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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A04542	A treatise of the ministery of the Church of England Wherein is handled this question, whether it be to be separated from, or joyned vnto. Which is discussed in two letters, the one written for it, the other against it. Wherevnto is annexed, after the preface, A brief declaration of the ordinary officers of the Church of Christ. And, a few positions. Also in the end of the treatise, some notes touching the Lordes prayer. Seuen questions. A table of some principal thinges conteyned in this treatise.	Johnson, Francis, 1562-1618.; Hildersam, Arthur, 1563-1632. aut	1595 (1595)	STC 14663.5; ESTC S117234	146,027	152

from among them neyther have in this or any thing els in theyr constitution the keyes of the kingdome of heaven to open and shut to bynd and loose to remit and retayne according to the word and ordinance of Iesus Christ but the chief ecclesiasticall power and authority among them is in the hands of the Prelalates ād theyr Chauncelors Archdeacons and Officials to be administred according to theyr Canons and constitutions as before is said So is it also with the Priests Churchwardens and people of England But contrarily with the Pastors Elders and people of the Churches of Christ Mat. 16. 16. 19. with 18. 17. 18. 1 Cor. 5. 4. 5. and 2 Co● 2. 6. 7. 8. and 10. 4. 5. 6. Psal. 149. 9. Numb 5. 2. 3. 1 Thes. 5. 12. 14. 2 Thes. 3. 6. 14. 15. Eph. 4. 11. 12. 1 Tim. 5. 17. Act. 20. 28. Rom. 16. 17. Rev. 19. 14. 15. 2 Cor. 6. 14. 15. 16. 28 The popish priests must be discerned from the other people by Surplice tippet square cap etc. So must also the priests of England But not pastors Esa. 30. 22. and 52. 11. 2 Cor. 6. 17. Rev. 18. 4. 1 Tim. 3. 2. and 4. 12. 16. Num. 15. 39. 29 The popish priests by vertue of theyr ordination to that office are capable of induction and institution to any benefice whereto they are presented to receyv the tithes gleavs chrismes oblations and such like maintenance belonging therevnto So are also the Priests of England But so are not any by vertue of ordination to the Pastors office neyther is the Pastors maintenance to be by ti●hes or any other Iewish or popish maner but onely of the Gospell as Christ hath orde●ned 1 Cor. 9. 14 Gal. 6. 6. Rom. 15. 27. 1 Thes. 5. 12. 13. with Heb. 7. 5. 12. Col. 2. 17. 30 The popish priesthood was never appoynted by Christ but is a new ministery devised by man even the man of sinne both in the office entrance administration and maintenance thereof Such is also the Priesthood of England Whereas the Pastors p office q entrance r administration and s maintenance is not any invention of man but the appoyntment of Christ sett downe in his word p Ephes. 4. 11. Rom. 12. 8. q Act. 14. 23. and 6. 2. 3. 5. Numb 8. 9. 10. Heb. 5. 4. 1 Ti. 3. cap. and. 4. 14. Col. 4. 17. r 2 Tim. 3. 16. 17. Ephes. 4. 8. 12. Rō 12. 8. 1 Tim. 3. 15. and 5. 17. 21. and 6. 3. 13. 14. Tit. 1. 7. 9. Act. 15. 6. 22. and 20. 28. 1 Thes. 5. 12. 13. 14. 1 Pet 5. 2. 3. 1 Cor. 4. 1. 2. Gal. 1. 8. 9. s 1 Cor. 9. 14. Gal. 6. 6. 1 Tim. 5. 17. 18. 1 Thes. 5. 12. 13. 31 The popish priesthood is such both in theyr office entrance administration and maintenance as Princes and Magistrates may and ought by theyr authority to abolish it out of theyr dominious Such is also the Priesthood of England in all those particulars But such is not the Pastors place and function Ephes. 4. 11. 12. 13. 1 Cor. 12. 4. 5. 28. Rom. 12. 8. and 13. 3. Heb. 12. 28. 1 Tim. 2. 2. and 5. 17. and. 6. 13. 14. 15. 32 The popish priesthood is such in all the particulars aforesaid as the Lord Iesus will consume with the brightnes of his appearing in the light and power of his Gospell before his second coming Such is also the Priesthood of England Whereas on the contrary the Pas●ors office and function is to continew to the end of the world euē till we all meet together in the vnity of faith and acknowledgmēt of the Sonne of God to a perfitt man vnto the measure of the stature of the fulnes of Christ Ephes. 4. 11. 12. 13. Rom. 12. 5. 8. Heb. 12. 28. 5. 20. 1 Tim. 3. cap. and Math. 28. 17. and 6. 13. 14. 33 Finally therefore the popish priesthood is such as no●e may have any spirituall communion therewith but all ought to forsake and depart from it though all Princes vnder heaven should commaund the contrary Such is also the priesthood of England Whereas on the other side the Pas●ors function is such as is not to be left but to be ioyned vnto in the service of God notwithstanding the prohibition of Princes or any other whomsoever to the contrary Eph. 4. 11. 12. 1 Tim. 5. 17. and 6. 13. 14. 15. Rom. 12. 4 8. 1 Cor. 12. 5. 28. and 14. 37. Mat. 28. 