The Lively Oracles Given to Us, Section 7
SECT. VII. Hiſtorical reflexions upon the events which have happen'd in the Church ſince the with-drawing of the holy Scripture.
TWILL in this place be no uſeleſs contemplation to obſerve, after the Scriptures had bin raviſht from the people in the Church of Rome; what pitiful pretenders were admitted to ſucceed. And firſt becauſe Lay-men were preſum'd to be illiterate, and eaſily ſeducible by thoſe writings which were in themſelves difficult, and would be wreſted by the unlearned to their own deſtruction; pictures were recommended in their ſteed, and complemented as the Books of the Laity, which ſoon emprov'd into a neceſſity of their worſhip, and that groſs ſuperſtition which renders Chriſtianity abominated by Turks, and Jews, and Heathens unto this day.
2. I would not be haſty in charging Idolatry upon the Church of Rome, or all in her communion; but that their Image-worſhip is a moſt fatal ſnare, in which vaſt numbers of unhappy ſouls are taken, no man can doubt who hath with any regard travail'd in Popiſh Countries. I my ſelf, and thouſands of others, whom the late troubles, or other occaſions ſent abroad, are and have bin witneſſes thereof. Charity, 'tis true, believes all things, but it do's not oblige men to disbelieve their eies. 'Twas the out-cry of Micah againſt the Danites, Jud. 18.24. ye have taken away my Gods which I have made, and the Prieſt, and are gon away, and what have I more? but the Laity of the Roman communion may enlarge the complaint, and ſay; you have taken away the oracles of our God, and ſet up every where among us graven and molten Images, and Teraphims, and what have we more? and 'twas lately the loud, and I doubt me is ſtill, the unanſwerable complaint of the poor Americans, that they were deni'd to worſhip their Pagod once in the year, when they who forbad them, worſhip'd theirs every day.
3. THE Jews before the captivity, notwithſtanding the recent memory of the Miracles in Egypt and the Wilderneſs, and the firſt conqueſt of the Land of Canaan with thoſe that ſucceeded under the Judges and kings of Iſrael and Iuda; as alſo the expreſs command of God, and the menaces of Prophets, ever and anon fell to downright Idolatry: but after their return unto this day, have kept themſelves from falling into that ſin; tho they had no Prophets to inſtruct them, no miracles or government to encourage or conſtrain them. The reaſon of which a very learned man in his diſcourſe of religious Aſſemblies takes to be, the reading and teaching of the Law in their Synagogues; which was perform'd with great exactneſs after the return from the captivity, but was not ſo perform'd before. And may we not invert the obſervation, and impute the Image-worſhip now ſet up in the Chriſtian Church, to the forbidding the reading of the Scriptures in the Churches, and interdicting the privat uſe, and inſtitution in them?
4. FOR a farther ſupplement in place of the Scriptures, whoſe Hiſtory was thought not edifying enough, the Legends of the Saints were introduc'd; ſtories ſo ſtupid, that one would imagin them deſign'd as an experiment how far credulity could be impos'd upon; or elſe fram'd to a worſe intent, that Chriſtianity by them might be made ridiculous. Yet theſe are recommended to uſe and veneration, while in the mean time the word of God is utterly forbidden, whereby the parties to this unhappy practice (that I may ſpeak in the words of the Prophet Jerem. 2.13.) have committed two evils, they have forſaken the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out ciſterns, broken ciſterns that can hold no water.
5. FARTHER yet, the ſame unreaſonable tyranny which permitted not the Laity to underſtand Almighty God ſpeaking to them in the Scripture; hinder'd them from being ſuffer'd to underſtand the Church or themſelves ſpeaking to him in their praiers; whilſt the whole Roman office is ſo diſpos'd, that in defiance of the Apoſtles diſcourſe, 1 Cor. 14. he that occupies the room of the unlearned muſt ſay amen, to thoſe praiers and praiſes which he has no comprehenſion of: and by his endleſs repetitions of Paters, Ave's and Credo's, falls into that battology reprov'd by our Savior, Mat, 6.7. and as 'twas ſaid to the woman of Samaria, Jo. 4.22. knows not what he worſhips. Yet this unaccountable practice is ſo much the darling of that Church, that when in France about eighteen years ſince, the Roman Miſſal was tranſlated into the vulgar Tongue, and publiſh'd by the direction of ſeveral of their Biſhops; the Clergy of France roſe up in great fury againſt the attemt, anathematizing in their circular Epiſtles, all that ſold, read, or us'd the ſaid Book: and upon complaint unto Pope Alex. the 7. he reſented the matter ſo deeply, as to iſſue out his Bull againſt it in the following words.
