Supplication to the Privy Council, Text
A SVPPLICATION MADE TO THE PRIVY COVNSEL BY Mr WALTER TRAVERS.
AT OXFORD, Printed by Ioſeph Barnes, and are to be ſold by John Barnes dwelling neere Holborne Conduit. 1612.
A SVPPLICATION MADE TO THE COVNSELL BY Mr WALTER TRAVERS.
RIGHT Honourable, the manifold benefits which al the ſubiects within this dominion doe at this preſent, and hauehave many yeares enioyed, vnderunder her Maieſties moſt happy and proſperous raigne, by your godly wiſdome, and carefull watching over this eſtate night & day: I truely and vnfainedly acknowledge from the bottome of my heart, ought worthily to binde vsus al, to pray continually to almighty God for the continuance & encreaſe of the life and good eſtate of your honours, and to be readie with al good duties to ſatisfie & ſerue the ſame to our power. Beſides publique benefites common vntounto all, I muſt needes, and do willingly confeſſe my ſelfe to ſtand bound by moſt ſpeciall obligation to ſerue and honour you more then any other, for the honourable favour it hath pleaſed you to vouchſafe both oftentimes heretofore, and alſo now of late, in a matter more deare vntounto me then anie earthly commoditie, that is the vpholding and furthering of my ſervice in the miniſtring of the goſpell of Jeſus Chriſt. For which cauſe, as I hauehave beene alwaies careful ſo to carry my ſelfe as I might by no meanes giuegive occaſion to bee thought vnworthy of ſo great a benefit, ſo do I ſtil, next vntounto her Maieſties gracious countenance, hold nothing more deare and pretious vntounto me, then that I may alwaies remaine in your Honours favour; which hath oftentimes bin helpefull and comfortable vntounto me in my miniſterie, and to all ſuch as reaped any fruit of my ſimple and faithfull labour. In which dutiful regard, I humblie beſeech your Honours to vouchſafe to do me this grace, to conceiue nothing of me otherwiſe thē according to the dutie wherein I ought to liue, by anie information againſt me, before your Honours hauehave heard my anſwere, and been throughly informed of the matter. Which although it be a thing, that your wiſdomes, not in favor, but in iuſtice yeeld to all men: yet the ſtate of the calling vntounto the Miniſtrie, whervnto it hath pleaſed God of his goodneſſe to call me, though vnworthieſt of all, is ſo ſubiect to miſinformation, as except wee may finde this favour with your Honours, we cannot looke for anie other, but that our vnindifferent parties may eaſilie procure vsus to be hardlie eſteemed of; and that we ſhalbe made like the poore fiſherboates in the ſea which everie ſwelling waue and billow raketh and runneth over. Wherin my eſtate is yet harder then anie others of my rancke & calling, who are indeed to fight againſt fleſh & blood in what part ſoever of the Lords hoſt and field they ſhall ſtand marſhalled to ſerue, yet manie of them deale with it naked and vnfurniſhed of weapons: but my ſervice was in a place where I was to encounter with it well appointed and armed with skill and with authoritie; whereof as I hauehave alwaies thus deſerved, & therfore hauehave bin carefull by all good meanes to entertain ſtill your Honors favorable reſpect of me, ſo hauehave I ſpeciall cauſe at this preſent, wherein miſinformation to the Lord Archbiſhop of Canterburie, & other of the high commiſſion hath bin able ſo farre to prevaile againſt me, that by their letter they hauehave inhibited me to preach, or execute anie act of Miniſtrie in the Temple or elſewhere, having never once called me before them to vnderſtand by mine anſwere the trueth of ſuch things as had bin enformed againſt me. We hauehave a ſtorie in our bookes, wherein the Phariſes proceeding againſt our Saviour Chriſt without having heard him, is reproved by an honorable Counſeller (as the Evangeliſt doth tearme him) ſaying, doth our lawe iudge a man before it heare him, & know what he hath done? Which I do not mention to the ende that by an indirect and covert ſpeech, I might ſo compare thoſe, who hauehave without ever hearing me pronounced a heavie ſentence againſt me, for, notwithſtanding ſuch proceedings, I purpoſe by Gods grace to carrie my ſelfe towards them in all ſeeming duetie agreeable to their places: much leſſe do I preſume to liken my cauſe to our Saviour Chriſts, who hold it my chiefeſt honor & happines to ſerue him, though it be but among the hindes and hired ſervants, that ſerue him in the baſeſt corners of his houſe. But my purpoſe in mentioning it, is to ſhew by the iudgement of a Prince and great man in Iſraell that ſuch proceeding ſtandeth not with the lawe of God, and in a princely patterne to ſhew it to be a