A discourse concerning liturgies

Augustine, and others allege, against the Pelagians, divers things, which were frequently prayed for in public; but without signifying in the least wise, that the Prayers were written or ancient, (which he in Eusebius thought it requisite to express, concerning the Hymns he mentions) or that they were generally received, or the same Form, or authorized for the public Service, or prescribed to be invariably used. Yet in these particulars lay the force and the advantage of such an allegation; and that which would render it most considerable, and of far more weight then the Testimony of single Writers: And therefore undoubtedly would have been insisted on (if there had been any such thing to urge) by any, who knew how to manage an Argument, or to make use of a very obvious advantage.

Augustine, and others alleadge, against the Pelagians, divers things, which were frequently prayed for in publick; but without signifying in the least wise, that the Prayers were written or antient, (which he in Eusebius thought it requisite to express, concerning the Hymns he mentions) or that they were generally received, or the same Form, or authorized for the publick Service, or prescribed to be invariably used. Yet in these particulars lay the force and the advantage of such an allegation; and that which would render it most considerable, and of far more weight then the Testimony of single Writers: And therefore undoubtedly would have been insisted on (if there had been any such thing to urge) by any, who knew how to manage an Argument, or to make use of a very obvious advantage.

So that we may conclude, either the greatest wits and judgments of those times were not wise enough to discern the best advantages they had from ⟨p. 25⟩Humane Testimony, such as were obvious to every eye; and either could not manage them, as those of ordinary capacities amongst us can do; or would not improve them, as the interest of the truth they contended for, and their faithfulness to it required; and so were either injudicious or unfaithful; or else that they had no such advantages to make use of, and so no such Liturgies.