A discourse concerning liturgies

By which we may discern, what was the freedom, as to Prayer at Baptism (and consequently elsewhere) in those times when he writ (probably about the latter end of the fifth, or the beginning of the sixth Age) when Forms through necessity were growing more common. Prayers to the same effect ⟨p. 112⟩would then serve the turn, as they now serve the Reformed Churches. He that appeared to the World about that time, in the visor of Apostolical ^lAuthority, would not by virtue thereof presume to tie any, in administering Baptism, strictly to one Form, any one Form of Words; No, not to those Words, which he would have them believe, were formed by the Apostles themselves. The Apostles, as he personates them, gave liberty to wave their own supposed Forms, and think it well enough, if Prayers to the same purpose be used instead thereof. In all probability, if this Actor had laid his Scene in places and times, where more restraint had been tolerable, he would have represented it otherwise.

By which we may discern, what was the freedom, as to Prayer at Baptism (and consequently elsewhere) in those times when he writ (probably about the latter end of the fifth, or the beginning of the sixth Age) when Forms through necessity were growing more common. Prayers to the same effect ⟨p. 112⟩would then serve the turn, as they now serve the Reformed Churches. He that appeared to the World about that time, in the vizard of Apostolical ^lAuthority, would not by vertue thereof presume to tie any, in administring Baptism, strictly to one Form, any one Form of Words; No, not to those Words, which he would have them believe, were formed by the Apostles themselves. The Apostles, as he personates them, gave liberty to wave their own supposed Forms, and think it well enough, if Prayers to the same purpose be used instead thereof. In all probability, if this Actor had laid his Scene in places and times, where more restraint had been tolerable, he would have represented it otherwise.

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