And whereas he sayth that it being nothing else but a thankesgiuing for hit deliuerance, can∣not be therefore but Christian and very godly: I answere, that if there should be solemne and ex∣presse giuing of thankes in the Churche for euery benefite, either equall or greater than this, which any singular persone in the Churche doth receyue, wee should not onelye haue no preaching of the* 1.1 worde, nor ministring of the Sacramentes, but we shoulde not haue so much leysure, as to doe any corporall or bodely worke, but should be lyke vnto those heretykes, which were called of the Syriake worde Messalians or continuall prayers and which did nothing else but praye.
Truthe is neuer contrary vnto it selfe: before you reproued the booke of Com∣mon prayer for want of thankesgiuing for benefites receiued: and now you reproue it for appointing thankes to be giuen for deliuerance from sinne, from manifolde pe∣rils* 1.2 and daungers, and for the encrease of Gods people, all which things are publike, although thankes be giuen by a priuate person: for in dede the punishmēt and daun∣ger layde vpon all womankinde, for disobedience is not onely common, but very no∣torious, and a perpetuall testimonie of our subiection vnto synne, and therefore requi∣reth a solemne thankesgiuing at such time as it pleaseth God to shewe his mercie therein, and to deliuer from ill. And yet if it were not so, where reade you that any pri∣uate persone is forbidden to giue thankes in the publike congregation, for some espe∣ciall benefit receiued, namely if the Churche thinke it conuenient, and agrée thervnto, as it doth to this?
Theodoret sayth, that the Messalian heretikes had these errours: firste, they being* 1.3 possessed with a Deuill, which they thought to be the holy spirite, did condemne all bodily labour as wicked: secondly, they being giuen to much sleepe, did name the vi∣sions of their dreames prophesies: thirdly, they sayde that the supper of the Lorde and Baptisme, did neither good nor harme to any man: fourthlye, when they were char∣ged with such things, they would not stande to them, but impudently deny them: last of all, they taught that euery man when he is borne, doth take of his parentes as the nature, so likewyse the seruitude of Deuils, which being driuen out by diligēt praier, the holy spirit entred in. &c. This is all that Theodoret in that place reporteth of those heretikes: the which howe much it maketh against either diligent or continual pray∣ers,* 1.4 or thankesgiuing for benefites receiued, the Reader may consider. Christ and the Apostle S. Paule, require continuall prayer and thankesgiuing, but not in the same sense and meaning that the Messalians did.