A discourse concerning liturgies

Socrates, who lived in the middle of the Fifth Century, ^hand whose History reaches an. 439. gives us an account of the variety then used in Prayers, altogether inconsistent with any common ⟨p. 133⟩prescribed Liturgy, l. 5. c. 21. p. 698. [Greek or Hebrew]. Generally, in any place whatsoever, and amongst all (the sorts of) Worshippers, there cannot two be sound agreeing to use the same Prayers. Now where there was diversity of Prayers every where, How could there be the use of one common Liturgy? where there was no [Greek or Hebrew], no agreement or concurrence, in using the same Prayers in any place; How could there be one prescribed model? when there could not be found two, any where, using the same Prayers; Where were they to be found, that used the same Service-Book?

Socrates, who lived in the middle of the Fifth Century, ^hand whose History reaches an. 439. gives us an account of the variety then used in Prayers, altogether inconsistent with any common ⟨p. 133⟩prescribed Liturgy, l. 5. c. 21. p. 698. 〈non-Latin alphabet〉. Generally, in any place whatsoever, and amongst all (the sorts of) Worshippers, there cannot two be sound agreeing to use the same Prayers. Now where there was diversity of Prayers every where, How could there be the use of one common Liturgy? where there was no 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, no agreement or concurrence, in using the same Prayers in any place; How could there be one prescribed model? when there could not be found two, any where, using the same Prayers; Where were they to be found, that used the same Service-Book?

1. hAntonius of Valentia, a Dominican (in the Council of Trent) said that it was plain, by all History, that anciently every Church had her particular Ritual of the Mass, brought in by use, and upon occasion, rather than by deliberation and decree; and that the small Church did follow the Metropolitan, and the greater, which were near. The Roman rite hath been, to gratify the Pope, received in many Provinces, tho' the Rites of many Churches are still most different from it, &c. And that of Rome also hath had great alterations, and the true Roman rite, not that which is now observed by the Priests in that City, &c. Hist. of the Counc. of Trent, l. 6. p. 548, 549. Prayers in end of Ancient Councils not premeditated, but as the Spirit did excite some Bishops. In Trent, not giving way to the extemporary Spirit of any, but repeating it out of a paper, ibid. p. 813. Fid. Augustini retractat. l. 2. c. 20. of varieties in Sacraments, c tamen commemorari omnia potuerunt.