Rhemes against Rome: or, The remoouing of the gagg of the new Gospell, and rightly placing it in the mouthes of the Romists, by the Rhemists in their English translation of the Scriptures. Which counter-gagg is heere fitted by the industrious hand of Richard Bernard ...

XXI. Proposition. That the Publike seruice of the Church ought not to be in a vulgar and knowne Tongue:

Confuted by their owne Bible.

1. Cor. 14. 9. So thou also by a tongue, vnlesse thou vtter a ma∣nifest Speech, how shall that be knowne which is said, for thou shalt but speake in the Aire? This is a plaine condemning of speaking in a tongue not manifest, not vnderstood of the Hearers.

2. Cor. 1. 13. We write no other things to you, then that you haue read, and know. They then knew what they read, whether pri∣uate, or publike, Ephes. 3. 4. According as thou reading, maist vn∣derstand.

1. Thes. 5. 27. I adiure you by the Lord, that this Epistle bee read to all the holy Brethren. If it had beene in an vnknowne Tongue, it had beene in vaine to haue beene read vnto all the brethren; and it had been to no purpose thus to adiure them.

Act. 1. 14. All these were perseuering in one minde, in Prayer, and with one accord, Act. 4. 24. This was Publike Prayer. But if they vnderstood not what was prayed: how could they bee of one minde and accord?

S. Paul willeth vs to pray and sing with vnderstanding, 1. Cor. 14. 15. and saith plainely, that if men blesse, that is, pray in an vn∣knowne tongue, the vulgar cannot say, Amen. And hee giueth this Reason, because hee knoweth not what thou sayest, neither is edi∣fied, verse 16, 17.

In their Bible, mention is made: First, of Prayer in the Con∣gregation,

Act. 12. 12. & 4. 24. & 13. 3. & 16. 13, 16. & 20. 36. and 21. 5. Secondly, of reading the Scriptures, Coloss. 4. 16. 1. Thess. 5. 27. Thirdly, of preaching, Act. 9. 20. & 20. 7. Fourthly, of singing, Math. 26. 30. 1. Cor. 14. Fiftly, of admini∣string the holy Sacraments; of Baptisme, Act. 10. and of the Lords Supper, 1. Cor. 10. & 11. Let our Aduersaries shew, if they be able, that these parts of the publike seruice were done in an vnknowne tongue.

Contraried by Antiquitie.

Origen. cont. Cels. l. 8. Let euery man make his prayer to God in his natiue Mother tongue.

Austin. Tract in Iohan. 21. Why are these things spoken in the Church, but to be knowne? Why are they pronounced, but to bee heard? And why are they heard, but to be vnderstood? And on Gen. l. 12. cap. 8. Noman (saith hee) is edified by hearing that which he vnderstands not.

Ambr. in cap. 14. 1. Epist. ad Cor. If we come together (saith he) to edifie the Church, those things ought to be spoken, which the hea∣rers vnderstand.

Chrysostom. hom. 35. in 1. Cor. Hee that speakes in an vnknowne tongue, is not onely vnprofitable, and a Barbarian to others, but euen to himselfe, if he vnderstand not.

In Hom. 18. on 2. Cor. Hee telleth vs, that the Priests and the people say the same common prayers, and all doe say one thing.

S. Basil. Epist. 63. telleth, how, that in his time, when they met together, they vsed a knowne language.

In the purest Churches, for the space of eight hundred yeeres, Diuine Seruice was neuer performed in an vnknowne tongue. And if it were at any time, in a tongue not the Mother tongue, yet was not that tongue a strange language, but such as the hearers vnderstood. See for this point Master Perkins Pro∣bleme.

If any desire any more of this, let him reade Doctor Fulk on Rhem. Testament, 1. Cor. 14. Doctor White his last Book of this

point, pag. 369. who eiteth Origen, Iustin Martyr, Tertul. Clemens Alexand. Cyprian, Basil, Chrysostome, Ambrose, and Augustine; with their owne words against this absurd practice of Papists. See also, pag. 375. in the Margin: & 380.

Gainesaid by themselues.

Aeneas Syluius, who after was Pope, in hist Bohem. cap. 13. faith, that when sute was made, that the Slauonians newly conuerted to the faith, might haue their Church-seruice in their Mother Tongue, and there being some stay about it at Rome, a voice was heard from Heauen, saying, That euery spirit should praise the Lord, and euery tongue should confesse vnto him: So the controuersie is determined by an immediate voice from heauen.

