Yea the weaker and indiscreeter sort, of those that officiated, are allowed, by the next Clause, to use what prayers they would any where make choice of, with this limitation only, that their more discreet Brethren should first be conferred with about them. That of Augustine, who was a great part of the African Councils, at this time, de Baptism. contra Donat. l. 6. c. 25. p. 568. is the best Comment, which can be desired, upon this passage. Having showed, that divers of his Brethren had many things against the Faith, in prayers which they used in Sacramental administrations; he gives this account of it; Multi irruunt in pr•ces, non solum ab imperitis loquacibus, sed etiam ab Haereticis compositas; & per ignorantiae simplicitatem, non eas valentes discernere, utuntur iis, arbitrantes quod bonae sint. Many light upon Prayers, not only which are composed by unskilful Babblers, but also by Heretics; and through the simplicity of their ignorance, not being able to discern, they use them, judging that they are good. Here we have persons as fit to be confined to prescribed Forms, as any we can expect to meet with; (such as could neither make prayers themselves, nor make tolerable choice of prayers made by others; being so ignorant, as they could not discern an Heretical prayer, when they met with it). These are circumstances, which might justify the imposition of set forms, if any could do it. And yet the African Fathers ksaw ⟨p. 47⟩no sufficient reason, to prescribe such Forms to persons so lamentably insufficient. But, as they did make choice of what prayers they thought good before; so they leave them at liberty, to use what they made choice of; providing only, they should first confer with their more able Brethren about them, that so what was therein erroneous might be ⟨p. 48⟩amended. And accordingly Augustine, in the same place, tells us, multorum enim preces emendantur quotidie, si doctioribus fuerint recitatae; the prayers of many are amended daily, if they be recited to the more Learned.
Yea the weaker and indiscreeter sort, of those that officiated, are allowed, by the next Clause, to use what prayers they would any where make choice of, with this limitation only, that their more discreet Brethren should first be conferred with about them. That of Augustine, who was a great part of the African Councils, at this time, de Baptism. contra Donat. l. 6. c. 25. p. 568. is the best Comment, which can be desired, upon this passage. Having shewed, that divers of his Brethren had many things against the Faith, in prayers which they used in Sacramental administrations; he gives this account of it; Multi irruunt in pr•ces, non solum ab imperitis loquacibus, sed etiam ab Haereticis compositas; & per ignorantiae simplicitatem, non eas valentes discernere, utuntur iis, arbitrantes quod bonae sint. Many light upon Prayers, not only which are composed by unskilful Bablers, but also by Hereticks; and through the simplicity of their ignorance, not being able to discern, they use them, judging that they are good. Here we have persons as fit to be confined to prescribed Forms, as any we can expect to meet with; (such as could neither make prayers themselves, nor make tolerable choice of prayers made by others; being so ignorant, as they could not discern an Heretical prayer, when they met with it). These are circumstances, which might justifie the imposition of set forms, if any could do it. And yet the African Fathers ksaw ⟨p. 47⟩no sufficient reason, to prescribe such Forms to persons so lamentably insufficient. But, as they did make choice of what prayers they thought good before; so they leave them at liberty, to use what they made choice of; providing only, they should first confer with their more able Brethren about them, that so what was therein erroneous might be ⟨p. 48⟩amended. And accordingly Augustine, in the same place, tells us, multorum enim preces emendantur quotidie, si doctioribus fuerint recitatae; the prayers of many are amended daily, if they be recited to the more Learned.
