nefs is attainable. And thefe two ways he demonftrates thus (they be his own words that follow :) That, the way of nature; this, the way of grace: the end of that way, falvation merited, prefuppofing the righteousness of men's works: their righteousness, a natural ability to do them; that ability, the goodness of God which created them in fuch perfection. But the end of this way, falvation beftowed upon men as a gift: prefuppofing not their righteousness, but the forgiveness of their unrighteousness, juflification; their juftification not their natural ability to do good, but their hearty forrow for not doing, and unfeigned belief in him, for whofe fake not doers are accepted, which is their vocation; their vocation, the election of God, taking them out of the number of loft children; their election, a Mediator in whom to be elect: this mediation inexplicable mercy; this mercy, fuppofing their mifery for whom he vouchsafed to die, and make himself a Mediator.

And he alfo declareth, there is no meritorious cause for our juftification, but Chrift; no effectual, but his mercy; and fays alfo, we deny the grace of our Lord Jefus Chrift, we abufe, difannul, and annihilate the benefit of his pallion, if by a proud imagination we believe we can merit everlasting life, or can be worthy of it. This belief (he declareth) is to deftroy the very effence of our juftification, and he makes all opinions that border upon this to be very dangerous. Yet nevertheless, (and for this he was accused,) confidering how many virtuous and just men, how many Saints and Martyrs, have had their dangerous opinions, amongst which this was one, that they hoped to make God fome part of amends, by voluntary punishments which they laid upon themselves: becaufe by this, or the like erroneous opinions which do by confequence overthrow the merits of Chrift, fhall man be fo bold as to write on their graves, Such men are damned, there is for them no falvation! St. Auftin fays, Errare poffum, Hæreticus effe nolo. And except we put a difference betwixt them that err ignorantly, and

them

them that obftinately perfift in it, how is it poffible that any man fhould hope to be faved? Give me a Pope or a Cardinal, whom great afflictions have made to know himself, whofe heart God hath touched with true forrow for all his fins, and filled with a love of Christ and his gofpel; whofe eyes are willingly open to see the truth, and his mouth ready to renounce all error, this one opinion of merit excepted, which he thinketh God will require at his hands; and because he wanteth, trembleth, and is difcou-. raged, and yet can fay, Lord, cleanfe me from all my fecret fins! Shall I think, because of this, or a like error, fuch men touch not fo much as the hem of Chrift's garment? if they do, wherefore fhould I doubt, but that virtue may proceed from Chrift to fave them? No, I will not be afraid to say to such a one, You err in your opinion, but be of good comfort, you have to do with a merciful God, who will make the beft of that little which you hold well, and not with a captious fophifter, who gathereth the worst out of every thing in which you are mistaken.

But it will be faid, The admittance of merit in any degree overthroweth the foundation, excludeth from the. hope of mercy, from all poffibility of falvation. And, (now Mr. Hooker's own words follow,)

What though they hold the truth fincerely in all other parts of Chriftian faith? Although they have in fome meafure all the virtues and graces of the Spirit?" Although they have all other tokens of God's children in them? Although they be far from having any proud opinion, that they shall be faved by the worthiness of their deeds? Although the only thing that troubleth and molefteth them, be a little too much dejection, fomewhat too great a fear arifing from an erroneous conceit, that God will require a worthiness in them, which they are grieved to find wanting in themselves? Although they be not obftinate in this opinion? Although they be willing, and would be glad to forfake it, if any one reafon were brought fufficient to difprove it? Although the

only

only caufe why they do not forfake it ere they die, be their ignorance of that means by which it might be difproved? Although the cause why the ignorance in this point is not removed, be the want of knowledge in fuch as fhould be able, and are not to remove it? Let me die (fays Mr. Hooker) if it be ever proved, that fimply an error doth exclude a Pope or Cardinal in fuch a cafe utterly from the hope of life. Surely, I must confess, that if it be an error to think that God may be merciful to fave men, even when they err, my greatest comfort is, my error: were it not for the love I bear to this error, I would never wish to speak or to live.

