Thus I have given an account of the Testimonies produced for the Antiquity of the Liturgies in question, and of all that I have met with, after endeavours to meet with all, having waved none, wherein there might be conceived to be any strength, or wherein I could perceive any show of it. What opinion others may have hereof, I will not conjecture: For my own part, after a careful observance of whatever might seem to have any force or evidence, for that purpose; I may profess, that (as this was it, which First swayed my Judgment to that part of the question, wherein it now rests; so still) I am very well satisfied, even by these Testimonies, bthat there was no such thing, as that for which they are alleged. To me there needs no more Arguments, nor (if I much mistake not) will more be very needful to any other, whose minds are not prepossessed with something too hard for their reason. For if there had been such Liturgies used constantly in all Churches through the World, for Five hundred or Six hundred Years next after Christ, it is not imaginable, but there would have been such remarkable traces, ⟨p. 180⟩yea such clear evidence in some, yea in many of the Ancients (especially the Writers being so numerous, their Writings left us so full and Voluminous, and the occasions of mentioning them so very frequent) that there might have been had as full and clear proof thereof, and with as much ease, as of any one thing, whose antiquity hath been questioned. Now, when many have curiously searched antiquity for this, and being pricked on by opposition, have pursued the search with great industry, under a quick sense too how much they are concerned herein, and being withal, Persons of as great ability for the discovery, as any we can expect will attempt it, divers of them seeming as well acquainted with what is obvious in antiquity (which is all that is needful in this case) as with their own Lodgings, and some of them no strangers to her in her Retirements and less traced Recesses; after they have, (as they tell us, and we might have believed it, if they had not said so) made the fairest proof thereof they can, yet produce nothing, which any that are impartial can account, or which I am apt to think they themselves can believe to be sufficient proof, (if their belief were beholding to nothing but their reason:)
Thus I have given an account of the Testimonies produced for the Antiquity of the Liturgies in question, and of all that I have met with, after indeavours to meet with all, having waved none, wherein there might be conceived to be any strength, or wherein I could perceive any shew of it. What opinion others may have hereof, I will not conjecture: For my own part, after a careful observance of whatever might seem to have any force or evidence, for that purpose; I may profess, that (as this was it, which First swayed my Judgment to that part of the question, wherein it now rests; so still) I am very well satisfied, even by these Testimonies, bthat there was no such thing, as that for which they are alledged. To me there needs no more Arguments, nor (if I much mistake not) will more be very needful to any other, whose minds are not prepossessed with something too hard for their reason. For if there had been such Liturgies used constantly in all Churches through the World, for Five hundred or Six hundred Years next after Christ, it is not imaginable, but there would have been such remarkable traces, ⟨p. 180⟩yea such clear evidence in some, yea in many of the Antients (especially the Writers being so numerous, their Writings left us so full and Voluminous, and the occasions of mentioning them so very frequent) that there might have been had as full and clear proof thereof, and with as much ease, as of any one thing, whose antiquity hath been questioned. Now, when many have curiously searched antiquity for this, and being prickt on by opposition, have pursued the search with great industry, under a quick sense too how much they are concerned herein, and being withal, Persons of as great ability for the discovery, as any we can expect will attempt it, divers of them seeming as well acquainted with what is obvious in antiquity (which is all that is needful in this case) as with their own Lodgings, and some of them no strangers to her in her Retirements and less traced Recesses; after they have, (as they tell us, and we might have believed it, if they had not said so) made the fairest proof thereof they can, yet produce nothing, which any that are impartial can account, or which I am apt to think they themselves can believe to be sufficient proof, (if their belief were beholding to nothing but their reason:)
- b[Greek or Hebrew], Isidor. l. 5. Ep. 501.〈non-Latin alphabet〉, Isidor. l. 5. Ep. 501.
