THE Scribes so often mentioned in the Gospel, were the great Doctors among the Jews, the Teachers and Interpreters of the Law of God. And because many of them were of the Sect of the Pharisees, which above all others pretended to [...]kill and knowledge in the Law, therefore it is our blessed Saviour does so often put the Scribes and Pha­ [...]isees together. And these were the Men of Chief Au­ [...]hority in the Jewish Church; Who equalled their [...]wn Unwritten Word and Traditions with the Law [...]f God: Nay, our Saviour tells us, they made the Commandments of God of none effect by their Traditions. They did in effect assume to themselves infallibility; [...]nd all that opposed and contradicted them, they brand­ [...]d with the Odious Name of Hereticks. Against these [...]ur Saviour denounceth this Woe here in the Text, Woe [...]nto you Scribes and Pharisees, Hypocrites, for ye shut up [...]e Kingdom of Heaven against Men, &c.

All the Difficulty in the Words is, what is here [...]eant by shutting up the Kingdom of Heaven against Men: [...]. Luke expresseth it more plainly, ye have taken away [...]e key of Knowledge, ye entred not into your selves, and [...]em that were entring in, ye hindred. By putting these [...]o Expressions together, we shall the more easily [...]me at the meaning of the Text. Ye have taken away [...] key of Knowledge, and have shut up the Kingdom of [...]aven against Men. This Metaphor of the [...] [Page 2] Knowledge is undoubtedly an Allusion to that known Custom among the Jews in the admission of their Do­ctors. For to whomsoever they gave Authority to in­terpret the Law and the Prophets, they were solemnly admitted into that Office by delivering to them a Key and a Table-book. So that by the key of knowledge is here meant the Interpretation and understanding of the Scrip­tures; and by taking away the key of Knowledge, not on­ly that they arrogated to themselves alone the Under­standing of the Scriptures, but likewise that they had Conveyed away this key of Knowledge, and as it were hid it out of the way, neither using it themselves as they ought, nor suffering Others to make use of it.

And thus they Shut the Kingdom of Heaven against Men: which is very fitly said of those who have lock-the Door against them that were going in, and have taken away the key. By all which it appears that the Plain meaning of our Saviour in these Metaphorical Ex­pressions is, that the Scribes and Teachers of the Law, under a Pretence of Interpreting the Scriptures, had perverted them and kept the true Knowledge of them from the People: Especially those Old Prophecies [...] the Old Testamant which concerned the Messias. An [...] by this means the Kingdom of Heaven was shut again [...] Men: And they not only rejected the Truth themselves but by keeping Men in Ignorance of the true meanin [...] of the Scriptures, they hindered Many from embracin [...] our Saviour's Doctrine, and entering into the Kingdo [...] of Heaven, who were ot [...]erwise well enough dispose [...] for it.

Having thus Explained the Words, I shall from th [...] main Scope and Design of them observe to you thes [...] two things.

I. The necessity of the Knowledge of the holy Scrip­tures in order to our Eternal Salvation. It is called b [...] our Saviour the key of Knowledge, that which lets Me [...] into the Kingdom of Heaven.

II. The great and inexcusable fault of those who de­prive the People of the Knowledge of the Holy Scri [...]tures. They shut the Kingdom of Heaven against Me [...] [Page 3] and do what in them lies to hinder their Eternal Salva­tion; and therefore our Saviour denounceth so heavy a Woe against them.

I shall speak briefly to these two Observations; and then apply them to those who are principally concerned in them.

1. First, I observe hence the Necessity of the knowledge of the holy Scriptures in order to our Eternal Salvati­on. This is by our Saviour called the key of knowledge, that which lets Men into the Kingdom of Heaven.

Knowledge is necessary to Religion: It is necessary to the being of it; and necessary to the life and practice of it. Without Faith (says the Apostle) it is impossible to please God: Because Faith is an act of the Understand­ing, and does necessarily suppose some knowledge and apprehension of what we believe. To all acts of Reli­gion there is necessarily req [...]ired some act of the Under­standing; so that without Knowledge there can be no Devotion in the Service of God, no Obedience to his Laws. Religion begins in the Understanding, and from thence descends upon the heart and life, If ye know these things, (says our Saviour) happy are ye if ye do them. We must first know God before we can worship him; and understand what is his Will, before we can do it.

