APPENDIX. NUMBER I. LITURGIES. ONE of Dr. Trevern's most favourite arguments, by which he would demonstrate the reception of the doctrine of Transubstantiation on the part of the primitive Church Catholic from the very beginning, is the language of the ancient Liturgies. Discuss. Amic. Lettr. ix. Answ. to Diff. of Rom. p. 181-230. An author, omnibus hoc vitium est cantoribus, is apt to regard with parental fondness a production of his own, which yet may not strike upon the apprehension of another person as possessing any very special measure of cogency. Such, apparently, were the different estimates of this present argument, as respectively formed by the Bishop of Strasbourg and myself: and the result of the variety, so far as I am concerned, was my well nigh total silence on the topic in the first edition of the Difficulties of Romanism. Encouraged by my taciturnity, Dr. Trevern unhappily mistook systematic mercy for overwhelming terror. I was unwilling to hurt the feelings of an individual, whom, on account of his high alleged amiability, I had been requested to treat with all gentleness and forbearance : my evidence seemed to be quite ample enough, without going into the very inferior question of the Liturgies: and there were certain matters intimately connected with Dr. Trevern's argument from that quarter, which I could not enter upon without an unpleasant exposure of most reprehensible conduct. Now I had no wish to dissect the Bishop a single iota more than I found absolutely necessary and his argument from the Liturgies I deemed, even in itself, quite beneath the gravity of serious criticism. Hence, in compliance with the warmly expressed wishes of Mr. Massingberd, I conceived, that a prudent silence on that argument, while I barely mentioned that such an argument had been used, was the best and kindest plan which I could adopt. In his Answer, Dr. Trevern remarks, doubtless very truly, that, to the argument in question, I offer reply, none whatsoever, to his utter astonishment, none. But it may be doubted, whether, with equal truth, he tells me, that my weak eyes were dazzled by the brilliancy of the old Liturgies: and it may peradventure be also doubted, whether, with any very surpassing measure of discretion, he loudly and somewhat insultingly dares to the combat his supposed shrinking antagonist. Necessity, they say, has no law: and, since the Bishop and his friends have now sufficiently enjoyed his imaginary triumph in re liturgica, I must, when thus bearded, be even content to buckle on my armour. I. Not one of the old Liturgies, as it is well known, was committed to writing until the fifth century. Previous to that period, whatever of the old Liturgies was in existence, traditionally floated only in the memories of the Priesthood, or partially at least might be caught up by the imperfect recollection of the Laity. Under such circumstances, it is obvious, that, if any change of doctrine gradually took place; a correspondent change of expression, or rather a correspondent heightening of expression (the easy possibility of which, as we shall presently see, Dr. Trevern himself, with in |