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.

Chap. 20. Also the often repetition of good Lord deliuer vs, and that saying, we beseech thee to heare vs, is against the Commandement of our Sauiour. Math. 6.7.

FOrasmuch as the Letanie is the a••••••, whereupon these obiections are thus hammered one after another, it shall not be amisse to make knowne out defence in this behalfe. The Letanie a greeke word (the same which Rogations, is in latine, solemne, set supplications, in english) to our vnderstanding is well sampled to y^• body of praiers, supplicatiōs, intercessions, & thanks∣giuing mentioned by the Apostle ••. Tim. 2.1. Phi. 4.6. & inter∣preted by the Fathers, Hilaric, Amb. Austin, Cassian,* 1.1 Bern. & Theophilact. For all those foure sweete companions namely praiers, supplicatiōs, &c. interchangeably sort together. Prayer in the entrance, appealing to the glorious persons in the blessed Tri∣nitie. Supplications for feare of enils to come, wherein the soule humbly deprecateth and prayeth against them, and no other cry for the time is heard, but this: Good Lord deliuer vs: Inter∣cession, as that by thy holy incarnation, by thy holy Natiuitie, and circumcision, &c. All which deliuering the articles of our faith in the forme of a prayer, is like to the heigh of deuotion, when our communicants treb••le their try, O Lord God lamb of God, Sonne of the Father, thou that takest away the sins of the world, &c. Lastly, Thanksgiuing is in that Letanie also mentioned, but because of our humiliation, the requests we make are much intermingled: yet intermingled as they are, they may easily be discerned: Some that trauaile no such way, as directeth from the hart to the throne of grace, thinke it here∣by and oft inough said, though but once said, Good Lord deli∣uer vs. But others of more experience (and beléeue their ex∣perience) hold it not sufficient to send one but another, and after

him a third, and the more the more companie, and all with one note, Good Lord deliuer vs. And the note is an eight, so often the same message is done for feare, it should not be throughly well done. And if all be eight as some haue thought, when a man hath faid all he can,* 1.2 he can say but all, and eight times he remembreth to fall with his petition, but raising his hopes, good Lord deliuer vs, long, and euer, and onely may this contrarie fancie, be theirs to mislike such zealous repetitions, who can soone satissie themselues; with a luke warme, perfunctorie bleak, cold duetie in so chill manner persormed, as if a North-winde blew out of their months.* 1.3 This I haue said that you should not thinke all repetitions in words were an appetite to babble much. For repetitions haue their force, my hart is prepared O God my hart is prepared. Againe, waite on the Lord, quite thee like a man, let thy hart be comforted & waite on the Lord: In∣numerable such like through all the Scripture, but in these, saith Austin, It is sufficient to commend this kinde of speech, which you may obserue in many the like. Let others in a con∣trary course pare as much as they will vnder a pretence of that common folly (This is not, as it should be, that is amisse, and I would haue it thus.) They can skill to pull downe (so can euery foole) could they as well restore, or preserue, and busld vy with the fewest and wisest onely can doe well. Be repetitions and oft repetitions so harsh in their quaint eares, whose eyes are acquainted with that which they read, Isa. 24. my leannesse, my leannesse, wo is me, the transgressors haue transgressed, yea the transgressors haue transgressed a sore transgression. Be these repet••••ions so offensiue with them, whose hands haue handled the historie of the King, when he cryed, O Absolon, O my Sonne Absolon, O Absolon my Sonne, my Sonne? The reason of which doubled, and multiplied exclamations in the same words, or in others to the same effect, argue our thoughts are not idle, but proue rather, that our affections double, & multiply in vs, yea so long as they hold out, they shew what a delight we take to be heard in that which he prayed for. As if toong and hart had made a vow not to giue ouer, but once, and once, and once, and againe, and more, and more, and more they did striue with God, in the earnestnes of our soule, that he would be pleased to deliuer

vs troin that which we stand in feare of: yea the reason of these doubled, and multiplied exclamations proceedeth from such a minde as (for the time) was in Peter. It is good dwelling here: Let vs build 3. tabernacles, and if they be not inough, let vs make other 3. more, yea and if two more may outhid them, two more put wee to. So well wee like to say it, because wee know the Lord as well likes to heare it, good Lord deliuer vs. The matter is sometimes important, and serious as Pharao his dreame, which, that it might not slippe away in a dreame, was doubled vpon him. And is not the blessing of deliuerance, a mat∣ter of worth, and therefore well worth our petitious and repeti∣tions. But ill best owed are their praiers, that labour to mislike them, whither they be in the same words, as these instances made, doe witnesse, or in other wordes to the same effect,* 1.4 for so are they sometimes: As that of one, when he said I come and am comming. The grace of which speach is more plaine in the originall as they know, that vnderstand the margent. Not much vnlike a dissuasine to a couple, that they should not war, nor fight. Where one well noteth that the verse did not so much require it, as their owne violence (Who because they continued fighting) the speach the rather continueth dissuading. But whither repetitions this or that, one, or other some would reprehend, such they are, which as men vse to themselues like that of esay cap. 24 before mentioned, so are there which men vse to others as those wordes of Lemuels mother what my sonne, what the sonne of my wombe, and what a sonne of my desires, or that of Saint Paul when sweetning the eare of the Philippians hee writ the same thing, which it grieued him not, and was a safe thing for them, that he should so doe. For much seede otherwhiles miscar∣rieth, and hee that heareth not at the first knocke, or heareing is loth to rise, yet through importunitie openeth at the last. And as there are repetitions by men to men, so are there from God to men, and from men to God. From God to men though in des∣kant, yet the verie plaine song of that, whereto it keepeth des∣kant: enter not into the way of the wicked, walke not in it, goe not by it, turne from it, and passe by. Some times in the same words, as that in Ieremie: Earth, earth, earth he are the word of the Lord. Of man to God in varietie, but