noble part of an honorable Counſeller, not to allow of indirect dealings, but to allow and affect ſuch a courſe in iuſtice, as is agreeable to the law of God. Wee hauehave alſo a plaine rule in the word of God not to proceed any otherwiſe againſt any elder of the Church; much leſſe againſt one that laboureth in the word and in teaching: which rule is delivered with this moſt earneſt charge and obteſtation, I beſeech and charge thee in the ſight of God, and the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, and the elect Angels,1. Tim. 5. verſ. 19.21. that thou keepe thoſe [rules] without preferring one before another, doing nothing of partialitie, or enclining to either part; which Apoſtolicall and moſt earneſt charge, I referre it to your Honours wiſdome how it hath beene regarded in ſo heavie a iudgement againſt me, without ever hearing my cauſe, and whether, as having God before their eies, and the Lord Ieſus by whom all former iudgements ſhall bee tried againe, and as in the preſence of the elect Angels witneſſes, and obſervers of the regiment of the Church, they hauehave proceeded thus to ſuch a ſentence. They alleage indeed two reaſons in their letters wherevpon they reſtraine my miniſtery, which, if they were as ſtrong againſt me as they are ſuppoſed, yet I referre to your Honors wiſdomes, whether the qualitie of ſuch an offence as they charge me with, which is in effect but an indiſcretion, deſerue ſo greivous a puniſhment both to the Church and me, in taking away my miniſtery, and that poore little commoditie which it yeeldeth for the neceſſarie maintenance of my life; if ſo vnequall a ballancing of faults and puniſhments, ſhould hauehave place in the commonwealth, ſurely wee ſhould ſhortly hauehave no actions vponupon the caſe, nor of treſpaſſe, but all ſhould be pleaes of the Crowne, nor any man amerced, or fined, but for every light offence put to his ranſome. I hauehave credibly heard, that ſome of the miniſtery hauehave beene committed of grievous tranſgreſſions of the lawes of God and men, being of no abilitie to do other ſervice in the Church then to read, yet hath it bin thought charitable and ſtanding with Chriſtian moderation and temperancie, not to depriue ſuch of miniſtery and beneficency, but to inflict ſome more tolerable puniſhmēt. Which I write not becauſe ſuch as I think, were to be favored, but to ſhew how vnlike their dealing is with me, being through the goodneſſe of God not to be touched with any ſuch blame, and one who according to the meaſure of the guift of God, hauehave laboured now ſome yeares painefully, in regard of the weake eſtate of my body in preaching the Goſpell, and as I hope not altogether vnprofitably in reſpect of the Church. But J beſeech your Honours to giuegive me leaue breifly to declare the particular reaſons of their letters, and what anſwer I hauehave to make vntounto it.
The firſt is, that as they ſay I am not lawfully called to the function of the miniſtery, nor allowed to preach according to the lawes of this Church of England.
For anſwer to this, I had need to divide the points, & firſt to make anſwer to the former, wherein leauing to ſhew what by the holy Scriptures is required in a lawfull calling and that all that is to be found in mine, that I bee not too long for your other waightie affaires, I reſt.
I this anſwer, my calling to the miniſtery was ſuch as in the calling of any therevnto is appointed to bee vſed by the orders agreed vponupon in the Nationall Synods of the lowe Countries, for the direction and guidance of their Churches, which orders are the ſame with thoſe whereby the French & Scottiſh Churches are governed, whereof I hauehave ſhewed ſuch ſufficient teſtimoniall to my L. the Archbiſhop of Canterburie, as is requiſite in ſuch a matter: whereby it muſt needs fall out if any man be lawfully called to the miniſtery in thoſe Churches then is my calling, being the ſame with theirs, alſo lawfull. But I ſuppoſe notwithſtanding they vſe this generall ſpeech, they meane only my calling is not ſufficient to deale in the miniſtery within this land, becauſe I was not made miniſter according to that order which in this cauſe is ordained by our laws. Whervnto I beſeech your Honours to conſider throughly of mine anſwer, becauſe exception now againe is taken to my miniſtery whereas hauing beene heretofore called in queſtion for it, I ſo anſwered the matter, as I continued my miniſtery, and for any thing I diſcerned, looked to heare that no more obiected vntounto me. The communion of Saints (which every Chriſtian man profeſſeth to beleeue) is ſuch, as that the acts which are done in any true Church