A SERMON PREAched at Torceter, in the County of Northampton the 8. of june, Anno Dom. 1588. at the visitation of the right reverend Father in God, the Bishop of Peeterborow, BY JOHN BEATNIFFE Preacher of the word of God in Brackley.  2. Cor. 22.28. 
Beside the things which are outward I am cumbered daily, and I have a care over all the Churches.  
LONDON. Printed by john Charlewood for Roger Ward. 1590.   

To the most reverend Father in God, my Lord's grace, Archbishop of Canterbury: Sir Christopher Hatton knight, Lord high Chancellor of England: Sir William Scicil Knight Lord Burleigh, Lord high Treasurer of England: Sir Christopher Wray Knight, Lord chief justice of England: and to all other which sincerely favour the word of God, Grace and Peace be multiplied in jesus Christ.  
Amongst the manifold calamities and griefs of heart that fall upon the Church in this old age of the world (right Honourable and well-beloved in the Lord) this is not the least, that the peace of the Church, is daily broken in pieces, and that by such as challenge to themselves the name of the Church, which cry as did the jews, 
jer. 7, 4.  The Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord: but I fear me, be as Christ sayeth, The congregation of Satan, for they despise Rulers, 
reve. 2.9. jude. 5.8. 2. Tim. 1.4.  and speak evil of such as be in authority. They delight in questions and endless genealogies, which gender strife rather than Godly edifying, which is in Faith. These men as they trouble the public State of the Church, with Schisms: so do they also disquiet, the consciences of many good Souls by making doubts and ambiguities in matters that be most plain and easy. They draw so many as they can from obedience of the Godly Magistrate, denouncing all those to be execrable, cursed and abominable, which be not of their faction, yea they be grown to such grossness, which they call Purity, that as they say, they dare not defile their clean undefiled and regenerate Souls, by joining in Prayer with such as hold of the reformed state of this Realm. So by this means they deface so much as in them is our Church, our Ministry, our Orders, and Prayers in the Church. That which they say is good, that order which they observe is godly howsoever it be: they dislike all others but themselves and their followers. But what is this? truly even the very practice of the false apostles in the time of Paul: for they to maintain gentilism among the people, defaced Paul, and made them believe that he was not the apostle of Christ: even so these men by the instigation of Satan, to overthrow our Church and the godly government thereof, disgrace Paul, and deface our Preachers, and all to wound weak consciences, and to make commendable themselves & their newfangled devices. This their sinister dealing hath done, yea and doth at this day much harm in the church: for besides the things forenamed, it hindereth many good and godly men from doing that good which they would. I considering with myself of the disposition of these men, of their manners and mark which they shoot at, being by authority called to preach at a visitation of the right reverend Father in God the Bishop of Peeterborrow, did there as the time than served my office, & the nature of my Text required resolutely defend that which they so greatly dislike, that is, our church and ministery, the order of our excommunication, and our prayers. Since which time, I have been often greatly urged by divers good men, & many of my well-willers to make it public for the benefit of the whole Church. Seeing their request to be reasonable, and that my office bindeth me not only, exhortari per sanam doctrinam, 
Titus 1. verse 9  but also cotradicere maledicentibus: I have satisfied their honest request, and suffered it to be published. Most humbly craving that your Honours, and all others which favour the Gospel, and this our godly government under our most gracious Sovereign, to patronize and defend the same, so shall I and others, be the more encouraged to execute our offices in the Church.  
The Lord who is the only giver of authority protect and defend your Honours, to the glory of his name and the benefit of this common wealth.  
Most desirous of your Honour's prosperity, Io. Beatniffe.   

THE TEXT.  1. Peter. Cap 5.2. Feed ye the Flock of God. 
The holy Ghost by the Apostle S. Peter in these words read unto you (well-beloved in the Lord,) doth set down a commandment to all Pastors & Ministers, to all those which have cure and charge of souls committed unto them, diligently and faithfully to feed the flock of God.  
