The Protestant Religion Truly State and Justified, Part 50
The Two and Fiftieth accuſed Point.
That the publick Service of the Church, ought not to be ſaid, but in a Language that all the People may underſtand.
Anſ. The Reformed Catholicks indeed hold this, with theſe exceptions: 1. That by All be meant the Ordinary Congregation; not meaning that if a French-man, or a Dutch-man, come in among them, they muſt needs ſpeak to him apart in his own Tongue.
2. That if any Ruſtick, Illiterate, or Novices, underſtand not many words in the Tranſlation of the Bible, or ſome apt words of the Miniſter, we muſt not therefore change the Tranſlation, nor forbear thoſe apt words that are ſuited to the more Intelligent; but help to amend the underſtanding of the Ignorant.
But that in Publick and Private, the Congregation ſhould underſtand what they hear as the Word of God, and what is ſaid in Confeſſion, Prayer and Praiſe to God, this we hold as a matter of grand importance.
1. Becauſe it's purpoſely, plainly, and copiouſly decided ſo by the Holy Ghoſt, in the Apoſtle Paul, 1 Cor 14. Do but read the Chapter and judge.
2. Becauſe Chriſt always Preached to the people in a known Tongue.
3. He prayed, Joh 17. in a known Tongue, and taught them ſo to pray.
4. The Apoſtles where ever they came, Preached and Prayed in a known Tongue.
5. They wrote the Goſpels, the Acts, and all their Epiſtles, to whole Churches, in the Tongue moſt commonly known to the Reader, and ſo to be read to, or by all.
6. It was their ſtanding Rule; Let all be done to Edification.
7. Their Preaching and writing was all for Teaching: And it is no Teaching to ſpeak to men in a ſtrange Language, (unleſs we be teaching them to underſtand it.)
8. Praying is the expreſſing of known deſires to God: It's no Prayer that expreſſeth no Deſire, and Ignoti nulla Cupido: There is no Deſire, ſave ſenſitive Appetite, that ſuppoſeth not Knowledge that the thing is good and needful. The words of a Parrot are not a Prayer. And confeſſion of Sin is the act of a penitent Soul, and it is no Repentance or Confeſſion that is but words of they know not what: It's no penitent Confeſſion to hear or ſpeak words, not underſtood what Sin they ſignifie.
And to give God thanks, implyeth that we underſtand what Mercies or benefits the words expreſs. And to praiſe God is underſtandingly to magnifie his perfections or Works. So that words without underſtanding them, are no more to be called Prayer, Praiſe, Confeſſion, Thankſgiving, than the ſinging of a Bird is, or the Crowing of a Cock.
9. No reaſonable man would be thus ſerved or converſed with: A Parent indeed can underſtand an Abba, or a look from an Infant; but it is on ſuppoſition, that the Infant himſelf perceiveth what he would have: And if it be not by intellectual but ſenſitive perception, it is no more a Petition to his Father, than a Dogs waiting for Food, tho' the perſon deſerves more pity. So God underſtandeth the meaning of Spiritual Groans, in one that wants words for large expreſſion: But that ſuppoſeth that it is true inward deſires after him which thoſe Groans ſignifie.
But publick worſhip requireth a conjunction of Soul and Service, and therefore a conjunct underſtanding: Elſe there is no true Union and Communion in the worſhip. For one ſound of words with diſcord of deſires, is no Chriſtian Union and Communion. It muſt be ſuppoſed that either the Hearers are not praying at all, or elſe that every one is ſecretly praying after his own thoughts for various things, without any Concord.
What melody would it be for all the Church to ſing in as many Tunes as perſons? What King or Judge will take it for a Petition, for a man to talk-gibberiſh to him, or ſay he knoweth not what?