This is so very evident, that one would think there needed no Discourse about it: And yet there are some in the World that cry up Ignorance as the Mother of Devotion. And to shew that we do not wrong them in this matter, Mr. Rushworth in his Dialogues (a Book in great vogue among the Papists here in England) does expresly reckon up Ignorance among the Parents of Re­ligion. And can any thing be said more absurdly and more to the Disparagement of Religion, than to de­rive the Pedigree of the most excellent thing in the World; from so obscure and ignoble an Original; and to make that which the Scripture calls the begin­ning of Wisdom, and the Excellency of Knowledge, to be the Off-spring of Ignorance, and a Child of Dark­ness? Ignorance indeed may be the cause of Wonder and Admiration, and the Mother of Folly and Super­stition: [Page 4] But surely Religion is of a nobler Extraction▪ and is the Issue and Result of the best Wisdom and Knowledge; and descends from above, from the giver of every good and perfect Gift, even the Father of Lights.

And as Knowledge in general is necessary to Reli­gion, so more particularly, the knowledge of the Holy Scriptures is necessary to our Eternal Salvation. Because these are the great and standing Revelations of God to Mankind; wherein the Nature of God and his Will concerning our Duty, and the Terms and Conditions of our Eternal Happiness in another World, are fully and plainly declared to us.

The Scriptures are the Word of God; and from whence can we learn the Will of God so well as from his own Mouth? They are the great Instruments of our Salvation; and should not every Man be acquaint­ed with that, which alone can perfectly instruct him what he must believe, and what he must do that h [...] may be saved? This is the Testimony which the Scri­pture gives of it self, that it is able to make Men wis [...] unto Salvation; and is it not very fit that every Man should have this Wisdom, and in order thereunto the free use of that Book from whence this Wisdom is to be learned?

Secondly, I observe the great and inexcusable fault of those who keep Men in Ignorance of Religion, and take away from them so excellent and necessary a means of Divine Knowledge, as the Holy Scriptures are▪ This our Saviour calls taking away the Key of Know­ledge, and shutting the Kingdom of Heav'n against Men ▪ That is, doing what in them lies to render it impossi­ble for Men to be saved. For this he denounceth a terrible woe against the Teachers of the Jewish Church▪ though they did not proceed so far as to deprive Me [...] of the use of the Holy Scriptures, but only of the righ [...] Knowledge and Understanding of them. This alone i [...] a horrible Impiety, to lead Men into a false sense and interpretation of Scripture; but much greater to forbi [...] them the reading of it. This is a stop to knowledg [...] [Page 5] at the very fountain head; and not only to lead Men into Errour, but to take away from them all possibi­lity of rectifying their mistakes. And can there be a greater Sacriledge, than to rob Men of the Word of God, the best means in the World of acquainting them with the Will of God and their Duty, and the way to Eternal Happiness? To keep the People in Ig­norance of that which is necessary to save them, is to judge them unworthy of Eternal Life, and to declare it does not belong to them, and maliciously to contrive the Eternal ruine and destruction of their Souls.

To lock up the Scriptures and the Service of God from the People in an Unknown Tongue, what is this but in effect to forbid Men to know God, and to serve him; to render them incapable of knowing what is the good and acceptable Will of God; of joyning in his Worship, or performing any Part of it, or receiving any Benefit or Edification from it? And what is, if this be not, to shut the Kingdom of Heaven against Men? This is so outragious a Cruelty to the Souls of Men, that it is not to be excused upon any Pretence what­soever: This is to take the surest and most effectual way in the World to destroy those for whom Christ dyed, and directly to thwart the Great Design of God our Sa­viour, Who would have all Men to be Saved, and to come to the Knowledge of the Truth. Men may miscarry with their Knowledge, but they are sure to perish for the want of it.

