The second tome of homilies of such matters as were promised, and entitled in…The second tome of homilees of such matters as were promised, and intituled in…

This Emperor (as Sabellicus writeth) favoured the bishop of Rome, and yet we see ho we plain a decree he maketh for the praying and administering of sacraments in a known tongue, that the devotion of the hearers might be stirred up by knowledge, contrary to the judgement of them that would have ignorance to make devotion. ⟨p. 290⟩He maketh it also a matter of damnation, to do these things in a tongue that the hearers understand not. Let us therefore conclude with God and all good mens assent, that no common prayer or Sacraments ought to be ministered in a tongue that is not understanded of the hearers. Now a word or two of private prayer in an unknown tongue. We took in hand where we began to speak of this matter, not only to prove that no common prayer or administration of Sacraments, ought to be in a tongue unknown to the hearers: but also that no person ought to pray privately in that tongue that he him self understandeth not. Which thing shall not be hard to prove, if we forget not what prayer is. For if prayer be that devotion of the mind which enforceth the heart to lift up it self to God: how should it be said, that that person prayeth, that understandeth not the words that his tongue speaketh in prayer? Yea, how can it be said that he speaketh? For to speak, is by voice to utter the thought of the mind. And the voice that a man uttereth in speaking is nothing else, but the messenger of the mind, to bring abroad the knowledge of that, which otherwise lieth secret in the heart, and can not be known, according to that which Saint Paul writeth: What man (saith he) knoweth ¹the things that appertain to man, saving only the spirit of man, which is in man? He therefore that doth not understand the voices that his tongue doth utter, can not properly be said to speak, but rather to counterfeit, as ⟨p. 291⟩parrots, and such other birds use to counterfeit mens voices. No man therefore that feareth to provoke the wrath of God against him self, will be so bold to speak of God unadvisedly, without regard of reverent understanding, in his presence, but he will prepare his heart before he presume to speak unto God. And therefore in our common prayer the minister doth oftentimes say.

This Emperour (as Sabellicus wryteth) fauoured the byshoppe of Rome, and yet we see ho we playne a decree he maketh for the praying and administring of sacramēts in a knowne tongue, that the deuotion of the hearers might be stirred vp by knowledge, contrary to the iudgement of them that woulde haue ignoraunce to make deuotion.