To this I anfwer, First, That thofe Tranflations which have been made of the Bible into the Vulgar Tongue, were forc'd from them; for when they found that the People could not be with-held from reading the Bible, and looking into thofe Tranflations which the Proteftants had publish'd, they thought it would be better to let them have one of their own dreffing up; and they have provided fuch Tranflations as run directly contrary to the Original, and have foifted into them fo many Popish Tenents, and have inferted fo much of their own Superstition,' that they have turned this wholfome Food into deadly Poifon; an inftance of which we have in that Bible printed at Bourdeaux, A. D. 1686.

Secondly, The common People are not permitted to read any * Translation but their own, nor thefe Tranflations without License; and to obtain a Licenfe, a Man must first, have the Confent of his Parish-Prieft; Secondly, the Leave of the Bishop and the Inquifitor must be asked;

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and

Cum experimento manifeftum fit, fi Sacra Biblia Vulgari Lingua paffim fine difcrimine permittantur, plus inde detrimenti quam utilitatis oriri ob hominum temeritatem; hac in parte Fudicio Epifcopi ant Inquifitoris ftetur: ut cum confilio Parochi vel Confeffurii Bibliorum à Catholicis Authoribus verforum lectionem in Vulgari Lingua eis concedere poffint, quos intellexerint ex hujufmodi lectione non damnum, fed fidei atque pietatis argumentum capere poffe: quam facultatem in fcriptis habeant. De Lib. Prohib, Reg. 4.

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That

and this must be under his Hand in Writing; and this is never granted, but only to fuch Perfons as they are very fecure of, fuch as do not defign an Increase of Knowledge, but only of Faith and Piety. So that a Licence, with all these Limitations,is no Licence at all. And then,let any one judge,whether the Council of Trent (to which he appeals) doth not in the least favour the locking up the Holy Scripture from the People. 'Tis certain, that our Saviour made no fuch Limitations, in whose time, the Poor had the Gospel Preached unto them.

Thirdly, They allow of no Interpretation of the Holy Scriptures, but what is put upon it by that Church, i. e. the Church of Rome. So that for a Private Perfon to be too prying and Inquifitive into the Meaning of the Holy Scripture, especially into any Point of Controversy, is the way to have his Licence (which is revocable) taken from him; and 'tis well if he escapes the Inquifition, if he be

an

That is, fince 'tis evident from Experience, that if the Sacred Bible were permitted indifférently, and without diftinction, to be read in the Vulgar Tongue, fuch a Liberty (by reafon of Mens Rafhnels) would produce more hurt than good; be it therefore left to the Bishop's or Inquifitor's Judgment, by and with the Advice of the Parifh Prieff, or Confeffor, to give leave to read the Verfions of the Bible, tranflated by Catholick Authors into the Vulgar Language, to fuch Perfons, who, as they fhall determine, will not receive Prejudice, but an increate of Faith and Piety thereby.

an Inhabitant of the Popish Countries; tho to thofe in England they may be more favourable, because they cannot help it.

Laftly, To make all fure, (for tis 'ten to one but Truth will out, and 'tis a very difficult matter to conceal it in fuch Prying Times) they prefer Unwritten Traditions before the Word of GOD; and N. C. tells us fo,and gives us this Reason for it : "That Chrift our Lord com"manded his Difciples to go and Preach "the Gospel; but we do not find, that he

gave any Injunction about giving his Word in Writing to the People, in "order to learn their Faith. As if committing the Gospel to Writing was not as much Preaching of it, as declaring the Contents of it to the People with their Voice.

And now having (as I think, made good this Affertion, That the Papifts lock up the Holy Scriptures in an unknown Tongue) I hope there needs not much to be faid to prove, That they are guilty of a heinous Sin, and a facrilegious Theft in fo doing; and therefore I fhall only quote Paffage out of one of His Grace's Sermons, Vol. I. poft obit. pag.160. The like may be faid of Locking up the Scriptures, 'from the People in an unknown Tongue contrary to the Command of the Scriptures themselves, and to the great End I 3

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and Design of Almighty God in the Writing and Publishing of them; and contrary to the perpetual Exhortations and Counfels of all the Antient Fathers of the Chriftian Church for a great many Ages, not one excepted. They are hardly more frequent, and copious, and earnest in any Argument, than in perfuading People of all Ranks and Conditions, to the conftant and careful Reading of the Holy Scriptures. And contrary to the Common Reason and and Senfe of Mankind. For what should Men be perfuaded to be acquainted withal, if not with that which is the great Inftrument of our Salvation? That Book which was written on purpose to reveal and convey to Men the Knowledge of God, and of his Will, and their Duty? What Should Men be allowed to know, if not that which is the best and most effectual Means to direct and bring them to Heaven; or turn them from Sin, and to preferve them from Eternal Misery? When our Saviour would represent the best and most effectual Means of bringing Men to Happiness, and faving them from Eternal Torments of Hell: In the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, he brings in Abraham, giving the best Advice he could to the Rich Man, who was in Hell, concerning his Brethren

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'who were upon Earth, how they might prevent their coming into that Place of 'Torment; and he directs them to the Scriptures, as the best, and most effectual Means to that Purpose: They have,lays he, Mofes and the Prophets, let them hear them; 'for if they hear not Mofes and the Prophets, neither would they be perfuaded, tho' one rose from the dead. And now one would think, 'that the declared Judgment of our Saviour fhould go a great way, even with the moft Infallible Church in the World. However, this we must fay, that 'tis a 'very hard Cafe to which the Church of 'Rome hath reduced Men; that it will neither allow them Salvation out of their 'Church, nor the best and oft effectual Means of Salvation where they are in it. In which words, His Grat! has excellently display'd, not only the great Ufe and Benefit of Publishing the Bible in a 'Tongue that the People understand; but also the Reasonableness and Neceffity of fo doing. Let us fee now what Pleas N. C. and others make in Defence of the contrary Practice in the Church of Rome. And First, He tells us, That Dr.TillotSon, and his Party, are of all others the 'unfitteft to reproach the Papifts with this Conduct; confidering, that most of the Learned Men of his Church do ingenuously own, That the Promifcuous Ufe I 4

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