6. WHEREAS ſons of perdition, endevoring the deſtruction of ſouls, have tranſlated the Roman Miſſal into the French Tongue, and ſo attemted to throw down and trample upon the majeſty of the holy Rites comprehended in Latin words: As we abominate and deteſt the novelty, which will deform the beauty of the Church, and produce diſobedience, temerity, boldneſs, ſedition and ſchiſm; ſo we condemn, reprobate and forbid, the ſaid and all other ſuch Tranſlations, and interdict the reading, and keeping, to all and ſingular the faithful, of whatever ſex, degree, order, condition, dignity, honor, or preeminence, &c. under pain of excommunication. And we command the copies to be immediatly burnt, &c. So mortal a ſin it ſeems 'twas thought for the Laity to underſtand the praiers in which they muſt communicate.
7. NOR is this all; agreeable to the other attemts upon the holy Scripture, was the bold inſolence of making a new authentic Text, in that unknown Tongue in which the offices of praier had bin, and were to be kept diſguis'd; which was don by the decree of the Council of Trent in the fourth Seſſion. But when the Council had given this Prerogative to the Verſion which it call'd vulgar, the ſucceeding Popes began to conſider what that Verſion was; and this work Pius the fourth and fifth ſet upon; but prevented by death fail'd to complete it, ſo that the honor of the performance fell to Sixtus the fifth, who in the plenitude of his Apoſtolic power, the Tranſlation being reform'd to his mind, Commanded it to be that genuine ancient Edition, which the Trent Fathers had before made authentic, and under the pain of excommunication requir'd it to be ſo received: which he do's in this form. Of our certain knowledg, and the plenitude of Apoſtolic power, we order and declare that vulgar Edition which has bin receiv'd for authentic by the Council of Trent, is without doubt or controverſy to be eſteem'd this very one, which being amended as well as it is poſſible, and printed at the Vatican Preſs, we publiſh to be read in the whole Chriſtian Republic, and in all Churches of the Chriſtian world. Decreeing that it having bin approv'd by the conſent of the holy univerſal Church, and the holy Fathers, and then by the Decree of the general Council of Trent, and now by the Apoſtolic autority deliver'd to us by the Lord; is the true, legitimate, authentic, and undoubted, which is to be received and held in all public and privat Diſputations, Lectures, Preachings, and Expoſitions, &c. But notwithſtanding this certain knowledg, and plenitude of Apoſtolic power, ſoon after came Clement the eighth, and again reſumes the work of his Predeceſſor Sixtus, diſcovers great and many errors in it, and puts out one more reform'd, yet confeſt by himſelf to be imperfect; which now ſtands for the authentic Text, and carries the title of the Bible put forth by Sixtus, notwithſtanding all it's alterations. So well do's the Roman Church deſerve the honor which ſhe pretends to, of being the miſtreſs of all Churches; and ſo infallible is the holy Chair in its determinations: and laſtly, ſo authentic a Tranſcript of the word of God (concerning which 'tis ſaid, Mat. 5.18. one jot or one title ſhall not fail) is that which ſhe eſtabliſht, and that has receiv'd ſo many, and yet according to the confeſſion of the infallible Corrector, wants ſtill more alterations.
