The second and last part of Reasons for refusall of subscription to the Booke of common prayer vnder the hands of certaine ministers of Deuon. and Cornwall, as they were exhibited by them to the right Reuerend Father in God William Cotton Doctor of Diuinitie, and Lord Bishop of Exceter. As also an appendix, or compendious briefe of all other exceptions taken by others against the bookes of communion, homilies, and ordination, word for word, as it came to the hands of an honorable personage. VVith an ansvvere to both at seuerall times returned them in publike conference, and in diuerse sermons vpon occasion preached in the cathedrall church of Exceter by Thomas Hutton Bachiler of Diuinitie, and fellow of S. Iohns Colledge in Oxon.

It is against the commaundement of our sauiour Math. 6.7. when yee pray vse no vaine repetitions as the heathen for they thinke to be heard for their much babling.

Doe such doubt makers rightly vnderstand the place in Saint Mathew 6.7. where auncient and late writers all con∣cur in this, with the wordes of the scripture that our sauiour condemneth the manner of the heathen, who as without faith, because they were heathen men, so two other errors they were subiect vnto; the first was, they thought, that if they prated much, and tolde God a faire taile, that they should bee heard for that much talke; the second was, they had a conceit,* 1.1 that they instructed God, as if he knew not what they needed: Yes saieth our sauiour your father knoweth whereof ye haue needs before ye aske of him:* 1.2 Now in repeating these wordes good Lord deliuer, and wee beseech thee to heare vs good Lord, let it appeare that our Church prayeth without faith, or that shee thinketh to bee heard for much babling, or that shee hold∣eth that God is ignorant till shee informe him, and then wee will confesse our error in vsing this clause before mentioned. But herein wee may see how men to aduance their owne credit care not what account they make of their brethren,* 1.3 as if they iudged no better of vs then of heathen men, infidels and the like. For that which they should attribute to the feruencie of spirit vttered in the publicke assemblies with an audible voice in giuing assēt to, what is praied for they cal by no better name the idle babling, or battologie: Whereas that fault of battology is an idle trifling with God, holding off and on, playing fast & loose

as if we would or could deceiue God.* 1.4 For so did one Battus whence this name is. Who being demaunded for one, which way he went, nothing could be got of him more then this, he was vnder those nils, so he was, that he was, whom Mercurie ta∣king tardie, reproueth in the like accent: Thou perfidious false fellow doest thou betray to my selfe? to myselfe doest thou be∣tray mee. In which speech of both sides, there is iugling, and in∣uerting of wordes, as if the parties were in dalliance to and ••••o, playing wilie beguile one with another. A thing not vntrue of the heathen men, and of their parly with their Idols, and of their Idols with them, but vntruelie, and vnaptlie conceiued of the faithfull and their praiers to God, or bis gratious answer to their vnfained supplications. The siriack translating this word calleth them such as delight to be gabling and babling. No such heathnish delight is in Gods children, whose holy affecti∣on inliueth their words, which els like an abortiue would soone die in their birth. For their practise answereth agreablie to that counsell, which Saint Austin giueth. Let prating (saieth hee) bee absent from mens orizons, but let not much prayer be wanting so there be a feruent earnestnes with perseuerance of mind. For to patter much is whē we vse superfluous words but to pray much is, when wee are set on with a long and godlie stirring vppe of the heart. And much speaking or babling is not, when wee pray long, but when wee multi∣ply wordes without faith and spirit, persuaded (as Peter Martyr writeth) that for the verie number of wordes we may be heard. Otherwise Christ prayed long euen a whole night he continued in prayer. And where exception is taken of repetitions of one thing oft, it is wellknown Math. 26. that he repeated one prayer in the same words three times. Which a blinde man did also Luke 18. crying Lord Iesu thou sonne of Dauid haue mercie on mee which seemed a fault in the eares of the people, but his necessitie and earliestnes would not to be an∣swered. For he cried the more. O thou sonne of Dauid haue mercy on mee. Wordes repeated so far from reproofe that they

make accesse to our sauiour, & haue successe in their petition. So that a short conclusion may serue for all. Neither reciting the same wordes vpon vrgent occasion with earnest deuotion, nor long prayers doe deserue this rough hewed censure, but pattring with the lips, and the heart a far off, thinking belike to be heard for their talkatiue prating. Admit wee not this interpretation which yet is the meaning of the scripture, and Saint Augustin,* 1.5 after it, stand wee to the iudgement of Chrisostom and Theo¦philact, no aduantage haue: any for confirming thēselues in their wrong opinion. For these Gréek writers (as may appeare by him selfe & by Chrisost. in that ordinarily hee is an abridgement of Chrisost. call it babling or battologie, when we ouer earnestly busie our selues in praying speciallie for things not profitable, but trifles, as riches, honors, and the like. Now (vnlesse spirituall graces such as accompanie saluation, and temporall blessings in their commendable furderance to sanctification goe for trifles) an humble, and penitent heart cannot denie their assent to this mul∣tiplyed petition in the letanie. Wherefore such must take heede that they grieue not the holy Ghost, and lesse it is not, to wrest of purpose the holie scriptures from that natural sense, wherein they are penned. Be it in weaknesse of knowledge, that some thus ea∣gerlie reproch the burden and fall of our praiers, when thus bur∣dened and humbled wee doe multiply the same request, yet wee intreat the Christian reader so oft, as his eye lighteth vpon these errors of theirs that euer and anon as hee commeth to a new straine, that his heart in silence will let fall some such request to Godward, as this, Lord forgiue them their ignorance, and though they for whom such prayer is, thinke it an idle affirmati∣on, yet our request is, that whosoeuer shall read these criticall de∣murie, his loue will not be sparing to say it, and to say it for them Lord forgiue them, they know not what they accuse.

Notes

• * 1.1

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.2

  Math. 7.8.
• * 1.3

  Syrtace.
• * 1.4

  — Sub illis montbus (in quit) erāt, er āt submontibus illis —& me mihs perf••de pro dis me mihi pro dis ait Ouid. Metam. lib. 2. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 vel 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 quod significat idem quod 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 exiuit, et signi∣ficat eos qui de∣lectantur mul toisermones proferre, et quo rum ore multa prodeunt verba gallice babil∣lards. Tremel in Math. 6.7. Absit ab crati∣one multa lo∣quutio sed non desit multa pre catio, si feruens perseuerat tu∣tētio. Aug. epist. 121. ad probà. Multum preca∣ri est ad eum quem preca∣mur diuturna & pia cordis excitatione pul∣sare Ibid. multiloquium adhibers, non cum di•• preca∣mur sed cum ci trafidem et spi∣ritum verba multiplicamus persuasin••s propter numerū verborum audiri posse. P. martyr in 1. Sa••t. v. 12.〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Luc. 6.12. Math. 26.••4.〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Luck. 18 32.
• * 1.5

  Battologia, est nugacitatet lo∣quacitas ea qua non vtilia pos∣cimussed tem∣poralia vt ••oa nores diuitias &c. Theophi∣lact. in Math. 6.7.