of Chriſts according to his word, are held as lawfull being done in one Church, as in another. Which as it holdeth in other acts of miniſtery, as baptiſme, marriage, and ſuch like, ſo doth it in the calling to the miniſtery; by reaſon whereof all Churches doe acknowledge and receaue him for a miniſter of the word, who hath beene lawfully called therevnto in any Church of the ſame profeſſiō. A Doctor created in any Vniverſitie of Chriſtendome, is acknowledged ſufficiently qualified to teach in any country. The Church of Rome it ſelfe, and the Canon law holdeth it that being ordered in Spaine, they may execute that belongeth to their order in Italie, or in any other place. And the Churches of the goſpell never made any queſtion of it. Which if they ſhall now begin to make doubt of, and denie ſuch to be lawfully called to the miniſtery, as are called by another order then our owne, then may it wel be looked for that other Churches will doe the like: & if a miniſter called in the low Countries be not lawfully called in England, thē may they ſay to our preachers which are there, that being made by another order thē theirs, they cānot ſuffer them to execute any act of miniſterie amongſt them, which in the ende muſt needes breed a ſchiſme & dangerous diviſion in the Churches. Further I hauehave heard of thoſe that are learned in the lawes of this land, that by expreſſe Statute to that purpoſe Anno 13. vponupon ſubſcription of the Articles agreed vponupon Anno 62. that they who pretend to hauehave beene ordered by another order then that which is now eſtabliſhed, are of like capacitie to enioy any place of miniſtery within the land, as they that hauehave bin ordered according to that is now by law in this caſe eſtabliſhed. Which comprehēding manifeſtly all even ſuch as were made Prieſts according to the order of the Church of Rome, it muſt needs be that the law of a Chriſtian land profeſſing the Goſpell ſhould be as favorable for a mimiſter of the worde as for a Popiſh Prieſt, which alſo was ſo found in Mr Whittingames caſe, who notwithſtanding ſuch replies againſt him, enioyed ſtill the benefit he had by his miniſterie, and might hauehave done vntill this day if God had ſpared him life ſo long, which if it be vnderſtood ſo and practiſed in others, why ſhould the change of the perſon alter the right, which the law giveth to all other. The place of miniſtery, wherevnto I was called, was not preſentatiue, and if it had beene ſo ſurely they would never hauehave preſented anie man whō they never knew; and the order of this Church is agree able herein to the word of God, and the ancient & beſt Canons, that no man ſhould be made miniſter ſine titulo. therefore having none I could not by the orders of this Church hauehave entred into the miniſtery, before I had charge to tend vponupon. When I was at Anwerp, and to take a place of miniſterie among the people of that nation, I ſee no cauſe whie I ſhould hauehave returned againe over the ſeas for orders here, nor how I could hauehave done it, without diſallowing the orders of the Churches provided in the country where I was to liue. Whereby J hope it appeareth, that my calling to the miniſtery is lawfull, and maketh me by our law of capacitie to enioy any benefit or commoditie, that any other by reaſō of his miniſtery may enioie. But my cauſe is yet more eaſie, who reaped no benefit of my miniſtery by law, receaving only a benevolence and voluntary contribution, and the miniſtery I dealt with being preaching only, which everie Deacon here may doe being licenſed, and certaine that are neither Miniſters nor Deacons: thus J anſwer the former of theſe two points whereof if there be yet any doubt, J humbly deſire for a finall ende thereof, that ſome competent iudges in law may determine of it; wherevnto J referre & ſubmit my ſelfe with all reverence and dutie.
The ſecond is, that I preached without licenſe, where vntounto this is my anſwere. I hauehave not preſumed vponupon the calling I had to the miniſtery abroad, to preach, or deal with any part of the miniſtry within this Church with out the conſent and allowance of ſuch as were to allow me vntounto it: my allowance was from the Biſhop of London, teſtified by his two ſeverall letters to the inner Temple, who without ſuch teſtimony would by no meanes reſt ſatisfied in it; which letters being by mee produced, J referre it to your Honours wiſdome, whether I hauehave taken vponupon me to preach without being allowed (as they charge) according to the orders of the Realme. Thus having anſwered the ſecond point alſo, J hauehave done with the obiection of dealing without calling or licenſe.
