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…

As these are divers things more then ought to be conveniently / so want there some things in the prayers. There are prayers set forth to be said in the common calamities / and universal scourges of the realm / as plague / famine. &c. and in deed so it ought to be by the word of God joined with a public fast commanded / not only when we are in any calamity / but also when any the churches round about us / or in any country receive any general plague or grievous chastisement at the Lords hand. But as such prayers are needful / whereby we beg release from our distresses / so there ought to be as necessary prayers of thanks giving / when we have received those things at the Lords hand / which we asked in our prayers. And thus much touching the matter of the prayers / either not altogether sound / or else too much or too little.

As these are diuers things more then ought to be conueniently / so wante there some things in the prayers. There are prayers set forthe to be sayde in the common calamities / and vniuersal scourges of the realme / as plague / famine. &c. and in dede so it ought to be by the word of God ioyned wyth a publike fast commaūded / not only when we are in any calamity / but also when any the churches round about vs / or in any countrey receiue any generall plague or greeuous chastisement at the Lordes hand. But as suche prayers are needefull / whereby we beg release from our distresses / so there ought to be as necessary prayers of thāks geuing / whē we haue receiued those things at the Lords hand / whych we asked in our prayers. And thus much touching the matter of the prayers / eyther not altogither sound / or else too much or too little.

Concerning the form / there is also to be misliked: A great cause whereof is the following of the form used in Popery / against which I have before spoken. For whilst that service was set in many points as a pattern of this / it cometh to pas / that in stead of such prayers as the primitive churches have used / & those that be reformed / now use / we have divers short cuts & shreddings / which may be better called wishes then prayers. And that no man think that this is some idle fancy / & that it is no matter of weight / what form of prayer we use / so that the prayers be good / it must be understanded / that as it is not sufficient to preach the same doctrine which our saviour Christ & his apostles have preached / unless the same form of doctrine / and of teaching be likewise kept: so is it not enough that the matter of our prayer be such as is in the word of God / unless that the form also be agreeable unto the forms of prayers in the scripture. Now we have no such forms in the scripture / as that we should pray in .ij. or .iij. lines / and then after having red a while some other thing / come and pray as much more / and so to the .xx. and .xxx. time / with pauses between.