Another reason was the cause itself, which, according to the parable of the tares (which are said to be sown among the wheat) sprung up first in his grass: therefore, as the servants in that place are not said to have come to complain to the Lord, till the tares came to shew their fruits in their kind; so I, thinking it yet but a time of discovering of what it was, desired not their sickle to cut it down.

30. xxxiii.

6.

For farther answer, it is to be considered, that the conscience of my duty to God, and to his church, did bind me at the first, to deliver sound doctrine in such points as had been otherwise uttered in that place, where I had now some years taught the truth; otherwise the rebuke of the prophet had fallen upon me, Ezek. xxii. for not going up to the breach, and standing in it, and the peril for answering the blood of the city, in whose watch-tower I sat ; if it had been surprised by my default. Moreover, my public protestation, in being willing, that if any were not yet satisfied, some other more convenient way might be taken for it. And, lastly, that I had resolved (which I uttered before to some, dealing with me about the matter) to have protested the next sabbathday, that I would no more answer in that place any objections to the doctrine taught by any means, but some other way satisfy such as should require it.

These, I trust, may make it appear, that I failed not in duty to authority, notwithstanding I did not complain, nor give over so soon dealing in the case. If I did, how is he clear, which

can allege none of all these for himself; who leaving the expounding of the Scriptures, and his ordinary calling, voluntarily discoursed upon school-points and questions, neither of edification nor of truth? Who after all this, as promising to himself, and to untruth, a victory by my silence, added yet in the next sabbath-day, to the maintenance of his former opinions, these which follow:

"That no additament taketh away the foundation, except it be a privative; of which sort neither the works added to Christ by the church of Rome, nor circumcision by the Galatians, were: as one denieth him not to be a man, that saith, he is a righteous man, but he that saith he is a dead man:" whereby it might seem, that a man might, without hurt, add works to Christ, and pray also that God and St. Peter would save them.

"That the Galatians' case is harder than the case of the church of Rome, because the Galatians joined circumcision with Christ, which God had forbidden and abolished; but that which the

church of Rome joined with Christ, were good works, which God hath commanded." Wherein he committed a double fault, one, in expounding all the questions of the Galatians, and consequently of the Romans, and other Epistles, of circumcision only, and the ceremonies of the law (as they do, who answer for the church of Rome in their writings), contrary to the clear meaning of the apostle, as may appear by many strong and sufficient reasons: the other, in that he said, "The addition of the church of Rome was of works commanded of God." Whereas the least part of the works whereby they looked to merit, was of such works; and most were works of supererogation, and works which God never commanded, but was highly displeased with, as of masses, pilgrimages, pardons, pains of purgatory, and such-like: "That no one sequel urged by the apostle against the Galatians for joining circumcision with Christ, but might be as well enforced against the Lutherans; that is, that for their ubiquity it may be as well said to them, If ye hold the body of Christ to be in all places, you are fallen from grace, you are under the curse of the law, saying, 'Cursed be he that fulfilleth not all things written in this book,"" with such-like. He added yet farther, "That to a bishop of the church of Rome, to a cardinal, yea, to the pope himself, acknowledging Christ to be the Saviour of the world, denying other errors, and being discomforted for want of works whereby he might be justified, he would not doubt, but use this speech; Thou holdest the foundation of Christian faith, though it be but by a slender thread; thou holdest Christ, though but by the hem of his garment; why shouldest thou not hope that virtue may pass from Christ to save thee? That which thou holdest of justification by thy works, overthroweth, indeed, by consequent the foundation of Christian faith; but be of good cheer, thou hast not to do with a captious sophister, but with a merciful God, who will justify thee for that thou holdest, and not take the advantage of doubtful construction to condemn thee. And if this (said he) be an error, I hold it willingly; for it is the greatest comfort I have in the world, without which I would not wish either to speak or live." Thus far, being not to be answered in it any more, he was bold to proceed, the absurdity of which speech I need not to stand upon. I think the like to this, and other such in this sermon, and the rest of this matter, hath not been heard in public places within this land since Queen Mary's days. What consequence this doctrine may be of, if he be not by authority ordered to revoke it, I beseech your honours

as the truth of God and his gospel is dear and precious unto you, according to your godly wisdom to consider.