10. Even Papiſts deride Quakers, for meeting to ſay nothing: And what difference is there, when they hear and ſay nothing underſtood, ſaving that the Voice maketh it a more pompous Mockery, than the Quakers Silence? O! who would have thought that the primitive manner of publick worſhip, ſhould ever have degenerated into ſuch a prophane abuſe of God and man, againſt plain Scripture, univerſal practice, and humane Reaſon? And this as a part of a grand deſign to kill the Life of all true Religion▪ and delude Souls with the dead Carkaſs of mortified Formalities, and Ceremonies; and that men ſhould think that Souls are ſaved as Wizards do pretend, to do Cures by Charms of words not underſtood; they ſerve God with empty ſhells, when they have caſt away the Kernels: Like the ſilly Samaritan▪ Woman, that lookt for a Chriſt to come to tell them, whether in this Mountain or at Jeruſalem men ought to worſhip, little knowing what it was to worſhip God as a Spirit, in Spirit and Truth, when it ſhould be neither at that Mountain, or at Jeruſalem.
But hath this man no Scripture, (againſt Scripture?) Yes, Luk. 1.8. [The people were praying without, while the Prieſt was offering Incenſe within.] Therefore the publick Worſhip may be performed, ſo as the people underſtand not: That, 1. The Prieſts action only out of their ſight is the publick worſhip, and the peoples praying is not ſo. 2. The offering Incenſe, is Praying; or becauſe the people are not to do the Prieſts Office in Incenſe and Sacrificing, therefore Miniſters muſt pray and praiſe God alone, without the people, and all this publick worſhip. 3. If the Levitical, Sacrifices were offered by the Prieſt alone, Chriſts Goſpel worſhip muſt be performed by the Prieſt alone, the people not knowing what he ſaith: And the precepts and examples of the New-Teſtament, muſt all be reduced to the Levitical Order of Incenſe and Sacrificing. 4. And is he ſure that all the people in the outer Court, prayed they knew not what, or in an unknown Tongue? What uſe is Scripture of to theſe men?
His next is, Levit. 16.17. None was to go in with the Prieſt to make attonement for the Congregation, &c. Anſ. You ſee that theſe men are Judaizers, and ſet up the Levitical Law for the Churches Rule of Service, as if Chriſt had not changed the Law. But our Queſtion is not now, Whether their Prieſt have any ſolitary attonement to make for the Congregation; but whether Chriſt hath not inſtituted ſuch publick worſhip, in which Miniſters and people muſt underſtandingly joyn? Doth their Prieſt celebrate their Maſs alone, out of the peoples ſight or hearing, in a Sanctuary while they are in the outer Court? Do not their people aſſemble to their Maſs? Will they ſtand to it, that their Church renounceth all worſhip of God in Holy Aſſemblies, ſave by the Prieſt alone? And is this the Holy Catholick Church?
And the man here profeſſedly calls the Prieſts ſolitary action, the publick Service, which is for the people, and not by them, and therefore they need not underſtand; and all the peoples Prayers are private and ſhould be underſtood; ſo that (the Myſtery opened,) either the Prieſt is all the Church, or elſe they have no publick Church Service, if they muſt meet, that every one may have a ſecret Prayer of his own, and may only ſee the Prieſts Service called publick. And by this he pretends that he anſwereth Paul, 1 Cor. 14. Adding moſt ſhameleſly, 1. That it ſeemeth there by the Text, that the common Service of the Church, was not then in a Tongue commonly underſtood. 2. Becauſe there was one to ſupply the place of the Ideots, to ſay Amen, where he ſaith, that the Genevamen, moſt deceitfully and maliciouſly Tranſlated, [He that is an Ideot, how ſhall he ſay Amen?] And raileth at them for putting [So be it.] O! what is man, and how incredible is the pretended infallible Clergy, that can expect that all men truſt their Souls on ſuch palpable deceit! When St. Paul ſpent a great part of the Chapter to diſſwade thoſe that by Inſpiration, could ſpeak ſtrange Languages, that they ſhould not uſe them in the Church, as being unedifying, or at leaſt not without an Interpreter; this man gathers, that the common Service was in an unknown Tongue? As if this diſſwaded uſe of ſome Prophets gift, were the common Service. 2. And when he diſſwadeth them from Praying in an unknown Tongue, or giving thanks in it, ſaying, elſe how can he that occupieth the Room of the unlearned ſay Amen, this man feigneth, that yet they were to give thanks in an unknown Tongue, and one was to ſupply the place of the Ideot or unlearned, in ſaying Amen, (See verſ. 23.) Paul would have all ſay Amen, this man ſays one was to do it for them: Paul argueth that therefore they muſt ſpeak to the underſtanding of the unlearned: This man turneth his own words againſt him: Doth his Supplier of the Ideots place himſelf, underſtand or not? If not, Paul ſaith, How can he ſay Amen? If he do, how doth he ſupply the place of the Ideots, that are ſuppoſed ſhould ſay Amen, and cannot?
