
D. Specified in Scripture

B. Neither commanded nor forbidden.
Indifferent things are left free to human choice, being neither explicitly commanded nor forbidden by God.

26. Arguments from divine silence are strong only if they concern things needed for what?

A. Universal tradition
B. Human flourishing
C. Achieving a purpose
D. Ceremonial law

C. Achieving a purpose.
Arguments from silence are strong when applied to things essential for achieving the known purpose of the word.

27. Why must human authority sometimes compel assent?

A. Men are perfect
B. It supports Scripture
C. Simple people need it
D. God mandates it

B. It supports Scripture.
Human authority is the key to understanding Scripture, teaching us what its words actually mean.

28. What should outweigh ten thousand church councils?

A. Public opinion
B. Irrefutable reason
C. Private judgment
D. Ancient custom

B. Irrefutable reason.
Demonstrative reason or divine testimony is infallible, unlike the fallible judgment of any council.

29. What is necessary for salvation that nature cannot sufficiently teach?

A. Good moral virtues
B. Faith and actions
C. All actions of life
D. Natural reason

B. Faith and actions.
Scripture primarily provides duties (faith and actions) necessary for salvation that nature cannot reveal.
30. Scripture’s absolute perfection is judged in relation to what?

A. Human tradition
B. The rule of reason
C. Its instituted purpose
D. All possible duties

C. Its instituted purpose.
Scripture is perfect because it lacks nothing necessary for the end for which God delivered it (salvation).

31. The visible Church is unified by outward profession of what three things?

A. Doctrine, order, rites
B. Lord, Faith, Baptism
C. Virtue, honor, peace
D. Councils, customs, fathers

B. Lord, Faith, Baptism.
All visible members profess one Lord, one Faith, and one Baptism, defining the whole body.

32. What causes many serious errors regarding the Church?

A. Ignoring history
B. Lack of discipline
C. Confusing Church types
D. Following tradition

C. Confusing Church types.
Failing to distinguish the invisible, visible, healthy, and unhealthy parts of the Church leads to errors.

33. Which matters may be changed by the Church’s discretion?

A. Matters of faith
B. Aids to sanctification
C. Sacraments
D. Moral laws

B. Aids to sanctification.
The Church may alter things that are merely aids to sanctification (like ceremonies).

34. What is generally the “mother of all error”?

A. Too much reason
B. Lumping things together
C. Following customs
D. Ignorance of God

B. Lumping things together.
To imagine similarity where none exists, combining different things, is the foundation of error.
35. Opponents cite the command to avoid adding or diminishing from what?

A. The Gospel laws
B. The written Word
C. The law of reason
D. Apostolic decrees

B. The written Word.
Opponents argue that Deuteronomy 4:2, which forbids the addition or diminution of anything, applies to all church practices.

36. What are the general rules cited by opponents for guiding all Church actions?

A. Faith, hope, love, grace
B. Glory, order, edifying, no stumbling
C. Wisdom, justice, equity, truth
D. Worship, sacrifice, peace, unity

B. Glory, order, edifying, no stumbling.
These rules (glory, decency, edification, no stumbling) are precepts of nature, also found in Scripture.

37. How is the natural law also the will of God?

A. By supernatural word
B. Reason is God-given
C. It is explicitly written
D. Man chooses it freely

B. Reason is God-given.
Since the light of natural understanding comes from God, what reason teaches is partially His will.

38. Why might a law made by God cease to bind?

A. God changes mind
B. Man dislikes it
C. End is fulfilled
D. It is too old

C. End is fulfilled.
If the reason or purpose for which a positive law was instituted is now complete, the law should cease.

39. What distinguishes Moses’ laws from Christ’s laws in Scripture?

A. Purpose and manner
B. Authority only
C. Duration only
D. Moral content

A. Purpose and manner.
Moses’ laws were comprehensive and solemnly organized, unlike Christ’s laws, which are mentioned occasionally.
40. What action of Christ’s is said to confirm He did not intend to set down immutable laws?

A. His miracles
B. His resurrection
C. His use of parables
D. Not setting civil laws

D. Not setting civil laws.
God set detailed civil laws for Israel, but left modern nations free, suggesting liberty in outward governance.