to th•• same purpose, as al those preambles of Abraham praying for e Sodom,* 1.5 which are little other in substance, then this good Lord deliuer the. Behold (saieth he) I haue spoken to the Lord, and am but dust and aslies what is this but this, good Lord deliuer them.* 1.6 And let not my Lord bee angrie and I wil speake againe, as if againe it were y^e same in another suste, good Lord de∣liuer the. And once more I haue begun to speake, as it that once more y^e inmost powers of his soule were shaken, & he desired to remoue y^e iudgemēt w^t was in substāce like our cry good Lord deliuer vs.* 1.7 And once more, let not my Lord be offended, as if stil it were y^e voyce of y^e church but y^t he was one, & we are mainie; And whither one or many al is one: we beséech thee to heare vs good Lord & good Lord deliuer vs. Repetitiōs of this kind, whither of God to man, or of mā to God neither are in vaine: Not in him for they checke y^e dulnes of our vnderstanding, y^e slackenes of our me∣mory, & withal are a iust reproof to our drowzy attentiō: Nor in vs to him in vaine,* 1.8 for God taketh a delight to be importuned, & it is his pleasure to try if we wil giue ouer at y^e first, secōd, or third re∣pulse. O how glad, and faine is hee to graunt that is so willing to be disquieted, and suffreth himselfe to be raised our of his bed? O how it seemeth, be maketh it a matter of necessitie, which is in his owne power? O how desireous was he to méete thée, as thou knowest that hath placed his bed close to the dore? O how vn wil∣ling was hee to denie, who made, as if it were wrung from him against his will? O how the Lord was not at the dore onely, but himselfe the dore: I am, saieth he, the dore, who, when all the rest were in bed a sléep, both onely, and principallie heard the necessitie of him, that did knocke. In briefe to giue a full an∣swer to what either is, or may bee saide against repetitions vsed in the letany if new prayers, and requests may haue A∣men, stil renued vpon them, els how doe wee giue our assent, then surely this cannot bee misliked,* 1.9 which in effect is as∣much as a continuall Amen, and soundeth like that in thee Psalme. So bee it, so bee it, which was the voice of Be∣naia, and the Lord God of our king ratifie it: Onelie this good Lord deliuer vs, and wee beseech thee to heare vs good Lord is deliuered by way of varietie in other wordes, because our eare is like a queasie stomacke, that must haue diuerse

meates presented vnto it, or the same diuersly handled, because one is manie times ouer fulsome, and cloyeth. Deut. 27. from the 15. to the 26. verse fresh imprecations,* 1.10 and still fresh ac∣clamations, but in one and the same tenour. Amen euen 12. times, here but eight times good Lorde deliuer vs: And Psalme 136.26. times for his mercie indureth for euer: here but 20. times, we beseech thee to heare vs &c. no offence to scrip∣ture in those and is it in these?

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,* 1.11 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:* 1.12 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,* 1.13 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.* 1.14 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,* 1.15 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

  2. Tim. 2 1. Philip. 4, 6. Hilar. in expli∣cat. Psal. 140. Ambros. de sa∣crament. lib. 6. c. 5. Aug epist. 59. ad Paulium &c.
• * 1.2

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.3

  Haec dixi, vt nō putetis repetiti onem in verbis sanctae lingua lo quacitatis esse appetitum sape∣••bi repetitio ha∣bet vim. Para∣tum cor meum alio loco dicit sustine dominū viriliter age &c. Psal 74. Innumerabilia talia sunt &c. Quod obseruetis in omnibus si∣milibus. Ibid. Hoc puto non iustuen est, illud male, rectius istud Persius. Isa. 24.16.
• * 1.4

  Gen. 41.32. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Aul. Gell, lib. 13 c. 23. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Duplex cadem compellatio ad∣monitionem fa¦cit intentiorem Phauorinus. Pro. 31. Philip. 3. Pro. 4.14. Ier. 22.39.
• * 1.5

  Gen. 18.27.
• * 1.6

  29.
• * 1.7

  30.
• * 1.8

  O quam dare valt qu•• se in∣quietari taliter taliter patitur suscitari: O quā necessitatis quod suae pote∣statis est. Petrus Chrysolo. serm. 36. O quam non ad ••anuam ••••an tum dominus sed ipse ianua
• * 1.9

  Psal. 72.19.
• * 1.10

  Deu. 27.15.26.
• * 1.11

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.12

  Math. 7.8.
• * 1.13

  Syrtace.
• * 1.14

  — 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.
• * 1.15

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