- kNow since some, angry at this Canon, (for what reason appears not, unless because it shows what they would not have seen) would shift it out of the African constitutions; let it be observed, that it was originally a Decree of the Council at Hippo, as appears by the brief of its Canons; in which it is the 23. in number of 41. Crab. t. 1. p. 433. A general Council this was, as we learn by that of Possidonius, Vit. August. c. 7. Coram Episcopis, hoc illi jubentibus in plenarium totius Africae Concilium Hippone agebant. Vid. August. retract. lib. 1. cap. 17. And of such esteem, that, as Baronius tells us, Ceterae quae postea in Africa celebratae sunt Synodi, ex Hipponensi tanquam Archetypo quodam, complura suerint mutuatae. Ad anu. 393. n. 5. And no African Council hath fuller approbation, nor that so frequently and solemnly declared. It was confirmed, by a fu•l Council at Carthage, Caesario & Attico. Coss. an. 397. So Marianus Scotus mentions it, an. 417. Concilium Carthagin•nse, ubi Hipponensis Concilii statuta firmantur & inseruntur. And an abridgement (now spoken of) made of its decrees, that they might be the better remembered and observed, as the Fathers tell us in a Synodal Epistle; breve vero statutorum huic epistolae subdi secimus, ut compendio (quae decreta sunt) recensentes, solicitius observari curemus, in Crab. •. 1. p. 433. Justel. notae in Cod. Asr. p. 48, 49. And of Fifty ascribed to this (called Third) Council of Carthage, Thirty Nine are the same with those of Hippo; and in both this Canon is the Twenty Three. It was confirmed afterwards (the Canons thereof being recited) not only by the Votes, but the Subscriptions of the Fathers in the general Council at Milevis, an. 402. Arcad. & Honour. 5. Coss. Together with the constitutions of the last mentioned Council of Carthage. Vid. Crab. tom. 1. p. 481, 509. & Justell. Cod. 218. &c. It was finally ratified by Two Hundred and Seventeen Bishops in a Council at Carthage, an. 419. and the approbations and confirmations of it forementioned are part of the African code, in which the title of Can. 34. is, quod nihil de Hipponens• Concilio sit emendandum, in Justel, p. 114. Vid. p. 217. &c.Now since some, angry at this Canon, (for what reason appears not, unless because it shews what they would not have seen) would shift it out of the African constitutions; let it be observed, that it was originally a Decree of the Council at Hippo, as appears by the brief of its Canons; in which it is the 23. in number of 41. Crab. t. 1. p. 433. A general Council this was, as we learn by that of Possidonius, Vit. August. c. 7. Coram Episcopis, hoc illi jubentibus in plenarium totius Africae Concilium Hippone agebant. Vid. August. retract. lib. 1. cap. 17. And of such esteem, that, as Baronius tells us, Ceterae quae postea in Africa celebratae sunt Synodi, ex Hipponensi tanquam Archetypo quodam, complura suerint mutuatae. Ad anu. 393. n. 5. And no African Council hath fuller approbation, nor that so frequently and solemnly declared. It was confirmed, by a ful Council at Carthage, Caesario & Attico. Coss. an. 397. So Marianus Scotus mentions it, an. 417. Concilium Carthaginnse, ubi Hipponensis Concilii statuta firmantur & inseruntur. And an abridgment (now spoken of) made of its decrees, that they might be the better remembered and observed, as the Fathers tell us in a Synodal Epistle; breve vero statutorum huic epistolae subdi secimus, ut compendio (quae decreta sunt) recensentes, solicitius observari curemus, in Crab. . 1. p. 433. Justel. notae in Cod. Asr. p. 48, 49. And of Fifty ascribed to this (called Third) Council of Carthage, Thirty Nine are the same with those of Hippo; and in both this Canon is the Twenty Three. It was confirmed afterwards (the Canons thereof being recited) not only by the Votes, but the Subscriptions of the Fathers in the general Council at Milevis, an. 402. Arcad. & Honor. 5. Coss. Together with the constitutions of the last mentioned Council of Carthage. Vid. Crab. tom. 1. p. 481, 509. & Justell. Cod. 218. &c. It was finally ratified by Two Hundred and Seventeen Bishops in a Council at Carthage, an. 419. and the approbations and confirmations of it forementioned are part of the African code, in which the title of Can. 34. is, quod nihil de Hipponens Concilio sit emendandum, in Justel, p. 114. Vid. p. 217. &c.
