same Canon is confirmed as very authenticall both by the councell of Antioch and by the first councell of Nice celebrated in the time of Constantine the great The auncient and famous councel of Sardica hath these wordes Hoc quoque omnibus placeat vt siue diaconus siue presbyter siue quis clericorum ab episcopo suo communione fuerit privatus et ad alterum perrexerit episcopum et scierit ille ad quem confugit cum ab episcopo suo fuisse abiectum non opertere vt ei communionem indulgeat Let vs all agree hereunto that if a Deacon or a Priest or any of the Cleargie be excoÌ„municated of his own Bishop and shall flee to an other Bishop then he may not giue him the communion if he knewe that his owne Bishop did excommunicate him The secoÌ„d councell holden at Carthage hath these words Placet vt si presbyter excommunicatut aut correctus a suo episcopo sacrificare praesumpserit anathematizetur We agree that if a Priest being excommunicated or punished by his owne Bishop shall presume to celebrate accursed be that man And the selfe same decree is to be read in the sixt councell of Carthage Ex Patribus Saint Ambrose that graue learned and holy Bishop did alone excommunicate the Emperour Theodosius Theototus Bishop of Laodicea did himselfe alone excommunicate two Apolliâ—aries the father being a Priest and the sonne being a Reader The cause thereof was this viz. because they kept companie with a prophane Sophister Epiphanius and heard his vngodly rimes which he had made in the honour of Bacchus Alezander that godly and famous Bishop of Alexandria did by himselfe alone excommunicate Arrtus as both Sozomenus and Nioephorus doe contest in their stories Nicephorus hath these expresse wordes Alexander illum et cum eo qui partes cius sequereÌ„tur clericos omnes excoÌ„munie avit Alexander did both excommunicate Arrius and all the clerkes that held his opinion Yea this was a rule so receiued and a practise so common in the auncient Churches that when a controuersie arose about the celebration of Easter Victor that zealous Bishop of Rome about one thousand and foure hundred yeares agoe would haue excoÌ„municated all the Bishops of Ausâ— if Irenaeus the good Bishop of Lyons had not disswaded him from that attempt The first Obiection Saint Paul did not alone excommunicate the incestuous Corinthian but together with the whole congregation For he saith when ye are gathered together and my spirit The Answere I answere first that though Christ gaue the keyes and the power of remitting and retaining sinnes vnto the whole Church yet did he commit the vse and execution of that power vnto his Apostles and their successors til the worlds end Secondly that the Apostle himselfe alone did excommunicate the Corinthian and required the presence of the people no otherwise then the same is this day required in our English Churches viz that the sentence be pronounced in the hearing of the congregation that they may therby auoid his companie that is excommunicated and be terrified from the like offence I proue it because Saint Paules words are these for I verely as absent in body but present in spirit haue determined alreadie as though I were present By which words it is most apparant that the determination of the matter resteth onely in himself and not in the people For otherwise he could not haue dicided the matter in their absence and without their assent And it is confirmed to be thus because he alone excommunicated Alexander the Copper Smith and the same may bee thought probably of Hymeneus and Philetus The second Obiection Theodosius confessed his fault before the congregation and asked forgiuenesse of the same and thereupon was obsolued And so it appeareth that Ambrose alone did not excommunicate the Emperour The Answere It is the vsuall practise in our English Church that no excommunicate person be receiued into the Church again vntill he haue made publike confession and asked pardon for his offence And this notwithstanding the Bishop alone doth excommunicate as S. Ambrosius did the Emperour The Replie You say that the execution of excommunication pertaineth onely to the successours of the Apostles so consequently it must pertaine to all Ministers of Gods holy Word and Sacraments and not onely to your lordly Bishops The Answere I answere first that no such consequence can be inferred vpon my graunt For though I graunt and that truly that none but Ministers of Gods word and Sacraments can lawfully denounce the sentence of excommunication yet will it not follow thereupon that I giue the same power to euery Minister in generall For it is one thing to say that none but Ministers can doe it an other thing to affirme that euery Minister Promiscuè may doe it Secondly that all Ministers haue power habituall