20. Hitherto then have we been both the agreement of the Priesthood of England with the popish ād how both of them disagree from the Pastors office appoynted by Chirst Neyther should we make an end if we would com●are them tog●ther in all things or dilate at large these particulars afor● said This may suffice to show how vntrue it is which Mr. H. affirmeth saying theyr Priesthood differeth in nature and substance as much from the popish Priesthood as light doth from darknes and that it is the same in su●stance with the Pastors office described in the word Let him that readeth consider what hath b●n said and then iudge righteous iudgment Now to proceed thus it followeth in his writing ¶ Mr H. his letter Section 9. VVE have seen hovv vvell our Lavv agreeth vvith the lavv of God in the substance of the Ministers office Let vs consider hovv like they ●e in the ma●or of his outvvard calling vnto his office The vvord ●eq●ireth that he onely should be called to the Ministery that is a man of vnblameable life If it vvould please you to peruse the book of ordering Deacons and Priests you shall fynd it requireth the same The vvord reqaireth that he should be apt to teach So doth our Lavv. The vvord requireth that before he minister he should be approved Our lavv commaundeth that before he be admitted he be by such as are learned examined vvhat gifts he hat● and ability to teach and by the people vvhat his conversation hath ben The vvord prescribeth that the people and flock should approve of and choose theyr Minister Our Lavv commaundeth that none should be admitted to that office but in a solemne assembly and that liberty should be graunted to any in the congregation to obiect vvhatsoever iust impediment that they shall knevv against him The vvord requireth that by the imposition of the hands of the Eldership vvith solemne prayers the Minister should be ordeyned and as it vvere consecrated to that holy office Our lavv requireth the very same In deed I confesse that there is great vvant in our Church in the due execution of these things but that is the fault of the men not of the calling And therefore to your reason that is brought to prove●s Antichristian vsurpers because vve have no other office in the Church but that vvhich the Lavv allovveth you see I may truly and suffiicienly aunsvver that although vve had no other yet have we that in substance vvhich the vvord prescribeth

canons Wherevpon also to note it by the way it followeth that they are not a true Church of Christ. For Christs Church hath alwayes Christs power to excommunicate Whereas these assenblyes have no other power to excommunicate but by the Archdeacon or Lordbischop whose offices be Antichristian And herevpon it is that the more religious any is among them the more he contemneth theyr excommunication Which were a fearefull sinne if theyr Church were a true Church whose bynding on earth were such as bound also in heaven Thirdly I aunswer if theyr ministery and worship of God were according to the word ād law of God then ought all vpon payne of damnation to submit ād ioyne vnto it Now if they do not so vrge it themselves do thereby acknowledg that it is not of God If they do so ●rgeit then they vrge vpon payne of damnation that which is contrary to the word and law of God as hath ben and shall more be showed hereafter Now it followeth in his letter thus Mr. H. his letter Section 3. TO vvhich purpose also I besech you to consider that althoug there is not the least part of Christs ordinances that can be neglected vvithout grievous sinne yet the vvant or neglect of some of these ordinances of Christ vvhich concerne the discipline of his Church and the outvvard calling of the ministers is no such sinne as can make eyther the ministers and governours of our Church Antichrists or our Church an Antichristian and false Church And although divers corruptions remayne in our Church vvhich vvere derived to vs from the Papi●es the least vvhereof I vvill not take vpon me to defendt yet are they not of that nature that can make vs an Antichristian Church For first no one place of Scripture can be found vvherein he is called a● Antichrist or Antichristian vvho holding the truth of doctrine and professing those articles of religion that are fundamētall as you knovv vve do doth 〈◊〉 eyther in iudgment or practise from that rule that Christ hath given for the Discipline of his Church In the prophecy of Daniel Antichrist is described by his Doctrine Dan. 7. 8. 25. So is he in the epistle to the Thessalonians 2 Thes. 2. 10. 11. And in the epistle to Timothy 1 Tim. 4. 1. 2. 3. And in the Epistles of Iohn 1 Ioh. 2. 22. and 4. 3. and 2 Ioh. 7. And in the book of Revelation chap 13. 5. 6. Neyther can you fynd any Antichrist mentioned in the Scripture vvhose doctrine vvas sound Our Saviour Christ calleth him a true Pastour and no hi●●ling vvho leadeth the sheep in at the doore Ioh. 10. 