A Case for the Spectacles, Chapter 9 · Section 6
Concerning Prayer in an unknowne tongue. Spectacles, Sect. 6. a pag. 259. us{que} ad 283.
THe Knight falsly chargeth the Councell of Trent with approving prayer in the vulgar tongue: for though the Councell saith that the Masse containeth great instruction, yet it doth not say that it ought to bee in the vulgar tongue: nay contrarily it pronounceth an anathema against any whosoever shall say that the Masse ought to bee celebrated in the vulgar tongue.
It hath beene the generall practise and custome in the Church of God, of having the Masse, and the publike office in Latine, all over the Latine and Westerne Church, both in Italie, Spaine, France, Germanie, England, Africa, and all other places, and so likewise in Greeke in the Graecian or Easterne Church, though it were as large in extent, and had as much varietie of languages in it as the Latine Church hath.
Vniformitie which is fit to be used in such things and unitie of the Catholique Church is excellently declared, and also much maintained by this unitie of language in the Church office.
The use of vulgar tongues in the Masse or Church office would cause not only great confusion, but breed an infinite number of errours by many severall translations.
The use of vulgar language in such things would breed a great contempt of sacred things, with prophanenesse and irreligiositie, besides the danger of heresie, which commeth no way sooner then by misunderstanding of holy Scripture.
The place of Scripture alledged by the Knight concerning announcing our Lords death, is not understood by words but by deeds, as is most plaine by the circumstances.
The text of S. Paul where he asketh how hee that understandeth not the prayers shall say Amen, is not of the publike prayers of the Church which no man can doubt of, either for the truth or goodnesse, and therefore he may confidently say Amen to them, but of private prayers made by private and Laye men extempore in an unknowne tongue.
Haymo requireth not that all that are present at Divine service should understand, but only that he that supplieth the place of the idiot or Laye-man in answering for the people, should bee so farre able to understand, as to answer Amen at the end of every prayer.
Iustinian the Emperour is ordinarily taxed for taking too much upon him in Ecclesiasticall matters: yet all that hee saith may bee well maintained without prejudice to the present practise of the Roman Church, for in the Decree alledged by the Knight, hee requireth nothing more, but that Bishops and Priests should pronounce distinctly and clearely that which according to the custome of the Easterne Church was to bee spoken aloud.
The Canon law capite quoniam in pleris{que} requireth only that where divers Nations are mingled, that the Bishop of the Citie should substitute one in his roome to celebrate the divine Office, and administer the Sacraments according to their owne rites and language: for indeed it is a matter of necessitie in administration of some Sacraments to use the vulgar language, as in Mariage and Penance, but not so of other things.
Lyra, Belithus, Gretzer, Harding, Cassander, and the rest of the Authours quoted by the Knight say indeed, that in the beginning, Prayers were in the vulgar tongue, but the reason was because those three holy languages, Hebrew, Greeke, and Latine dedicated on the crosse of Christ, were then most vulgar, none of them speake a word of any Precept.
There is no precept in the Scripture commanding prayers in a knowne tongue, or forbidding in an unknowne, whose authority or example can you bring for your selfe in this matter? name him if you can.
It was more needfull in the Primitive Church that the people should understand, because they were to answer the Priest, which now is not so as Bellarmine noteth, because that belongs only to the Clarke.
That the Knight contradicteth himselfe in one place, saying▪ That the alteration of the Church service was occasioned by certaine Shepheards, who in the dayes of Honorius having learned the words of Consecration by heart, pronounced them over their Bread and Wine in the fields, and thereby Transubstantiated them into flesh and bloud, and for this prophane abuse were strucken dead by the hand of God. In another place hee saith, that the alteration was brought in by Pope Vitalian about the yeare 666. which cannot well agree with his former observation, for Honorius the first was the sixt Pope before Vitalian, by which computation the alteration must have beene fourescore, or a hundred yeares before Vitalian.
The Hammer.
AMong the knowne errours of the Roman Church, there is none more grosse or palpably absurd, then this concerning Prayers in an unknowne tongue; For as Velleius the Epicure in Tully, goeth about to maintaine by reason that it had beene better a man had not beene indued with reason then with it: so in this argument our Adversaries in good earnest strive cum ratione insanire, to prove by reasons, that it is best to exhibit to God an unreasonable service to speake understandingly for speech without understanding, and that in the publike worship of God: to perswade civill men that in their prayers the Priest ought to bee a Barbarian to the people, and the people to the Priest, In a word, to enforce the people instead of offering the calves of their lippes to God, to offer to him the lippes of calves bellowing without understanding. The Knight therefore upon very just reason taketh the Church of Rome to taske for this unsufferable abuse, and undeniable aberration from the Primitive, and catholique Church. Wherein he confoundeth all Papists not only with pregnant testimonies of Scripture, and ancient Fathers, but also with the confession of the learnedest of their side. Yea, but Flood the Iesuit maketh great brags that he will reckon with him for it; and reckon he doth according to his best skill in Arithmeticke, but to halves, for the Knight presseth the Romanists with the historie of the Councell of Trent, and the contradictions of their Bishops there, and other passages of moment which the Iesuit silently passeth by, being willing to charge himselfe with no more then he thought he was fairely able to put off. What he saith either by way of objection against the practise of the reformed Churches, or in answer to our arguments shall be particularly discussed in my replie to his particular heads.
