A discourse concerning liturgies

So that all along it is manifest, the uniformity aimed at, in the common prescribed Liturgies, was only the issue and darling of late, dark and degenerate times; an innovation upon the Churches usages, in better times, and an invading of her Ancient Liberty; for which the Bishops of Rome were the greatest Zealots, designing therein the subjection of all other Churches to that of Rome; and gaining thereby, both an acknowledgement of the Papal Authority, from those who submitted to this Yoke, and an advantage of diffusing the Poison of her Superstitions, through the body of the Western Empire, where uniformity in Liturgy and Rituals, became a chief part of the uniform Apostasy of the latter times.

So that all along it is manifest, the uniformity aimed at, in the common prescribed Liturgies, was only the issue and darling of late, dark and degenerate times; an innovation upon the Churches usages, in better times, and an invading of her Antient Liberty; for which the Bishops of Rome were the greatest Zealots, designing therein the subjection of all other Churches to that of Rome; and gaining thereby, both an acknowledgment of the Papal Authority, from those who submitted to this Yoke, and an advantage of diffusing the Poyson of her Superstitions, through the body of the Western Empire, where uniformity in Liturgy and Rituals, became a chief part of the uniform Apostasie of the latter times.

Thus we have gone through the disadvantages, of proving a ^mNegative: Let us now see, how they acquit themselves, upon whom the proof lies; affirming, That the Liturgies they contend for, have been ever, from the beginning. And here, if any where, it would be an easy matter, to give the ⟨p. 136⟩World abundant satisfaction, that what they assert is true, if indeed it were so: He that takes notice, what clear and full evidence may be easily had, from the Writers of some one Country, in a part of the last Age, for prescribed Liturgies; or what convincing and unanswerable proof may be brought for them, from the few Writers, which were in part of the Eighth or Ninth Centuries, when they had got place in the World; may justly expect, that, from that multitude of writings, in those many Ages, which this question concerns; such ample and evident testimony, for imposed Forms, would be found by those who have laboured for it, as would have no place for the least doubt, but there were such in use all along, if they had been really, as is pretended, the usage of the Churches, from the Apostles times. And if no such thing be produced, by those, whose interest led them to ransack all antiquity for it; even this, if there were no more, will be a convincing argument, that the ancient Church had no such Custom. Let us then view, what the learned Advocates for these Liturgies, have collected out of the Ancients, and published for the satisfaction of the World, in this point; and impartially examine, whether it amount to such proof, as may be reasonably looked for in those circumstances, or whether it came not short of any just and competent proof at all.