2. that is vvho teacheth no other meanes of salvation but Christ onely vvho is the doore of the sheep Ioh. 10. 7. 9. He affirmeth also that vvhosoever beleveth in his heart and confesseth vvith his mouth that he is that Christ and Messiah promised is a true member of his Church and built vpon a rock against vvhich the gates of hell shall not prevaile If then the doctrine of our Church be sound vvhat vvarrant have you to call●s Antichrists If our pastours offer to lead you vnto salvation through no other doore then Christ hovy dare you that say you are Christs refuse to be guyded by them If our asse●blyes be built vpon that rock hov● can you deny them to be true Churches Aunswer to Section 3. IT is to be noted here first that Mr. H. denyeth not but they stand in grievous sinne by neglecting Christs ordināces secondly that he graunteth they retayne divers corruptions in theyr Church which were derived to them from the Papists How theyr case standing thus by his own confession how can he peswade you or any other to partake with them in such sinnes vnles he would have you also to receiv of theyr plagnes Agayn it is to be observed that ●r H. faith here he will not take vpon him to defend the least of theyr popish corruptions And yet doth cleane otherwise throughout this letter chiefly in his aunswer to the second part of the reason But to omitt this I would desier to have noted down in particular the corruptions remayning in theyr Church which he confesseth were derived to them from the Papists And then let it be iudged whether they be Antichristian Here also it is to be mynded that the ministery and constitution of theyr Church is not charged to be Antichristian because of this that they want or neglect some of Christs ordinances as here he may seem to insinuate but because they have and submitt vnto Antichrists as will appeare in the discussing of them In the meane tyme to omitt many other let him consider first that theyr forcing and confounding in the body of their Church all maner people though never so wicked to stand members thereof is meerly Antichristian and directly contrary to the order of Iesus Christ who hath commanded his people to separate willingly from the world and all false wayes Secondly that the offices of Archbishops Lordbishops Archdeacons and theyr Officials in whom resteth the chief ecclesiasticall power among them are also Antichristian and were never sett by Christ in his Church Thirdly that the offices of the Priests Deacons Dicars s●ipendaryes and the rest of the inferiour ministery among them theyr entrance also into theyr offices theyr administration of them and maintenance in them are not found in the Testament of Christ nor in the Primitive Churches planted by the Apostles but derived from and belonging to the aposta●y of Antichrist and found in his popish pontifi●all and assemblyes even vnto this day Next towching theyr profession he speaketh of I aunswer first that the verball profession of the articles of religion that are fundamentall will no more help them then it doth the Papists who do also verbally and daily repeat and professe in generall the articles of faith called the Apostles treed and the Creed of Athanasius of Nice and Calcedon wherein are briefly and generally conteyned the fudamentall poynts of Christian religion But what avayleth this eyther the one or the other when otherwise in particular all of them in practise and some in judgment deny Christ to be that eternall Prophet Priest and king of his Church howsoeuer in word and generall they both do professe it Secondly I aunswer that the very strength of delusion ād depth of the subtilty of Antichrist by which he deceyveth stādeth in this that he pretendeth to be for ād with Christ ād teacheth many excelēt truths otherwise he would soone be espyed and forsaken whereas now it is a mystery as the Scripture saith hardly discerned and hardlyer avoyded Hereupon it is that among the Papists so many of them are deluded whi●●● the Pope professeth he is not against Christ but for him even his vica● and Peters successor that his Church is the Catholik Church out of which there is no salvation and such like And among these in England likewise whiles theyr

