Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie is Hooker's best-known work, with the first four books being published in 1594. The fifth was published in 1597, while the final three were published posthumously, and indeed may not all be his own work. Structurally, the work is a carefully worked out reply to the general principles of Puritanism as found in The Admonition and Cartwright's follow-up writings, more specifically:
Scripture alone is the rule of all things which may be done by men;
Scripture prescribes an unalterable form of Church government;
The English Church is corrupted by popish orders, rites etc.;
The law is corrupt in not allowing lay elders;
'There ought not to be in the Church Bishops'.
