But this matter is of so popular a nature, as some 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 deformed with undecencies in thy service, under the pretence of variety and noveltie. Nor to be deprived of truth, unitie, and order under this fallacy, That constancie is the cause of formality._ _Lord, keepe us from formall Hypocrisie in our own Hearts, and then we know that praying to thee, or praising of thee (with_ David, _and other Holy men) in the same formes cannot hurt us._ _Give us wisdom to amend what is amiss within us, and there will be less to mend without us._