whether he speak of invisible or of a visible Church of God If he speak of invisible he speaketh not to the poynt in question besides that they could not be counted an invisible Church and yet be knowen to be assembled together in Parliament If he speak of a visible Church as he must if he will speak to the purpose and as it seemeth he meaneth because he sayth they were then assembled together then how doth he prove this to be so In deed we deny not but God had his flock and Church even a true visible Church in this Land at the beginning of her Majestyes raigne For we have heard and read that in Queen Maryes dayes there was here a Congregation of faythfull people separated from the rest of the Land and gathered into fellowship together to serve the LORD according to his word and to keep themselves pure from the abominations of Antichrist That this Congregation also chuse them Ministers Elders and Deacons to instruct guyde and serve them in the Lord and that they had theyr holy meetings and showed notable testimonyes of their faith and love So long then as they kept communiō in this way we deny not but they were a true visible Church though it may be in some defects through want of further light and instruction The like we think also of our countreymen that were then at Frankford Geneva and other where beyond seas But when Queen Mary dyed and Queen Elizabeth whom God long preserve came to the Crown then the Masse and some other superstitions of popery being abolished agaynst which these Congregations had witnessed the truth in much affliction they herevpon dissolved and the severall members scattered themselves to theyr parishes here and there throughout the Land commingling themselves in confusion with the rest of the land that were Idolaters and repented not and submitting theyr soules to the Prelates and to the Ministery receyved from and executed vnder them as also to theyr courts canons excommunications and other Antichristian jurisdiction retayned in the Land And so have continued in apostasy from the way of Christ vnto this day Now these Congregations being thus dissolved and the members there of thus standing they were not now any lōger true visible Churches in the order of Christ but fallen into confusion with the world and into spirituall bondage to the Prelates and other Clergy the limmes of Antichrist So as from hence for the poynt in hand M r H. can derive no help for himself But be it that they had remayned still visible Churches in true constitution and had assembled together and committed this authority of ordination to the Prelates Yet this being not warrantable by the word of God it had bound no mans conscience neyther ben sufficient warrant for any to partake in theyr sinnes For the sinfull actions of the Church do not bynd or warrant vs any more then the sinfull actions of the world Neyther can all Churches or Nations vnder heavē make that lawfull which God by his word maketh vnlawfull Though all the people of Israel being the true Church of God enjoyne and commit vnto Aaron to make a molten calfe to go before them Yet was not Aaron therefore bound or warranted therevnto but sinned in so doing as they also did that tooke part thereyn Agayne for example sake let vs suppose that which in deed was not to wit that Moses and Aaron and all that were famous in the Congregatiō yea that the whole Cōgregation of Israel being the true Church should have committed to Corah Dathan Abiram ād theyr company power to take censers and burne incense thereyn before the LOrd yet they being not capable of that power by the Law of GOD neyther might have taken it neyther might any other have communicated with them thereyn but all that would not perish in theyr sinne should have departed from them and theyr tents When Achaz King of Iudah appoynted and Altar to be made after the fashion of the altar of Damascus though the disciples and people of God which at that tyme were in Iudah should have consented thereyn and committed power to Vryah and the other Priests to offer vpon it burnt offrings and peace offrings ād that to no other but the true God Yet should not ●riah or any other therefore eyther have done it or partaken thereyn When Ieroboam King of Israeel toke counsell with his Princes and people and made Priests of the lawest of the people which were not of the sonnes of Levi ād therefore not capable of the Priests office though the ten tribes having ben til this tyme the Church and people of God consented therevnto Yet did not this therefore bynd or warrāt any of them eyther to receyv that office or to joyne vnto them in the worship of God To come nearer our own dayes let vs suppose that which himself will think is as likely if not more thē that he alledgeth to wi● that in this Land was a true Church at the end of King Edwards dayes vvhich being assembled out of all parts of the Lād in Parliament in the beginning of Q Maryes raigne did commit this povver ād authority of ordination to the Prelates vvhereof by the Lavv of God they vvere not capable Yet will not M r H. say but it was vnlawfull notwithstanding for any to seek or receyve ordination from then Otherwise what impiety is there that by this meanes might not be made at least some what tolerable as may appeare by the examples and instāces before mentioned and infinite other that might be alledged The same Parliament whereof he speaketh authorising the book of common prayer did