The best things in the World have their inconveni­ences attending them, and are liable to be abused; but surely Men are not to be ruined and damned for fear of abusing their Knowledge, or for the Prevention of any other inconvenience whatsoever. Besides, this is to cross the very end of the Scriptures, and the design of God in inspiring Men to write them. Can any Man think that God should send this great Light of his Word, into the World, for the Priests to hide it under a Bu­shel; and not rather that it should be set up to the greatest advantage for the Enlightning of the World? St. Paul tells us, Rom. 15.4. That whatsoever things [Page 6] were written; were Written for our Learning, that we through Patience and Comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. And 2 Tim. 3.16. That all Scripture is given by the Inspiration of God; and is profitable for Doctrine, for Reproof, for Correction, for Instruction in Righteousness. And if the Scriptures were Written for these Ends, can any Man have the face to pretend that they do not concern the People, as well as their Teachers. Nay St. Paul expresly tells the Church of Rome, that they were Written for their Learning, however it happens, that they are not now permitted to make use of them. Are the Scriptures so useful and profitable for Doctrine, for Reproof, for Instruction in Righteousness? And why may they not be used by the People for those Ends for which they were given? 'Tis true indeed they are fit for the mos [...] Knowing and Learned, and sufficient to make the Ma [...] of God Perfect, and throughly furnished to every good Wor [...] (as the Apostle there tells us.) But does this exclud [...] their being profitable also to the People; who may reasonably be presumed to stand much more in nee [...] of all means and helps of Instruction than their Teach­ers: And though there be many difficulties and obscu­rities in the Scriptures, enough to exercise the Skill and Will of the Learned, yet are they not therefore eithe [...] useless or dangerous to the People. The Ancient Fa­thers of the Church were of another mind, St. Chryso­stome tells us that, Whatever things are necessary, are mani­fest in the Scriptures. And St. Austin, that all things ar [...] plain in the Scripture, which concerns Faith and a good Life and that th [...]se things which are necessary to the Salvation [...] Men, are not so hard to become at, but that as to those thing [...] which the Scripture plainly contains, it speaks without dis­guise like a familiar friend to the hearts of the Learned an [...] Vnlearned. And upon these and such like considera­tions, the Fathers did every where in their Orations an [...] Homilies charge and exhort the People to be conver­sant in the Holy Scriptures, to read them dayly an [...] diligently, and attentively. And I challenge our A [...]versaries, to shew me where any of the ancient Father [...] do discourage the People from reading the Scripture [...] [Page 7] much less forbid them so to do. So that they who do it now have no cloak for their Sin: And they who pretend so confidently to Antiquity in other cases, are by the Evidence of Truth forced to acknowledge, that it is against them in this. Though they have Ten Thousand Schoolmen on their side, yet have they not one Father, not the least pretence of Scripture, or rag of Antiquity to cover their nakedness in this Point.

With great reason then does our Saviour denounce so heavy a Woe against such Teachers; of old in the like case God by his Prophets severely threatens the Priests of the Jewish Church, for not instructing the People in the Knowledge of God, Hosea▪ 4.6. My People are de­stroyed for lack of Knowledge; because thou hast rejected Knowledge, I will also reject thee; thou shalt be no more a Priest to me: Seeing thou hast forgotten the Law of thy God, I will also forget thy Children. God, you see, lays the ruine of so many Souls at their Doors, and will re­quire their Blood at their hands. So many as perish for want of Knowledge, and Eternally miscarry by being deprived of the necessary means of Salvation, their De­struction shall be charged upon those who have taken away the Key of Knowledge, and shut the Kingdom of Hea­ven against Men.

And it is just with God to punish such Persons not only as the Occasion, but as the Authors of this Ruine. For who can judge otherwise, but that they who de­prive Men of the necessary means to any End, do pur­posely design to hinder them of attaining that End. And whatever may be pretended in this Case; to de­prive Men of the Holy Scriptures, and to keep them ig­norant of the service of God, and yet while they do so, to make a shew of an earnest desire of their Salvation, is just such a mockery, as if one of you that is a Master, should tell his Apprentice how much you desire he should thrive in the World, and be a Rich Man; but all the while keeps him ignorant of his Trade in order to his being Rich; and with the strictest care imagi­nable, conceals from him the best means of Learning, that whereby alone he is likely to thrive and get an [Page 8] Estate. Woe unto you Scribes, Pharisees, and Hypo­crites.

By what hath been discoursed upon this Argument, you will easily perceive where the Application is like to fall. For the Woe denounced by our Saviour here in the Text against the Scribes and Pharisees, falls every whit as heavy upon the Pastours and Teachers of the Ro­man Church. They have taken away the Key of Know­ledge with a Witness; not only depriving the People of the right Understanding of the Scriptures, but of the very use of them: As if they were afraid they should understand them, that they dare not suffer them so much, as to be acquainted with them.

This Tyranny that Church hath Exercised over those of her Communion for several Hundreds of Years. It grew upon them indeed by degrees, for as by the Inun­dation of Barbarous Nations upon the Roman Empire, the Romans bought their Language by degrees, so the Go­vernours of that Church still kept up the Scriptures and the Service of God in the Latin Tongue, which at last was wholly unknown to the Common People. And a­bout the Ninth and Tenth Centuries, when by the general Consent of all their own Historians, gross Darkness and Ignorance covered this part of the World, the Pope and the Priests took away the Key of Knowledge, and did (as I may so say) put it under the Door for several Ages; till the Reformation fetcht it out again, and rubbed off the Rust of it.