I was willing to take notice of these two points, as fuppofing them to be very material; and that as they are thus contracted, they may prove useful to my Reader; as alfo for that the answers be arguments of Mr. Hooker's great and clear reafon, and equal charity. Other exceptions were also made against him, as, that he prayed before, and not after his fermons ; that in his prayers he named Bishops; that he kneeled both when he prayed, and when he received the Sacrament; and (fays Mr. Hooker in his defence) other exceptions fo like thefe, as but to name, I should have thought a greater fault than to commit them.

And it is not unworthy the noting, that in the manage of fo great a controverfy, a fharper reproof than this, and one like it, did never fall from the happy pen of this humble man. That like it was upon a like occafion of exceptions, to which his anfwer was, Your next argument confifts of railing and of reafons to your railing I fay nothing; to your reafons I fay what follows. And I am glad of this fair occafion, to teftify the dove-like temper of this meek, this matchlefs man; doubtless if Almighty God had bleffed the Diffenters from the ceremonies and discipline of this Church with a like measure of wifdom and humility, inftead of their pertinacious zeal, then obedience and truth had kiffed each other; then peace and piety had flourished in our nation,

and

and this Church and State had been bleft like Jerufalem, that is at unity with itself; but that can never be expected, till God fhall blefs the common people with a belief, That Schifm is a fin, and that there may be offences taken which are not given; and that Laws are not made for private men to difpute, but to obey.

of falfe doc

Travers to

[Before we pafs from thefe unhappy difceptations J.S. between Hooker and Travers, as we have heard two The articles articles of pretended falfe doctrine objected by the trines obone to the other, fo it is pity the reft fhould bejected by wholly loft, and for ever buried in filence: therefore, Hooker. for the making this confiderable part of the reverend man's life and hiftory complete, and to retrieve whatsoever may be gotten of the pen and mind of fo learned and judicious a perfon, take this further account, not only of two, but of all the articles that his before-mentioned adverfary had marshalled up against him, collected from a fermon or fermons he had heard him preach at the Temple; together with his endeavoured confutation of them; and likewife Hooker's own vindication of himself to each of thofe articles. These articles feem to have been delivered by Travers to the Lord Treasurer. The fame Lord delivered them to Hooker, to confider of and to make his reply to. And of these articles the Archbishop also was privy, and briefly declared his judgment and determination of. I fhall fet all down. exactly from an authentic manufcript.

Doctrines delivered by Mr. Hooker, as they were fet down and fhewed by Mr. Travers, Mar. 30, 1585, under this title:

A Short note of fundry unfound points of doctrine, at divers times delivered by Mr. Hooker in his public fermons.

1. The Church of Rome is a true Church of Christ, and a Church fanctified by profeffion of that

truth

truth which God hath revealed unto us by his Son; though not a pure and perfect Church.

2. The Fathers which lived and died in Popish fuperftition were faved, because they finned ignorantly.

3. They which are of the Church of Rome may be faved by fuch a faith as they have in Chrift, ́and a general repentance of all their fins.

4. The Church of Rome holdeth all men finners, even the bleffed Virgin, though fome of them think otherwise of her.

5.

The Church of Rome teacheth Chrift's righteousness to be the only meritorious cause of taking away fin.

6. The Galatians which joined with faith in Chrift, circumcifion, as neceffary unto falvation, notwithftanding be faved.

7. Neither the Church of Rome, nor the Galatians, deny the foundation directly, but only by confequent: and therefore may be faved. Or elfe neither the Lutherans, nor whofoever hold any error (for every error by confequent denieth the foundation) may be faved.

8. An additament taketh not away that whereunto it is added, but confirmeth it. As he that faith of any, that he is a righteous man, faith, that he is a man: except it be privative; as when he faith, he is a dead man, then he denieth him to be a man: and of this fort of [privative] additaments neither are works which are added to Chrift by the Church of Rome; nor circumcifion, added to him by the Galatians.

9. The Galatians' cafe is harder than the cafe of the Church of Rome; for they added to Chrift, circumcision, which God had forbidden and abolished: but that which the Church of Rome addeth are works, which God hath commanded.

10. No one fequel urged by the Apoftle against the Galatians, for joining circumcifion with Chrift,

but