The other reaſon they alleage is concerning a late action wherein J had to deale with Mr Hooker, Maſter of the Temple: in the handling of which cauſe they charge me with an indiſcretion and want of dutie, in that I inveighed (as they ſay) againſt certaine points of doctrine taught by him as erroneous, not conferring with him, nor complaining of it to them. My anſwere herevnto ſtandeth in declaring to your Honours the whole courſe and carriage of that cauſe, & the degrees of proceeding in it, which J will doe as briefly as I can, and according to the truth, God be my witnes, as neere as my beſt memorie, and notes of remembrance may ſerue me therevnto. After that I hauehave taken away that which ſeemeth to hauehave moved them to thinke me not charitably minded to Mr Hooker, which is becauſe hee was brought into M. Alveyes place, wherin this Church deſired that J might hauehave ſucceeded; which place, if J would hauehave made ſute to hauehave obtained, or if J had ambitiouſly affected and ſought, J would not hauehave refuſed to hauehave ſatisfied by ſubſcription ſuch as the matter then ſeemed to depend vponupon: whereas contrariewiſe, notwithſtanding J would not hinder the Church to doe that they thought to be moſt for their edification and comfort, yet did J neither by ſpeech, nor letter, make ſute to any for the obtaining of it, following herein that reſolution which J iudge to bee moſt agreeable to the word and will of God, that is, that labouring and ſuing for places and charges in the Church is not lawfull. Further whereas at the ſute of the Church ſome of your Honours entertained the cauſe, and brought it to a neare iſſue, that there ſeemed nothing to remaine, but the commendation of my Lord the Archbiſhop of Canterburie, when as he could not bee ſatisfied but by my ſubſcribing to his late articles, and that my anſwere agreeing to ſubſcribe according to any law, and to the ſtatute provided in that caſe, but praying to be reſpited for ſubſcribing to any other, which J could not in conſcience doe, either for the Temple (which otherwiſe he ſaid he would not commend mee to) nor for any other place in the Church, did ſo little pleaſe my Lord Archbiſhop, as he reſolued that otherwiſe J ſhould not bee commended to it. J had vtterly here no cauſe of offence againſt Mr Hooker, whom J did in no ſort eſteeme to hauehave prevented or vnderminded mee, but that God diſpoſed of me as it pleaſed him, by ſuch meanes and occaſions as I hauehave declared. Moreover as J had taken no cauſe of offence at Mr Hooker for being preferred ſo there were many witneſſes that J was glad that the place was given him, hoping to liue in all godly peace and comfort with him, both for acquaintance & good will which hath beene betweene vsus, and for ſome kinde of affinitie in the marriage of his neereſt kinred & mine: ſince his comming J hauehave ſo carefully endevoured to entertaine all good correſpondence & agreement with him, as I thinke he himſelfe will beare mee witneſſe of many earneſt diſputations and conferences with him about the matter; the rather becauſe that contrary to my expectation, hee enclined from the beginning but ſmally therevnto, but ioined rather with ſuch as had alwaies oppoſed themſelues to any good order in this charge, and made themſelues to be brought indiſpoſed to his preſent ſtate and proceedings. For both knowing that Gods commandement charged me with ſuch dutie, and diſcerning how much our peace might further the good ſervice of God and his Church, and the mutuall comfort of vsus both, J had reſolued conſtantly to ſeeke for peace, and though it ſhould fly from me (as J ſaw it did by meanes of ſome, who little deſired to ſee the good of our Church) yet according to the rule of Gods word to follow after it. Which being ſo (as hereof J take God to witneſſe, who ſearcheth the heart, and reines, and by his ſonne will iudge the world, both the quicke and dead) I hope no charitable iudgement can ſuppoſe mee to hauehave ſtood evill affected towardes him for his place, or deſirous to fall into anie controverſie with him. Which my reſolution I purſued, that whereas I diſcovered ſundry vnfound matters in his doctrine (as manie of his ſermons taſted of ſome ſower leaven, or other) yet thus I carried my ſelfe towards him. Matters of ſmaller weight, and ſo covertlie diſcovered that no great offence to the Church was to be feared in them, I wholly paſſed by, as one that diſcerned nothing of them, or had been vnfurniſhed of replies. For other of greater moment, and ſo openlie delivered, as there was iuſt cauſe of feare, leaſt the truth and church of God ſhould be preiudiced and perilled by it, and ſuch as the conſcience of my dutie & calling would not ſuffer mee altogither to paſſe over, this was my courſe, to deliver, when I ſhould hauehave iuſt cauſe by my texte, the truth of ſuch doctrine as hee had otherwiſe taught in generall ſpeeches, without touch of his perſon in anie ſort, and further at cōvenient oportunity to confer with him in ſuch points. According to which determination, whereas he had taught certaine things concerning predeſtination otherwiſe then the word of God doth, as it is vnderſtood by all churches profeſſing the goſpell, and not vnlike that wherwith Coranus ſome times troubled his church; I both delivered the truth of ſuch points in a generall doctrine, without anie touch of him in particular, and conferred with him alſo privatlie vponupon ſuch articles. In which conference, I remember, when I vrged the conſent of all churches, and good writers againſt him that I knew, and deſired if it were otherwiſe, what authors hee had ſeene of ſuch doctrine, he anſwered me that his beſt author was his owne reaſon: which I wiſhed him to take heed of, as a matter ſtā ding with