Animadversions on a treatise entitled Fiat lux, or, A guide in differences of religion,…Animadversions on a treatise intituled Fiat lux, or, A guide in differences of religion,…

CHAP. XVIII.

Latin Service. SECT. 25. Pag. 250.

The next thing he gilds over, in the Roman practise is, that which he calls, their Latin Service; that is, their keeping of the Word of God, and whole worship of the Church, (in which two, all the general concernments of Christians do lie) from their understanding, in an unknown tongue. We find it true, by continual experience, that great successes, and confidence in their own abilities, do encourage men to strange attempts; what else could make them persuade themselves that they should prevail with poor simple mortals to believe, that they have nothing ⟨p. 326⟩to do with that, wherein, indeed, all their chiefest concernments do lie; and that contrary to express direction of Scripture, universal practice of the Churches of old, common sense, and the broadest light of that reason, whereby they are men, they need not at all understand the things wherein their communion with God doth consist, the means whereby they must come to know his will, and way wherein they must worship him. Nor doth it suffice these Gentlemen to suppose, that they are able to flourish over their own practice with such pretences, as may free it from blame; but they think to render it so desirable, as either to get it embraced willingly by others, or countenance themselves in imposing it upon them whether they will or no. But as they come short of those advantages, whereby this matter, in former days, was brought about, or rather come to pass: So to think, at once, to cast those shackles on men now they are awake, which were insensibly put upon them when they were asleep, and rejected on the first beam of Gospel-light that shined about them; is, I hope, but a