8. DEPENDENT upon this, and as great a miſchief as any of the former, conſequent to the with-drawing of the Scripture, I take to be the ſtep it made to the overthrow of the ancient and moſt uſeful diſciplin of the Church in point of Penance, whoſe rigors alwaies heretofore preceded the poſſibility of having abſolution. Now of this we know a ſolemn part was the ſtate of Audience, when the lapſt perſon was receiv'd after long attendance without dores, proſtrations, and lamentations there, within the entrance of the Church; and was permitted with the Catechumens or Candidats of Baptiſm, to hear the readings of the Scripture, and ſtay till praier began, but then depart. He was oblig'd to hear the terrors of the Lord, the threats of the divine Law againſt ſin and ſinners, to ſtand among the unbaptiz'd and heathen multitude, and learn again the elements of that holy Faith from which he had prevaricated; and ſo in time be render'd capable of the devotions of the faithful▪ and afterward the reception of the Euchariſt. But when the Scriptures were thought uſeleſs or dangerous to be underſtood and heard, it was conſequent that the ſtate of Audience ſhould be cut off from Penance, and that the next to it, upon the ſelf-ſame principle ſhould be diſmiſt: and ſo the long probation formerly requir'd ſhould be ſupplanted; and the compendious way of pardoning firſt, and repenting afterwards, the endleſs circle of ſinning and being abſolv'd, and then ſinning and being abſolv'd again, ſhould prevail upon the Church. Which ſtill obtains, notwithſtanding the complaints, and irrefragable demonſtrations of learned men even of the Romiſh Communion, who plainly ſhew this now receiv'd method, to be an innovation groundleſs and unreaſonable, and moſt pernicious in its conſequents.
9. AND, by the way, we may take notice that there cannot be a plainer evidence of the judgment of the Church, concerning the neceſſity of the Scriptures being known, not only by the learned but mean Chriſtian, and the intereſt they have therein; then is the ancient courſe of Penance, eſtabliſht by the the practice of all the firſt Ages, and almoſt as many Councils, whether general or local, as have decreed any thing concerning diſciplin; with the penitentiary Books and Canons which were written for the firſt eleven hundred years in the whole Chriſtian world. For if even the unbaptiz'd Catechumen, and the lapſt ſinner, notwithſtanding their ſlender knowledg in the myſteries of Faith, or frail pretence to the privilege thereof, had a right to the ſtate of Audience, and was oblig'd to hear the Scripture read; ſurely the meaneſt unobnoxious Laic, was in as advantagious circumſtances, and might not only be truſted with the reading of thoſe ſacred Books, but might claim them as his birth-right.
10. I may juſtly, over and above what has bin hitherto alleg'd, impute to the Governors of the ſame Church, and their withholding from the Laity the holy Scripture; the many dangerous errors, groſs ignorances, and ſcandalous immoralities which have prevail'd among them both. It is no new method of divine vengeance, that there ſhould be like people like Prieſt, Hoſ. 4.9. and that the Idol ſhepherd who led his flock into the ditch, ſhould fall therein himſelf, Mat. 15.14. And as the Prophet Zachary deſcribes it, c. 11.17. The ſword ſhall be upon his arm, and upon his right eie: his arm ſhall be clean dried up, and his right eie ſhall be utterly darkned.
11. BUT no conſequence can be more obviouſly deducible from that practice, then that men ſhould juſtify the with-holding of the Scripture, by leſſening its credit, and depreciating its worth: which has occaſion'd thoſe reproches which by the writers of the Church of Rome, of beſt note, have bin caſt upon it. As that it was a Noſe of wax, a leaden rule, a deaf and uſeleſs deputy to God in the office of a Judg; of leſs autority then the Roman Church, and of no more credit then Eſops Fables, but for the teſtimony of the ſaid Church, that they contain things apt to raiſe laughter or indignation, that the Latin Tranſlation in the Complutenſian Bible is placed between the Hebrew Text, and the Septuagint Verſion, as our Savior was at his Crucifixion between two thieves, and that the vulgar Edition is of ſuch autority that the Originals ought to be mended by it, rather then it ſhould be mended from them: which are the complements of Cardinal Bellarmin, Hoſius, Eckius, Perron, Ximenes, Coqueus, and others of that Communion: words to be anſwer'd by a Thunderbolt, and fitter for the mouth of a Celſus or a Porphyrie, then of the pious ſons, and zealous Champions of the Church of Chriſt.
12. TIS to be expected that the Romaniſts ſhould now wipe their mouths, and plead not guilty; telling us that they permit the Scripture to the Laity in their mother Tongue: And to that purpoſe the Fathers of Rhemes and Doway have publiſht an Engliſh Bible for thoſe of their communion. I ſhall therefore give a ſhort and plain account of the whole affair as really it ſtands, and then on Gods name let the Romaniſts make the beſt of their Apology.
