A discourse wherin is debated whether it be expedient that the scripture should be in English for al men to reade that wyll. Fyrst reade this booke with an indifferent eye, and then approue or condempne, as God shall moue your heart.

¶Of Masse & all other diuine seruice in the churche to be in Latine and not in the vulgare tongue.

ANd here note further (I be∣seche you) that like as it is nowe spoken of scripture not to be in English, euen so is it ment that as vnlawful it is (yea and more too, if more may be) that the high mysteries in the sacri∣fice of Masse or other diuine ser¦uice should be in English: where as the preist is a comon person and offereth vp for al the people beyng the meane betwene God and them, so that his communi∣cation,

is to God, and not to the people. What cause is there then why diuine seruice should be in Englishe, except ye thynke that God vnderstandeth no Latine? Neither the Italians nor Gre∣ciās haue diuine seruice in their vulgare tongue. Moreouer, at that tyme of diuine seruice all the comen people then present, shuld onely put their whole affi∣aūce in fide ma••ris ecclesiae in the fayth of oure mother the catho∣lyke churche: like as our beleif is in the baptisme of infantes. Yea, & note further, that it was not without great mystery the writyng of Christes tytle at his passion in Hebrewe, Greke, and Latine. Also it was not with∣out great mysterye that many wordes were neuer translated,

as Alleluya, Osanna, Amen, Saba∣oth, Kirieleison &c. And that Christ praied in secret & silence alone, the head for the whole bo¦die, to signifie vnto vs thereby, that the priestes office is like∣wise to doe the same, the cōmon minister for al the people, being meane betwene God & them. As for that of Paule to the Co¦rinthians, which might appeare to the simple to make for theyr purpose to haue all in the vul∣gar tonge, yf ye marke it well, it is onely spoken for them whi∣che doe preache, expounde, or in∣terprete scriptures in y^e church: that is to saye, that their ser∣mons, their expoūdinges, or in∣terpretatiōs of scriptures (they beinge authorised therevnto) must euer be made in that tōge

whiche the hearers doe vnder∣stande and perceyue.

And this (ye know well) bothe is and euer hath ben vsed. And therfore here now further, A man might demaunde a questiō wherfore ye com to the Churche I suppose ye wyll saye (as ye muste no doubte, yf ye tell the treuthe) that the chiefe intente of your comming is or ought to be, to pray (though sermōs and diuine seruice, and the ministra¦tion of the holy sacramentes be causes also) seing that Christe called the Church the house of prayer, bringyng for him the te∣stimony of Esaie: and seing also we haue in scripture so manye notable examples concernynge the same purpose. Anna the pro∣phetisse cōtinued day and night

in the temple in fastynge and prayer: the Apostles after Christes ascension remayned styll in the temple in laudyng and blessyng God: Peter and Iohn went vp in to the temple at the ninth houre of prayer: Salomon besought GOD to graunt the petition of all that prayed in the temple: and Da∣niel beinge a prisoner in Babi∣lon, euer loked toward the tem∣ple, when he prayed, vppon his knees thryse in the daye. This suerly doth proue that the chief intent of cōming to the churche ought to be to praye. But all this tyme which now (thankes be to God) is past, hauynge the diuine seruice in Englishe was an extreme enemie to all godly prayer and deuotion. For then

men phansied so to heare what was redde (striuing ofte ther∣vppon in simple iudgemente) that feruente prayer whiche ought to be, was smally regar∣ded. And here now for this time I make an end besechig al god∣lye people (as for Momus his iudgement I passe not of) well to accepte this my labour: seing that herein is nothinge spoken but that whiche hath bene taught for treuthe and beleued of al men, in all places, and at al times since y^e primatiue church: seing also that herein we leane onely to the generalytie of all christendome to the antiquitie of the elders whiche haue recei∣ued it as it were by hande euyn tyll this day, and to the consent and agrement of all the holy fa∣thers:

Whose wittes were as muche as our new mens, theyr diligēce as great, theyr lerning greater, theyr studye more fer∣uent, theyre deuotion hotter, theyr nombre more, theyr conti∣nuaunce longer, they alway ta∣ken for catholikes (but thother euer for heretikes) alwaye la∣boring and studiyng that might be whollye to the profyt of the churche of Iesus Christe: To whome, with the father, and the holye ghost, be all honoure and glorye, for euer and euer.

AMEN.

Memor••••e nouissima: & in aeter∣num non peccabis. I. S.

Notes

• i. Cor. xiiii.
• Luc. xix.
• Luc. ii.
• Luc. xxiiii.
• Actes. iii.
• iii. Re. viii.
• Dan. vi.
• Eccl. vii.