In saying feed the flock metaphorically he exhorteth his fellow labourers, unto whom he speaketh to teach the Church and people of God, with sound and wholesome doctrine: now, whereas the holy Ghost useth so many figures in so few words, he showeth what manner of man he would have over his flock, what manner of men he would have to teach his Church: that is to say, such as be well acquainted with his speeches, such as be learned in the tongues, and thereby be able, not only to exhort with wholesome doctrine but also to covince and stop the mouths of adversaries, and with facility find out the wretting and false enterpretations of subtle enemies: which doctrine of the holy ghost, doth impugn & is fully against all those, whatsoever they be. What countenance soever they carry, which would persuade, or bear the world in hand, that they be able sound to teach, and utterly to convince all erroninous doctrine, anabaptistical factions, and Papistical opinions, and that without art: but what do these men? Verily nothing, but even tread under their feet the excellent gift of God: I mean learning, which is the ordinary mean, which God in his wisdom, hath appointed to true preaching. They set themselves unto idleness, and so through their want of skill, (being set forward through a blind  
zeal) they breed jars in GOD'S Church, and thereby grieve the Spirit of God, by whom the Children of God are sealed, unto the day of redemption.  
Feed, I. Metaphorically teach, out of the which word of the Apostle, there be four things to be considered. First, the care that God hath over his Church Second, who they must be, that must feed. Third, with what they must feed. Four, what they must feed.  
Where the holy Ghost by his Apostle saith, feed: I gather that he pretendeth a care over his Church, which appeareth herein, that he doth not only prepare food, but also giveth commandment, that it may be distributed in due and equal manner, & procureth means from time to time, as I may say by succession; which will faithfully do and accomplish their Master's message.  
This is most apparent, for when God had chosen his Church, the seed of Abraham, the chosen Israel: he did not only give them a Law, as a Rule to lead them by, and a direction whereby they might walk, the bounds whereof they should not pass: but also, he sent forth his servants the Prophets, whom he did endue with the spirit of Prophecy and true understanding, which should rise up early and late to teach Israel the said Law: which should threaten the people with the judgements of God for their transgressions, which should call them to repentance, and comfort them in their afflictions: and at the last he sent the true Prophet, even his Son jesus Christ, to teach his Church, and to gather together the dispersed. This proveth the Apostle S. Paul in these words. diversly and many ways in times past, 
Heb. 1.1.  spoke God unto the Fathers, by Prophets: but last of all in these days, hath he spo kn to us by his Son, whom he hath made heir of all things: By whom also he made the world.  
This jesus in like manner showed his care over the Church: 
Luk. 13.22.  for as Luke saith. He went about through every City and every Town, teaching, and making his journey towards jerusalem. He travailed from place to place, and by the way as he went, he fed the people, he taught and declared his Father's will unto them: more than that, that his food might more amply be distributed, and this doctrine more liberally be taught, he chose certain whom he called Disciples, 
Math. 10.18  and sent them abroad into all the world, and commanded them to teach all nations.  
After his resurrection he said to Peter. 
john. 21.15.  Lovest thou me? More than these: feed my flock. This he spoke unto him that time, thereby to signify unto Peter, the great and tender care that he had over his purchased possession, which is his Church.  
After his ascension, he called Paul, that he might carry his name before the Gentiles, before kings, and before the Children of Israel: thereby showing to us, that as GOD had gathered his Church, of all estates and degrees of people: so, he would have all estates and degrees of people to know his will, and also have matter to feed upon, to the comfort of their souls: and therefore in deed Paul was very careful over all congregations, and not only taught diligently himself, but also elected and chose others for the same work: as Timothy, unto whom he gave authority to rule the Church of God at Ephesus, and to feed them with wholesome doctrine. As I besought thee to tarry at Ephesus, when I departed into Macedonia: 
1. Tim. 1.3.  so do, that thou mayest command some that they teach no other doctrine, neither that they give heed, to fables and genealogies which are endless, which breed questions, rather than any godly edifying, which is by faith.  
To the same effect, he speaketh unto his Scholar Titus, that he might see to the Church. For this cause left I thee in Creta, 
Titus. 1.5.  that thou shouldest continue to redress the things that remain, and shouldest ordain elder in every congregation, as I appointed thee.  
This care of God the Father, of his son Christ, and of his Apostles or precessors, do teach us which have cure of souls, to be diligent, painful and careful. You look now peradventure, that I should make some bitter invective speeches against Bishops, which of some, are thought not to be so careful as their office requireth: but truly I am not so determined, for indeed they be reverend fathers: Fathers of the Church, and they be brethren. I came not hither to accuse any, I love it not, I leave it to the devil, qui est accusator fratrum, which is the accuser of his brethren, and I will set it over to his adherents, which take pleasure, and exercise themselves therein day and night. I came hither to do the office of a Preacher, to to teach the unlearned, and to put the learned in mind, of those things which they already know: and so will do so long as I live, if God permit.  
