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,…

After an annumeration of these conveniences, he mentions, that only Inconvenience, which, as he says, attends the solemnization of the Churches Worship in a Tongue unknown, namely that the vulgar people understand not what is said. But, as this is not the only inconvenience that attends it, so it is one; if it must be called an inconvenience, and not rather a mischievous device to render the worship of God useless, that hath a womb full of many others, more then can easily be ⟨p. 349⟩numbered; but we must tie our selves to what our Author pleaseth to take notice of. I desire then to know, What are these vulgar people, of whom he talks? Are they not such as have souls to save? Are they not incomparably the greatest part of Christians? Are they not such as God commands to worship him? Are they not such, for whose sakes, benefit, and advantages, all the worship of the Church is ordained, and all the administration of it appointed? Are they not those, whose good, welfare, growth in grace and knowledge, and salvation, the Priests in their whole offices, are bound to seek and regard? Are they not those, that Christ hath purchased with his blood; whose miscarriages he will require severely at the hands of those, who undertake to be their guides, if sinning through a neglect of duty in them? Are they not the Church of God, the Temple of the Holy Ghost? called to be Saints? Or, Who, or What is it, you mean by this vulgar people? If they be those described, certainly their understanding of what is done in the public worship of God, is a matter of importance; ⟨p. 350⟩and your driving them from it, seems to me to give a supersedeas to the whole work it self, as to any acceptation with God. For my part, I cannot as yet discern what that makes in the Church of God, which this vulgar people must not understand; but this, saith he, is of no moment. Why so? I pray; to me it seems of great weight. No, it is of no moment, for three Reasons. Which be they? 1. They have the scope of all, set down in their Prayer-books, &c. whereby they may, if they please, as equally conspire, and go along with the Priest, as if he spoke in their own Tongue. But, I pray, Sir, tell me, Why, if this be good, that they should know something, and give a guess at more; it is not better, that they should distinctly know and understand it all?

After an annumeration of these conveences, he mentions, that only Inconvenience, which, as he sayes, attends the solemnization of the Churches Worship in a Tongue unknown, namely that the vulgar people understand not what is said. But, as this is not the only inconvnience that attends it, so it is one; if it must be called an inconvenience, and not rather a mischievous device to render the worship of God useless, that hath a womb full of many others, more then can easily be