chriſtian modeſtie & wiſedome in a doctrine not received by the church, not to truſt to his own iudgment ſo far, as to publiſh it before he had cōferred with others of his profeſſion, labouring by dailie praier, and ſtudie to know the will of God, as he did, to ſee how they vnderſtood ſuch doctrine: notwithſtanding hee with wavering replying that hee woulde ſome other time deale more largelie in the matter, I wiſhed him, & praied him not ſo to doe, for the peace of the church, which by ſuch meanes might be hazarded; ſeeing he could not but thinke, that men, who make anie conſcience of their miniſtrie, will iudge it a neceſſarie duty in them, to teach the truth, and to convince the contrarie. Another time vponupon like occaſion of this doctrine of his that the aſſurance of that we beleeue by the word, is not ſo certaine, as of that wee perceiue by ſenſe; I both taught the doctrine otherwiſe, namely the aſſurance of faith to be greater, which aſſureth both of things aboue, and contrarie to all ſenſe and humane vnderſtanding, and dealt with him alſo privatlie vponupon that point. According to which courſe, of late, when as hee had taught that the Church of Rome is a true Church of Chriſt, and a ſanctified Church by profeſſion of that truth, which God hath revealed vntounto vsus by his ſonne, though not a pure, and perfect Church: & further that he doubted not, but that thouſāds of the fathers, which lived and died in the ſuperſtitions of that church, were ſaved becauſe of their ignorance, which excuſeth them, miſalleaging to that end a*1. Tim. 1.13. text of ſcripture to proue it: the matter being of ſet purpoſe openly and at large handled by him, and of that moment that might preiudice the faith of Chriſt, encourage the ill affected to continue ſtill in their damnable waies, and other weake in faith to ſuffer themſelues eaſilie to bee ſeduced to the deſtruction of their ſoules; I thought it my moſt bounden duetie to God, and to his church, whileſt I might hauehave oportunitie to ſpeak with him, to teach the truth in a generall ſpeech in ſuch points of doctrine.
At which time I taught that ſuch as die, or hauehave died at anie time in the Church of Rome holding in their ignorance that faith, which is taught in it, and namelie iuſtification in part by workes, could not be ſaid by the ſcriptures to be ſaued. In which matter foreſeeing that, if ſwaded not warilie in it, I ſhould be in danger to bee reported (as hath fallen out ſince notwithſtanding) to condemne all the fathers: I ſaid directlie and plainly to all mens vnderſtanding, that it was not indeede to bee doubted, but manie of the fathers were ſaued, but the meanes (I ſaid) was not their ignorance, which excuſeth no man with God, but their knowledge and faith of the truth, which it appeareth God vouchſafed them by manie notable monuments and recordes extant of it in all ages. Which being the laſt point in all my ſermon riſing ſo naturally from the text I then expounded, as would hauehave occaſioned me to hauehave delivered ſuch matter, notwithſtanding the former doctrine had bin ſoūd, and being dealt in by a generall ſpeech without touch of his particular: I looked not that a matter of controverſie would hauehave beene made of it, no more then had beene of my like dealing in former time. But far otherwiſe, then I looked for Mr Hooker ſhewing no griefe of offence taken at my ſpeech all the weeke long, the next Saboth, leaving to proceed vponupon his ordinarie text, profeſſed to preach againe that he had done the day before for ſome queſtion that his doctrine was drawne into, which he deſired might be examined with all ſeverity.
So proceeding, he beſtowed his whole time in that diſcourſe, concerning his former doctrine, and anſwering the places of Scripture, which I had*Apoc …3 4. Gal 5… 3 4. alleaged, to proue that a man dying in the Church of Rome is not to be iudged by the Scriptures to be ſaved. In which long ſpeech, and vtterly impertinent to his text, vnderunder colour of anſwering for himſelfe, he impugned directly and openly to all mens vnderſtanding the true doctrine which I had delivered, and added to his former points ſome other like (as willingly one errour followeth another) that is, that the Galathians ioining with faith in Chriſt circumciſion, as neceſſarie to ſalvation, might not be ſaved. And that they of the Church of Rome may be ſaved by ſuch a faith of Chriſt, as they had, with a generall repentance of all their errours, notwithſtanding their opinion of iuſtificatiō in part by their works & merits. I was neceſſarily, though not willingly drawn to ſay ſomething to the points he obiected againſt ſoūd doctrine, which J did in a ſhort ſpeech in the end of my ſermon, with proteſtation of ſo doing, not of any finiſter affection to any man, but to beare witneſſe to the truth according to my calling. And wiſhed, if the matter ſhould needs further be dealt in, ſome other more convenient way might bee taken for it; wherein, I hope, my dealing was manifeſt to the conſciences of all indifferent hearers of me that daie, to hauehave beene according to peace, and without any vncharitableneſſe being duly conſidered.
For that I conferred with him the firſt day, I hauehave ſhewed that the cauſe requiring of me in duety at the leaſt not to be altogither ſilent in it, beeing a matter of ſuch conſequence, that the time alſo being ſhort, wherin I was to preach after him, the hope of the fruit of our communication being ſmall, vponupon experience of former conferences, my expectation beeing that the church ſhould be no further troubled with it, vponupon the motion I made of raking ſome other courſe of dealing. I ſuppoſe my differring to ſpeake with him till ſome fit opportunitie, cannot in charitie be iudged vncharitable.