to excommunicate but those Ministers onely haue actuall power to doe it to whoÌ„ the Church hath committed that iurisdiction For seeing the Church hath all the power graunted to her dispensation shee may giue to this or that Minister more or lesse as shall be thought conuenient in her discretion CHAP. XIII Of Preaching and other things coincident The first Section of the vocation of Ministers which cannot Preach ALthough it were to be wished that all Ministers of Gods worde and Sacraments should be able to Preach and to deuide Gods word aright vnto the people yet where and when sufficient men of that abilitie cannot be had others of meaner talents and honest behauiour may not be reiected And to hold that none may be ordered and admitted to administer the Sacraments and to reade the Scriptures and godly Prayers in the Church for the comfort and edisication of the people is not onely against Christs institution but also against the vsual practise of the church in all ages Neither is it possible to alledge for the ground of the contrarie opinion either any sound reason out of holy Writ or any one testimonie of any of the holy fathers or any canon out of any ancient councell The latter member viz. that it is against the continuall practise of the church is as cleere as the Sunneshning at noone day therfore I deem it a thing needlesse to spend wordes in that behalfe The former member viz. that it is against Christs holy ordinance I prooue out of Christs owne words in his last supper when he said to his Disciples Hoc facitè in mei memoriam Doe this in my remembrance By these wordes as all the holy fathers and Doctors affirme constantly Christ made his Apostles Priests or Ministers giuing them power and authoritie onely to consecrate the blessed Sacrament of his body and blood and to deliuer the same vnto his people Neither could they lawfully haue either baptized or preached remitted and retained sinnes vntill they had receiued further authoritie so to doe which was not granted to them indeede vntill Christs
pertaine to comelinesse Ergo it is of God No answere can be made or deniall to vse the some ceremonies vnlesse the partie so refusing can proue for his excuse that such a ceremony pertaineth not to comelinesse which can never bee prooved till the worlds ende For all antiquitie all Councels all Fathers all Histories are of the contrarie opinion The third Aphorisme of the Surplesse and other apparrel of the Ministers THat which is already said in the former Aphorisme is a sufficient demonstration of this question to all well affected Readers Yet I am content to adde a word or two for the helpe of the simple vulgar sort Saint Iohn the Baptist did weare an vnwonted kinde of apparell so to set foorth his extraordinarie Ministerie and the rather to moue the people to enquire of his office And no sound reason can be yeelded why the same vse can not this day be made of the distinct kinde of apparell in the Ministers of the Church Samuel the Prophet had a distinct kinde of apparell from all the other people For Saul was perswaded that he whom the Witch had raised vp was Samuel the Prophet Which opinion Saul conceiued onely vpon this ground because the Witch named his attire Yea the Prophets were euer knowne from other men by a distinct and peculiar kind of apparell This to be so the wordes of the Prophet Zacharie will declare which are these in that day shal the Prophets be ashamed euery one of his vision when he hath prophesied neither shall they weare a rough garment to deceiue The Glosse in the Geneva Bible yeeldeth vs this exposition They shall no more weare Prophets apparell to make their doctrine seeme more holy Maister Caluin granteth freely that the Prophets were distinguished from the people by a peculiar kind of garment These are his expresse wordes Haec summa est non reprehendi in pseudoprophetis vestem ipsam quemadmoduÌ„ quidam parùm consideratè arripiunt hunc locum vt damnent vestes oblongas quiâ—quid displicet eorum morositati This is the summe that this kind of garment was not reproued in the false Prophets as some men doe rashly wrest this place to condemne long gownes and whatsoeuer else doth not please their way wardnesse The same Maister Caluin in an other place hath these wordes Sedex Zâ—charia apparet prophetas certa pally forma à reliquis fuisse distinctos Nec verò ratione caruit doctores it a vistiri vt in eorum halâ—tu plus gravitatis modestiae quaÌ„ in vulgari extarct But by Zacharie it is apparant that the Prophets were distinguished from the rest of the people by a certaine kind of cloake And it was not without reason that the doctors were so attired that in their habite there might be more granitie and modestie then in the vulgar people Out of