And I profess seriously, that hardly any thing in the World was ever to me more astonishing, than this Un­charitable and Cruel usage of the People in the Church of Rome. And I cannot tell which to wonder at most, the Insolence of their Governours in imposing upon Men this sensless way of serving God, or the patience shall I call it, or rather stupidity of the People in enduring to be so intollerably abused. Why should reasonable Creatures be treated at this rude and barbarous rate? As if they were Unworthy to be acquainted with the Will of God; and as if that which every Man ought to do, were not fit for every Man to know: As if the Com­mon [Page 9] People had only Bodies to be present at the service of God, but no Souls; or as if they were all distracted and out of their Wits, and it were a dangerous thing to let in the Lights upon them.

But to speak more distinctly. There are two things we charge them withal, and which they are not able to deny. Their performing the Publick Service of God in an Unknown Tongue; and depriving the People of the use of the Scriptures. And I shall first tell you what we have to say against these things, and then consider what they pretend for them.

1. As for their performing the service of God in a Tongue Unknown to the People. And I begin with St. Paul, who in his first Epistle to the Corinthians hath a whole Chapter on purpose to shew the unreasonable­ness of this thing, and how contrary it is to the Edifi­cation of Christians. His Discourse is so plain and so well known, that I shall not particularly insist upon it. Erasmus in his Annotations upon this Chapter, breaks out (as well he might) into admiration at the Church of Rome in his time. Hâc in re mirum quam mutata sit Ecclesiae consuetudo: It is Wonderful, (says he) how the Custom of the Church is altered in this matter. St. Paul had rather speak five Words with Vnderstanding, and so as to teach others, than Ten Thousand in an Vnknown Tongue. Why does the Church doubt to follow so great an Au­thority, or rather how dares she to dissent from it?

As for the practice of the Ancient Church, let Ori­gen bear Witness, The Grecians (saith he) in their Pray­ers use the Greek, and the Romans the Latin Tongue; and so every one according to his Language prayeth unto God, and praiseth him as he is able.

And not only in Origen's time, but for more than Six Hundred Years, the Service of God was always per­formed in a known Tongue. And this the Learned Men of their own Church do not deny. And Cardinal Caie­tan (as Cassander tells us) said it was much better this custom were restored; and being reproved for saying so, he said, he Learned it from St. Paul. And Bellar­mine himself confesseth that the Armenians, Aegyptians, [Page 10] Aethiopians, Russians, and others do use their own Lan­guage in their Liturgies at this day.

But it is otherwise now in the Church of Rome, and hath been for several Ages. And it seems they lay great stress upon it, not only as a thing of great use, but ne­cessity. For Pope Gregory the Seventh, forbids the Prince of Bohemia, to permit to the People the Celebra­tion of Divine Offices in the Sclavonian Tongue; and commands him to oppose them herein with all his for­ces. It seems he thought it a Cause worthy the fighting for; and that it were much better the People should be Killed, than suffered to understand their Prayers.

But let us reason this matter a little calmly with them. Is it necessary for Men to understand any thing they do in Religion? And is not Prayer one of the most solemn Parts of Religion: And why then should not Men un­derstand their P [...]ayers as well as any thing else they do in Religion? Is it good that People should understand their private Prayers? that (we thank them) they allow, and why not the publick as well? Is there less of Religion in publick Prayers? Is God less honoured by them? Or are we not as capable of being Edified and of having our hearts and affections moved and in­cited by them? Where then lies the Difference? The more I consider it, the more I am at a loss what toler­able reason any Man can give why People should not understand their publick Devotions as well as their private. If Men cannot heartily and devoutly pray alone, without understanding what they ask of God, no more (say I) can they heartily and devoutly join in the publick Prayers which are made by the Priest wi [...]h­out understanding what they are. If it be enough for the Priest to understand them, why should not the Priest only be present at them? Unless the People do not meet to worship God, but only to wait upon the Priest. But by saying that the Priest understands 'em, it seems it is better that some body should understand them than not; and why is not that which is good for the Priest good for the P [...]ople.