13. THE fourth rule of the Index of prohibited Books compos'd upon the command and auſpice of the Council of Trent, and publiſh'd by the autority of Pius the fourth, Sixtus the fifth, and Clement the eighth, runs thus; Since 'tis manifeſt by experience, that if the holy Bible be ſuffer'd promiſcuouſly in the vulgar Tongue, ſuch is the temerity of men, that greater detriment then advantage will thence ariſe; in this matter let the judgment of the Biſhop or Inquiſitor be ſtood to: that with the advice of the Curat or Confeſſor, they may give leave for the reading of the Bible in the vulgar Tongue, tranſlated by Catholics, to ſuch as they know will not receive damage, but increaſe of Faith and Piety thereby. Which faculty they ſhall have in writing; and whoſoever without ſuch faculty ſhall preſume to have or to read the Bible, he ſhall not till he have deliver'd it up, receive abſolution of his ſins. Now (to paſs over the iniquity of obliging men to ask leave to do that which God Almighty commands) when 'tis conſider'd how few of the Laity can make means to the Biſhop or Inquiſitor, or convince them, or the Curat or Confeſſor, that they are ſuch who will not receive damage, but encreaſe of Faith and Piety by the reading of the Scripture; and alſo have intereſt to prevail with them for their favor herein: and after all can and will be at the charge of taking out the faculty, which is ſo penally requir'd: 'tis eaſy to gueſs what thin numbers of the Laity are likely, or indeed capable of reaping benefit by this Indulgence pretended to be allowed them.
14. BUT, beſides all this, what ſhall we ſay, if the power it ſelf of giving Licences be a mere ſhew, and really ſignifies juſt nothing? In the obſervation ſubjoin'd to this fourth rule it is declar'd, that the Impreſſion and Edition thereof gives no new faculty to Biſhops, or Inquiſitors, or Superïors of regulars to grant Licences of buying, reading, or retaining Bibles publiſht in a vulgar Tongue; ſince hitherto by the command and practice of the holy Roman and univerſal Inquiſition, the power of giving ſuch faculties, to read or retain vulgar Bibles, or any parts of Scripture of the Old or New Teſtament, in any vulgar Tongue; or alſo ſummaries, or hiſtorical compendiums of the ſaid Bibles or Books of Scripture, in whatſoever Tongue they are written, has bin taken away. And ſure if a Lay-man cannot read the Bible without a faculty, and it is not in any ones power to grant it; 'twill evidently follow that he cannot read it: And ſo the pretence of giving liberty, owns the ſhame of openly refuſing it, but has no other effect or conſequence. And if any Romaniſt among us, or in any other Proteſtant Country enjoies any liberty herein, 'tis merely by connivance, and owed to a fear leaſt the Votary would be loſt, and take the Bible where it was without difficulty to be had, if ſtrictneſs ſhould be us'd. And ſhould Popery, which God forbid, become paramount; the Tranſlations of the Scripture into our Mother Tongues, would be no more endur'd here, then they are in Spain: and they who have formerly bin wary in communicating the Scriptures; remembring how thereby their errors have bin detected, would upon a revolution effectually provide for the future, and be ſure to keep their people in an Egyptian darkneſs, that might it ſelf be felt, but that allow'd the notices of no other object. They would not be content with that compoſition of the Ammonite, to thruſt out all the right eies of thoſe that ſubmitted to them, 1 Sam. 11.2. but would put out both; as the Philiſtins did to Samſon, that they might make their miſerable captives for ever grind in their Mill, Jud. 16.21.
15. BUT this heavieſt of judgments will never fall upon the reform'd Churches, till by their vicious practice and contemt of the divine Law, they have deſerted their profeſſion; and made themſelves utterly unworthy of the bleſſings they enjoy, and the light of that Goſpel which with noon-day brightneſs has ſhin'd among them. Upon which account, I ſuppoſe it may not be impertinent in the next place to ſubjoin ſom plain directions, and cautionary advices, concerning the uſe of theſe ſacred Books.