To the first. The Knight saith not that the Councell of Trent approveth in expresse and direct words the practise of our Church,Concil. Trent. Sess. 22. c. 8. but that by consequence it doth so in saying the Masse containeth great instruction for the common people, and commanding that the Masse-Priest, or some other should frequently expound or declare unto them the mysteries of the Masse: for if the Masse containe as the Councell saith great instruction for the people, and for that end ought to bee expounded unto them, by the same reason it ought to be translated into the mother-tongue, and so read unto them; Unlesse they will say that the people receive as much instruction from that they understand not, as from that they understand.In 1. ad Cor. c. 14. melius ad edificationem ecclesiae est orationes publicas quae audiente populo dicuntur dici linguâ communi clericis & populo quam dici latinâ. Contar. in catec. interrogat ult. populus linguâ non intellectâ orans caret eo fructu quem perciperet, si orationes eas quas ore pro ferunt, etiam intelligerent nam & speciatim intenderent animum, & mentem in deum, ut ab eo impetrarent eti…m speciatim ea quae ore petunt, & magis aedificarentur ex sensu pio earum orationum quas ore proferunt. Which none will say but he that were a degree below S. Pauls idiot. Doubtless that which was written and appointed to bee read before the people for their instruction, and edification, ought to be delivered unto them in a language which they understand: but the Masse was written and appointed to bee read before the people for their edification and instruction (as the Councell agnizeth) therefore it ought to be celebrated in a knowne tongue. This reason alone prevailed so far with two Roman Cardinals, Cajetan and Contarenus, that they subscribed to the doctrine of the reformed Church in this point. The former his subscription is in these words, It were better for the edification of the Church, that the publique prayers which are made in the audience of the people should bee said in a tongue common to the Priest and people, then that they should bee said in Latine. The other in these words, The people that prayeth in an unknowne tongue wanteth that fruit which they might reape, if they understood those things which they pronounce with their lips, for they would in a speciall manner apply their mind to God, that they might obtaine of him those things which they pray for especially, and they would bee more edified by a godly feeling of those prayers which they utter with their mouth.
To the second. The generall practise and custome of the Westerne Church, having their publike service in Latine, and of the Easterne Churches, having their service in Greeke, maketh for us, not against us. For the Latine service was generally understood in the Westerne Church, and the Greeke in the Easterne; when and where it was not so generally understood they had their service in their Mother-tongue, as namely among the Syrians, Armenians, Russians, Egyptians, Aethiopians. While the Roman Empire flourished, and the Imperiall lawes bare the sway, as namely in Italie, Spaine, France, Germanie, England, Africa, and wheresoever the divine service was celebrated in the Latine tongue, the people generally understood the Latine. If the Iesuit speake of later times after the inundation of Gothes and Vandals, when the Latine tongue was corrupted and degenerated into severall languages, as Italian, Spanish, and French, in such sort, that the people in those parts underdood not the Latine: God stirred up i… these Westerne parts many religious and learned men, who turned the Bible, and the common prayers into the vulgar tongue, and the Bishops of Rome were very much to blame, who commanded not the like to be done throughout all their jurisdiction, and it is worth the observation that Irenaeus teacheth, that the number 666. containeth the name latinus, L. 5. c. 30.and that in that very yeare of our Lord Pope Vitalian commanded the Latine service generally to be received in the Westerne Church, though at that time in most parts few of the people understood it.
To the third. We are not so much to regard uniformitie in the Church-service, as conformitie to the will and word of God, which requireth that all things in the Church bee done to edification, 1 Cor. 14.15, 16.26.that we pray with the spirit, and with understanding also, that the people joyne with the Priest in all parts, as well prayers as giving of thankes and testifie it by saying Amen, Which cannot be done if prayers be said in a tongue which people understand not. Moreover, as diversitie of instruments tuned together marreth not the musicke, but maketh it sweeter: so diversitie of languages, in which the same prayers are said, breeds no deformitie at all, but uniformitie rather. Sith it is not the different sound of words, but of sense that makes a difference either in the beliefe or practice of the Church. There was never more unitie then in the Apostles time,Acts 2.46. when all the beleevers were of one mind yet then they praised God in divers languages, Parthians and Medes, Acts 2.9.and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Iudaea and Cappadocia, in Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, in Egypt and the parts of Lybia, about Cyrene and strangers of Rome, Iewes and Proselites, Creets and Arabians, wee doe heare them speake in our tongues the wonderfull workes of God.
