80 OP THE PACIFICATION OF THE CHURCH. 



sowing of the seed ; it is the lifting up of the brazen 

 serpent, the ministry of faith, and the ordinary 

 means of salvation : but yet it is good to take exam 

 ple, how that the best actions of the worship of God 

 may be extolled excessively and superstitiously. ,As 

 the extolling of the sacrament bred the superstition 

 of the mass ; the extolling of the liturgy and prayers 

 bred the superstition of the monastical orders and 

 oraisons : and so no doubt preaching likewise may 

 be magnified and extolled superstitiously, as if all the 

 whole body of God s worship should be turned into an 

 ear. So as none, as I suppose, of sound judgment, 

 will derogate from the liturgy, if the form thereof be 

 in all parts agreeable to the word of God, the exam 

 ple of the primitive Church, and that holy decency 

 which St. Paul commendeth. And therefore, first, 

 that there be a set form of prayer, and that it be not 

 left either to an extemporal form, or to an arbi 

 trary form. Secondly, that it consist as well of 

 lauds, hymns, and thanksgivings, as of petitions, 

 prayers, and supplications. Thirdly, that the form 

 thereof be quickened with some shortness and diver 

 sities of prayers and hymns, and with some inter 

 changes of the voice of the people, as well as of the 

 minister. Fourthly, that it admit some distinctions 

 of times, and commemorations of God s principal be 

 nefits, as well general as particular. Fifthly, that 

 prayers likewise be appropriated to several necessities 

 and occasions of the Church. Sixthly, that there be 

 a form likewise of words and liturgy in the adminis 

 tration of the sacraments, and in the denouncing of 



