A discourse concerning liturgies

Hereby I suppose it clear enough, notwithstanding all endeavours to obscure it; that the principal Prayer, in the most solemn part of public Worship, in those times, was no prescribed Form. Nor was it any such Form Two Hundred Years after, as appears by that of Basil; who tells us plainly (in the latter end of the fourth Age) that no words of such a Prayer were left in writing by any Holy Men. [Greek or Hebrew]. Thus rendered by Erasmus; Invocationis verba, cum conficitur panis Eucharistiae, & poculum benedictionis, quis Sanctorum in scripto nobis reliquit? Which of the Holy Men have left us in Writing the words of a prayer, at the Consecration of the Eucharistical Bread, and the Cup of Blessing^e? By this it is evident, they were so far from having any prescribed Forms, in Consecrating the Eucharist, as they had not so much as the words of any such Form in Writing, ⟨p. 74⟩to his time, who lived, according to Petavius, till 379.

Hereby I suppose it clear enough, notwithstanding all endeavours to obscure it; that the principal Prayer, in the most solemn part of publick Worship, in those times, was no prescribed Form. Nor was it any such Form Two Hundred Years after, as appears by that of Basil; who tells us plainly (in the latter end of the fourth Age) that no words of such a Prayer were left in writing by any Holy Men. 〈non-Latin alphabet〉. Thus rendered by Erasmus; Invocationis verba, cum conficitur panis Eucharistiae, & poculum benedictionis, quis Sanctorum in scripto nobis reliquit? Which of the Holy Men have left us in Writing the words of a prayer, at the Consecration of the Eucharistical Bread, and the Cup of Blessing^e? By this it is evident, they were so far from having any prescribed Forms, in Consecrating the Eucharist, as they had not so much as the words of any such Form in Writing, ⟨p. 74⟩to his time, who lived, according to Petavius, till 379.

1. eBishop Jewels Apology, p. 60. Basil besought God, that he might celebrate with Prayers of his own making.