To the fourth, The diversitie of translations either of the Scriptures or the Church office breedeth no inconvenience at all, provided care be taken that the translations bee revised by the learned, and licenced by authoritie: nay on the contrarie the Church reapeth much benefit by it for languages have beene therby improved, and the Scriptures much opened. For oftentimes that which is obscure in the originall, is cleared in a good translation. An unknowne tongue is like a vaile before a beautifull picture, or a filme before the eye, which by a good translation is taken aaway. If it were either unlawfull or inconvenient to translate the holy Scriptures, or choyce parts of them in the Church Liturgie into vulgar languages; why did Severus translate them into the Syrian, S. Ierome into the Dalmatian, S. Chrysostome into the Armenian, Vlphila into the Gothian, Methodius into the Slavonian? Bede into the British,Aeneas Sylhist. Bohem. c. 30. and the Divines of Doway and Rhemes of late into the English? Nay, why did the Pope himselfe signe and subscribe unto the Petition of Cyrill, and Methodius Monkes sent to convert the slaves, and Dalmatians who in behalfe of their Converts, desired of his holinesse, that he would give leave to say service unto them in the Slavonian tongue, which the Pope consented unto upon their much pressing him with that text of holy Scripture,Ps. 150. v. ult. Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord, and let every tongue confesse unto him.
To the fift. If there were any force in the Iesuits reason at all, it would prove that neither the Scriptures of the Old Testament should have beene delivered to the Iewes in the Hebrew, nor the New Testament to the Greekes in the Greek. For Hebrew was then the vulgar tongue of the Iewes, and the Greeke o… the Gentiles, yet wee find that neither the writing the Old Testament in the Hebrew, nor the New in the Greeke, which were then the vulgar languages to those people, bred any contempt of sacred things with prophanesse and irreligiousnesse, but the cleane contrarie effects. The use of Scripture in a vulgar tongue is not the cause why any disesteeme or undervalew it, but want of instruction in heavenly mysteries, and carelesse and superficiall reading without searching into the bottome of the spirituall meaning, where Orient Pearles lie. A counterfeit stone if it bee often handled is discovered to be false, and thereby looseth its valew, whereas a rich Diamond though it be worne every day on the finger, loseth nothing of the price, or valew of it. If the publike use of Scriptures would have derogated any thing from the worth and valew of it, God would never have commanded the children of Israel to rehearse the booke of the Law continually to their children, Deut. 6.7, 8, 9.to talke of it when they tarried in their house, and when they walked in the way, when they lay downe, and when they rose up, to bind the words of the law for a signe upon their hand, and as frontlets between their eyes to write them upon the posts of the house, and upon the gates. Worldly wise men seeke to improve their knowledge by concealing it, or at least impropriating it to some few: but God contrariwise valeweth his wisdome by making it common. Earthly commodities the rarer the dearer, but heavenly Iewels the more common they are, the more pretious: of other liquour the lesse wee tast, the more we thirst after it, but heavenly wisedome thus speaketh of her selfe, Hee that drinketh of me, the more he drinketh the more hee shall thirst. As the comfortable beames of the Sun which shineth daily upon us are not lesse valewed, then the raies of those starres that seldome appeare in our horizon: so the word of God which is the light of our understanding issuing from the Sunne of righteousnesse loseth nothing of the reverend estimation, and religious respect due unto it by the frequent irradiation thereof at the preaching and reading of Scripture, nay it gaineth rather with all hearers in whom there is any sparke of grace. As for danger of heresie,Rain. l. 1. de Idol. indeed Claudius Espenceus writeth, that a friend of his in Italie told him, that in that countrey they made shie of reading Scripture, for feare of being made heretiques thereby, but by heretiques hee meaneth such as S. Paul was, who after the way which they call heresie worship the God of their Fathers, Acts 24.14.beleeving all things which are written in the Law and the Prophets, for otherwise if heresie bee taken in the proper sence for erroneous doctrine in point of faith, it is as absurd to say, that the ftequent use of Scriptures is a cause or occasion to bring men into heresie, as that the often taking of a sovereigne antidote against poyson, is the ready meanes to poyson a man.foreign. Chrys. tom. 5. Matth. 22.29. S. Chrysostome in his Homilie de Lazaro exhorteth all his Christian hearers to the frequent reading of Scriptures, as a speciall meanes to preserve them from errours and heresies. For all errours in point of faith arise from the ignorance of Scriptures, as our Saviour teacheth the Saduces, saying, Yee erre, not knowing the Scriptures. Assuredly there is lesse danger of falling into heresie by reading Scriptures, then any other booke whatsoever, partly because they alone are free from all possibilitie of errour, partly because God promiseth a blessing to those that reade and meditate on them: yet our Adversaries suffer all other bookes to bee translated out of the learned Languages into the vulgar, only they forbid the translation and publike use of the Scriptures, which containe in them most wholsome receipts, not only against all the maladies of the will, but of the understanding also: not onelyonly against all morall vices, but also all intellectuall errours in matters of faith which wee call heresies.
