bless the common people of this nation with
a belief, that Schism is a sin, and they not fit to judge what is
Schism: and bless them also with a belief, that there may be offences
taken which are not given, and, that laws are not made for private men
to dispute, but to obey.

[Sidenote: His writings]

And this also may be worthy of noting, that these exceptions of Mr.
Travers against Mr. Hooker proved to be _felix error_, for they were
the cause of his transcribing those few of his Sermons, which we now
see printed with his books; and of his "Answer to Mr. Travers his
Supplication;" and of his most learned and useful "Discourse of
Justification, of Faith, and Works:" and by their transcription they
fell into such hands as have preserved them from being lost, as too
many of his other matchless writings were: and from these I have
gathered many observations in this discourse of his life.

[Sidenote: "Ecclesiastical Polity"]

After the publication of his "Answer to the Petition of Mr. Travers,"
Mr. Hooker grew daily into greater repute with the most learned and
wise of the nation; but it had a contrary effect in very many of
the Temple, that were zealous for Mr. Travers, and for his
Church-discipline; insomuch, that though Mr. Travers left the place,
yet the seeds of discontent could not be rooted out of that Society,
by the great reason, and as great meekness, of this humble man: for
though the chief Benchers gave him much reverence and encouragement,
yet he there met with many neglects and oppositions by those of Master
Travers' judgment; insomuch that it turned to his extreme grief:
and, that he might unbeguile and win them, he designed to write a
deliberate, sober treatise of the Church's power to make Canons for
the use of ceremonies, and by law to impose an obedience to them, as
upon her children; and this he proposed to do in "Eight Books of
the Law of Ecclesiastical Polity;" intending therein to shew such
arguments as should force an assent from all men, if reason, delivered
in sweet language, and void of any provocation, were able to do it:
and, that he might prevent all prejudice, he wrote before it a large
Preface, or Epistle to the Dissenting Brethren, wherein there were
such bowels of love, and such a commixture of that love with reason,
as was never exceeded but in Holy Writ; and particularly by that of
St. Paul to his dear brother and fellow-labourer Philemon: than which
none ever was more like this epi