The ſecond day his vnlooked for oppoſition with the former reaſons made it to be a matter that required of neceſſitie ſome publique anſwere; which beeing ſo temperate as I hauehave ſhewed, if notwithſtanding it be cenſured as vncharitable, and puniſhed ſo grievouſly as it is, what ſhould hauehave beene my puniſhment if (with out all ſuch cautions & reſpects as qualified my ſpeech) I had before all, and in the vnderſtanding of all ſo reproved him offending openly, that other might hauehave feared to do the like? Which yet if I had done, might hauehave beene warranted by the rule & charge of the Apoſtles, them that offend openly rebuke openlie, that the reſt may alſo feare, and by his example, who when Peter in this verie caſe which is now betweene vsus, had (not in preaching) but in a matter of converſation not gone with a right foot, as was fit, for the truth of the goſpell, conferred not privately with him, but, as his owne rule required, reproved him openlie before all, that other might hear, and feare, and not dare to doe the like: all which reaſons togither weighed I hope will ſhew the manner of my dealing to hauehave beene charitable, and warrantable in everie ſort.
The next ſaboth day after this Mr Hooker kept the way he had entred into before, and beſtowed his whole houre and more only vponupon the queſtions hee had moved and mainetained, wherein he ſo ſet forth the agreement of the Church of Rome with vsus, & their diſagreement from vsus, as if we had conſented in the greateſt, & weightieſt points, and differed only in certaine ſmaller matters: which agreement noted by him in two chiefe points, is not ſuch as hee woulde hauehave made men beleeue. The one in that he ſaid, they acknowledged al men ſinners, even the bleſſed Virgin, though ſome of them freed her from ſin, for the Councel of Trent holdeth that ſhee was free from ſinne. Another in that he ſaid; they teach Chriſts righteouſneſſe to be the only meritorious cauſe of taking awaie ſinne, and differ from vsus onlie in the applying of it. For Thomas Aquinas their chiefe ſchooleman, and Archbiſhop Catherinus teach, that Chriſt tooke awaie onlie originall ſin, and that the reſt are to be taken away by our ſelues; yea the councel of Trent teacheth that righteouſnes, wherby we are righteous in Gods ſight, is an inherent righteouſneſſe: which muſt needes be of our owne works, and cannot be vnderſtoode of the righteouſneſſe inherent only in Chriſts perſon, and accounted vntounto vsus. Moreover hee taught the ſame time, that neither the Galathians, nor the Church of Rome did directly overthrow the foundation of iuſtification by Chriſt alone, but only by conſequent, and therefore might well bee ſaved; or elſe neither the Churches of Lutherans, nor any which hold anie manner of errour could bee ſaved, becauſe (ſaith he) everie errour by conſequent overthroweth the foundation. In which diſcourſes and ſuch like hee beſtowed his whole time, & more, which, if he had affected either the truth of God, or the peace of the Church, he would truely not hauehave done. Whoſe example could not draw me to leaue the Scripture I tooke in hand, but ſtanding about an houre to deliver the doctrine of it, in the end vponupon iuſt occaſion of the text leaving ſundrie other his vnſound ſpeeches, and keeping me ſtill to the principall; I confirmed the beleeving the doctrine of iuſtification by Chriſt only to be neceſſarie to the iuſtification of all that ſhoulde bee ſaved, and that the Church of Rome directlie denieth that a man is ſaved by Chriſt, or by faith alone without the workes of the law. Which my anſwere as it was moſt neceſſarie for the ſervice of God, and the church, ſo was it without anie immodeſt, or reprochfull ſpeech in Mr Hooker, whoſe vnfound and willfull dealings in a cauſe of ſo great importance to the faith of Chriſt, and ſalvation of the Church, notwithſtanding I knew well what ſpeech it deſerved, and what ſome zealous earneſt man of the ſpirit of Iohn and Iames ſurnamed*Mark. 3 17. Boanerges ſonnes of thunder woulde hauehave ſaide in ſuch a caſe: yet I choſe rather to content my ſelfe in exhorting him to reviſite his doctrine, as*2. Sam. 7.2.3.4.5. Nathan the Prophet did, the deviſe which without conſulting with God hee had of himſelfe given to David concerning the building of the Temple: and with*Gal. 2.11.14 Peter the Apoſtle to indure to be withſtoode in ſuch a caſe not vnlike vntounto this. This in effect was that which paſſed betweene vsus concerning this matter, & the invectiues I made againſt him, wherewith I am charged; which rehearſall, I hope, may cleare me (with all that ſhall indifferently conſider it) of the blames laid vponupon me for want of duty to Mr Hooker in not conferring with him, whereof I hauehave ſpoken ſufficiently alreadie: and to the high commiſſion in not revealing the matter to them, which yet now I am further to anſwere. My anſwere is, that I proteſt no contempt nor willfull neglect of any lawfull authoritie ſtaide me from complaining vntounto them, but theſe reaſons following.
