Of Prayers in an unknown I N the beginning of this Chapter, our Author endeavours to impofe upon the ignorant and unwary Reader, by denying the Matter of Fact, and affirming, that the Papists do not pray in an unknown Tongue,but in the Latin Tongue,which is the most known Tongue in the World; taking it for granted, That the Publick Prayers of the Church ought to be offer'd up in the fame Tongue all the World over. By faying that they pray in the most known Tongue, N. C. feems to grant, that 'tis most suitable to the nature of Prayer to be offer'd up in that Tongue, which is beft understood by the People. But then the Question will be, Whether the daily Offices of the Church ought to be offer'd up in all Countries and Places in one Language, or else in every Country in that Language, which is best underflood by thofe Perfons who are requir'd to join in thefe Publick Of fices of Religion? And methinks there fhould not be much contention about this matter, when the Dispute may be fo eafily decided, by the common Sense of Man Mankind, and the exprefs Words of the Holy Scripture. But let us hear what the Archbishop fays on this Subject; And, Firft, His Grace fays, That the celebrating the Divine Service in an unknown Tongue, is contrary to the Practice of the Primitive Church. And for the Proof of this he quotes Origen: And Bellarmin himself confeffes, that the Armenians, Egyptians, Ethiopians, Ruffians, and others did, and do still use their own Language in their Liturgies even at this Day. To which N. C. anfwers, That by an unknown Tongue is meant, either fuch a "Tongue as no body understands, or else 'fuch a Tongue as is unknown to most of the common People. But this is the most fenfless Distinction that can be imagined; for, how can there be fuch a Tongue which no body understands? Or, in other words, fuch a Tongue which no body in the World can speak; for no body can speak a Tongue which he doth not understand Well, but N. C. tells us, The Primitive Church, and all fucceeding Generations, (he means the Latin Church) did celebrate 'Divine Service in the Latin Tongue; and then he tells us, That the common People (except the Italians) were always ignorant of the Latin Tongue. What, in the Latin Church, and in the Primitive Times And if lo, how came Divine Ser vice to be faid at first in the Latin Tongue? Was it for this Reason, because the common People did not understand it? or, because this was the Language which was most universally underflood in the Roman Empire? And if fo, then what His Grace affirms is evidently true, That the celebrating the Divine Service in an unknown Tongue, is contrary to the Practice of the Primitive Church. 'Tis true, that in After-times, by the inundation of the barbarous Nations upon the Roman Empire, the Romans loft their Language by degrees, and yet the Governours of the Church ftill kept up Divine Service in the Latin Tongue; which at last was wholly unknown to the common People. And that about the ninth and tenth Centuries, when a grofs Ignorance cover'd this part of the World, the Pope and the Priests took away the Key of Knowledge, and put it under the Door for feveral Ages, till the Reformation fetch'd it out again, and rub'd off the ruft of it. Secondly, His Grace argues from the Nature and End of Religious Worship which ought to be a reasonable Service; and this it cannot be, if it be not directed by our Understandings, and accompanied with our Hearts and Affections. But if 'tis perform'd in an unknown Tongue, cur Understanding can have no part in it; and and if we do not understand it, it cannot move our Affections. N. C. replies, 'That all this he readily grants, and that he hopes they are as careful in the Romish Church to 'teach the common People their Prayers in their own Tongue, and to exhort them to say them in the fame Tongue as their "Neighbours. But the direct contrary is too evident; and (tho' in this particular too, he thinks it convenient to filence fome part of the Truth, because it is not to his purpose to have it discovered) yet it is notorious, that even the common People are taught to say their Prayers in Latin, a Language which they do not understand. But fuppofing they do teach, or at least allow the common Peoples faying their Prayers in a Language they do underftand ; yet what is this to the Publick Prayers of the Church, of which we are now difcourfing? Certainly, if our Private Prayers ought to be offer'd up with Understanding, our Publick Prayers ought to be much more fo; for, how can they be faid to be Publick Prayers when the People do not join in them? And, how can they join in that they do not underftand? And, what reason can be given why the People fhould not understand their Publick as well as their Private Prayers? Is God lefs honour'd by them? or, are we H 4 not not as capable of being edified, and of having our Hearts and Affections mov'd and excited by them? Where lies the difference? N.C. confeffes all this; but comes in with a notwithstanding, the Church doth not think fit to alter it: But what Church doth not think fit? Why the Romish Church: And therefore I think it à very good Reason why that Church fhould receive confiderable Alterations, and a thorough Reformation: Becaufe 'tis plain, that it is fo much corrupted, that it cannot be prevail'd on to reform the most notorious and fcandalous Abuses: Nay, that it is fo far from reforming them, that it endeavours to keep People in Ignorance of the most neceffary part of their Duty, and has double-lock'd the Door of Knowledge: For as if their faying their Prayers in an unknown tongue was not fufficient, and left there fhould be fome of the Congregation who fhould understand the Latin Tongue, and by confequence join in their Publick Worthip, N. C. tells us, That the greatest part of the Mass is pronounc'd fo low, that fcarce any who is prefent hears what is faid. So that if there is any fuch thing in the World, as a Tongue which no Man can understand, it is that Tongue in which they celebrate the Publick Prayers of their Church; which com |