rule and institution to be condemned; or rather, they who swerve from it? No, let not the dignity of an apostle suffer for the fall of Judas; nor the commandments lie under an aspersion upon account of those that break them.

31. Of Holy Water.-The Papist truly represented utterly disapproves all sorts of superstition; and yet is taught to have an esteem for holy water, blessed candles, and holy oil, not doubting but that such men, as have consecrated themselves to the service of God, in the preaching the gospel, and administration of the sacraments, have a particular respect due to them above the laity; as churches dedicated to God are otherwise to be looked on, than other dwelling houses: so likewise other creatures, which are particularly deputed by the prayers and blessing of the priest to certain uses for God's own glory, and the spiritual and corporal good of Christians, ought to be respected in a degree above other common things. And what superstition is there in the use of them? Has not God himself prescribed such inanimate things, and holy men made use of them, for an intent above their natural power; and this without any superstition? Was there superstition in the waters of jealousy, or in the salt used by Elisha for sweetening the infected waters? Was it superstition in Christ to use clay for opening the eyes of the blind? or in the apostles to make use of oil for curing the sick? And though there be no express command in scripture, for blessing water, candles, &c. yet there is this assurance, that every creature is sanctified by the word of God and prayer, and frequently promises that God will hear the prayers of the faithful. Why therefore should he doubt, but that these creatures on which the blessing of God is solemnly implored by the word of God, and the prayers of the priest and people, for their sanctification, are really sanctified, according to the assurance of the apostle, and the promises of God? St. Cyril of Jerusalem, who lived in the beginning of the fourth century, made no question, but that as those things, which are offered to idols, though pure in their own nature, are made impure by the invocation of devils; so, on the contrary, simple water is made holy, and gets a sancti ty, by virtue received from the invocation of the Holy Ghost, of Christ our Lord, and his eternal Father. And that the blessed water was capable, by virtue received from

heaven, of working effects above its own nature, was certainly the sentiment of the Christians in the primitive times. St. Epiphanius relates a passage at length, how water being blessed in the name of Jesus, and sprinkled upon fire, which by witchcraft was made inactive, and hindered from burning, immediately the enchantment ceased, and the fire burned as also, that a possessed person being sprinkled with blessed water, the party was immediately cured. Theodoret has the like narrative of the devil hindering fire from burning, and how he was chased away, and the charm dissolved by blessed water being thrown on it. And St. Jerom relates how Italicus took water from blessed Hilarion, and cast it on his bewitched horses, his chariot, and the barriers from which he used to run, and that the charms of witchery did cease upon the sprinkling this water; so that all cried out, Marnas victus est a Christo; Christ hath conquered Marnas, the idol. And now there is no jeering or ridiculing these things, that will ever make them look like idle superstitions, to one that considers seriously how much they are grounded upon reason, the word of God, antiquity, and the authority and practice of the Catholic Church, which approves the use of them, yet so as plainly to teach that there is no confidence to be put in any thing, but only in Jesus Christ; and that what power these things have, they have it not of themselves, but only from heaven, and by the invocation of the name of Jesus; who as by his heavenly blessing he enables us to do things above the power of nature, so also by the prayers of his church, he blesses these things, in order to the working effects above their own natural qualities, that by them his fatherly benefits may be applied to us, and that so the faithful may more particularly honour and bless him in all his creatures.

32. Of Breeding up People in Ignorance.-The Papist truly represented has all the liberty, encouragement, and convenience of becoming learned of any people or persuasion whatsoever. And none that has ever looked over any library, but has found that the greatest numbers and choicest books of all sciences, have had men of his communion for their authors: none that in his travels has taken a thorough view of the universities in Popish countries, of Paris, Louvain, Salamanca, Bologna, &c. (and considered their 2 B2

laborious studies, in philosophy, divinity, history, the fathers, councils, scriptures, &c.; and besides the students here, has seen how many thousands there are in religious houses, who free from the disturbances of the world, make virtue and learning the business of their whole life; will ever lay ignorance to the charge of the Papists), but must in justice confess, that amongst them are to be found as many and as great scholars, as amongst any people or societies in the world. And as to the vulgar and common sort of that profession, though they understand not Latin, yet they are not trained up in ignorance of their religion, nor led along in blindness; but are so well provided with books in their own mother tongue, of instruction and devotion, wherein is explained the whole duty of a Christian, every mystery of their faith, and all the offices and ceremonies performed in the church, that they must be very negligent, or else have very mean parts, who do not arrive at a sufficient knowledge of their obligation in every respect. And whoever has seen the great pains and care 'some good men take abroad, in explaining on Sundays and holy-days in their churches, and on week-days in the streets, the christian doctrine to the crowds of the ignorant and meaner sort of people, not omitting to reward such as answer well with some small gifts, to encourage youth, and provoke them to commendable emulation, will never say that the Papists keep the poor people in ignorauce, and hide from them their religion; but rather that they use all means for instructing the ignorant, and omit nothing that can any ways conduce to the breeding up of youth in the knowledge of their faith, and letting them see into the religion they are to profess. Neither does it seem to him, even so much as probable, that if the church offices and service, &c. were performed in the vulgar tongue, that upon this the now ignorant people would immediately discover so many idle superstitions, senseless devotions, and gross errors, that they would in great numbers upon the sight become deserters of that communion, of which they are now professed members. For since there is nothing done but in a language, which the learned, judicious, and leading men of all nations every where understand, and yet these espy nothing to fright them from their faith; but notwithstanding their seeing all through and through, they yet admire all for solid, holy and

apostolical, and remain steadfast in their profession, how can it be imagined, that the vulgar, weak, and unlearned sort, did they understand all as well as they, would espy any such errors and superstitions, which these others, with all their learning and judgment, cannot discover? No, he thinks there is no reason to fear, that what passes the test among the wise and learned, can be groundlessly called in question by the multitude.

SECTION V.

Of the Mass, and various other Points of Doctrine, Discipline, and Church Government.

a

THE council of Trent decrees, that divine service shall not be performed in the mother tongue;* this, however, is only the case as far as concerns the Latin Church: the numerous churches of the east, which are still in communion with Roman Catholics, are allowed to have service performed in their respective national tongues. The Coptic, Sclavonian, Armenian, and Greek languages are used in numerous churches; and many of the eastern Catholics have colleges at Rome, and perform the liturgy each in their respective languages. Many Protestants erroneously suppose, that

Sess. 22. cap. 8.

Catholics uniformly offer up all their public prayers in the Latin tongue. If we would now and then give ourselves the trouble to shake off our prejudices, and join in the worship of the common God of Christians in a Catholic chapel even in this country, we should find our mistake in this point. For my own part, I see no reason for the use of the Latin tongue in the services of religion; but neither do I see any very strong reasons for the dreadful outcry about the use of a Latin liturgy. At any rate, it is only fair to let the Catholics speak for themselves on this point; and they tell us, that "The liturgy in the vulgar tongue of every country would be attended with great inconvenience: neither is it," they say," so very requisite, seeing the priest at mass is not preaching but praying, and offering sacrifice for the people; and they are otherwise instructed in the meaning of this sacrifice."* Besides, the mass is translated for the benefit and instruction of all worshippers who use it.

I will now lay before the reader, in a concise manner, the ceremonies of the mass, which many Catholics look upon as the most acceptable of all adorations, and the most effectual of

1769.

The Poor Man's Controversy, by J. Mannock, p. 69. Ed.