together, with Prayers and Leffons, of which they understand not one Word? But they alledge farther, that fome of their Prayers, indeed a great Part of the Mass, it would be useless to have said in their own Language; for the Prieft is ordered to speak it fo low, that it cannot be heard: as if one Fault would excufe another, inftead of making it greater. But many of their Prayers, they fay, may be understood for though spoken in Latin, there are printed Tranflations of them in English. But ftill, great Part of them is not tranflated, unless it be by fome very modern Indulgence': and that which is, nothing but our making them ashamed of themselves hath forced them to of late in thefe Parts of the World against their Will. For we know that when, within this laft Century, fome well meaning Bishops of their own Church in France, had published the Mass in the vulgar Tongue, for the People's Ufe; the then Pope declared them Sons of Perdition to all the World, and condemned what they had done, as if it were the Overthrow of Religion *. So that, for ought k The English Tranflator of the Order and Canon of the Mafs, hath omitted many of the Ceremonies, particularly above twenty Croffes out of less than thirty. Tenison on Idol. p. 5. * Tillotson, Serms 246. we we know, the fame Liberty taken here may fall under the fame Condemnation, when a proper Time comes. Or were the contrary ever fo certain, ftill putting their Prayers into English for the People, only fhows that they ought to be spoken in English by the Prieft: for this round-about Way is evidently a most abfurd one; that he should be praying in one Language, and they following him by Guess, as well as they can, in another. Besides, Multitudes of their poor People have never heard of these Translations, or at least, have them not: Multitudes more are unable to read them: and all these must be left quite in the Dark. But we are told, they have a good Intention in general: they reverence what they do not understand, and this is fufficient. Now for the Purposes of spiritual Dominion, this may be fufficient and fuch Devotions, as many of theirs are, will, we own, be more reverenced for not being understood. But for the Edification of the People, it is far from being sufficient, to have good Intentions in general, and no Meaning in particular: to pray to God for they know not what; and hear Leffons read, which they can learn nothing from. Another Another Thing, akin to the former, in which we differ from the Church of Rome, is, that we allow and exhort all Perfons to read the holy Scriptures diligently. They, on the contrary, have exprefsly decreed, that, fince the promifcuous Allowance of Bibles in the Vulgar Tongue does more Harm than Good, (these are the very Words of the Index published in Confequence of the Council of Trent's Order,) no one shall be suffered to read Translations of Scripture, even though made by Catholics, as they call themselves, unless the Bishop or Inquifitor, by the Advice of the Curate or Cónfeffor, give him Leave in writing: and whoever tranfgreffes this Rule, fhall not be abfolved till he gives up his Bible. Nay, throughout the whole Kingdom of Spain, all Bibles in their own Tongue are abfolutely forbidden. And in all Popish Countries, getting one, by the Means here prescribed, being a Matter of Time, and Form, and Difficulty, and Sufpicion, the Generality seldom put themselves to the Trouble of it. So that in many Parts of the World there are great Multitudes of that Communion, who perhaps have never either read or heard in their own Tongue one Chapter of the Bible in their whole Lives. Or if any one does ask for VOL. VI. Leave, C c Leave, it is never granted, where they dare refufe it, excepting to fuch as they are well af fured beforehand will fee nothing there but what they are bidden. So that where they have Permiffion to read the Scripture, they have none to understand it. Befides that, this Permiffion, even in thofe Countries where they are obliged to indulge it the most freely, as in our own, is but during Pleasure, and may at any Time be taken away when it will ferve the Turn better: nor dare the poor deluded People, upon Pain of Damnation, help themfelves. And as to Protestant Translations, having one is looked on as a Mark of Herefy; for which, in this very very Nation, poor Creatures have been burnt, and their Bibles with them. Which Practice now, think you, is the righter, theirs or ours? What Authority can there be on Earth to forbid any Part of Mankind from reading what Heaven hath revealed to them? 'Tis the Law of our Lives, the Foundation of our Hopes; God hath given it to us, and Man hath no right to take it from us. But they tell us, it is from Kindness they do it for there is great Danger that the Scripture may be mifunderstood and perverted: unlearned and unstable Men', St. Peter hath de 12 Pet. iii. 16.. clared, clared, may wreft it to their own Destruction. Now this is poffible indeed: and fo it is poffible every Thing may be applied to an ill Purpose: Health, Strength, Food, Liberty, common Day-light: but is this a Reason for taking away any of them? It is poffible that Persons may do themselves Harm by having the Scriptures but is it not fomething more than poffible, that they may fuffer Harm from the Want of them; and be deftroyed, as the Prophet tells us, for lack of Knowledge"? Why do not these Persons, who are so very cautious in this Cafe, fhow the fame Caution in others, which furely need it full as much? Why do they never restrain any Body from Image Worship, for Fear of their falling into Idolatry? Why do they never forbid the Ufe of Indulgences, for Fear of their being mistaken for a Licence to Sin? Multitudes of Questions like these might be with equal Reafon asked; and it is very ftrange, methinks, that they should be suspicious of nothing doing Harm but the Bible. But after all, is the Danger fo very great? Hath God Almighty inspired Men to write and publish fo exceedingly unsafe a Book, and fo very unfit to be read by the Generality of thofe, for whom he |