Synopsis papismi, that is, A generall viewe of papistry wherein the whole mysterie of iniquitie, and summe of antichristian doctrine is set downe, which is maintained this day by the Synagogue of Rome, against the Church of Christ, together with an antithesis of the true Christian faith, and an antidotum or counterpoyson out of the Scriptures, against the whore of Babylons filthy cuppe of abominations: deuided into three bookes or centuries, that is, so many hundreds of popish heresies and errors. Collected by Andrew Willet Bachelor of Diuinity.

The Protestantes.

WE do affirme, that as it hath bene the commendable vse of all ancient Churches, to haue the seruice in the vulgare toung, that the people might vnderstand, and be better stirred vp to deuotion: so the same godlie vse ought for euer to remaine and be retained in the Church of God.

1 This is most agreable to S. Paules doctrine. 1. Cor 14. who would haue all things done to edifying: but by an vnknowen toung no man is edified: and he saith, he had rather speake fiue wordes to be vnderstood, then ten thousand otherwise. Some of the Papistes say, that S. Paule speaketh of preaching not of praying: but in the 14. ver. he speaketh namely of prayer, and in the 16. of the peoples saying Amē, which was not geuē at Sermons, but in the end of pray∣ers: this is but a weake aunswere. The Rhemistes and the Iesuite say he spea∣keth

of certaine extraordinarie Hymnes and giuing of thankes, whereof S. Paule speaketh, Ephe. 5.19. Answere S. Paule speaketh generally of all publike exercise in the Church, whether of prayer, preaching, singing, that it should all be done in a knowen toung: for he vseth the generall termes of speaking, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and of the voyce, as ver. 11. If I vnderstād not the power of the voyce (he saith not of the song, or preaching) I shalbe to him that speaketh, a barbarian: so he misliketh not onely preaching, or singing, but any kinde of speaking in the Church in a strange toung. This place of S. Paule is to euident and plaine, thē that it may be so easilie wrested and depraued by their hereticall and An∣tichristian gloses.

2 Who seeth not that prayers made with the vnderstanding are more cō∣fortable and fruitfull: the other nothing to profite at all, nor yet to be auayla∣ble before God? Howsoeuer our aduersaries say, that the hart and affectiō may pray, though the vnderstanding pray not, yet S. Paule saith, they speake in the ayre: their prayer is but wind 1. Cor. 14.9. Therefore not amisse did that godly Martir M. Wisehart, compare the ridiculous gestures of the Priest at Masse, being not vnderstood of the people, to the playing of an ape. Fox p. 1269. col. 2. And one Iohn Riburne was vniustly troubled of Longlād Bishop of Lincolne anno 1530. for saying, if we had our Pater noster in English, one should say it nine times, against once now. Fox. pag. 984. col. 2. And was not that ghostly & Bishoplike coūsaile thinke you of the Bishop of Cauaillon to the Merindoliās in Fraunce? that it was sufficiēt to know their Pater noster, & Creede in Latin: it was not necessary to saluatiō to vnderstand or expoūd the Articles of faith: for there were many Bishops, Curates, yea Doctors of Diuinitie, whō it would trouble to expound the Creede or Pater noster. Fox. Martirol. pag. 949. col. 2.

3 We will conclude with Augustine. Quare dicta sunt, nisi vt sciantur? quare sonuerunt, nisi vt audiantur? quare audita sunt, nisi vt intelligantur? tract. in Iohan. 21. Why are things spoken in the Church (saith he) but to be knowen? why are they pronoūced, but to be heard? why are they heard but to be vnder∣stood? Ergo, Lessons, and Scriptures, and publike prayers must be vsed in a knowen toung, and easie to be vnderstood.