Now it followeth to declare unto you, who they be that must feed. The Apostle himself in the first verse of this Chapter declareth. The Elders saith he, 
1. Pet. 5.1.  I beseech, which am also an Elder. Feed the flock of Christ. When he plainly speaketh to those, which have the office of teaching, and administering of Sacraments, committed unto them: and to such, as are thereunto ordinarily and lawfully called.  
jerom describeth unto us, four sorts of callings. Some saith he, were called of God and not by men, as the Prophets and Apostles. Others were called of God, and by men: as Elizeus, by Elias. Others are called by men and not by God, which (seeing they have an ordinary calling) they may not be rejected. Others there be, which are neither scent by GOD nor man: these be the worst, these be Annabaptists, these run of a blind zeal & take upon them to preach without any warrant.  
Of these callings one is necessary, that is, lawfully to be called by God and man, especially in this our time, wherein we live under a Christian Magistrate, without whose authority (in my judgement) it is not lawful for any man to execute any office in Church or common wealth. Calling therefore is not to be despised, but to be sought for: for it is not enough to have knowledge in the word of God, and be able to teach, but also to have calling by the Church, beyond which it is not lawful to go. Who so doth whatsoever he thinketh of himself, Paul telleth him plainly what he is: Even such a one, 
Phil. 5.  of whom we must take heed. For they be dogs, evil labourers, and concision. They give fair words: but secretly they bite. They take great pains in trotting from house to house, in making long prayers, in visiting widows houses, in overcoming the weak: but all is to breed factions, and to get gains unto themselves.  
They call themselves circumcision, but the Apostle by a pleasant prosonemasia, caleth them concision, such as break and divide the Church, & such as cut in pieces, the unity and peace of the same. 
jer. 23.21.  Of these saith jeremy: They did run, but I did not send them. How then can they teach truly? they cannot: for the Apostle Paul asketh this question. How can they preach except they be sent? 
Rom. 10.15.  as though he should say they cannot. And therefore he saith to Titus. 
Tit. 1.5.  For this cause have I left thee in Creta, that thou shouldest ordain Elders in every congregation, as I have appointed thee. As though he should say, lest any should take unto himself honour, 
Heb. 5 5.  but he that is called: I have left thee there for that purpose.  
They which have this calling, God prospereth their labours: they which have it not, (though they have the words of faith in their mouth) yet they bring forth no fruit, for they see not that which is good, but even as it were to lead men by the ears, to their perversse opinions.  
Feed ye, here is secondly noted unto us, who they be that must feed the flock of God: The elders saith S. Peter. The Greek word is Πρεςβυτερος, which the Apostle useth: which word of two sorts of people is falsely interpreted. Of the Papists, which would have it to signify a sacrificing, or a massing Priest. Of an other sort, which would have it only to signify Lay-men: but the Apostle here confuteth them both, for he speaketh not of sacrificing priests, neither yet of lay men: but of such as should guide and teach his Church, therefore the word (Elders) signifieth here, Bishops & Ministers. Of whom the office of the first is, not only to teach, but also to rule the Church of God, to keep it in with a Bishop-like authority: this Paul proveth. Take heed unto yourselves, and to the whole flock, 
Act. 20.  over the which the holy Ghost hath made you overseeers, to rule the Church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. Out of which words I gather thus much, that of the one side, as a Bishop is not exempted from the office of teaching because he is a Bishop: so, on the other side, he is not called a Bishop, because he is apt to teach, neither for the office of teaching, but for the pre-eminence of ruling and overseing of the Church of God: that false doctrine come not in, that offenders, which corrupt the manners and peace of the Church, may be punished, and such like. The office of the other is this, to teach and to administer the Sacraments: according to the saying of Christ generally to all ministers. Go into all the world, 
Math. 28.  teach all nations, and baptise them, in the name of the father, and of the son, and of the holy Ghost.  
And Paul saith: Preach thou the word: be fervent in season and out of season: reprove, rebuke & exhort with all love patience & doctrine. The which places being with disretion considered of, are sufficient to prove, that as on the one side, calling is necessary: so, they which be called, must be such as the Apostle here speaketh of, (Elders) that is to say, Bishops to rule and to teach: Ministers, to teach, to administer, to rebuke and to exhort, where they be thereunto lawfully called.  