To the sixt. Had the Iesuit but an ounce of discretion and common understanding hee would never translate foreign to announce, which is no English word at all, neither is hee of sufficient authoritie to coyne new words at Doway or Saint Omers, and make them currant in England. For the matter it selfe it is false which hee saith, that the Actions at the Lords Supper without the words shew forth, or as he speaketh, announce the death of our Lord, for Bread is broken, and Wine poured out at common meales, yet our Lords death is not thereby declared: both must concurre, mysterious rites, and sacred formes of words lively to present Christs death. The Knights argument therefore standeth firme. The Sacraments ought so to bee celebrated, that by them the Lords death might bee shewed forth: but it cannot be shewed forth, unlesse the Evangelicall storie, and especially the words of the Institution be pronounced in a language that may be understood. For to speake Latine to the people that understand it not, is surdo narrare fabulam, to tell a tale to a deafe man, or to set a beautifull picture before him that is blind, or in the Knights phrase to speake to a wall; at which notwithstanding the Iesuit ridiculously carpeth, saying, I never heard before, that it was all one to speake Latine, and to speake to a wall, were hee according to our English proverbe as wise as a wall, hee could not but understand what was the Knights meaning, to wit, that to speake Latine prayers and exhortations, as Papists doe at their Masse to those who understand them not, is no better then to speake to so many walls, when the Apostle touching upon the same string the Knight doth,1 Cor. 14.9. tearmeth the uttering words in an unknowne tongue, as speaking into the ayre; This Iesuit in the spirit of Lucian might in like manner have jeared at the Apostle, saying, I never heard that to speake in an unknowne tongue, bee it Greeke, Latine, or Hebrew, is to speake to the ayre. The meaning of both phrases, to speake to a wall, and to speake into the ayre, is all one to lose a mans breath to speake idlely and unprofitably, or to no end and purpose, when no man is the better for it, as the Iesuit afterwards confesseth, saying, The other reason from the Apostle is, that those which heare a prayer in a strange language, are nothing the better for it, nor can say Amen unto it. What then can the common people bee the better for hearing popish Mattens or even-song, which are chaunted in Latine, a language which they understand not.
To the seventh. Admit the Apostle in that place spake not of publike prayers, but rather of private extemporarie devotion: yet the reasons he there useth against prayer in an unknowne tongue, are as forcible against publike as private ptayers. For if wee may not pray without understanding, or speake into the ayre in our private devotions, much lesse in our publike. But the truth is, the Apostle speaketh evidently of publike prayers, and all the parts thereof; first of petitions v. 15. secondly, of giving of thanks v. 17. thirdly, of prophecying and interpreting of Scriptutes v. 4. fourthly, of singing Psalmes v. 15. and all this when the whole Church bee come together in one place v. 23. Moreover, he speaketh of prayers made in the Church, v. 19. of the edification of others, v. 12.26. and of blessings also wherein the people are to joyne with the Priest v. 16. and what can such prayers, benedictions, hymnes, and thankes-givings bee other then parte of the publike Liturgie in the Church in those dayes? Yea, but saith the Iesuit, hee cannot speake of the publike prayers of the Church which no man can doubt either for the truth or goodnesse of them, and therefore hee may confidently say Amen to them, though they bee uttered in an unknowne tongue. I answer, that the Apostle here speaketh not of confidently saying Amen, but understandingly saying it, which no man can doe, who is utterly ignorant of the tongue in which the Priest prayeth.Hos. de verb Dei. I beleeve what the Church beleeveth, the Church beleeveth what I beleeve. And howsoever, none of the coliers implicite circular faith can make any doubt of the truth or goodnesse of the prayers said in the Masse: yet those whose eyes are not put out with the Romish coale dust, may very well doubt of them; first they may well doubt whether the Church of Rome which appointeth them may not erre as other Churches have done, especially considering what the Apostle speaketh expresly of that Church,Rom. 11.22. Vid. Bull. praefix breviar. Rom. Melchior loc. theol. l. 11. c. 5. nec enim animus est tueri omnes historias quae passim in ecclcsiâ lectitantur. Claudius Espen in 2. ad Tim. c. 4. digres. 2. nostri quantum me pigeant falsa in ecclesia Dei cantica canentes quanrae nugae canore mihi audibiles? in uno hymno praeter ineptitudinem sententiarum mendacia ad minus 24. reperi. Petrus Pictau: ep. 31. conqueritur inepta ac falsa in laudem Sancti Mauri super aquas currentis afficta. that if shee continued not in her goodnesse, shee should be cut off. Secondly, hee may doubt whether all those corruptions and abuses which the Fathers in the Councell of Trent complaine to have crept into their Masse are reformed. Thirdly, he may doubt whether the Priests booke may not bee some-where false printed. Lastly, he may doubt whether the Priest alwayes reades true; surely that priest who baptized a child, in nomine patria filia, & spiritua sancta; and another who read in the Doxologie glia pni: flo: & spui sco scutrat in primpo scla sclarum, Amen, said Masse by rote, and could not have skill of brachygraphy, nor well spell Latine, and can no man then doubt of the truth and goodnesse of any of the prayers that are said by your Masse-priests?
