Chap. 1. the. 1. Diuision.
Before I come to speak of prayers, I wil treat of the faults that arecomitted almost through∣out the whole Lyturgie, and publike Seruice of the Churche of Englande, whereof one is that, whiche is often obiected by the authors of the Admonition, that the forme of it is taken from the Churche of Antichriste, as the reading of the Epistles and Gospels so cutte and mangled, as the moste of the prayers, the maner of ministring the Sacramentes, of mariage, of burial, Confirma∣tion, translated as it were worde for worde, sauing that the grosse errours and manifest impieties be taken away. For although the formes and ceremonies whiche they vsed were not vnlawfull, and that they conteyned nothyng whiche is not agreable to the worde of God, (whiche I would they did not) yet notwithstanding neyther the worde of God, nor reason, nor the examples of the eldest Churches, both Iewish and Christian doe permit vs, to vse the same formes and ceremo∣nies, beyng neyther commaunded of God, neyther suche, as there maye not as good as they, and rather better be established.
In these woords are conteined two false principles, the one is that the forme and manner of prayer vsed in the Churche of England, is taken from the churche of Anti∣christ: the other, that it is not lawful to vse the same formes (of prayer) and ceremonies, that the Papists did: this latter I haue already proued to be otherwise, in the beginning where I spake of Ceremonies, and intend hereafter to answere such arguments as shal be vsed to proue the contrarie: the first wil appeare to be most vntrue, being ma∣nifest that such things as we now vse in the booke of Common prayer (though some of them haue ben vsed in the time of Papistrie) were appointed in the church by god∣lie and learned men, before the Pope was Antichrist, or the Church of Rome great∣ly corrupted, as the reading of the Epistle and gospell, whiche is of verie long continuance in the Church, euen whilest the church of Rome was as yet, in the principall points of doctrine pure, being also chosen places of scriptures apt for the time, and moste to edifying, which no honest heart and godly disposed person, can discommende.
If in the administration of the sacraments, celebration of mariage, burying of the dead, confir∣mation, those thyngs that are good and profitable be reteyned, and the grosse errours and manifest impieties taken away, as you say they be, why do you then on this sort trouble ye church, for vsing that which is good, & refusing that which is euill? Is Papistrie so a∣ble to infect the word of God, godlie prayers, and profitable Ceremonies, that they may not be vsed in the Church reformed, the errours and impieties being taken a∣way? Why doe we call our churches, reformed Churches, rather than newly buil∣ded, or as it were wholly transformed, but that we reteyne whatsoeuer we fynd to be good, refuse or reforme that which is euill. But of these matters, more is to be spo∣ken, as occasion is offered. Hytherto you vse but woordes, whiche haue no weyghte without good and sounde reasons.