(Feed ye) here is thirdly to be noted with what they must feed? verily with the word, with it have all the Prophets fed: that same is the nourishment of the Church. S. Peter saith: We are borne again, not of corruptible seed, 
1. Pet. 1. 2●  but of incorruptible, by the word of God, who livech and endureth for ever. For all flesh is grass, and the glory of man is as the flower of grass: the grass withereth, and the flower falleth away, but the word of the Lord endureth for ever and this is the word which is preached among you. By which saying it is manifest that the only word of God ought to be taught in the church, and that they are not to be heard which would bring in men's devices into the Church: God hath not permitted so much to any mortal man: neither may the Church be governed or fed by any other word then by the word of God, by the which it is begotten and borne.  
This confuteth the Papists, which would have the Church to be of greater authority than the word, which can not possibly be, for the Church is grounded upon the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles, Christ himself the head corner stone: so that it is against the word, that the house, that is to say, the church, should rule the master, that is to say, the word: and it is against nature that the daughter namely the church should rule her Mother, which is the word.  
hereupon it followeth that the ministers must only feed with the word of God, 
Eze, 3.17.  and with no other. God saith, thou shalt hear words from my mouth, and thou shalt warn others from me. 
jer. 1.7. Math. 28.  I have put my words in thy mouth, and what so ever I have commanded thee, that shalt thou speak, and did bind his Disciples to a certain kind of doctrine, namely to teach those things which he had commanded them: whereby we learn that only the word of God must be taught in the Church, and no other. When I say that the only word of God must be taught, I do not thereby as some do, condemn the reading or alleging of the Fathers, for that were altogether curiosity, I am not of that mind, I think them very necessary to be read and alleged, not as doctrine of salvation, but as confirmation of judgement: for when our judgements, & the judgements of the fathers are one, upon some place of Scripture, than we say it is idem spiritus, one and the self same spirit: so that alleging of the Fathers is not to be blamed, but bringing in man's doctrine as necessary to salvation, in stead of the word of God, which only serveth to that end is worthily to be condemned: where it is said, feed, and that with the word. There is rendered a reason, because the written word of God containeth in it all things necessary to salvation, and also to life and manners, and therefore that we need not seek any further for the assurance of the same, this proveth john the Apostle: 
john. 21  Many things did jesus in the sight of his disciples which are not written in this book, but these things are written, that jesus Christ is the Son of God, & that in believing ye might have eternal life. The other proveth Paul: 
2. Tim. 3.  Every Scripture given by inspiration is profitable to teach, to reprove, and to exhort, that the man of God may be made perfect unto every good work.  

Rom. 15.  Therefore search the Scriptures, for in them ye hoop to have eternal life.  
Lastly it is to be declared what they must feed, n. the Church. There be many sorts of Churches, there is a visible Church and an invisible Church: there is a militant Church, and a triumphant Church: there is a true Church, & there is a false Church. Now where the Apostle saith, feed the flock of God, he putteth a difference betwixt the true & false Church: now a Church is nothing else but a company of people gathered together, so that every company is a Church, but every company is not a church of God. Moreover this is to be observed, that whereas the Apostle saith feed the flock of God, and that the flock of God is partly visible, partly invisible, as is aforesaid, that he meaneth, that the ministers of the word should diligently feed all the flock of God upon the earth: which is flatly against those that would single out the church of God from the rest, not knowing that there be some which though they do not appear outwardly, yet are they most dear and precious in the sight of the Lord: I must be plain with you, it is a great fault in this our time, we will have none to be of the Church but such as we like, such as follow our fantasies: & such as will not, we utterly condemn them, whereas there be many hundreds, yea many thousands besides us: this was Elias fault. O Lord saith he, they have broken down thy Altars, and slain thy Prophets, and I only am left, and they seek my life to take it away: he thought there had not been left upon the earth one man that feared God but himself: but mark responsum Domini, hearken what the Lord saith: 
Reg. 19.18.  I have reserved to myself seven thousand men that never bowed their knees to Baal: mark this well, there be more of the church than we be aware of: therefore let us feed in hope and labour in hope, encouraging all, discouraging none: but let us feed the flock of God visible and invisible, true & false.  
Of these two Churches it is necessary to speak a little, beginning with the false church, that the other may be the better discerned: the false church I call those which either openly set their selves against the children of God, or those which persuade themselves that they be of the church & are not: of both these sorts there be many.  
The one sort, are they of whom David speaketh of. 
Psalm. 26.  I have hath hated the congregation of the wicked, and I will not sit with the ungodly. 
Numb. 15,  Such were Corah, Dathan and Abiram, and the two hundred and fifty men that were with them, men of renown and famous in the congregation. 