So that the true state of the Controversy is, whether it [Page 11] be fit that the People should be Edified in the Service of God; and whether it be fit that the Church should or­der things contrary to Edification? For it is plain that the Service of God in an unknown Tongue, is useless and unprofitable to the People: Nay, it is evidently no publick Service of God when the Priest only under­stands it. For how can they be said to be publick Pray­ers if the People do not join in them? and how can they join in that they do not understand? and to what pur­pose are Lessons of Scripture read, if People are to learn nothing by them? and how should they learn when they do not understand? This is as if one should pre­tend to teach a Man Greek by reading him Lectures every day out of an Arabick and Persian Book, of which he understands not one syllable.

As to their depriving the People of the use of the Holy Scriptures; our Blessed Saviour exhorts the Jews to search the Scriptures: And St. Paul chargeth the Christians that the Word of God should dwell richly in them. And the ancient Fathers of the Church do most frequently and earnestly recommend to the Peo­ple the reading and study of the Scriptures. How comes the Case now to be so altered? Sure the Word of God is not changed, that certainly abides and continues the same for ever.

I shall by and by examine what the Church of Rome pretends in excuse of this Sacriledge. In the mean time, I do not see what considerable Objections can be made against the reading of the Scriptures, which would not have held as well against the wri­ting and publishing them in a Language understood by the People; as the Old Testament was by the Jews, and the Epistles of the Apostles by the Churches to whom they were written; and the Gospel both by Jews and Greeks. Were there no difficulties and ob­scurities then in the Scriptures, capable of being wrested by the Unstable and unlearned? Were not People then liable to Errour, and was there no danger of Heresy in those Times? And yet these are their great Objections against putting the Scriptures into the [Page 12] hands of the People; which is just like their arguing against giuing the Cup to the Laity from the inconve­niency of their Beards, least some of the Consecrated Wine should be spilt upon them: As if Errours and Beards were Inconveniences lately sprung up in the World, and which Mankind were not liable to in the first Ages of Christianity.

But if there were the same dangers and inconveni­ences in all Ages, this Reason makes against the Pub­lishing of the Scriptures to the People at first, as much as against permitting them the use of them now. And in truth, all these Objections are against the Scripture it self: and that which the Church of Rome would find fault with if they durst, is, that there should be any such Book in the World, and that it should be in any bodies hands, learned or unlearned; for if it be dangerous to any, none are so capable of doing mischief with it as Men of Wit and Learning. So that at the bottom, if they would speak out, the Quarrel is against the Scriptures themselves. This is too evident by the Counsel given to Pope Julius the Third by the Bishops met at Bononia to consult about the Establishment of the Roman See; where, among other things, they give this as their last advice, and as the greatest and weightiest of all, That by all means, as little of the Gospel as might be, especially in the vulgar Tongue, should be read to the People, and that little which was in the Mass ought to be sufficient; neither should it be permitted to any Mortal to read more. For so long (say they) as Men were contented with that little, all things went well with them, but quite otherwise since more was commonly read. And speaking of the Scripture, they give this remarkable testimony and commendation of it; This in short is that Book, which above all others, hath raised those Tempests and Whirlwinds which we were almost carried away with. And in truth, if any one dili­gently considers it, and compares it with what is done in our Church, he will find them very contrary to each other, and our Doctrine not only to be very different from it, but repugnant to it. If this be the Case, they do like the [Page 13] rest of the Children of this World, prudently enough in their Generation: Can we blame them for being against the Scriptures, when the Scriptures are ac­knowledged to be so clearly against them? But surely no body that considereth these things, would be of that Church, which is brought by the undeniable evi­dence of the things themselves to this shameful Con­fession, that several of their Doctrines and Practices are very contrary to the Word of God.

Much more might have been said against the Pra­ctice of the Church of Rome in these two particulars, but this is sufficient.

I shall in the second place consider what is pre­tended for them: And indeed, what can be pretended in justification of so contumelious an affront to Mankind, so great a tyranny and cruelty to the Souls of Men? Hath God forbidden the People to look into the Scriptures? No, quite contrary: Was it the Practice of the Antient Church to lay this restraint upon Men, or to celebrate the Service of God in an unknown Tongue? Our Adversaries themselves have not the face to pretend this. I shall truly represent the substance of what they say in these two points.

As to the Service of God in an unknown Tongue, they say these four things for themselves.

First, That the People do exercise a general Devo­tion, and come with an intention to serve God, and that is accepted, though they do not particularly under­stand the Prayers that are made, and the Lessons that are read.

But is this all that is intended in the Service of God? does not St. Paul expresly require more? That the Vn­derstanding of the People should be Edified by the particu­lar Service that is performed: And if what is done be not particularly understood, he tells us the People are not Edified, nor can say Amen to the Prayers and Thanksgivings that are put up to God: And that any Man that should come in and find People serving of God in this unprofitable and unreasonable manner, would conclude that they were mad.