Firſt I was in ſome hope, that Mr Hooker, notwithſtanding he had beene overcarried with a ſhew of charitie to preiudice the truth, yet when it ſhould bee ſufficientlie proved, would hauehave acknowledged it, or at the leaſt induced with peace, that it might be offered without either offence to him, or to ſuch as would receiue it; either of which would hauehave taken away anie cauſe of iuſt complaint. When neither of theſe fel out according to my expectation, and deſire, but that he replyed to the truth, and obiected againſt it, I thought hee might hauehave ſome doubtes, and ſcruples in himſelfe, which yet if they were cleared, hee would either embrace ſome doctrine, or at leaſt ſuffer it to hauehave his courſe; which hope of him I nouriſhed ſo long as the matter was not bitterlie, and immodeſtlie handled betweene vsus.
Another reaſon was the cauſe it ſelfe, which according to the parable of the tares (which are ſaid to bee ſowne amongſt the wheat) ſprung vp firſt in his graſſe. Therefore as the ſervants in that place are not ſaid to hauehave 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 it, what it was, deſired not their ſickle to cut it downe.
For further anſwer it is to be conſidered, that the cō ſcience of my duty to God, and to his Church, did bind me at the firſt to deliver ſound doctrine in ſuch points, as had beene otherwiſe vttered in the place, where I had now ſome yeares taught the truth. Otherwiſe the rebuke of the*… Prophet had fallen vponupon mee for not going vp to the breach, and ſtanding in it, and the*… perill for anſwering the blood of the Cittie, in whoſe watch-tower I ſate, if it had bin ſurpriſed by my default. Moreover my publike proteſtation in being vnwilling, that if any were not yet ſatisfied, ſome other more conveniēt way might be taken for it. And laſtly that J had reſolued (which I vttered before to ſome dealing with me about the matter) to hauehave proteſted the next Saboth day, that I would no more anſwere in that place any obiections to the doctrine taught by any meanes, but ſome other way ſatisfie ſuch as ſhould require it. Theſe I truſt may make it appeare, that I failed not in duty to authoritie; notwithſtanding I did not complaine, nor giuegive over ſo ſoone dealing in the caſe. If I did, how is he cleere, which can alleage none of all theſe for himſelfe, who leaving the expounding of the Scriptures, and his ordinary calling, voluntarily diſcourſed vpō ſchoole points and queſtions neither of edification, nor of truth, who after all this, as promiſing to himſelfe, and to vntruth a victory by my ſilence, added yet in the next Saboth day to the maintenance of his former opinions theſe which follow.
That no additament taketh away the foundation except it be a privatiue, of which ſort neither the workes added to Chriſt by the Church of Rome, nor circumciſion by the Galathians were as one denieth him not to be a man, that ſaith he is a righteous man, but hee that ſaith he is a dead man: whereby it might ſeeme that a man might without hurt adde workes to Chriſt, and pray alſo, that God and S. Peter would ſaue him.