Gene. 11.  Such were they that builded Babel: every of these were a congregation, a church, but a false church, a church that openly fighteth and setteth itself against the Church of God. The other sort, are they, which brag that they be the seed of Abraham, the children of promise, but they deceive themselves, for they do not the works of Abraham, they speak much, but they do little: they look like Lambs but they be ravenning Wolves: outwardly they appear beautiful, but inwardly they be full of dead men's bones. He is not a jew which is a jew outward, 
Rom. 2.  but he is a jew which is hid within. Of these face-makers, and outward Religious persons speaketh Leo: Ecclesiae nomine armamini, sed contra ecclesiam demicatis: 
Leo.  ye arm yourselves with the name of the church, but ye fight against the Church.  
These say they are jews, but they are not, but are the congregation of Satan. These be the false church, 
Reg. 2.9.  these must be taught, if at any time God will give them grace to repent, that they may be brought to the true church, and so be saved in the day of the Lord. Now let us proceed unto the true church, which is in God, hereby it is known, it is not in man, but in GOD, this is the true church, this is the society of all the true faithful saints and elect of God. This church consisteth of Faith, Hope, Love, and of the Spirit of Christ. This we call the catholic church which is spread over the face of the whole world. Then the catholic church is not at Rome: no, no, they are much deceived that say so, or believe so, it is not tied to one place or to one people: but it is the company of all the faithful, that have been from the beginning of the world, that are now, & shallbe unto the end of the world: jerom saith Ecclesia Christi in toto orb ecclesias possidens, spiritus unitate coniuncta est, & habet urbes legis & prophetarum, evangelii & apostolorum: non est egressa de finibus suis, i. de scriptures: The church of Christ which possesseth all the churches in the world, is joined together in the unity of the spirit, and it hath the cities of the law and of the Prophets, of the Gospel, and of the Apostles, it doth not go beyond her bounds, that is the Scriptures.  
This Church hath in it pure and sound doctrine, even the same which came from Christ, and sent abroad throughout all the world by the Apostles, which excludeth all other doctrines and precepts of man, it hath also the true and lively use of the Sacraments, it hath unity and catholic consent touching the chief points of christian religion. This church (because it often erreth, sometime by ignorance as Paul before his conversion, 
1. Tim. 1.13.  sometime by temptations as Abraham when for fear of his life he fell to dissembling, or by infirmity, 
2. Sam. 10.4  as David when he committed adultery,) ought to be fed with doctrine, and be kept in with wholesome correction. And therefore over this church hath God placed Bishops, and hath commanded them to oversee it, and to feed it faithfully and diligently. let those therefore watch that they may give their fellow servants meat in due season. Blessed is that Servant whom his Master shall find so doing. 
Math. 24.  Verily I say unto you, he will make him ruler over all his goods. Therefore feed the flock, this appertaineth to us ministers: God hath made us pastors, and we have a flock, even a church in God the father, begotten of the word, born of the word, and now must be nourished, brought up and instructed by the word.  
That we have such a church here in England as I have here described, there is no question at all to be made, neither do the godly doubt of it. But for the better comfort of the church, and that they may have in a readiness at all times to stop the mouth of the Anabaptist, to overthrow the Papist, and tread under feet the Secturian. I will prove it most plainly by the way of an argument, where the Gospel is truly preached, where the Sacraments be according to Christ his institution reverently administered, where there is unity, and catholic consent touching the chief points of christian religion, where Christ is acknowledged the head of the church, there is the true church in God the Father: but the church of England hath, useth, holdeth and acknowledgeth all these things, ergo in England there is a true church in God the Father.  
The chiefest reasons that the anabaptists Papists and schismatics use in defacing of our church are these: first that our ministers be not lawfully called: 2. that we want discipline: 3. that we have no lawful prayers in our church, and therefore no church.  
These reasons though they be weak, and most weak, yet are they peevish and very dangerous: and therefore I think it necessary to confute them.  
Touching the first where they say we have not a lawful ministry: I answer, we have, yea and such a ministry as is sent of God, and lawfully called by man. I prove it thus: wheresoever there is a Church in God the Father, there is also a lawful ministery. But we have a Church in God the Father as before is proved, ergo, a lawful ministery. This argument in plainly proved by the words of jeremy. 
jer. 3.14.15.  O ye disobedient Children turn again saith the Lord, for I am you Lord, and I will take you, one of a City, and two of a Tribe, and will bring you to Zion, and I will give you Pastors according to mine own heart, which shall feed you with knowledge & understanding. Mark here, he saith he will choose them one of a City, and two of a Tribe, and he will bring them into Zion, that is, into his Church: he will give them pastors after his own heart, these be lawful I trow, for he chooseth none but those that be meet, you may know them, for they feed with knowledge and understanding. Whether we do thus in the church of England or no, judge ye.  
