And further, I can see no probability, that at Rome it self, there was any settled, (much less imposed) Form of Consecration, before hthat mentioned by Gregory, lib. 7. epist. For if any of the former Bishops had left behind them any such Prayer, and commended it to be used by that Church for this purpose; it is not credible, that it would have been recited for the novel composition of such an obscure person, of whom we can know nothing by knowing his name. Gregory tells us, that Prayer, (or Canon, as he also calls it) was made by Scholastious, who, as it is most probable, ilived about his own time. Some Writers of the Popes Lives, and others, ⟨p. 84⟩ascribe indeed several parcels of that Canon to Bishops before Gregory's days; one to Alexander, another to Siricius, another to Leo, (nor find I more) but whether they knew better, at such a distance, or ought to have more credit then Gregory, is easy to determine. And if those parcels be examined, it will appear, they are nothing to the purpose, or else later then the sixth Age. This form of Scholasticus, Gregory having kaltered it as he thought fit, and added the Lords Prayer to it; (which, though it were used no where publicly, but in the Eucharistical Office, in any place; yet not in that it seems, at Rome, till he introduced it) made use of it in that Church; where, by custom, it came to be settled, but not by rule, in his time at least. For, that he neither imposed it, nor had a mind to impose it, is apparent, by what he writes to our Austin; who, having mentioned ⟨p. 85⟩the various lmodes of Celebrating the Eucharist in several Churches, particularly the Roman and the French; with a design to know his sense thereof, and which he would have him follow.
And further, I can see no probability, that at Rome it self, there was any setled, (much less imposed) Form of Consecration, before hthat mentioned by Gregory, lib. 7. epist. For if any of the former Bishops had left behind them any such Prayer, and commended it to be used by that Church for this purpose; it is not credible, that it would have been recited for the novel composition of such an obscure person, of whom we can know nothing by knowing his name. Gregory tells us, that Prayer, (or Canon, as he also calls it) was made by Scholastious, who, as it is most probable, ilived about his own time. Some Writers of the Popes Lives, and others, ⟨p. 84⟩ascribe indeed several parcels of that Canon to Bishops before Gregories dayes; one to Alexander, another to Siricius, another to Leo, (nor find I more) but whether they knew better, at such a distance, or ought to have more credit then Gregory, is easie to determine. And if those parcels be examined, it will appear, they are nothing to the purpose, or else later then the sixth Age. This form of Scholasticus, Gregory having kaltered it as he thought fit, and added the Lords Prayer to it; (which, though it were used no where publickly, but in the Eucharistical Office, in any place; yet not in that it seems, at Rome, till he introduced it) made use of it in that Church; where, by custom, it came to be setled, but not by rule, in his time at least. For, that he neither imposed it, nor had a mind to impose it, is apparent, by what he writes to our Austin; who, having mentioned ⟨p. 85⟩the various lmodes of Celebrating the Eucharist in several Churches, particularly the Roman and the French; with a design to know his sense thereof, and which he would have him follow.
- hOrdo Romanus continet haud dubie ordinem a B. Gregorio institutum: Nam ut Author est Joannes Diaconus, codicem Gelasianum, quem de missatum solennibus composuerat Gregorius, multa subtrahens, pauca convertins, nonnulla adjiciens, in unius libri volumen redegit, qui ordo postea per universum fere occidentem obtinuit. Cassand. Liturgic. Praefa. ad ord. Rom. p. 92. In neither of those orders, which Cassander gives us for the ancient Roman order, the shorter or longer, are there any prescribed Forms of Prayer; but only a bare relation of the order wherein they proceeded.Ordo Romanus continet haud dubie ordinem a B. Gregorio institutum: Nam ut Author est Joannes Diaconus, codicem Gelasianum, quem de missatum solennibus composuerat Gregorius, multa subtrahens, pauca convertins, nonnulla adjiciens, in unius libri volumen redegit, qui ordo postea per universum fere occidentem obtinuit. Cassand. Liturgic. Praefa. ad ord. Rom. p. 92. In neither of those orders, which Cassander gives us for the antient Roman order, the shorter or longer, are there any prescribed Forms of Prayer; but only a bare relation of the order wherein they proceeded.
- iBellarmin denies not, but it is probable, that Scholasticus then lived, utraque probabilis, de miss. l. 2. c. 19. p. 819. Gregorii igitur aetate, circa An. 590. vixit consarcinator ille Canonis. Chemnit. exam. par• 2. p. 358. Si vero Gregorius per Scholasticum intelligat certum aliquem hominem, qui aetate ipsius vixerit, ut adversarii contendant. Bellarm. de miss. l. 2. c. 19. p. 819. The benediction, it seems to be in Augustin, Epist. 59. p. Vid. pag. alteram. Vid. Thornd. serv. 384. 385.
- kOrationem autem dominicam idcirco mox post precem dicimus, quia mos Apostolorum fuit, ut ad ipsam solummodo orationem, oblationis hostiam consecrarent. Et valde mihi inconviniens visum est: ut precem, quam Scholasticus composuerat; super oblationem diceremus; & ipsam traditionem, quam Redemptor noster composuit, super ejus corpus & sanguinem non diceremus. Greg. lib. 7. epist. 63.
- lNovit Fraternitas tua Romanae Ecclesiae consuetudinem, in qua se nutritum meminit; sed mihi placet, ut sive in Romana, sive in Gallicarum, seu in qualibet Ecclesia, aliquid invenisti, quod plus omnipotenti Deo possit placere, solicite eligas—Non enim pro locis res, sed pro bonis rebus loca amanda sunt. Ex singulis ergo quibusque ecclesiis, quae pia, que religiosa, quae recta sunt, elige, &c. Bede eccle. hist. l. 1. c. 27. In diversis ecclesiis diversas protulit consuetudines; nec Romanus ipse ubique voluit imponendus. Spelm. Concil. p. 110.