this doctrine thus deliuered by M. Caluin I obserue these worthy documeÌ„ts First that it is expedieÌ„t yâ— the ministers be known by their apparel 2. that they are way-ward fellowes that speake against varietie of garmeÌ„ts in the ministers and people Thirdly that there is grauitie modestie consequently comelinesse in the apparrell of Ministers This is a point of great importance it may not bee forgotten It is of such moment that it striketh dead and can neuer be answered S. Hieromie maketh this question plaine and cleere these are his words Quae sunt rogo inimicitiae contra deum si tuni cam hobutro mundiorem si episcopus presbyter diaconus reliquiâ—s ordâ— eccusiâ—sticus in administratione sacrificicrum candida veste processerint What emnitie I pray you is there against God if I doe weare a more cleanly garment if a Bishop a Priest or Deacon and the rest of the Clergie be attyred with a white vesture in time of devine service Vide infra ca. 10. ex Bucero Againe in an other place the same auncient holy and learned Father hath these expresse words Porrò religio divina alterum habitum habet in ministerio alterum in vsu vitâque communi Furthermore divine religion hath one habite in the ministerie an other in common life and vse thus writeth S. Hieromie whose wordes in both the places if they bee aptly ioyned together wil make it euident to euery indifferent Reader that in S. Hieroms time which was aboue one thousand and two hundred years agoe the Ministers of the Church did weare a Surplesse For in the former place he affrmeth that the Ministers of the Church did weare a white garment and in the latter he saith that they vsed one kinde of garment in the time of Gods divine seruice an other in their common conversation M. Bucer that famous godly and learned writer in his resolution to M. Hopper concerning the wearing of garments in time of divine service and Sacraments hath these expresse wordes Constat dominum nostrum Iesum ChristuÌ„ substantiam tantum ministerij cum verbi tum sacramentorum suis verbis nobis praescripsisse caetera omnia quae ad decentem vtilem administrationem mysteriorum eius pertinent ordinanda permisisse ecclesiae Unde sacram laenam nos nec vesperi nec in domo privata nec discubendo nec cum viris tantum celebramus Sequitur illa autem ae loco ae tempore de habitu corporis ad sacram caenam vel cerebrandam vel sumendam de admittendis mulierculis ad sacrae caenae communionem de modo precum atque â—ymnorum ad deum ita attâ—m de vesiuis alijs rebus ad externum decorum pertinentibus non dubito deminum ecclesiae suae liberam fecisse potestatens statuendi de his rebus ordinandi quae indicaverit quaelibet ecclesia apud suum populum maxime collatura ad sustinendam augendam reverentiam erga omnia domini sacra Si itaque aliquae ecclesiae ex hac libertate Chirsts ad hunc finem adificandae plebis Christi ministros suos vellent in sacris ministerijs aliquibus singularibus vestibus vti remota omni superstitione omni levitate omnique etiam inter fratre dissensione id est abvsu tales cerâ—è ecclesias non video quis possit iure ob hanc rem condemnare vilius peccati neaum communionis cum Antichristo Quid si ecclesia aliqua â—uro sancto suorum consensu eum morem haberet vt sâ—nguli etiam ad caenam sacram sicut olim reâ—ens baptizaâ—i agebant veste alba vterentur eam n. lâ—bertatem si quis contendat nulâ— ecclesiae Christi esse permittendam oportebit sanè faters vnum ex his aut nihil omnino circa caenam domini ordinandum ecclesiis esse concessum de quo non habeant expressum Christi mandatum quo pacto condemnabuntur cunctae ecclesiae impiae audaciae Nam omnes tempus locum habitum corporum in sacrae caenae celebratione observant admittunt que ad sacrae communionem
is granted to the Church in the Election of her Ministers This veritie may easily be proued by foure reasons of great importance viz. By apostolicall practise decrees of auncient Councels the testimonie of the holy Fathers and the consent of best approoued late Writers The first Reason drawne from the practise of Christ and his Apostles CHrist himselfe as his holy Gospell teacheth vs did of himselfe alone without the consent and voices of his people both call and choose his Apostles And in like manner himselfe alone did cal choose his disciples whoÌ„ he sent abroad to Preach the Gospell into euery citie and place whither he himself should come But most certain it is that we are bouÌ„d to imitate Christs facts deeds before all other mens For euery his action is and ought to be our instruction For this cause doth the Apostle exhort the E phesians and in them all other Christians to be followers of God as deare children And the same Apostle willeth vs to be followers of him euen as he followed Christ. The Apostles