A discourse concerning liturgies

1. An established Liturgy (if there had been any such) was used and approved already. But the Prayers, here mentioned, were not yet approved, nor were they to be used, till approved. So the brief of the Canon tells us, ut preces & orationes compositae, nisi probatae fuerint in Concilio, non dicantur. In Crab. Concil. tom. 1. p. 482. It is provided that the Service to be used, be first approved in the usual Synod, says a Learned Advocate for such Liturgies, upon this Canon. Then

2 What is meant by (quaecunque, what Prayers soever shall be debated with the more prudent, may be said) in the last clause of the Decree.

1. If we understand by it the supposed Liturgy, ⟨p. 54⟩it is added vainly, and no tolerable account can be given why. And besides, some prudent Brethren were to be conferred with about these Prayers, who were to approve them before they might be said. (This is clearly and unquestionably the design of quaecunque cum prudentioribus fuerint collatae, dicantur.) So that if hereby the African Liturgy be understood, it was such a one, as was not yet allowed to be used, and possibly never might be. It was at the arbitrament of such Judges, as those, who were concerned to use them, would choose; whether it should ever take place in the Church, or no, It might be disused or abolished, either in part, or wholly; as they thought fit. Such was the Liturgy of these Churches, no other established, nor otherwise prescribed, if the Canon here speak of it.