For the ſake of this Chapter and Inſtance, I ſhall never think any words ſo plain, that Papiſts cannot turn againſt their moſt evident ſenſe.
But what is the Man's pretence for this erroneous Confidence? Why, the Vulgar Latine Tranſlateth it, Qui ſupplet locum, inſtead of Qui implet locum: And that Latin Tranſlator by ſupplet meant the ſame as implet, poſſidet vel tenet: foreign is well known to ſignifie to fill up: Their own Expoſitors are many of them for the Sence which this Doctor chargeth as deceitfully and maliciouſly given: Cornelius a Lapide ſaith that, foreign is Denuo implere, vel ſimul & Communiter omnes implere, to fill again, or all together, or in common to fill: It is not Qui ſupplet vicem indocti, but Qui locum occupat inter in▪doctos, or Idiotae locum tenet.
And ſo it is expounded by the ancients, Chryſoſtom, Occumenius, Theophyſact.
And are not theſe Roman Prieſts notoriouſly Perjured, that all Swear to expound the Scripture, according to the unanimous conſent of the Fathers, when as (beſides that the Fathers have but few of them written Commentaries on the Scriptures, there are very few of them that unanimouſly agree, of the Sence of the one half of the Scripture Texts, but either ſay nothing of them, or differ: And not only in this, but in moſt points named by this Doctors Touchſtone, he and others go flat againſt them?
And what meaneth the man to rail at them, that ſay So be it, inſtead of Amen? Is it not a true Tranſlation? But he will prove that it ſhould not be Tranſlated, and conſequently that Servict may be ſaid in an unknown Tongue, for Amen is not Greek but Hebrew. Anſ. 1 . Who can ſtand before theſe Arguments, if they be but backt with Guns and Swords, or Smithfield Fires, which are too hot for any Anſwer ſave Patience. He may alſo prove it from Chriſts Words on the Croſs, Eloi Eloi Lamaſabacthani: For Chriſt was now the moſt publick Prieſt, and was offering the moſt publick Service by his Sacrifice: Ergo, the publick Service ſhould be in an unknown Tongue: And it may be, they may find ſome other untranſlated word, that ſhall confute not only all the Bible, but all the Septuagint and Vulgar Latine Tranſlations.
But ſeeing theſe Men's Arguments are too hot for me to anſwer, as they might know that the Church of England refuſeth not AMEN, ſo neither will I, (though as I can prove, that the Corinthian Church were Hebrews and Gentiles mixt, and that Amen was underſtood by both; ſo Proteſtants uſe it as a word underſtood.)