I bave been bold to offer to your honours a long and tedious discourse of these matters; but speech being like to tapestry, which, if it be folded up, sheweth but part of that which is wrought, and being unlapt and laid open, sheweth plainly to the eye all the work that is in it; I thought it necessary to unfold this tapestry, and to hang up the whole chamber of it in your most honourable senate, that so you may the more easily discern of all the pieces, and the sundry works and matters contained in it. Wherein my hope is, your honours may see I have not deserved so great a punishment as is laid upon the church for my ́sake, and also upon myself, in taking from me the exercise of my ministry. Which punishment, how heavy it may seem to the church, or fall out indeed to be, I refer it to them to judge, and spare to write what I fear, but to myself it is exceeding grievous, for that it taketh from me the exercise of my calling. Which I do not say is dear unto me, as the means of that little benefit whereby I live (although this be a lawful consideration, and to be regarded of me in due place, and of the authority under whose protection I most willingly live, even by God's commandment both unto them and unto me): which ought to be more precious unto me than my life, for the love which I should bear to the glory and honour of Almighty God, and to the edification and salvation of his church, for that my life cannot any other way be of like service to God, nor of such use and profit to men by any means. For which cause, as I discern how dear my ministry ought to be unto me, so it is my hearty desire, and most humble request unto God, to your honours and to all the authority I liveunder, to whom any dealing herein belongeth, that I may spend my life according to his example, who in a word of like sound, of fuller sense, comparing by it the bestowing of his life to the offering poured out upon the sacrifice of the faith of God's people, and especially of this church, whereupon I have already poured out a great part thereof in the same calling, from which I stand now restrained. And if your honours shall find it So, I have not deserved so great a punishment, but rather performed the duty which a good and faithful servant ought, in such case, to do to his Lord and the people he putteth them in trust withal carefully to keep; I am a most humble suitor by these presents to your honours that, by your godly wisdom, some good course may be taken for the restoring of me to my ministry and place

that

again. Which so great a favour, shall bind me yet in a greater obligation of duty (which is already so great, as it seemed nothing could be added unto it to make it greater) to honour God daily for the continuance and increase of your good estate, and to be ready, with all the poor means God hath given me, to do your honours that faithful service I may possibly perform. But if, notwithstanding my cause be never so good, your honours can by no means pacify such as are offended, nor restore me again, then am I to rest in the good pleasure of God, and to commend to your honours' protection, under her majesty's, my private life, while it shall be led in duty; and the church to him, who hath redeemed to himself a people with his precious blood, and is making ready to come to judge both the quick and dead, to give to every one according as he hath done in this life, be it good or evil to the wicked and unbelievers, justice unto death; but to the faithful, and such as love his truth, mercy, and grace, to life everlasting.

Your honours' most bounden, and

Most humble supplicant,

WALTER TRAVERS,

MINISTER OF the Gospel.

MR. HOOKER'S ANSWER

TO THE

SUPPLICATION

THAT

MR. TRAVERS MADE TO THE COUNCIL.

TO MY LORD OF CANTERBURY HIS GRACE.

My duty in my most humble wise remembered. May it please your Grace to understand, that whereas there hath been a late controversy raised in the Temple, and pursued by Mr. Travers, upon conceit taken at some words by me uttered, with a most simple and harmless meaning. In the heat of which pursuit, after three public invectives, silence being enjoined him by authority, he hath hereupon, for defence of his proceedings, both presented the right honourable lords, and others of her majesty's privy council, with a writing; and also caused or suffered the same to be copied out, and spread through the hands of so many, that well nigh all sorts of men have it in their bosoms. The matters wherewith I am therein charged, being of such quality as they are, and myself being better known to your Grace than to any other of their honours besides, I have chosen to offer to your Grace's hand a plain declaration of my innocence in all those things wherewith I am so hardly and so heavily charged; lest, if I still remain silent, that, which I do for quietness' sake, be taken as an argument, that I lack what to speak truly and justly in mine own defence.

2. First, because Mr. Travers thinketh it an expedient to breed an opinion in men's minds, that the root of all inconvenient events which are now sprung out, is the surly and unpeaceable