A discourse concerning liturgies

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 prces, 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