themselues in their Elections of ministers did not euer obserue one and the same manner For in one place we reade that they presented two Barsabas Matthias whereof the one was chosen by Lot In an other place we find that this course was altered For the people presented seuen to the Apostles who all were chosen without Lots vpon whom the Apostles also laid on their hands Wee reade in an other place that this forme was like wise changed and that the Apostles Paul and Barnabas ordained ministers in euery citie in which ordaination they neither obserued casting of Lots nor yet any presentment by the people We find in an other place that S. Paul Elected and ordained both Timothy and Titus and gaue them authoritie to ordaine others Hereupon I inferre this euident conclusion that there is no certaine forme prescribed for the Election of ministers which is to be obserued for euer in the Church but that euery Church is free to change the same according to the circumstances of times places and persons Which doctrine wil better appeare when I shal come to the fourth Reason The second Reason drawne from the Decrees of auncient councels THe Councell of Laodicea holden in the yeare of our Lord 370. hath these wordes Non est permittendum turbis electionem eorum facere qui sunt ad sacerdotium promovends The people may not be permitted to haue the Election and choise of them who are to be preferred to the Ministerie of the Church The Councell of Cabilon hath these wordes Si quis episcopus de quacunque civilate fuerit defunctus non ab alio nisia comprevâ—ncialibus clero civibus suis alterius habeatur electio Sin autem huius ordinatio irrita habeatur If any Bishop shall dye of what citie soeuer he be let not an other be chosen by any other saue onely by the Citizens Cleargie and bishops of the same prouince If it be done otherwise the ordination shall be of no effect The Councell of Antioch teacheth the selfe same Doctrine The councell of Nice after it hath pronounced the Election of the people to be voide and of none effect addeth these wordes Oportet n. eum qui est promo vendus ad episcopatum ab episcopis eligi For he that shall be made a Bishop must be chosen of the Bishops And this second Councell of Nice alledgeth the first Councell of Nice vpon which they ground this their Decree This reason therefore is consonant to the former that there is no certaine prescript rule for the Election of the Ministers of the Church The third Reason drawne from the Testimonie of the holy Fathers SAint Hierome in his Epistle to Evagrius hath these expresse wordes Nam Alexandriae a Marco evangelista vsque ad Heraclam Dionisium episcopos presbiteri semper vnum ex so electum in excelsiori gradu collocatum episcopum nominabant For at Alexandria from Marke the Euangelist vntill the Bishops Heraclas and Dionisius the pastorall Elders did alwaies choose one among them whom they placed in an higher degree and called him Bishop Marke these words well Saint Hierome saith heere that the Priests or Pastorall Elders did in Saint Markes time which was in the time of the Apostles choose one of themselues to be their Bishop He maketh no mentioÌ„ at al of any interest that the people had in that Election He that can and list may reade in the Ecclesiasticall Histories that when Anxentius the Arian was depriued of the Bishopricke of Millan then Valentinianus the Emperour called the Bishops together and willed them to place such a one in that Bishopricke as was fit for the place Which motion of the Emperour did no sooner sound in the eares of the Bishops but they forthwith humbly requested the Emperour that he himselfe would choose one whom hee thought most meete in that behalfe Yet the Emperour both grauely prudently and most Christianly answered that it were much better for them to choose one for that they were best able to iudge and discerne of his meetnesse for that place In the ende the good Emperour seeing the people tumâ—â—tuously deuided aboâ—t the Election was content to interpose his authoritie and to commaund Ambrose to be ordâ—ined Bishop there These are the wordes of Theodoretus Hac dissensione cognita Ambrosius vrbis praefectus veritus ne qui â—novarum rerum molirentur propâ—re ad ecclesiam coÌ„tendit Illi sedâ—tione compressa vno ore omnes postulant vti Ambrosius qui adhuc sacris Baptismi mâ—sterijs non erat initiatus ipsiâ— designetur episcopus Quare audua 〈◊〉 iubet illum egregium virum extemplo initiari episcopum ordinari So soone as this dissention was knowne Ambrose the gouernour of the Citie fearing least they should 〈◊〉 some new tumult commeth with speede vnto tâ—e Câ—urch The people beholding him made an end of their variance and all with one assent desired that Ambrose not as yet Baptized