A discourse concerning liturgies

3. Any Prayers that were approved, either by a Synod, or other discreet persons, might be used, as in other Church administrations, (and in which of them were not ⁿImposition of Hands used?) so particularly in the Lords Supper, (as the title of the ⟨p. 52⟩⟨p. 53⟩Canon, de precibus ad altare dicendis, shows) in what Mode, or by what Person soever they were made. And hence it follows, that either those African Churches had no common form of Service at all; or else (which serves my purpose as well) they had none, but such, as with the good leave of those Fathers, might never have been used by any, either at the Lords Supper, or other parts of Worship; since any other Prayers, which either a Synod, or other prudent Ministers should approve, have the placet of this Council.

3. Any Prayers that were approved, either by a Synod, or other discreet persons, might be used, as in other Church administrations, (and in which of them were not ⁿImposition of Hands used?) so particularly in the Lords Supper, (as the title of the ⟨p. 52⟩⟨p. 53⟩Canon, de precibus ad altare dicendis, shews) in what Mode, or by what Person soever they were made. And hence it follows, that either those African Churches had no common form of Service at all; or else (which serves my purpose as well) they had none, but such, as with the good leave of those Fathers, might never have been used by any, either at the Lords Supper, or other parts of Worship; since any other Prayers, which either a Synod, or other prudent Ministers should approve, have the placet of this Council.

1. nBy Imposition of Hands, here is meant, Prayers used when hands were imposed; manus autem impositio non sicut Baptismus, repeti non potest. Quid est enim aliud nisi oratio super hominem. August. de Baptis. contra Donat. l. 3. c. 16. p. 406. Hands were imposed almost in all Prayers, and all Church Administrations; the Prayers in the first were those for the Catechumens and Penitents, Imposition of Hands at both. On Catechumens. Vincentius a Tiberi in Ciprians connecut. primo per manus impositionem in exorcismo, secundo per Baptismi regenerationem, possunt ad Christi pollicitationem pervenire. Vid. August. de Baptis. lib. 6. c. 44. Augustin, nam & Catechumeni, secundum quendam modum suum, per signum Christi, & orationum manus impositionis puto sanctificari, de peccat. merit. l. 2. c. 26. tom. 1. pars 1. p. 875. In exorcismis impositio manuum, Leo ep. 78. c. 1. Vid. Conc. Carth. 4. Can. 85, On Penitents, in admission to Penance; Albaspin. observ. p. 230. 233, 397. Vid. Cent. 5. p. 665. In exercise of it while under penitence, [Greek or Hebrew], &c. Con. Laodic. c. 18. Con. Carth. 4. c. 80. In Absolution, or reconciling penitents. Cypr. epist. Euseb. l. 7. c. 2. Leo, non nisi per paenitentiae medium, & per impositionem episcopalis manus communionis recipiant unitatem, epist. 77. cap. 6. Rconcilientur per manus impositionem. Con. Carth. 4. c. 76. In Confirmation. Tertull. Egressi de lavacro perungimur benedicta unctione de pristina disciplina, dehinc manus imponitur. Cypr. Qui in ecclesia baptizantur praepositis ecclesiae offeruntur, ut per nostram orationem & manus impositionem Spiritum Sanctum consequantur, epist. Joviano. Jerom, Ad eos qui longe in minoribus urbibus per Presbyteros & Diaconos baptisati sunt. Episcopus ad invocationem Spiritus Sancti manum impositurus excurrat, adv. Luciferian. In admission of reduced Heretics. Leo, quod si ab Haereticis baptizatum quempiam fuisse constiterit, erga hunc nullatenus Sacramentum regenerationis iteretur; sed hoc tantum, quod ibi defuit, conferatur, ut per episcopalem manus impositionem virtutem Sancti Spiritus conjequatur, ep. 35. cap. 2. ep. 77. c. 7. [Greek or Hebrew]. Dionys. in Euseb. l. 7. c. 1. In visitation of sick. Si sorte ab aegrotantibus ob hoc peteretur, ut pro iis in praesenti Deum rogaret, eisque manus imponeret, sine mora pergebat. Possidon. vita Augustini. He tells afterward of one healed by his laying on hands, who had a vision for it. In celebrating Matrimony. Lest applies that of Clem. Alexand. pedagog. l. 3. [Greek or Hebrew]. In Ordination, which needs no proof. Sed vid. Con. Carth. 4. can. 2. 3, 4. In exorcising the possessed. Con. Carth. 4. can. 5. Omni die exorcistae energumenis manus imponant. Vid. can. 7. In Baptizing. Clem. const. l. 7. c. 44. Vid. Vicec. de Bapt. p. 614. 620. and immediately before, Dionys. Areop. eccl. Hier. c. 2. Vicec. p. 581. Hence baptism is called impositio manus, p. 8. in abrenunciando sub Antistitis manu, Tertullian de corona mil. c. 3. post confessionem Fidei. Dionys. Arcop. in Vicec. 325. eccles. Hierar. cap. 2. Hence Melitius is, by the Nicene Council, forbidden the exercise of his Function, in these terms: [Greek or Hebrew]. Synodica epist. Con. nic. in Theodoret, l. 1. c. 9.