To the eight. The shaft which the Knight draweth out of Haymo his quiver, flieth home. For first he expresly teacheth that S. Paul speaketh of publike prayers,1 Cor. 14. and among other reasons used by the Apostle against the conceiving of prayers in an unknowne tongue, hee insisteth upon that v. 16. when thou shalt blesse with the spirit, how shall hee that occupieth the Roome of the unlearned say Amen at the giving of thankes, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest? adding if one knoweth that onelyonly tongue wherein hee was borne and bred; if such an one stand by thee whilest thou dost solemnly celebrate the mysterie of the Masse, or make a Sermon, or give a blessing, how shall hee say Amen at thy blessing, when hee knoweth not what thou sayest? for asmuch as hee understanding none but his mothers tengue, hee cannot tell what thou speakest in that strange and barbarous tongue. Hereunto the Iesuit answereth, that if wee take Haymo altogether, wee shall find hee doth not require, that all that are by, shall understand, but that hee that supplieth the place of the idiot, or laye-man in answering for the people shall understand. An answer befitting an idiot indeed, for doth not S. Paul, 1 Cor. 14.16:and after him Haymo speake indefinitly of any that occupie the place of the unlearned, or standeth by at Service or Sermon in an unknowne tongue? or is it lesse absurd for any other man to be present at a prayer which he understandeth not, then for a Parish-Clarke whom alone hee will have here to be understood. Who is very much beholding to him for bestowing the name of idiot upon him, and truly such a Clarke as the Iesuit here defineth, may very well take the idiot in the worst sence to himselfe.P. 265. For he requireth no more in a Clarke then that hee understand the Service so farre, as to bee able to answer Amen. But it seemeth the Iesuit tooke his holy orders per saltum, and skipt over the Clarke. For if hee had well considered what belongs to the Clarkes office, he should find that he hath more in his part then to say only Amen; for in all ancient and later Liturgies that I have seene, many short sentences or responds are to be said by him, as namely Christe eleeson & cum spiritu tuo, & habemus ad Dominum, and the like, neither can hee say Amen to any prayer in the Apostles sence, unlesse hee perfectly understand it: for to say Amen, is not only to utter the word which a Parret or Popenjay may doe, but to joyne in prayer with the Priest, and to give his assent to every clause.
To the ninth. The Iesuits answer to Iustinian is lame on both feet. For whereas hee taxeth him for taking too much upon him, it will appeare to any who peruseth the Code & Digests, that hee taketh no more upon him then God commendeth to Princes, to wit, the custodie of both tables: he did no more then S. Austine affirmeth appertaineth to Christian Kings, to command those things that are just and honest not only in civill affaires, but also in matters of religion; for what he did, hee had many excellent presidents before him in David, Salomon, Hezekiah, and Iosiah, Kings of Iudah; and Constantine and Theodosius, and other Christian Emperours, as is declared at large by B. Bilson in his defence of the oath of supremacie, and Doctor Crakenthorpe in his most learned Apologie of this Emperour. Next what hee saith that the Decree of this religious Emperour may well stand with the present practise of the Roman Church is most false.Novel. constit. 123. For the words of the Emperour are generall, commanding all Bishops and Priests to celebrate the sacred oblation of the Lords Supper, and prayer used in Baptisme, not in secret, but with a lowd and cleare voyce, that the mindes of the hearers might bee stirred up with more devotion, to expresse the prayses of God. Now I would faine know to what end all Bishops and Priests are commanded to pronounce their words clearely and distinctly, both at the administration of Baptisme, and the Lords Supper; but that their hearers might undetstand what they say, and bee affected with those things they heare; which cannot be if the Priest speak to them in an unknown tong? For how can the lowd pronouncing of words in a strange language stirre up the devotion of the people to praise God for his benefits, which the Emperour here requireth under a great penaltie, saying? Let the Bishops and Priests know that if they neglect to doe according to our princely command, they shall yeeld an account in the dreadfull judgement of the great God for it, and wee having information of them will not leave them unpunished.
To the tenth. After the Imperiall Decre… the Knight alledgeth a text out of the Canon law, not to shew his skill in both lawes, as the Iesuit would have it, but to demonstrate that the practise of the Roman Church in this point of prayer in an unknowne tongue, is against all law both Ecclesiasticall and civill,Tit. 3. de Offic. and that the walls of the Romish Babell are battered by her owne canons; for though the Decree of Pope Gregorie were made upon a speciall occasion: yet it is grounded upon this generall rule, that Service and Sacraments must bee said and administred to the people in a language they understand, which the Iesuit himselfe confesseth in part, saying, that it is a matter of necessitie in the administration of some Sacraments to use the vulgar tongue, as in Mariage and Penance; as for the Councell of Lateran, and the Pope in his Decree, they speake indefinitely of holy Service and Sacraments, and the Logitians rule is that indefinite propositions in materia necessaria are to be taken for universals, and by the same reason, which the Iesuit alledgeth for Penance and Mariage to be celebrated in a knowne tongue wee may conclude, that Baptisme also, and the Lords Supper ought to bee so celebrated. For in both, questions are put to the people, to the godfathers in the one, and communicants in the other, and answers are expected from them.
