A reply to an answer made of M. Doctor Whitgifte Against the admonition to…A replye to an ansvvere made of M. Doctor VVhitgifte Against the admonition to…

Now I come to the form of prayer which is prescribed / wherein the authors of the admonition declare / that their meaning is not to disallow of prescript service of prayer / but of this form that we have. For they expound themselves in the additions unto the first part of the admonition. It is not to any purpose / that M. Doctor setteth himself to prove / that there may be a prescript order of prayer by Justine Martyrs testimony / which notwithstanding hath not one word of prescript form of prayers / only he saith there were prayers. He saith in deed the ancient fathers say that there hath been always such kind of prayers in the churches / & although they do say so / yet all men may understand easily / that M. doctor speaketh this rather by conjecture / or that he hath heard other men say so: for so much as that Doctor which he hath chosen out to speak for all the rest / hath no such thing / as he fathereth on him. He sayeth that after they have baptised / they pray for them selves / & for him that is baptised / and for all men that they may be mete to learn the truth / and to express it in their honest conversation / and that they be found to keep the commandments / that they may attain to eternal life / but is this to say ye there was a prescript form of prayer / when he showeth nothing else but the chief points upon the which they conceived their prayers? If you had alleged this to prove what were the matters or principal points that the primitive church used to pray for / you had alleged this to purpose / but to allege it for a proof of a prescript form of prayer / when there is not there men tioned so much as the essential form of prayer (which is the asking of our petitions in the name / and through the intercession of our saviour Christ) without the which there is not / nor cannot be any prayer / argueth that either you little know what the form of prayer is / or that you thought (as you charge the authors of the admonition so often) that this gear of yours should never have come to the examination. But for as much as we agree of a prescript form of prayer to be used in the church let that go: this that I have said / is to show that when M. Doctor happeneth of a good cause / which is very seldom in this book / yet then he marreth it in the handling.

Nowe I come to the forme of prayer whych is prescribed / wherin the authors of the admonition declare / that their meaning is not to disalow of prescript seruice of prayer / but of thys forme that we haue. For they expound themselues in the additions vnto the first part of the admonition. It is not to any purpose / yt M. Doctor setteth himselfe to proue / that there may be a prescript order of prayer by Iustine Martyrs testimony / which notwithstanding hath not one word of prescript forme of prayers / only he sayth there were prayers. He sayth in dede the auncient fathers say that there hathe bene alwayes such kinde of prayers in the churches / & although they do say so / yet all men may vnderstand easely / that M. doctor speaketh thys rather by coniecture / or that he hath heard other mē say so: for so much as that Doctor whych he hathe chosen out to speake for all the rest / hath no such thing / as he fathereth on him. He sayeth that after they haue baptised / they pray for them selues / & for hym that is baptised / and for all men that they may be mete to learne the truth / and to expres it in their honest conuersation / and that they be found to kepe the commaundements / that they may attaine to eternal life / but is this to say ye there was a prescript forme of prayer / when he sheweth nothing els but the chefe poynts vpon ye whych they conceiued their prayers? If you had alleaged thys to proue what were the matters or principall poyntes that the primitiue church vsed to pray for / you had alleaged thys to purpose / but to alleage it for a profe of a prescript forme of prayer / when there is not there mē tioned so much as the essentiall forme of prayer (whych is the asking of our petitions in the name / and through the intercession of our sauior Christ) without the whych there is not / nor cannot be any prayer / argueth that either you litle know what the forme of prayer is / or that you thought (as you charge the authors of the admonition so often) that this geare of yours should neuer haue come to the examination. But for as muche as we agree of a prescript forme of prayer to be vsed in the church let that go: thys that I haue sayd / is to shew that when M. Doctor hapneth of a good cause / whych is very seldome in this boke / yet then he marreth it in the handling.