The Lateran Councell, vnder Innocent the third, chap. 9. de∣creed, by reason of mingled Nations of diuers tongues, in one Citie, that meet men should bee prouided to celebrate Diuine seruice, and to administer the Sacraments, according to the di∣uersitie of their Rites, and languages.

Lyra, on 1. Cor. 14. saith, that if the people vnderstood the prayers of the Priest, they were better brought vnto God, and so answere Amen more deuoutly.

And Caietan on the same, saith, it were better for the Chur∣ches edification, that prayers should bee said in the Mother tongue.

Many learned Papists, as Lyra, Thomas Aquinas, this Caie∣tan on this 1. Cor. 14. and Erasmus in Declarat, ad Cens. pag. 153. confesse, that in the Primitiue Church, and long after, the Prayers and Seruice were done in the Mother Tongue.

And Cassander, Liturg. cap. 28. sheweth, that diuers Nati∣ons, to this day, retaine the ancient custome still. Thus we see their owne Bible, the ancient Fathers, their owne Councels and learned men, are against this absurd, and vnreasonable custome, of hauing Seruice in an vnknowne tongue. God gaue diuersi∣tie of tongues to his Apostles, and they spake in them all, Act. 2. and the hearers heard them speake to them therein. What

letteth, but that in praying, reading singing, and administring of the Sacraments, we should vse euery tongue, according to euery Nation; seeing euery Language was giuen by the Holy Ghost, to publish the Gospell therein?

Scriptures obiected, answered.

Luke 1. 8. Zachary burnt incense within, and the whole mul∣titude was praying without, at the time of the incense.

Answ. 1. Here is not a word of the Priests speaking in any language at all, to the People: neither was he heere, to say any seruice, but to burne incense.

Secondly, if he had said Seruice, the People could not heare him: For he was in the Temple, they a great way off, in the out-Court. What is this to Latine Seruice? Or saying it in any language? except they hence will conclude, that because the Priest said nothing, and the People could not heare him; that now the Priest may speake in what language either he will, or can speake, when none is neere him, but all farre inough from hearing what hee saith. And then who shall helpe the poore man to say his Masse? Is this their authoritie for their Latine Seruice? Shame light on such, as so abuse Scripture, to keepe poore people in ignorance.

Nehem. 8. 8. Here would they proue that the Scriptures were read in an vnknowne Tongue to the People, that is, in the He∣brew Tongue, which the People now, after seuenty yeeres cap∣tiuitie, vnderstood not.

Answ. 1. It is vntrue, that the people assembled, were igno∣rant of the Hebrew tongue. For most of the Congregation were such as were before carried captiue, and were now retur∣ned from thence, Esd. 2. 1, 42, 65. and 3. 12. who had not lost their language, Nehem. 13. 24. As for that, where it is said, they made the People vnderstand the reading, it is not meant of the language and words, but of the sense and meaning thereof.

Secondly, grant that now they had forgotten the language, and had now the Scriptures in no other tongue: will it follow,

that what they had of necessitie, the Church now needs must bee inforced to, when there is no cause?

Thirdly, this Language was the holy Tongue, in which the Scriptures were written, and once their owne Mother tongue: must therefore a strange tongue, and wherein the Pen-men of Scripture neuer wrote, be thrust vpon all Nations, as the only tongue to say Seruice in?

Fourthly, as yet the Holy Ghost had not sanctified all lan∣guages, as hee did in comming downe vpon the Apostles, after Christs Ascension, Act. 2. but now hee hath. And therefore in euery tongue, hee is to bee preached, prayed vnto, and prai∣fed. See before, how to answere this place, in the end of the fift Proposition.

Notes

• Reading the Scriptures is a part of the publique Litur∣gie or seruice.
• The parts of the publike Seruice of the Church in the Apostles daies.
• See more in l. 4. ••. 10. de doct. Christ & lib. ••4. c. 16. de Trunt 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉 18. •• 4••.
• See D. Whites last booke, pag. 356. mentio∣ning Armeni∣ans, Abissines, Indians, Russi∣ans, Egypti∣ans, proued by Papists them∣selues.
• Leu. 16. 17.