To the eleventh. The Iesuit is like them taxed by the Apostle who knew not what they spake, nor whereof they affirme. Our question is not, whether divine Service ought alwayes to bee said in the mother tongue, for wee our selves doe otherwayes in divers Colledges: but the point in controversie is, whether the service ought alwayes to be said in a tongue understood by those that are present: this all the Authours alledged by the Knight affirme, and therefore they make for us, and assuredly if for seven or 800. yeares the publike prayers of the Church were offered to God in a language understood by the people, as is confessed: questionlesse in many places the prayers were turned into vulgar languages. For it cannot be imagined that all the people in the Christian world before Pope Vitalians time understood Hebrew,Lyra in 1 Cor. 14. in primitiva ecclesia benedictiones, & coetera fiebant in linguâ vulgari. Gretz. def. Bel. l. 2. de verb. Dei linguâ auditoribus non ignotâ omnia peragebantur, & consuetudo tunc ferebat ut omnes psallerent. Harding. apud Iewel. ia 3. art. divis. 28 Verely in the primitive Church prayers were made in a common tongue knowne to the people. Liturg. canonicam precem, & in primis dominici corporis, & sanguinis consecrationem ita veteres legebant, ut à populo intelligi, & Amen acclamari possint. Iohan. Belit. in sum. de divin. offic. in primitiva ecclesia prohibitum erat nequis loqueretur linguis nisi esset qui interpretaretur quid enim prodesset, &c. Wald. in doct. art. eccles. tit. 4. c. 31. fuit ergo ratio talis benedictionis in ecclesiâ tempore Apostoli cui respondere solebat non tantùm clerus sed omnis populus. Aquinas lect. 4. ideò erat insania in primitivâ ecclesiâ quia erant rudes in ritu ecclesiastico. Greeke, or Latine, neither is it a point much materiall, whether the Authours alledged by the Knight speake of any Precept of praying in a knowne tongue or not, it is sufficient, that they confesse that it was the generall practice of the primitive Church, to performe their devotions in the vulgar tongue. For certainly what they generally practised in their divine Service, they thought to be fittest and most agreeable to Gods commandement. If wee had nothing but their practise for us, it alone would prove the visibilitie of our Church in this maine point, wherein wee stand at a bay with the Roman Church; but the truth is, though the Iesuit would bee loath to heare it, his owne witnesses Cassander, Belithus, Waldensis, and Aquinas speake home to the point even of a Precept; the words of Cassander are, the Canonicall prayers, and especially the words of Consecration of the body and blood of our Lord; the Ancients did so read that all the people might understand it and say Amen according to the precept intimated by the Apostle, 1 Cor. 14.16. The words of Belithus are, that in the Primitive Church it was forbidden that any should speake with tongues, unlesse there were some to interpret: for what saith hee, should speaking availe without understanding? Waldensis saith more then that, in the Apostles time, the giving of thankes was in a knowne tongue, he confirmeth the practise with a reason, saying, There was reason it should bee so, because in those times not only the Priests, but the people also were wont to answer Amen. Aquinas goeth a step farther, that it was madnesse in the Primitive Church for a man to have prayed in an unknowne tongue, because then the people were rude and ignorant in Ecclesiasticall rites. Now if the Iesuit thinke that it was not prohibited in the Apostles time, to doe any madde act in time of divine Service, he himselfe is bound for the Anticyrae. Now for that the Iesuit addeth for the imbellishing of his former answer, that none of the vulgar languages but the three learned, to wit, the Hebrew, Greeke, and Latine, were Dedicated on the crosse of Christ, and consequently that they being the best and perfectest of all languages were fittest for divine Service to be said in them: it is more plausible then substantiall. For though I grant that every devout soule so affecteth the person of our Lord and Saviour, that shee loveth the very ground hee trod upon, and honoureth those languages above all other in which his titles were proclaimed, for the greater advancement of his kingdome: yet the reason holdeth not in our present case. For though a golden key bee simply better then a key of iron, yet a key of iron which will open to us a casket of most pretious Iewells, is better for that use then a key of gold which will not open the lock. Admit the originall languages of Greeke and Hebrew are simply perfecter, and better then any other which are derivatives from them, yet the Mothertongue, or vulgar language, is better and fitter for the congregation in time of divine Service, because it answereth the wards of their understanding, and openeth to their capacity the Divine mysteries then celebrated, which the learned languages cannot doe. As for Pilats writing over the Crosse, it is certaine he had no end therein to honour the three Languages, with this title: but to dishonour our Saviour thereby, and put a scorne upon him; and therefore that inscription in the three languages was rather a pollution then a Dedication of those tongues. If Pilats action herein bee of any force it maketh rather against then for our Adversaries. For Pilat therefore commanded the title to be written in those three languages, that it might be understood of all, or the greater part of those that then were at Ierusalem. By which reason people of divers languages ought to have their mysteries (for so the Iesuit calleth this title) celebrated in their owne severall languages.Praef. in psal. his maximè tribus linguis sacramentum voluntatis Dei, & beati regni expectatio praedicatur ex eo{que} illud Pilati fuit, ut in his tribus linguis regem Iudaeorum Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum esse praescriberet. S. Hilarie who is alledged by Baylie the Iesuit for the