A discourse concerning liturgies

Their affections excited by the Spirit could help them to expressions without a Book, and did form their words in Prayer, as Augustine tells us, Quamlibet alia (quam oramus dominica) verba dicamus, quae affectus orantis, vel praecedendo format ut clareat, vel consequendo attendit ut crescat. Epist. 121. Probae, 721. c. 12. And if their affections were not always so active, their judgment and invention, (which with divine assistance) served them so well on a sudden with expressions in Preaching, might much more easily help them to words in Praying.

Let us show this more particularly, in the several Prayers made in the celebration of the Eucharist. It appears by the 18 Canon of the Council of Laodicea, that in the latter end of the fourth Century three sorts of Prayers were used in that administration, [Greek or Hebrew], after the dismission of Catechumens and Penitents, [Greek or Hebrew]; the first of these silently, [Greek or Hebrew]; the other two pronounced, [Greek or Hebrew]. Of which two, one must be the Prayer for all sorts in general, and the Church in particular, called [Greek or Hebrew], the general Prayer; for that such a Prayer was then made, there is evidence enough in Authors both of Greek and Latin Churches of that Age; the other must be the blessing of the Elements, called the Prayer of Consecration; for this was never omitted, so Optatus, Legitimum quod in Sacramentorum mysterio praeteriri non potest. l. 2. advers. Parmenianum.

Let us shew this more particularly, in the several Prayers made in the celebration of the Eucharist. It appears by the 18 Canon of the Council of Laodicea, that in the latter end of the fourth Century three sorts of Prayers were used in that administration, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, after the dismission of Catechumens and Penitents, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉; the first of these silently, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉; the other two pronounced, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉. Of which two, one must be the Prayer for all sorts in general, and the Church in particular, called , the general Prayer; for that such a Prayer was then made, there is evidence enough in Authors both of Greek and Latin Churches of that Age; the other must be the blessing of the Elements, called the Prayer of Consecration; for this was never omitted, so Optatus, Legitimum quod in Sacramentorum mysterio praeteriri non potest. l. 2. advers. Parmenianum.