A discourse concerning liturgies, and their imposition

Nor is there any sufficient warrant for this Invention in the Second Pretence. There were many Antichrists in the Apostles time, yet they never thought of this Engine for their discovery or exclusion out of the Church, Confessions of Faith, or acknowledged Forms of wholesome Words with the care of the Disciples of Christ, or his Churches, which are enabled by him to judge and discern of Truth and Error, are the preservations against the danger intimated, that the Gospel hath provided.

Nor is there any sufficient warrant for this Invention in the Second Pretence. There were many Antichrists in the Apostles time, yet they never thought of this Engine for their discovery or exclusion out of the Church, Confessions of Faith, or acknowledped Forms of wholesome Words with the care of the Disciples of Christ, or his Churches, which are enabled by him to judge and discern of Truth and Error, are the preservations against the danger intimated, that the Gospel hath provided.

This being the entrance that the Liturgies enquired after, made into the Churches of God, we are not much concerned to enquire what was their Progress. That in the Western parts of the World they all at length centred in the Roman Mass-Book and Rituals we know. Their beginnings were small, plain, brief, their use Arbitrary, the Additions they received were from the endeavours of private men in several Ages, occasional for the most part; the number of them great, equal to the various denominations of the Churches, until the Papal authority growing absolute and uncontrollable, the Roman Form was imposed on the World, that by innumerable artifices in a long tract of Ages was subjected thereunto, and that contrary to the determination of former Roman Bishops, who advised the continuance of the different Forms of administrations which were in use in several Churches. Mihi placet, ut sive in Romanis sive ⟨p. 34⟩in Galliarum partibus▪ seu in qualibet Ecclesia aliquid invenisti quod plus Omnipotenti Deo possit placere solicite eligas. Greg. Resp. ad Interrogat. August.