[Page 14]And if there be any general Devotion in the People▪ it is because they understand in general what they are about; and why may they not as well understand the particular Service that is performed, that so they might exercise a particular Devotion. So that they are devout no further than they understand; and consequently, as to what they do not understand, had every whit as good be absent.

Secondly, They say, the Prayers are to God, and he understands them, and that is enough.

But what harm were it, if all they that pray un­derstood it also: Or indeed, how can men pray to God without understanding what they ask of him? Is not Prayer a part of the Christian Worship? and is any Service reasonable that is not directed by our Understandings, and accompanied with our Hearts and Affections?

But then what say they to the Lessons and Exhorta­tions of Scripture, which are likewise read to the Peo­ple in an unknown Tongue? Are these directed to God, or to the People only? And are they not de­signed by God for their Instruction, and read either to that purpose, or to none? And is it possible to in­struct Men by what they do not understand? This is a new and wonderful way of Teaching, by concealing from the People the things which they should learn. Is it not all one, as to all purposes of Edification, as if the Scriptures were not read, or any thing else in the place of them? As they many times do their Legends, which the wiser sort among them do not be­lieve when they read them. For all things are alike to them that understand none, as all things are of a colour in the dark. Ignorance knows no dif­ference of things, it is only Knowledge that can di­stinguish.

Thirdly, They say that some do, at least in some measure, understand the particular Prayers.

If they do, that is no thanks to them: It is by accident if they are more knowing than the rest, and [...]ore than the Church either desires or intends. For, [Page 15] if they desired it, they might order their Service so as every man might understand it.

Fourthly, They say that 'tis convenient that God should be served and worshipped in the same Lan­guage all the World over.

Convenient for them, for God, or for the People? Not for God surely, for he understands all other Languages as well as Latin; and for any thing we know to the contrary, likes them as well. And cer­tainly it cannot be so convenient for the People, because they generally understand no Language but their own; and it is very inconvenient they should not understand what they do in the Service of God. But perhaps they mean, that it is convenient for the Roman Church to have it so; because this will look like an Argument that they are the Catholick or Vni­versal Church, when the Language which was origi­nally theirs, shall be the universal Language in which all Nations shall serve God; and by this means also they may bring all Nations to be of their Religion, and yet make them never the wiser: And this is a very great Convenience, because Knowledge is a trou­blesome thing, and Ignorance very quier and pea­ceable, rendring Men fit to be governed, and unfit to dispute.

Secondly, As to their depriving the People of the Scriptures, the summ of what they say may be redu­ced to these three Heads.

First, That the Church can give men leave to read the Scriptures; but this not without great trouble and difficulty, there must be a License for it under the hand of the Bishop or Inquisitor, by the advice of the Priest and Confessor concerning the fitness of the Per­son that desires this Priviledge. And we may be sure they will think none fit but those of whom they have the greatest confidence and security; and whoever presumes to do it otherwise, is to bt denied Absolu­tion; which is as much as in them lies, to damn Men for presuming to read the Word of God without their leave.

[Page 16]And whatever they may allow here in England, where they hold their People upon more slippery Terms, yet this Priviledge is very rarely granted where they are in full possession of their Power, and have the People perfectly under their Yoke.

Secondly, They tell us they instruct the People otherwise. This indeed were something if they did it to purpose, but generally they do it very sparingly and slightly. Their Sermons are commonly made up of feigned Stories and Miracles of Saints, and exhor­tations to the Worship of them (and especially of the Blessed Virgin) and of their Images and Relicks. And for the Truth of this I appeal to the innumera­ble Volumes of their Sermons and Postils in Print; which I suppose are none of their worst. I am sure Erasmus says, that in his time, in several Countries, the People did scarce once in half a Year hear a pro­fitable Sermon to exhort them to true Piety. In­deed they allow the People some Catechisms and Ma­nuals of Devotion; and yer in many of them they have the confidence and the conscience to steal away the Second Commandment in the face of the Eighth.

But to bring the matter to a point, if those helps of Instruction are agreeable to the Scriptures, why are they so afraid the People should read the Scriptures? If they are not, why do they deceive and delude them?