That the Galathians caſe is harder then the caſe of the Church of Rome, becauſe the Galathians ioined circumciſion with Chriſt, which God hath forbidden, and aboliſhed: but that which the Church of Rome ioined with Chriſt were good workes which God hath commanded. wherein he cōmitted a double fault; one, in expounding all the queſtion of the Galathians, and conſequently of the Romans, and other Epiſtles of circumciſion only, and the ceremonies of the law (as they doe who anſwer for the Church of Rome in their writings) contrary to the cleere meaning of the Apoſtle, as may appeare by many ſtrong, and ſufficient reaſons: the other in that hee ſaid the addition of the Church of Rome was of workes commanded of God, whereas the leaſt part of the workes, whereby they looked to merit, was of ſuch workes, and moſt were of ſupererogation, and of workes which God never commanded, but was highly diſpleaſed with, as of Maſſes, Pilgrimages, pardons, paines of Purgatory, and ſuch like: further that no one ſequell vrged by the Apoſtle againſt the Galathians for ioining circumciſion with Chriſt, but might be aſwell enforced againſt the Lutherans, that is, that for their vbiquitie it may be aſwell ſaid to them, if yee hold the body of Chriſt to be in all places, you are fallen frō grace, you are vnderunder the curſe of the law, ſaying, curſed be he that fulfilleth not all things written in this booke with ſuch like: he added yet further, that to a Biſhop of the Church of Rome, to a Cardinall, yea to the Pope himſelfe, acknowledging Chriſt to bee the ſaviour of the world, denying other errours, & being diſcomforted for want of workes whereby he might be iuſtified, he would not doubt but vſe this ſpeech; Thou holdeſt the foundation of Chriſtian faith, though it bee but by a ſlender thread; thou holdeſt Chriſt, though but as by the hem of his garment, why ſhouldſt thou not hope that vertue may paſſe from Chriſt to ſaue thee? That, which thou holdeſt of iuſtification by thy workes, overthroweth indeed by conſequent the foundation of Chriſtian faith; but be of good cheere, thou haſt not to doe with a captious Sophiſter, but with a mercifull God, who will iuſtifie thee, for that thou holdeſt, and not take the advantage of doubtfull conſtruction to cō demne thee. And if this, hee ſaid, bee an errour, I hold it willingly; for it is the greateſt comfort I hauehave in this world, without which I would not wiſh either to ſpeak or to liue. Thus far, being not to bee anſwered in it any more, he was bold to proceed; the abſurditie of which ſpeech I need not to ſtand vponupon. I thinke the like to this and other ſuch in this ſermon, and the reſt of this matter hath not beene heard in publique places within this land ſince Queene Maries daies. What conſequēce this doctrine may be of, if he bee not by authoritie ordered to revoke it, I beſeech your HH. as the truth of God & his goſpell is deere and pretious vntounto you, according to your godly wiſdomes to conſider.
I hauehave beene bold to offer to your HH. a long and tedious diſcourſe of theſe matters. But ſpeech being like to tapeſtrie, which, if it be folded vp, ſheweth but part of that which is wrought, and being vnlapt & laid open ſheweth plainely to the eye all the worke that is in it; I thought it neceſſarie to vnfold this tapeſtrie, & to hang vp the whole chamber of it in your moſt Honorable ſenate: that ſo you may the more eaſily diſcerne of all the peeces, and the ſundry workes and matters contained in it. Wherin my hope is your HH. may ſee J hauehave not deſerved ſo great a puniſhment as is laid vponupon the Church for my ſake, and alſo vponupon my ſelfe in taking from me the exerciſe of my miniſtery: which puniſhment how heavie it may ſeeme to the Church, or fall out indeed to be, J referre it to them to iudge, & ſpare to write what I feare; but to my ſelfe it is exceeding grievous, for that it taketh from mee the exerciſe of my calling. Which I doe not ſay is deare vntounto mee as the meanes of that little benefit whereby I liue (although this be a lawfull conſideration, and to bee regarded of me in due place, and of the authority vnderunder whoſe protection I moſt willingly liue, even by Gods commandement, both vntounto them, and vntounto me:) but which ought to bee more pretious to me then my life, for the louelove which J ſhould beare to the glory and honour of Almightie 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 vſe and profit to men by any meanes: for which cauſe, as J diſcerne, how deare any miniſtery ought to be vntounto me, ſo it is my harty deſire, and moſt humble requeſt vntounto God, to your HH. and to all the authoritie I liue vnderunder, 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 powred out vponupon the ſacrifice of the faith of Gods people, and eſpecially of this Church wherevpon I hauehave already powred out a great part thereof in the ſame calling, from which I ſtand nowe reſtrained. And if your HH. ſhall finde it ſo that J hauehave not deſerved ſo great a puniſhment, but rather performed the duty, which a good and faithful ſervant ought in ſuch a caſe to do to his Lord, & the people he putteth him in truſt withall carefully to keepe; I am a moſt humble ſuiter by theſe preſents to your HH. that by your godly wiſdome, ſome good courſe may be taken for the reſtoring of me to my miniſtery and place againe. Which ſo great a favour ſhall bind me yet in a greater obligation of dutie (which is already ſo great, as it ſeemed nothing could be added vntounto 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 poore meanes God hath given me, to doe your HH. that faithfull ſervice, I may poſſibly performe: but if, notwithſtanding my cauſe be never ſo good, your HH. can by no meanes pacifie ſuch as are offended, nor reſtore me againe, then am I to reſt in the good pleaſure of God, and to commend to your HH. protection vnderunder her Maieſties my privat life, while it ſhall be led in dutie, and the Church to him, who hath redeemed to himſelfe a people with his pretious blood, & is making ready to cōe to iudge both the quick & the dead, to giuegive to every one according as hee hath done in this life, bee it good or evill, to the wicked and vnbeleever iuſtice vntounto death, but to the faithfull, and ſuch as louelove his truth mercy and grace to life everlaſting.
Your Honours moſt bounden, and moſt humble ſuppliant, Walter Travers Miniſter of the word of God.
End of the text · Walter Travers, Supplication to the Privy Council (1612)