thereyn he knoweth commit power and authority vnto weomē in cases of necessity to baptize whereof by the Law of God they are altogether vncapable will he therefore say it is lawfull eyther for women to administer Baptisme or for any to yeeld their children to be baptized of them because they may reverence and take benefit of the Princes povver ād authority vvhich is of God though it be committed vnto and exercised by such as by the Lavv of God are not capable of it Many mo particulars might be alledged of like nature both out of the Scriptures and Lawes of this and other Nations but for the matter in hand the former allegations may suffice 2. Next where Mr H. sayth that at the beginning of her Maiestyes raigne the Parliament committed this authority to ordeyne Ministers to the Bishops he mistaketh the matter if he think that then first they receyved it For the authority of ordination was not then first committed vnto the Prelates but continued to them from former tymes ād ratifyed vnto them both at that tyme and afterward agayne in the eyght yeare of her Highnes raigne as may appeare by the statu●es then enacted Which it seemeth the Prelates and Priests of the Lād desired because theyr offices and authority being called into question they were not

perhaps they never saw nor heard of afore and it may be never after Let him also tell vs if the Prelates do not oftē tymes make priests in theyr private chappels yea ād in theyr closets too ād whether these be not Priests by the Law aswell as the rest among them Now then where is the solemne assembly ād Congregation he speaketh of vnles he vnderstand it of the Prelates officers ād servitors who commonly are as wicked and irreligious as theyr Lord and Master Doth Mr H. write this as of syncerity as of God in the sight of God as he professed in the entrance of his letter Or doth he not rather go about to deceyv the Reader and darken the truth when thus colourably he would beare vs in hand that the Law of God which prescribeth that the Church and flock should approve and choose their own Minister is observed among them And yet further let● him aunswer whether they be not commonly made Priests at theyr own suite without any people to attend vpon much lesse to approve and choose them Yea whether often it be not so as the people where they are to minister never saw them before till they come vpon them with the Patrones presentation and the Prelates induction to the benifice Which when they bring the people are most that can do least even iust nothing at all For priests they must and will be there whether the people will or not Is this to have the Churches choyse and approbation Is this to follow the Law of GOD and to have that in substance which the word prescribeth as here Mr H. pretendeth they have But above all it is most straunge that he would perswade vs theyr law requireth theyr Ministers to be ordeyned by imposition of hands of the Eldership when all the world knoweth that they imprison banish and persecute to death the poore Christians in the Land which follow that rule of God in theyr iudgment and practise Yea and Mr H. himself afterward in this letter confesseth both that the power of ordination among them is by law committed to the Prelates and that by the Law of God the Prelates are not capable of it How then possibly can this be true which here he saith that theyr Law requireth ordination to be done by imposition of the hāds of the Eldership as the law of God doth These must needs be contradictory the one to the other But to proceed if it were so as here he pretendeth why then hath he with the rest of the forward preachers and people so often sued to the Parliament for an Eldership consisting of Pastors Teachers and Elders in every Church if already they enioy it Do they sue for that they have that were a mockery Or doth not the Law expresly requier that imposition of hāds among them be done by a Lordbishop or his Suffragane with the Archdeacon and other Priests present And are these now of late come to be an Eldership How is it then that the Prelates and theyr followers have heretofore written that in the Apostles tyme there were Elders in every Church but now it ought not so to be And that the seekers of Reformation have published that not onely the office of Elders but theyr Name also is out of this English Church vtterly removed and that in stead of them in every Church the Pope hath brought in and they in England yet mainteyne the Lordship of one man over many Churches yea over sundry shires Which Lordbishops being not able as the Elders to execute theyr offices in theyr own persons without substitutes have therefore theyr vnder officers as Suffraganes Chauncelors Archdeacons Officials Commissaryes and such like Also that they with theyr Canons and Courts are drawen out of the