Touching the second, that we want discipline & therefore we are no church. I deny the argument, but they say we have not the discipline of the primitive Church, therefore no church.  
It is a non sequitur, for although we have not the discipline of the primitive Church, yet we have discipline: and therefore they slander us. But alas, these men that say so, they know not what they say: for discipline is no essential part of the church: men and women be the Church, not discipline, so that discipline is a wall about a city, or a hedge about a vineyard, whereof though a piece sometime be broken down, yet a city, yet a vineyard. I grant discipline to be as necessary in the church, to keep the people within the rails of Moses, law, as a wall about a city to defend the citizens from the force of their enemy: and for my part, I know none that denieth it, but only those that make the most to do about it: we have so much that they themselves complain & cry out of it. I marvel what they would do, if we had that which they themselves seek for. I cannot tell what they would have: we find fault with the sins of the people, we excommunicate notorious offenders, if you ask by what authority, I answer even as Paul did, 
1. Tim. 1.20.  so do we. Hymeneus and Alexander have made shipwreck of faith, quos ego tradidi Satanae ut discant, non blasphemare: whom I (saith he) have delivered to Satan that they might learn not to blaspheme: It is the judgement of the best learned that ever I read of, 
Act. 5.  that Peter did excommunicate Ananias and Saphira, after the which they yielded up the ghost.  
I would here for my learning very gladly know who did help Paul or Peter to excommunicate, because these slanderers of our Church do say, it is not lawful for any man to excommunicate. If it had not been lawful, surely Paul would not have done it, neither yet Peter. Tertulian saith, that excommunication, 
Tertul. in Apolog.  or separation from the Church, was in his time, which was thirteeene hundredth years agone in the hands of the Bishops, and of the Priests. Origen commandeth him that hath been thrice admonished, 
Orig. hom. 7. an. Ios.  and will not repent to be cut of from the body of the church, per ecclesiae presides, or by the rulers of the church, where also he declareth what these rulers are: for saith he, the priests sparing one that had offended, and neglecting their priestly authority, did go about the destruction of the whole church, so that Origen thought it was a decay to the Church, that excommunication should go out of the hands of the Priests.  

Euseb. lib. 6. cap. 34.  Eusebius showeth, that Fabian did excommunicate Philip the Emperor.  
Ambrose did excommunicate Theodosius the Emperor, 
Trip. histo. lib. 9 cap. 30.  for that slaughter which was done in Thessalonica, anno Dom. 391. & is at this day greatly commended therefore of the learned, & godly. These examples prove the lawfulness of our excommunication, which is practised upon such like occasions, and is also executed by such kind of means, and therefore not to be found fault withal, neither yet that our church should be slandered either for the want of it, either yet for the practice of that which we have. Touching the third, whereas they say, we have no lawful prayers in our Church, and therefore no Church: that is a most abominable slander, & not to be tolerated. Of these kind of people that say so, there be two sorts: the one be the Papists, and they come in with their old lying antiquities, and say that the service in the church of England is nothing like to the use of the primitive Church, for it hath no set order of prayers, save a little imitation of the old Matins and Evensong, and that in Schism and heresy, and therefore not only unprofitable, but also damnable. The other sort they say that there be no prayers at all in the church of England (they say so in effect) for they say we do all read prayers already made to our hands, which by their sayings, are no prayers, neither yet do edify at all, for (say they) reading is but bare feeding yea and as all as playing upon a stage, and worse too. But to these I answer as I did before they slander the church, for we pray truly as God hath commanded in his word, and as our Saviour Christ hath taught us we pray to God the Father, and to none but to him only. We come to him in the name of his son jesus Christ, and in his name only, and therefore I conclude that we pray truly. Thus have I as God hath moved me, and at this time hath afforded unto me, declared unto you the sense and meaning of this holy Scripture.  
The Lord grant that it may work that which I look for, that is the advancement of God's glory, a zeal and care of God's ministers over the flock of God committed unto them. The flourishing estate of the Gospel of jesus Christ, and the unity, peace, and quietness of the church, that antichristianity and factions being defaced, we may with one heart and one voice glorify God the Father in this world, and in the world to come reign with him eternally by the means of his Son jesus Christ: to whom with the Father and the holy Ghost be all praise, glory, dominion, and power both now and for ever, world without end Amen.