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Chap. 2. the. 8. Diuision.
And if any man (*) 1.1 obiect, that by this meanes also is shut out of the church the forme of ordi∣narie Prayers to be sayde: I saye the case is nothing lyke, for when wee pray, wee can not vse the wordes of the Scripture, as they orderly lie in the text. But for so much as the church pray∣eth for dyuers things necessarie for it, the which are not conteined in one or two places of the scrip∣ture, and that also there are some things which we haue need of, wherof there is no expresse pray∣er in the scripture, it is needfull that there be a forme of prayer drawne forthe out of the Scrip∣ture, which the church may vse when it meeteth, as the occasion of the tyme doth require, which necessitie can not be by no meanes alleaged in the reading of Homelies or Apocrypha. Whervpon appeareth, that it is not so wel ordeyned in the church of Englande, where both Homilies and A∣pocrypha are read, especially when as diuers chapters of the books called Apocrypha are lifted vp so high, that they are sometyme appoynted for extraordinarie lessons vpon feastes dayes, wherein the greatest assemblies be made, and some of the chapters of the canonicall Scripture, (as certain chapters of the Apocalyps) quite lefte out, and not redde at all.
You haue made an obiection which you can not answere, and against the which all these reasons that you haue before vsed do as much preuayle, as they doe against reading of Homilies: and whatsoeuer you can say for the one, may likewise be said for the other. For when we interprete the Scriptures, when we teache, or exhorte, we can not vse onely the wordes of the scripture, as they lye orderly in the texte, but wee muste amplifye them, displace them, applie them to the matter we speake of, entermin∣gling them with our owne wordes and phrases. For except you will graunt this to be lawfull, as wel in exhorting and teaching, as in publike preaching, you must (as I sayd before) as well condemne Sermons, as Homilies.
The Apocrypha that we reade in the Church, haue bene so vsed of long tyme, as* 1.2 it may appeare in that third councel of Carthage, and 47. Canon, where they be rec∣kened among the Canonicall bookes of the Scripture. They maye as well be read in the Church, as counted portions of the olde and new Testament: and forasmuch as there is nothing in them contrarie to the rest of the Scripture. I sée no inconue∣nience, but much commoditie that may come by the reading of them.