Thirdly, They say, That People are apt to wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction, and that the promiscuous use of them hath been the great occasion of Heresies. It cannot be denied to be the condition of the very best things in the World, that they are liable to be abused; Health, Light, and Liberty, as well as Knowledge: But must all those be there­fore taken away? This very Inconvenience of Peo­ples wresting the Scriptures to their own Ruine, St. Peter takes notice of in his days: But he does not therefore forbid Men the reading of them as his more prudent Successors have done since. Suppose the reading of the Scriptures hath been the occasion [Page 17] of Heresies, were there ever more than in the first Ages of Christianity? And yet neither the Apostles nor their Successors ever prescribed this Remedy. But are they in earnest? Must not Men know the Truth for fear of falling into Errour? Because Men may possibly miss their way at Noon-day, must they never travel but in the Night when they are sure to lose it.

And when all is done, this is not true, that Heresies have sprung from this Cause. They have generally been broached by the Learned, from whom the Scrip­tures neither were nor could be concealed. And for this I appeal to the History and Experience of all Ages. I am well assured the ancient Fathers were of another mind. St. Chrysostome says, if Men would be Conversant in the Scriptures, and attend to them, they would not only not fall into Errors themselves, but rescue those that are de­ceived: And St. Hierome more expresly to our purpose. Thus infinite Evils arise from the Ignorance of the Scrip­tures; and that from that Cause the most part of most part of Heresies have come.

But if what they say were true, is not this to lay the blame of all the ancient Heresies uyon the ill manage­ment of things by our Saviour and his Apostles, and the Holy Fathers of the Church for so many Ages, and their imprudent dispensing of the Scriptures to the People. This indeed is to charge the matter home; and yet this Consequence is unavoidable. For the Church of Rome cannot justify the Piety and Prudence of their present Practices, without accusing all these.

But the thing which they mainly rely upon as to both these practices in this. That though these things were otherwise in the Apostles times, and in the Ancient Church, yet the Church hath power to alter them ac­cording to the Exigence and Circumstances of times. I have purposely reserved this for the last place, because it is their last refuge; and if this fail them they are gone.

To shew the Weakness of this Pretence, we will, if they please, take it for granted, that the Governors of [Page 18] the Church have in no Age more Power, than the A­postles had in theirs. Now St. Paul tels us, 2 Cor. 10.8. that the Authority which the Apostles had given them from the Lord, was only for Edification, but not for De­struction: And the same St. Paul makes it the business of a whole Chapter to shew that the performing the Publick service of God and particularly praying in an unknown Tongue, are contrary to Edification; from which premises the Conclusion is plain, that the Apo­stles themselves had no Authority to appoint the Ser­vice of God to be performed in an unknown Tongue; and surely it is Arrogance for the Church in any Age to pretend to greater Authority than the Apostles had.

This is the Summ of what our Adversaries say in justi­fication of themselves in these Points. And there is no doubt, but that Men of Wit and Confidence will al­ways make a shift to say something for any thing; and some way or other blanch over the blackest and most absurd things in the World. But I leave it to the Judgement of Mankind, whether any thing be more unreasonable than to tell Men in effect, that it is fit they should understand as little of Religion as is poshble; that God hath published a very dangerous Book, with which it is not safe for the People to be familiarly ac­quainted; that our Blessed Saviour and his Apostles and the ancient Christian Church, for more than Six hundred Years, were not wise Managers of Religion, nor pru­dent Dispensers of the Scriptures, but like fond and foolish Fathers put a Knife and a Sword into the hands of their Children, with which they might have easily fore-seen what mischief they would do to themselves and others. And who would not chuse to be of such a Church which is provided of such excellent and ef­fectual means of Ignorance, such wise and infallible Methods for the prevention of Knowledge in the Peo­ple, and such variety of close Shutters to keep out the Light.

I have chosen to insist upon this Argument, because it is so very plain, that the most ordinary Capacity may judge of this usage and dealing with the Souls of Men: [Page 19] Which is so very gross that every Man must needs be sen­sible of it; because it toucheth Men in the common Rights of humane Nature, which belong to them as much as the Light of Heaven, and the Air we breath in.

