_

_Let my prayers, and patience, be as water to coole and quench their
tongues, who are already set on fire with the fire of Hell, and
tormented with those malitious flames._

_Let me be happy to refute, and put to silence their evill speaking by
well-doing; and let them enjoy not the fruit of their lips, but of my
prayer for their repentance, and thy pardon._

_Teach me_ Davids _patience and_ Hezekiah's _devotion, that I may look
to thy mercy through mans malice and see thy justice in their sin._

_Let_ Sheba's _seditious speeches_, Rabshekah's _railing, and_
Shimei's _cursing, provoke, as my humble prayer to thee, so thy renued
blessing towards me._

_Though they curse, do thou bless, and I shall be blessed; and made a
blessing to my people._

_That the stone, which some builders refuse, may become the head-stone
of the corner._

_Look down from heaven, and save me, from the reproach of them that
would swallow me up._

_Hide me in the secret of thy presence, from the pride of man, and
keep me from the strife of tongues._

* * * * *

16. _Upon the Ordinance against the Common-Prayer Book._

It is no newes to have all Innovations ushered in with the name
of Reformations in Church and State, by those, who seeking to gain
reputation with the Vulgar for their extraordinary parts, and piety,
must needs undoe what ever was formerly setled never so well and
wisely.

So hardly can the pride of those that study Novelties, allow former
times any share or degree of wisedom or godliness.

And because matter of prayer and devotion to God justly bears a great
part in Religion, (being the soules more immediate converse with the
divine Majesty) nothing could be more plausible to the people then to
tell them, they served God amiss in that point.

Hence our publike Liturgy, or Forms of constant Prayers must be (not
amended, in what upon free and publick advice might seem to sober men
inconvenient for matter or manner, to which I should easily consent,
but) wholly cashiered, and abolished, and after many popular contempts
offered to the Booke, and those that used it according to their
consciences, and the Lawes in force, it must be crucified by an
Ordinance the better to please either those men, who gloried in their
extemporary veine and fluency: or others, who conscious to their own
formality in the use of it, thought they fully expiated their sin of
not using it aright, by layi