with the holy Lauer might bee designed their Bishop Which when the Emperour heard hee commaunded that forthwith that worthy man should be Baptized and then created their Bishop Thus writeth this auncient and learned father Out of these wordes I obserue first that in the time of Theodoret who liued almost 1200. yeares agoe the people had voices in the Election of the Ministers of the Church Secondly that such vsage of popular Election was the cause of great tumults and sedition in the Church Thirdly that it was lawfull for the Bishops to haue kept the authoritie and interest of Election in themselues Fourthly that the confirmation of Bishops was then in the power of the Emperour Fiftly that it greatly skilleth not who doe chose so fit men be chosen for the places Eusebius Caesariensis affirmeth constantly that two excellent Bishops in Palestine Theoctistus Bishop of Caesarea and Alexander Bishop of
Saint Chrysostome in these golden wordes Neque ideo solum sed vt tu disceres quontam super te quoque cum Sacro Fonte dilueris Sanctus Spiritus veniat iam vero non visibils specie qua vtique non egemus cum nobis pro cunctis sola fides sufficiat Nam signa non credentibus sed incredulis dantur Neither did the Doue appeare onely for that end but that thou also mayst learne that the Holy Ghost commeth vpon thee when thou art washed in the holie Font bu that appearance is not nowe adayes in any visible shape whereof wee haue no neede seeing sole faith sufficeth for all For signes are not giuen to the faithfull but to the incredulous persons These things well pondered the obiection against the booke of Common prayer will bee to no purpose vnlesse perhaps it will bee a caueat for the Author which I heartilie wish to write and speake more circumspectly in time to come For I verily am perswaded that all things contayned in the booke of Common prayer are agreable to the holy Scriptures the practise of the Church in the purest times and composed with such Iudgement Pietie Learning and Religion that all the wisedome in the worlde is not able iustlie to controll the same In so much that I wonder and greatly admire the audacious temeritie of manie who being of small reading and learning and of no iudgment and experience if they bee compared to those auncient graue Godly wise and learned fathers that compiled the booke of common prayer dare presume to condemne the same with theyr bitter invectiues vntimely censures and vnchristianlike Anathematizations True it is that Saint Hierome saith Nec sibi blandiantur si de Scripturarum capitulis videntur sibi affirmare quod dicunt cum Diabolus de Scripturis aliqua sit locutus Scripturae non in legendo sed in intelligendo consistunt Neyther must they slatter themselues if they seeme in their owne conceits to prooue so much as they say seeing the Deuill himselfe alleadged Scripture against our Lord Iesus and the Scriptures doe not consist in bare reading but in true Sense and meaning Would God this graue aduise giuen by this holy auncient and learned Father might be a president and constant rule in this doleful age to all nouices superficiall diuines and young students in Diuinitie who more rashly then Clerklie take vpon them to controll not onelie our most Reuerend Fathers the graue wise and learned Byshops but euen the whole Synode assembled in the Conuocation house yea and the King himselfe to walke circumspectlie to liue obedientlie to think modestlie of their own gifts not to esteeme better of themselues and their iudgements then there is cause but to thinke that a learned Synode can see as farre as they and would as gladly goe to Heauen as they and consequently to ponder with themselues seriouslie that it is a too too malepeart saucinesse for young heads and superficiall Diuines of slender Iudgement and lesse reading of the holy Fathers auncient Councells and Ecclsiasticall hystories to censure and controll not onely the Godlie setled Lawes of our Christian Kingdome but euen of the continuall practise of the Churche in all ages I my selfe am about three score yeares of age I haue endeuoured by Prayer and painefull Studie to attayne good literature euer since I was fiue yeares of age I haue liued conuersed studied disputed in manie famous Vniuersities aswell in England as in forraine Countries I haue employed my whole care industry and diligence now for the space of thirty yeares and odde to vnderstand Gods word aright to know what hath bene the practize of Christes church in all former ages and for that ende and purpose I haue for the space of thirtie yeares and odde prouided all the auncient Fathers Councells Hystories Ecclesiasticall and Chronographycall so far forth as my abilitie was able to extend and reach and that nothing should be