Popes shop and take vpon them which is most horrible the rule of GOds Church thrusting away most sacrilegiously that order which Christ hath left in his Church and which the Primitive Church hath vsed yea robbing the Church of lavvfull Pastors Elders and Deacons Thus and much more have themselves written heretofore Yet see how now Mr H. would perswade vs they have the Eldership prescribed in the word And that vvhereas there is vvant of due execution of such things in theyr Church as the Lavv of God commaundeth that is the fault of the men not of the calling As if the limmes of Antichrist were now become the Eldership ordeyned by Christ And the Archbishops Lordbishops Archdeacons with theyr other priests and Officers whom the Apostles never knew were to be accounted those Elders whom the Apostles planted in the Primitive Churches Those Elders had a lawfull calling of a true Church to a true office ordeyned by Christ which also they were bound to administer according to the word of God in the Church whereof and whereto they were called These Prelates and Priests as hath ben proved have an vnlawfull calling in a false Church to a false office never set by Christ in his Church which also they are bound to administer according to theyr popish Canons Articles and Iniunctions besides that many of them have Lordship ouer many Churches and sundry shires Those Elders performed theyr office in theyr own persons These Prelates and Priests have theyr substitutes Vicars and vnder officers Those Elders were in no office belonging to Antichrist These Prelates and Priests have the very offices without which no Church of Antichrist pretending to be Christs can be absolute and complete in all the Canonicall functions of Antichrists ministery and government Those Elders had offices which must continew to the end of the world yea even then when Antichrist in all the partes offices and power of his Ministery and religion shalbe consumed by the Gospell of IEsus Christ These Prelates and Priests have such offices as till they be abolished all the offices of Antichrists Hierarchy are not destroyed Which the Scripture testifyeth shall come to passe by the Spirit of the Lords mouth in the light and power of his Gospell To coclude then these Prelates and Priests are as vnlike to those Elders as darknes is to light and the forgeryes of Antichrist to the ordinances of IEsus Christ. Where then is the imposition of hands of the Eldership which Mr H. would make vs beleev theyr Ministers have Or is the want now among them not of the offices of Elders but onely of vpright Dealers therein as here he would perswade Thus then you see that theyr Ministers having no other office nor calling then the Law alloweth have not at all the substance of the office or calling of Ministers which the vvord prescribeth whatsoever colour he pretend to the contrary And yet I pray you what hath he said more for the maner of calling to theyr Priesthood then may be alledged for the popish priests For the Popes pontificall out of which theyr book is drawen requireth the same things at the entrance to the priesthood which Mr

the Name of God Herevpon it is that all the prayers recorded in the Scriptures which the men of God vpon ●o many severall occasions have offred vp vnto him are comprised in and may be reduced to this forme of prayer although they did not vse the very syllables and frame of words here set down By which also may be gathered both that this is a most absolute forme and ●●le of prayer and that the right vse of it is to conceyve and frame all our prayers according to this rule and not to be bound to vse this number of words as many now a dayes in theyr ignorance and superstition do imagine If it be obiected that Christ said VVhen ye pray say Our Father c. and therefore that we ought in prayer to repeat these words I aunswer first that the Scripture showeth his meaning was not at all to bynd vs to the vse of these syllables but that in prayer and thanks giving we should follow this direction and patterne which he gave So we read in Mathew that Christ said After this maner pray ye and not as men now would habeit Say ouer these vvords 2. Secondly seing this is an absolute forme of prayer wherein is no want or vayne repetition if Christs meaning were to bynd vs to the vse of these vvords why then should we vse any other why should we not allway vse these and these onely Yea what els were it but vayne bavling and intolerable presumption to put other prayers in stead of this which is so absolute and perfit 3. Thirdly it is to be mynded that this forme of prayer being reco●ded in two places of the Scripture there neyther is all the same worde nor the same number of words mentioned in both places Now then according to which of these two must we say it If according to Luke his