e men knew it would
not bear learned and sober debates, lest being convinced by the
evidence of Reason, as well as Laws, they should have been driven
either to sin more against their knowledge, by taking away the
Liturgie; or to displease some faction of the people, by continuing
the use of it.

Though, I beleeve, they have offended more considerable men, not onely
for their numbers and estates, but for their weighty and judicious
piety, then those are, whose weaknesse or giddinesse they sought to
gratifie by taking it away.

One of the greatest faults some men found with the Common-Prayer-Book,
I beleeve, was this, That it taught them to pray so oft for Me; to
which Petitions they had not Loyaltie enough to say _Amen_, nor yet
Charitie enough to forbear Reproaches, and even Cursings of Me in
their own Forms, in stead of praying for Me.

I wish their repentance may be their onely punishment; that seeing
the mischiefs, which the disuse of publick Liturgies hath already
produced, they may restore that credit, use and reverence to them,
which by the ancient Churches were given to set Forms of sound and
wholsom words.

_And thou, O Lord, which art the same God, blessed for ever, whose
Mercies are full of varietie, and yet of constancie; Thou deniest us
not a new and fresh sense of our old and daily wants nor despisest
renewed affections joyned to constant expressions._

_Let us not want the benefit of thy Churches united and well advised
Devotions._

_Let the matters of our praiers be agreeable to thy will which is
always the same, and the fervency of our spirits to the motions of thy
holy Spirit in us._

_And then we doubt not, but thy spirituall perfections are such as
thou art neither to be pleased with affected Novelties for matter or
manner, nor offended with the pious constancy of our petitions in them
both._

_Whose varietie or constancie thou hast no where either forbidden or
commanded but left them to the piety and prudence of thy Church, that
both may be used, neither despised._

_Keep men in that pious moderation of their judgements in matters
of Religion; that their ignorance may not offend others, nor their
opinion of their own abilities tempt them to deprive others of what
they may lawfully and devoutly use, to help their infirmities._

_And since the advantage of Error consists in novelty & variety, as
truths in unity and constancy: Suffer not thy Church to be pestered
with errours, and defor