wanting in this behalf I haue borrowed bookes where I could and haue also had recourse to the best Libraryes both in the Vniuersities els where to the end I might gather notes out of such bookes as I was not able to buye and prouide In which behalfe not my selfe onely but all such as reape anie commoditie by my painfull labours are more then a little beholden to these most Reuerend Fathers Iohn the late Arch-byshoppe of Canterburie Richard now the L Arch-byshoppe of Canterburie and Tobye the L Bysh. of Durham who haue for themselues the good of others most excellent costly and goodly Libraries to which I haue found free accesse at all times when I desired All this beeing performed I haue verie seriouslie weighed pondered and considered what the Papists Arrians Macedonians Eutichians Nestorians Donatists Carpocratians Ebionites Tatians Manichees Brownists and other Sectaries doe and can say for their opinions and this notwithstanding I finde the Doctrine and the Godlie setled Lawes of this Church of England amongst which I place the late Canons of Anno. 1604. to bee consonant to Gods word to the vsuall practise of the Church in all former ages These things I vtter in these tearms because I heartilie wishe to perswade all such as are carefull of their saluation to yeeld obedience to higher Powers and not to bee carryed awaye with the Sugred words of superficiall Diuines but to learne that obedience is better then Sacrifice I am now likelie euen by the course of Nature shortly to forsake this worlde and therfore I doe not seeke any preferment for my paines which I neuer to this daye hunted after and much lesse doe I seek to draw men into errrours and so to make shipwracke of mine owne Soule No no my purpose God is my witnesse is farre otherwise as who am perswaded so fullie of the Doctrine which I deliuer that I am not affrayde to ende my life in the same The second member of certaine Rites and Ceremonies vsed in Baptisme New-fangled oddely conceited persons do scornfullie inueigh against interrogatories ministred at Baptisme against Godfathers Godmothers Fonts and otherlike Ceremonies as things vnknowen in the time of the Apostles To whome I answere in this manner First that manie things are this day lawfully done in the Church which were not in vse in the Apostles time This is already prooued Secondly that the custome of the Church in things indifferent is to be esteemed among Christians for a Law This is likewise prooued And let him that holdeth the contrarie opinion tell mee by what lawe hee can iustifie that formall coniunction of men and wemen in holy wedlock which is vsed not onely in our Church of England but also in purest reformed Churches euerie where Hee shall neuer bee able to alleadge any ground in that behalfe but the vnwritten traditions of the Church Of which traditions th' Apostle spoke as learned interpreters tell vs when he said he would set other things in
also in all other reformed churches wheresoeuer I therefore conclude this member with this Golden sentence of S. Austen if any thing be obserued vniuersallie of the whole church then not to obserue that or to call it into question is meere madnesse and desperate follie The sixt member of praying to be deliuered from Lightning Plague and sodaine death It is scornefully obiected against the prayers of the church that when wee pray to bee deliuered from plague famine and from other aduersitie wee pray without faith because wee haue no promise to receiue the things we pray for To whom I answere First that our Sauiour Christ taught vs so to pray when hee deliuered to his Church the forme of that prayer which we should daily vse Being the most exact and most perfect prayer that euer was or can be made Where the Notes of the Geneua Byble expound it to be deliuered from all aduersitie And consequently that we pray with saith seeing Holy writ is our warrant for that we pray Secondly that wee haue promise to receiue that wee pray for so far forth as standeth with Gods glorie and our soules health For Christ himselfe willeth vs to aske and wee shall receiue to seeke and wee shall finde to knocke and it shall be opened vnto vs. Yea he standeth knocking at the doore of our hearts and if wee will open the doâ—e to him hee will enter into the house of our hearts and dwell with vs and giue vs all things necessarie both for our bodies and for our soules And to assure vs thereof Christ willeth vs to beleeue that wee shall haue our request it shall bee done vnto vs. And if any will replie that many aske many things in prayer and yet doe not attaine the same to such I answere with Saint Iames in these words yee aske and receyue not because yee aske amisse that ye may lay the same out on your pleasures Thirdly that