recording of it then shall we offend against that of Mathevv and contraily if we 〈◊〉 t●ed to the number and order of the words as they are set down 4. As God in giving the Morall law albeit he did fully and shortly ●eclare his will in those ten Commaundements yet did not dynd the Prophets and Priests in theyr Ministery to vse those very words but as occasion required according vnto them to show the people what then ought to do or leave vndone so Christ also giving this foune of prayer a●beit therein he hath fully and shortly taught vs all things needfull for prayer yet hath not bound vs in calling vpon GOD to vse these vvords but in all things according to this rule to make our requests vnto God with giving of thanks 5. It is without question that the Apostles vnto whom this rule first was given were carefull to keep it according to the true meaning of Christ But they neyther tyed themselves to the sevvords but alway prayed as they had severall occasions according to this rule neyther whē they wrote vnto others concerning prayer did they ever teach them to say over the Lords prayer which doubtles they would have done if they had so taken the will of Christ to be but they taught and exhorted them still according to theyr necessityes and occasions in all things to show theyr requests vnto God in all maner prayer ād supplication in the spirit with giving of thanks and herevnto to watch with all perseverance because this is the vvill of God in Christ Iesus 6. If the Apostles had ben bound or might have tyed themselves to these or any other set forme of words then had they not given a sufficient reason who in this respect with other it was not meet they should attend vnto the Deacons office because they would give themselves as to the ministration of the word so also vnto Prayer For it had ben easy for them eyther to have said by rote or to have red o●t of a book this or any other set forme of prayer 7. They which think Christ hath tyed vs to say these vvords and that such saying of the words is true prayer must reconcile herewith the Apostles speach when he saith VVe knovv not vvhat to pray as vve ought but the spirit it self maketh request for vs vvith grones that can not be expressed These men it seemeth would aunswer Yes we know what to pray to witt the Lords prayer which conteyneth whatsoever we need to aske And what then need the Spirit to teach vs what to pray as we ought 8. The Apostle speaking of prayer in a stra●nge tongue saith thus VVhen thou blessest hovv shall he that occupyeth the roome of the vnlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks seing he knovveth not vvhat thou speakest Now if they had bē tyed to the vse of the words of the Lords prayer or to any other set sunted words they might have aunswered Yes we know what he saith when he prayeth or giveth thanks It is the Lords prayer or some stinted prescribed prayer which we know aforehand and therefore vnto it though it 〈◊〉 spoken in a straunge tong●e we can say Amen 9 If the saying over of these or of any friend words were true prayer then might a man have his prayers by rote or carry them in his pocket or ●●y them at the book bynders shop etc. Which were straunge to imagine of true prayer which is the work of Gods spirit in our hearts teaching and enabling vs to powre out our soules vnto God in all necessityes and occasions and so to offer vp spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God through Iesus Christ. 10. Whenas Christ promiseth that our heavenly father will give the holy Ghost to them that aske it of him And els where speaking of the destruction of Ierusalem saith Pray that your slight be not in the 〈◊〉 and the like these things being to be prayed for a●d yet these words not set down in that forme of prayer showeth that Christ hath not tyed v● to repeat over those words but to pray after that rule according to our wants and occasions 11 The words are so generall as vnles they be some way opened and particularl● applyed divers men will diversly vnderstand them For example if these words Thy kingdome come be vsed onely in generall without any explication the Papist vnderstandeth them of the advauncement of Gods kingdome in and by theyr religion the Protestant vnderstandeth and intendeth them of the cleane contrary And so in the rest Neyther can any man for himself vse them aright without some speciall application to his particular estate and occasion because no one mans faith and vnderstanding can atteyne vnto all things needfull for all occasioins tymes and persons as those words do comprehend 12. If these words Say yee c must be taken and pressed according to the letter then would follow that in prayer we should alway speak with the tongue Whereas there is prayer often in the spirit alone without any words or dis●inet voyce at all As we