41. What is the chief goal in setting the outward form of religious action?

A. Pomp and ceremony
B. Edification of the church
C. Simple Apostolic rule
D. Avoidance of offence

B. Edification of the church.
Religious actions should primarily aim to build up the church by directing minds towards truth and affection.

42. How does the eye help in ceremonies?

A. Stimulates reason
B. Creates deep impression
C. Requires less effort
D. Proves God’s word

B. Creates deep impression.
Visible signs and solemnity make a deeper, more memorable impression on the eye than mere speech.

43. Why do opponents reject ceremonies devised since Apostolic times?

A. They are too modern
B. Apostolic times were best
C. They lack solemnity
D. Scripture forbade change

B. Apostolic times were the best.
Opponents assume the Church’s first state (Apostolic times) set the best standard for all later ages.

44. What do opponents call all ceremonies used by Rome that lack scriptural command?

A. Wicked actions
B. Popish ceremonies
C. Indifferent matters
D. Natural laws

B. Popish ceremonies.
They define “popish” as anything Rome does that is not explicitly commanded in the Holy Scriptures.
45. What analogy do opponents use to justify extreme non-conformity with Rome?

A. Crooked stick analogy
B. Master/servant analogy
C. Senses/reason analogy
D. Foundation/house analogy

A. Crooked stick analogy.
To straighten a crooked stick, one must bend it fully in the opposite extreme to find the straight mean.

46. What is required to justify abolishing an established law?

A. Public consensus
B. Foreign church approval
C. Strong evidence of necessity
D. A visible miracle

C. Strong evidence of necessity.
Changing established laws requires strong, clear proof that the alteration is essential.

47. Why did reformers initially keep some ceremonies?

A. Avoid too much alteration
B. They lacked authority
C. They were secretly popish
D. Scripture commanded them

A. Avoid too much alteration.
Reformers aimed for a moderate course, fearing confusion and conflict from sudden, widespread changes.

48. What did St. Augustine say about the diversity of usage where faith is one?

A. It is destructive
B. It causes no harm
C. It must be avoided
D. It weakens doctrine

B. It causes no harm.
Augustine stated that differences in customs do not harm the Holy Church, provided the faith is unified.

49. What is the definition of a scandal in the strict sense?

A. Anything disliked
B. Causing anger
C. Actively leading to sin
D. Violating custom

C. Actively leading to sin.
A scandalous thing is one that, by its silent provocation, actively invites, moves, or leads men to offend/sin.
50. God restrained the English reform to avoid what outcome?

A. Papist persecution
B. Extreme alteration
C. Foreign disapproval
D. Doctrine corruption

B. Extreme alteration.
God restrained reformers toward moderation to prevent widespread conflict and rage among the people.

Brief Overview

Richard Hooker‘s Of the Laws of Ecclesiastical Polity was published in parts, with the first four books appearing in 1593 or 1594, the fifth book in 1597, and the final three published posthumously between 1648 and 1662. This work is a defense of the Church of England against Puritanism, arguing for its structure and discipline based on reason and tradition.

The discussion begins by examining Law, defining it as that which restrains power and fixes action. Eternal Law is God’s voluntary decree setting how all things work. The Law of Reason guides human action toward the ultimate goal of happiness. Due to corruption in human nature, societies require government and positive laws for order.

The author disputes the claim that Scripture is the sole rule for all human actions, including even the most trivial ones. Scripture is perfectly sufficient only for revealing truths necessary for salvation that reason cannot find. However, natural reason and other laws also reveal God’s will and are essential for guiding daily life.

Church polity (government) is categorized as an outward matter of action, separate from matters essential for salvation. The assertion that a particular form of church government is perpetually commanded in Scripture is refuted. Laws concerning outward ceremonies are subject to change if the conditions or original purpose of the law change.

Finally, the retention of ceremonies shared with Rome is defended. Outward rites are helpful for the edification of the Church by impressing minds toward reverence. Conformity in indifferent ceremonies is lawful if those practices are judged profitable. The reformation should avoid extreme opposition, aiming instead for balance and moderation.

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