when our church prayeth to bee deliuered from all aduersitie she hath both the example and aduise of most holy men The holy Patriarch Iacob fearing to receyue some bodily harme and aduersitie of his brother prayed to God in this manner O God I pray thee deliuer mee from the hand of my brother from the hand of Esau for I feare him least hee will come and sinite mee the mother vpon the children King Dauid fearing to receyue bodilie harme of his sonne Absalon fled away from him and prayed God to turne the counsell of Achitophel who conspired with Absalon into foolishnes The whole congregation prayed to God to prosper their King when hee went forth to battell against the Ammonites And I deeme them no good subiects to our most gracious Soueraigne King Iames who will not pray to God vnfaynedlie to defende him from all aduersitie Neyther yet those persons who refuse to pray with our church for all happinesse aswell corporall temporarie as spirituall Eternall to our most vertuous Queene Anne the noble Prince Henry all the rest of that most Royall progenie Yea Christ himselfe forewarning his disciples of externall future aduersity willeth them to pray to bee defended from the same Praye saith Christ that your flight be not in the winter neither on the Sabboth day And besides the sixt petition of the Lords prayer which teacheth vs to pray to be defended from all aduersitie as S. Cyprian Ursinus and Illyricus with manie other learned wryters expound it and besides the fourth petition also which teacheth vs to pray for all things needfull for this life as the same wryters tell vs many examples of the new Testament doe make it cleere and euident that Christ was well pleased with their prayers who prayed for things to this life appertaining The Ruler prayed for the life of his Daughter Christ performed his desire Bartimaeus the sonne of Tymans desired to receiue his sight obtained his request Two blind men followed Christ and requested to receiue their sight hee yeelded to their petitions A woman a Canaanite desired Christ to helpe her Daughter who was miserablie vexed with a Deuill Christ cured her daughter presently Many other like exaÌ„ples I might alledge but in steed therof this onelie goldeÌ„ sentence of S. Augustine shall suffice Cum dicimus libera nos a malo nos admonemus cogitare nondum nos esse in eo bono vbi nullum patiemur malum Et hoc quidem vltimum quod in Dominica oratione positum est tam late tamque enidenter manifestè patet vt homo Christianus in qualibet tribulatione constitutus in hoc gemitus edat in hoc lachrymas fundat hinc exordiatur in hoc immoretur ad hoc terminet orationem When wee say Deliuer vs from euill wee admonish ourselues to consider with our selues that we are not as yet in that good estate where wee shall suffer no euill And this which is last placed in the Lords Prayer is extended so farre and so plainly that a Christian man moued with any kind of tribulatioÌ„ may in this petition sigh in this shed his teares begin herein continue herein and end his prayer herein Thus writeth this holy father And now where it is wont to be obiected against the custome of our Church that we know not that God wil deliuer vs from all such aduersitie as from lightning thunder fire water sodaine death and such like I answere that we are not to command God or to appoint him an houre but to expect his good time and to referre euery part and parcell of our petitions to his holy will and pleasure euer implied in all our prayers And againe that if we must pray for nothing but that onely which wee knowe God will grant we shall seldome or neuer pray for any thing at all No wee must not say to our neighbour ryding towards London God speede you well nor to the sicke persons GOD helpe you nor for the preseruation of his Maiestie GOD saue the King How absurde these things are euery childe can discerne and yet the patrons of the Presbyterie condemne our Church for Preaching to be defended from all aduersitie vpon such sillie fansies and slender groundes The seventh member of the oath ex officio It is thought a very haynous offence that the Church doth sometime require an oath whereby certaine persons are constrained to accuse themselues Which oath because some doe offer it by vertue of their place and charge committed to them is by some male-contents ironically termed the oath ex officio But I answere first that it is as vsually ministred in the Ciuill affaires of the common-weale as in the Ecclesiasticall causes of the Church whereof none can bee ignorant that haue any notice of the ordinarie practise of his Maiesties honourable Counsell in the North of England Which vsage though of great antiquitie hath for all that euer beene approued and deemed lawfull as well by the wisest