The Novelty of Popery Discovered, Chapter 10
CHAPTER X.
The Noveltie of publicke Prayer, and other divyne Service, in a tongue vnknowne to the people.
FIrst, in this poynt, that the Apostles doctrine, and Churches practise in their tyme, was co…trarie to the Romani…tes now,Cajet. in 1. Cor. 14. Cardinall Cajetane doeth evidentlie testifie, saving, Out of the doctrine of S. PAVLL, wee hauehave it clearlie set downe, that it is better for the edification of the Church, that publicke prayers which are vttered in the audience of the people, bee spoken (sayeth hee) in a Language common both to Clergie and people, than otherwyse. And that this was also the Churches conforme practise, in the dayes of Iustine Martyr, is evident, who in the ende of his second Apologie for Christians, in expresse tearmes telleth vsus,Bell. l. 2. de verbo c. 16. §. sed …equc. (sayeth Bellarmine) That the whole people in the Church vsed to answere, AMEN, when the Presbyter ended the Prayer or Thankesgiving: wherefore it will follow, that the Prayer or Thankesgiving was in the vulgar tongue, else sayeth the Apostle, how shall hee that occupieth the rowme of the vnlearned say, AMEN, at thy Thankes-giving, if hee vnderstand not what thou sayest?
Next, what was the practise of the Church, after Iustines dayes, both in the East and West, is lyke-wyse cleare out of Bellarmine, who testifieth,Bell. loco quo supra. saying, That this custome was also a long tyme observed, both in the East and West, is evident out of Chrysostomes Liturgie: where most clearlie (sayeth hee) are distinguished, what the Prie… and Deacon, and what the people in divyne Service did sing. As lyke-wyse out of Cyprian, in his sermon on the LORDS prayer, where hee showeth, how the people did answere, saying, Wee ha…e our heartes vntounto the LORD: and out of Ierome, in the preface of his second booke on the Epistle to the GALATIANS, who wryteth, That in the Churches of the Citie of Rome, the people was heard lyke a heavenlie thunder, aunswering with a lowde voyce, and saying, AMEN.
Therefore their Nicolaus de Lyra, Lyra in 1…. C…r. 14. So Aq… nas. and Gretzer. def. l. 2. de Gerbo c. 16. Cassand. Liturg. cap. 28. et 36. See also his consult. art. 24.(and with him Aquinas, Gretzer, & others) freelie acknowledgeth, saying, In the primitiue Church the Thankes-givings, and all other common Serv…ce, was performed, (sayeth hee) in the vulgar To…gue: and the Canonicall Prayers, (…ayth their Cassa…der) and speciallie the words of consecration of the bodie and blood of our LORD, the Auncientes did so reade, that all the people might vnderstand, and say AMEN thereto.
Which custome of the Church, (as yet vsed in Aegypt, Erasmus in 1. Cor. 14.and Ethiopi…,) it is a wonder, (say…th Erasmus) how it became to bee changed.
And if wee consider M. Hardinges reason, in his aunswere to Bishop Iewell, why Prayers and all other divyne Service, was vsed in the primitiue Church, in the vulgar tongue, wee shall finde that the same reason holdeth still, and so mili…ateth constantlie agaynst this practise of Romish Noveltie:Harding. art. 3. divis…o …8. for thus sayeth M. Harding, In the primitiue Church this was necessarie, when fayth was alearning: and therefore the Prayers were made then in a knowne tongue, vnderstood by the people, (sayeth hee) because of their farder instruction. And can anie man say nowe, but people in lyke-manner are learning the fayth daylie, and hauehave neede of farder instruction than they hauehave alreadie? Or will anie affirme, that this …ule of the Apostle,1. Cor 14. 3. &c. Let all bee done vntounto edification, helde onelie for a tyme? Therefore seeing the edifying of GOD'S people, (which is the fi…all cause why Prayer and publicke Thankes-giving, should bee performed in the vulgar,) doeth not varie by diversitie of tymes, but continueth still: even so, then, should speaking in the Church vntounto their vnderstanding,