consecration of these tongues, neither saith that these tongues were consecrated by that inscription, nor that Christs kingdome is to be proclaimed in them only. His words are in these three languages, especially the mysterie of Gods will, and the expectation of his blessed kingdome is preached; and hence it was that Pilat wrote our Lord Iesus Christ King of the Iewes in those three tongues. This testimonie cutteth the throate of our Adversaries, for the adverbe maximè or chiefly implieth that the mysteries of Christs kingdome were to be preached in other tongues, though in these especially, because these were then, and are some of them at this day most generally knowne and understood.In c. 15. Marc. Deus voluit ut causa mortis Christi varijs linguis scriberetur quo ab omnibus intelligeretur. Et Hieron. ib. hae tres linguae in crucis titulo conjunctae ut omnis lingua commemoraret perfidiam Iudaeorum. Baron. tom. 10 Anno Chris. 880. ep. 147. literas Slavonicas, à Constantino philosopho repertas quibus Deo laudes debitas resonent jure laudamus, & vt in eadem lingua Christi Dei nostri praeconia, & opera enarrentur, jubemus: neque enim tribus tantùm linguis, sed omnibus Dominum laudare authoritate sacrâ monemur, quae praecepit dicens, laudate Dominum omnes gentes: nec sanè fidei vel doctrinae aliquid obstat sive missas in eadem Slavonica lingua canere, sive sacrum evangelium, vel lectiones divinas N. & V. Testamenti benè translatas, & interpretatas legere, aut alia horarum officia psallere quoniam qui fecit tres linguas principales Hebraeam scilicet Graecam, & Latinam, ipse creavit & alias omnes ad laudem & gloriam suam. Lyra and S. Ierome harpe upon this string, God would have saith Lyra, that the cause of Christs death should bee written in divers tongues that every tongue might declare the trecherie of the Iewes, and which marreth all the Iesuits musick, the Popes Diapason soundeth out the same note, for so wee reade in Pope Iohns Epistle to the King of Moravia, we commend the Slavonian letters found out by Constantine the Philosopher, whereby those of that countrey set forth the due prayses of God, and we command that the preaching and workes of Christ our God bee declared in them, for we are admonished by the Divine authoritie which commandeth, saying, Prayse the Lord all yee Gentiles, to prayse the Lord not in three tongues only, but in all, for hee who made the three principall languages, Hebrew, Greeke and Latine; hee created also all other for his glorie.
To the twelfth. To this insolent interrogation of the Iesuit wee answer, that in generall, prayer in an unknowne tongue is commanded in all those texts of Scripture, which require us to come neere unto God, and pray unto him with our heart. For by the heart the understanding as well as the will and affections are meant, as appeareth by that prayer of Solomon, Da mihi cor intelligens? in particular and expresse words it is commanded in the 1 Cor. 14. chapter through the whole, out of which wee thus argue, if it be better in the Church to speake five words with understanding, that by our voyce wee may teach others, then a thousand words in an unknowne tongue: then certainly the publike Service of the Church ought to be in a knowne tongue; but it is better in the Church to speake five words with understanding to instruct others thereby, then a thousand words in an unknowne tongue, v. 19. Therefore the publike Service of the Church ought to bee in a knowne tongue. If all things ought to be done in the Church to edification, then ought the publike Service to bee in a knowne tongue; (for hee that speaketh in an unknowne tongue edifieth not, v. 5.) but in the Church all things ought to bee done to edification, v. 26. Ergo, the publike Service ought to bee in a knowne tongue: If in the prayers of the Church the people are to joyne with the Priest, and testifie their consent with him by saying Amen to his prayers, and giving of thankes: then ought the publike Service to be in a knowne tongue: But in the prayers of the Church, the people ought to joyne with the Priest, and testifie their consent by saying Amen to his prayers, and giving of thankes. Ergo, the publike Service ought to bee in a knowne tongue. If in the Church prayers wee ought to pray and sing with understanding, then ought Church service to bee in a knowne tongue (for if wee pray in an unknowne tongue our spirit prayeth, but our understanding is unfruitfull, v. 14.) But in the prayers of the Church wee ought to pray and sing with understanding, v. 15. Ergo, the publike Service ought to bee in a knowne tongue. Neither can the Iesuit shift off these passages with a wish, saying that S. Paul indeed adviseth and wisheth, that when any prayer is made in an unknowne tongue, there should bee some to interpret, but that hee requireth no such thing to bee observed as a divine precept: for v. 37. hee addeth, if any man thinke himselfe a prophet or spirituall, let him know that the things which I write unto you, are the commandements of God. To conclude, when S. Iames commandeth, that whosoever prayeth, Iames 1.6.aske in faith, nothing doubting but that hee shall receive what he asketh, hee necessarily implieth, that wee ought to pray to God in a knowne tongue. For how can hee beleeve that hee shall receive what he prayeth for, if he knoweth not what himselfe saith in his prayers, or what an other prayeth for him, to whose prayers hee saith Amen. To the Iesuits second quaere, where prayer in an unknowne knowne tongue is forbidden. I answer, Esay 29.13. and Marke the 7.10. Well Esay prophesied of you hypocrites, this people honoureth mee with their lips, but their heart is farre from mee: and 1 Cor. 14. where the Apostle professedly disputeth against speaking in the Church in an unknowne tongue. But the Iesuit excepteth, that S. Paul in that chapter condemneth not simply prayers in an unknowne tongue, though hee preferreth prophecie. By which his ignorant exception, it should seeme that hee read