It requires no subtilty of Wit, no skill in Antiquity, to understand these Controversies between us and the Church of Rome. For there are no Fathers to be pre­tended on both sides in these Questions: They yield we have Antiquity on ours: And we refer it to the com­mon Sense of Manking, which Church, that of Rome, or Ours, hath all the Right or Reason in the World on her side in these Debates? And, who they are that ty­rannize over Christians, the Governours of their Church or ours; Who use the People like Sons and Freemen, and who like Slaves; Who feed the Flock of Christ committed to them, and who take the Childrens bread from them? Who they are, that when their Children ask bread, for Bread give them a Stone, and for an Egg a Serpent; I mean the Legends of their Saints instead of the holy Scriptures, which are able to make Men wise unto Salvation: And who they are that lie most justly under the suspicion of Errors and Corruptions, they who bring their Doctrine and Practices into the open Light, and are willing to have them tried by the true Touchstone, the Word of God; or they who shun the Light, and decline all manner of Trial and Exami­nation? And who are most likely to carry on a World­ly Design, they who drive a Trade of such mighty gain, and advantage under pretence of Religion, and make such markets of the Ignorance and Sins of the People; or we whom Malice it self cannot charge with serving any Worldly Design by any allowed Doctrine or Practice of our Religion? For we make no Money of the mistakes of the People, nor do we fill their heads with vain fears of New Places of Torment to make them willing to empty their Purses in a vainer hope of being delivered out of them. We do not like them pretend a mighty banck of Treasure and Merits in the Church, which they sell to the People for ready [Page 20] money, giving them Bills of Exchange from the Pope to Purgatory; When they who grant them, have no reason to believe they will avail them, or be accepted in the other World.

For our parts we have no fear that our People should understand Religion too well: We could wish, with Moses, that all the Lord's People were Prophets: We should be heartily glad the People would read the Holy Scrip­tures more diligently, being sufficiently assured that it is their own fault if they learn any thing but what is good from thence: We have no Doctrines or Practices con­trary to Scripture, and consequently no occasion to keep it close from the sight of the People, or to hide any of the Commandments of God from them: We leave these mean Arts to those who stand in need of them.

In a word, there is nothing which God hath said to Men, which we desire should be concealed from them: Nay, we are willing the People should examine what we teach, and bring all our Doctrines to the Law and to the Testimony; that if they be not according to this Rule, they may neither believe them nor us. 'Tis only things false and adulterate which shun the Light and fear the Touchstone. We have that security of the Truth of our Religion, and of the agreeableness of it to the Word of God; that honest Confidence of the Good­ness of our Cause, that we do not forbid the People to read the best Books our Adversaries can write against it.

And now let any Impartial Man judge whether this be not a better Argument of a good Cause, to leave Men at liberty to try the Grounds of their Religion, than the Courses which are taken in the Church of Rome, to awe Men with an Inquisition; and, as much as is possible, to keep the common People in Ignorance, not only of what their late Adversaries, the Protestants, but their chief and ancient Adversary, the Scriptures have to say against them.

A Man had need of more than common Security of the Skill and Integrity of those to whom he perfectly resigns his Understanding; this is too great a Trust to be reposed in humane frailty, and too strong a Tempta­tion [Page 21] to others to impose upon us; to abuse our Blind­ness, and to make their own ends of our voluntary Ig­norance and easie Credulity. This is such a folly as if a Rich Man should make his Physician his Heir; which is to tempt him either to destroy him or to let him dye, for his own Interest. So he that trusts the care of his Soul with other Men, and at the same time by irreco­verable Deed settles his Understanding upon them, lays too great a Temptation before them to seduce and damn him for their own ends.

And now to reflect a little upon our selves. What cause have we to bless God who are so happily rescued from that more than Aegyptian Darkness and Bondage, wherein this Nation was detained for several Ages; Who are delivered out of the hands of those Cruel Task-masters, who required Brick without Straw; that Men should be Religious without competent Un­derstanding, and work out their own Salvation while they denied them the means of all others the most ne­cessary to it. Who are so uncharitable as to allow us no Salvation out of their Church, and yet so unreason­able as to deny us the very best means of Salvation when we are in it?

Our Forefathers thought it a mighty Priviledge to have the Word of God restored to them, and the pub­lick Prayers and Service of God celebrated in a known Tongue: Let us use this inestimable Priviledge with great modesty and humility; not to the nourishing of Pride and Self-conceit, of Division and Faction; but as the Apostle exhorts, Let the Word of God dwell richly in you, in all Wisdom; and let the Peace of God rule in your hearts, unto which ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

It concerns us mightily (with which Admonition I conclude) both for the Honour and Support of our Religion, to be at better Union among our selves, and not to divide about lesser things: And so to demean our selves, as to take from our Adversaries all those Pre­tences whereby they would justify themselves, or at least Extenuate the Guilt of that heavy Charge, which [Page 22] falls every whit as justly upon them as ever it did upon the Scribes and Pharisees, of taking away the key of Know­ledge, and shutting the Kingdom of Heaven against Men; neither going in themselves, nor suffering those that are en­tring to go in.