From the Serpents Seed, and his deceiving ſubtil Lies: From Cain and his Succeſſours, and the malignant and Blood-thirſty Enemies of Abels faithful acceptable worſhip; from ſuch a worldly and fleſhly Sacred Generation as take gain for Godlineſs, and make their worldly carnal intereſt the Standard of their Religion, and their proud Domination to paſs for the Kingdom of Chriſt: From an Ʋſurping Vice-Chriſt, whoſe ambition is ſo boundleſs, as to extend to the Prophetical, Prieſtly and Kingly Headſhip, over all the Earth, even at the Antipodes; and to that which is proper to God himſelf, and our Redeemer: From a Leprous Sect, which Condemneth the far greateſt part of all Chriſts Church on Earth, and ſeparateth from them, and calleth it ſelf, the whole and only Church: From that Church that decreeth Deſtruction, to all that renounce not all humane Senſe, by believing that Bread is not Bread, nor that Wine is Wine, but Chriſts very Fleſh and Blood, who now hath properly no Fleſh and Blood, but a Spiritual Body; and that decreeth the Excommunication, Depoſition, and Damnation, of all Princes that will not exterminate all ſuch; and abſolveth their Subjects from their Oaths of Allegiance: From that Beaſt whoſe Mark is PER Perjury, Perfidiouſneſs, and Perſecution, and that think they do God acceptable Service, by killing his Servants, or tormenting them; and that Religion which feedeth on Chriſts Fleſh, by Sacrificing thoſe that he calleth his Fleſh and Bones, Epheſ.5. From the infernal Dragon, the Father of Lies, Malice, and Murder, and all his Miniſters and Kingdom of Darkneſs: GOOD LORD make haſte to deliver thy Flock; and confirm their Faith, Hope, Patience, and their Joyful deſire, of the great, true, final, Glorious Deliverance, AMEN. AMEN, AMEN.
FINIS.
This Book was delivered by Mr. Baxter himſelf to the Bookseller, and not being ſeen by us the Authours of the Epiſtle to the Reader, till the Sheets were printed, theſe ERRATA's muſt be corrected.
PAge 76. line 24. read after God through him.
Page 81. l. 14. read Converted for Convicted.
Page 94. l. 24. read converted for convicted.
Page 96. l. 21. read they do hold, for do they hold.
Page 97. l. 1. read ſinleſs for ſenceleſs.
Page 116. l. 9. read intuition for intention.
Page 119. l. 17. read Reneus for Romans.
Page 149. l. 4. r. Ordainers for Ordinances.
Page 150. l. 15, 16. r. preference for pretence.
Page 152. l. 2…. r. Councils for Council.
Page 162. l. 10. r. there is mention.
Page 165. l. 3. r. Vegetable.
Page 166. l. 27, 28. r. profeſſed for promiſed.
Books Printed for John Salusbury at the Sun over againſt the Royal Exchange in Cornhill.
AN end of Doctrinal Controverſies, which have lately troubled the Churches, by Reconciling Explication without much diſputing: by Richard Baxter.
The Certainty of the World of Spirits, fully evinced by unqueſtionable Hiſtories of Apparitions and Witchcrafts, proving the Immortality of Souls. By Richard Baxter..
The Harmony of the Divine Attributes in the Contrivance and Accompliſhment of Mans Redemption by our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, &c. By VVilliam Bates, D.D.
The Duty and Bleſsing of a Tender Conſcience, plainly ſtated, and earneſtly recommended to all that regard Acceptance with God. By T. Cruſo.
Two Sermons, opening the Nature of Participation with, and demonſtrating the Neceſſity of Purification by Chriſt. By the ſame Author.
Five Sermons on various Occaſions: by the ſame Authour.
The Mirror of Divine Love Unvailed: In a Paraphraſe of the high and myſterious Song of Solomon.
Tho Countreys Concurrence with the London United Miniſters. By S. Chandler.
A Summary or Abridgement of the whole Bible, whereby Children, and the Younger ſort, may learn the Contents of it in a very ſhort time, and give an Account of the principal paſſages of it.
A New Examination of the Accidence and Grammer.
A New Diſcourſe on the Marriage of Iſaac and Rebecka. 12o.
The Suffering Chriſtian. 12o.
Noſtradamus's Propheſies.