that chapter in an unknowne tongue; for hee speaketh so wide from the matter as if hee understood never a word in it. It is true that the Apostle in that chapter comparing the gift of tongues, and prophecie together condemneth neither of them, but preferreth the gift of prophecie; and in prosecution of the comparison falleth upon those who used the gift of tongues in publike prayers in the Church, and hee expresly condemneth that practise of them, because they that prayed in such sort uttering words that were not understood, spake not to men, because no man understood them, v. 2. spake into the ayre, v. 5. edified not by those prayers, v. 12.17. because others could not joyne with them in their prayers, nor say Amen to their thankes, v. 15. Now if the Apostle reproved the use of the miraculous gift of tongues (which redounded so much to the honour of God) in the Church, without an interpreter, v. 28. saying, if there bee no interpreter, let them keepe silence in the Church; How much more may wee conceive would he have sorbidden the use of an unknowne tongue acquired by humane industrie? To his third quaere, what authoritie we can bring for our selves, or example? I answer, that the Knight hath brought the authoritie, and example of the catholique Christian Church for 700. yeares at the least, and because he calleth upō us to name any Father, who teacheth as we do, that the service of the Church ought to bee in a knowne tongue,Exposit. in psal. 18. vult ut quod canamus intelligamus ac humana ratione non quasi avium voce canamus nam, & psittaci, & corvi, & picae, & hujusmodi volucres saepè abhominibus docentur sonate quod nesciunt sciunter autem cantare naturae hominis divina bonitate concessum est. I name S. Chrysostome, who in his Commentarie upon the 14. chapter of the first to the Corinthians saith that the Apostle teacheth, that we ought to speak with our tongues, and withall to minde what is spoken, that wee may understand it; and S. Austine willeth, that wee understand what wee sing like men indued with reason, and not chatter like birds, for ousels, parrats, crowes, pies, and such other birds, are often taught by men to sound out that which they know not, but to know what they sing, or sing with knowledge and understanding, is by Gods will peculiarly given unto man. I name also Iustine Martyre, and S. Basil, and many other ancient Doctours, whose testimonies are plentifully alledged by Bishop Iewell, Article the third, and Bilson of Supremacie, part the fourth, and not yet answered by any Papist to my knowledge.
To the thirteenth. The observation of Cardinall Bellarmine concerning the different custome of the ancient Church, and the present Roman, maketh rather against the Iesuits then for them. For who will not attribute more to the uniforme practise of the primitive Church, then to the heteroclyte practise of later Churches? assuredly the practise of the primitive Church wherein the people answered the Priests, and not the Clarke only, is most agreeable to the doctrine of S. Paul, and conson…nt to reason. For publike prayers were instituted especially for three ends, first, for the most solemne worship of God, when thousands of hands are at once lifted up to him, and as many tongues confesse his name: secondly, for the stirring up of greater devotion, when many hundreds praying and blessing, and singing together, like so many coales on the same hearth kindle one the other, and increase the flame. Thirdly, for more prevalencie with God, when we offer violence, as it were to heaven, and send up our united devotions like a vollie of shotte to batter the walls of it; They who pray in a tongue which the people understand not, and therefore cannot joyne with them in their prayer, faile of all these ends. Yet to sodder all, the Iesuit beareth us in hand, that the Masse being the same continually, the people understand it sufficiently for the exercise of their devotion, though not to satisfie vaine curiositie; which speech of his is partly sencelesse, and partly blasphemous: it is sencelesse to imagine that a man who never learned his Grammar, nor ever was taught Greek or Latine, by hearing onelyonly the Masse read over, though a thousand times should come to understand it; secondly, it is blasphemous to say that to desire to understand the particular contents of the Epistles and Gospels read in the Masse, or the psalmes of David, sung in the Church is vaine curiositie, or hereticall pride. Loe here Flood his channell falleth againe into the Stygian lake.
To the fourteenth. There is no contradiction at all in the Knights observations. For though this story of the shepheards abusing the words of Consecration, and strucke dead for it, might peradventure occasion some alteration in those Churches, where it was beleeved, yet there was no generall command for the practise of the Latine Service, in all Christian Churches before Vitalians time; who in the yeare 666. verified the number of the name of the beast in himselfe, which according to the interpretation of S. Irenaeus, who flourished within two hundred yeares after Christ, is lateinos, as before I noted. But for mine owne part I have no faith at all in that legendarie fable of the Sheepheards; First because those that coyned it, agree not in their tale, for some say, that the Bread and Wine were transubstantiated into flesh and bloud, and the sheepeheards for their prophane abuse strucke dead: others tell it otherwise,Cassand. liturg. c. 28. Honorius in Gem. animae, Bellar. l. 2. de Mis. c. 22. that neither the Bread nor the Wine were transubstantiated, but consumed by fire from heaven, nor the sheepheards strucken dead, but onelyonly laid for dead. As for the Authour of the booke called Pratum spirituale, hee is of no credit at all. For in his Spirituall meadow, as hee tearmeth his worke, there are many such Eutopian flowers, as this is, where I leave the Iesuit to gather him a nosegay, till I have leisure to meete with him in the next Section.