ARTICLE XXIV.

OF SPEAKING IN THE CONGREGATION IN SUCH A TONGUE AS THE PEOPLE UNDERSTANDETH.

IT IS A THING PLAINLY REPUGNANT TO THE WORD OF GOD AND THE CUSTOM OF THE PRIMITIVE CHURCH, TO HAVE PUBLIC PRAYER IN THE CHURCH, OR TO MINISTER THE SACRAMENTS, IN A TONGUE NOT UNDERSTOOD OF THE PEOPLE.

THIS Article was differently expressed in those compiled in King Edward's reign: "It is most "fit and most agreeable to the Word of God, "that nothing be read or rehearsed in the con"gregation in a tongue not known unto the people, which St. Paul hath forbidden to be "done, unless some be present to interpret."

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It condemns the practice of having public prayers in an unknown tongue; and in this condemnation it is supported, 1. by reason; 2. by the Word of God; and 3. by the custom of the primitive Church.

1. The practice is contrary to reason. The worship of God is an act by which we acknowledge his attributes, rejoice in his goodness, and implore his mercies. In this, the more we raise

our thoughts, and the greater devotion that animates our minds, the more acceptably do we serve God," who is a spirit, and will be worshipped in spirit and in truth." (John, iv. 24.) Now this effect is totally precluded, if the worship of God be performed in a language unknown to the people. They have nothing but noise and show to amuse them, which, though they may entertain the senses, yet cannot affect the heart nor excite the mind.

2. It is contrary to the Word of God. (1.) In the Old Testament, the expressions contained in the Psalms, prove that they were intended to affect those who were to use them. And if this be admitted, then it follows, that all ought to understand them, for no one can be affected by that which he does not understand. (2.) When Ezra and Nehemiah were instructing the people out of the law, they appointed persons, who "read it distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused the people to understand the reading." (Neh. viii. 8.) Again, after they had been a long time in captivity, and the Chaldee language had become more familiar to them than the Hebrew, a paraphrase was made of their law in that language; and in the form of prayers we find that one cried with a loud voice, " stand up and bless the Lord your God for ever and ever.” (Neh. ix.

5.), which shows that all understood the service. And finally, when the Greek language became more generally known to them, they read the law in their synagogues in that language, and since they read their law in Greek, it is reasonable to suppose that they prayed in it too.

3. In the New Testament, the Apostles were enabled to speak several tongues, the design of which was, that every nation might understand them when they preached in its native language.

4. St. Paul desires that" all things be done to edification." (1 Cor. xiv. 26.) Since then the performing public service in a tongue not understood by the people can edify no person, it is therefore forbidden.

5. When some who had the gift of tongues at Corinth used it without discretion, and pretended to teach the people in an unknown language, St. Paul opposes the practice on reasons that are equally conclusive against prayer, or reading the word of God, in an unknown tongue. Indeed the former is even more inexcusable, since it is much more necessary that men should hear and understand the revelation of God than the expositions of men. As to prayer, he says,'

a This discourse of St. Paul is supposed by Roman Catholic writers to allude to those extemporaneous prayers uttered by the immediate inspiration of the Holy Ghost, which were then frequent in the Church, but not to any stated liturgy, or form of service. (See Bellar. de Ver. Dei. 1. 2. c. 16.) Now, in the Primitive Church

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(1 Cor. xiv. 14.)" if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit (that is, the inspiration or gift that is in me) prayeth, but my understanding " is unfruitful," and therefore concludes, that " he will pray with the Spirit and with the un

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derstanding also." (v. 15.) The reason assigned for this is, "else, when thou shalt bless with "the Spirit, how shall he that occupieth the

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room of the unlearned say Amen at the giving "of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what “thou sayest? For thou verily givest thanks "well, but the other is not edified." (v. 10.) From these words, it is plain that even the most unlearned of the people were to join in the prayers and praises, and in order to their doing so as became reasonable creatures, it was necessary that they should understand the subject of this petition which they were to confirm by their Amen.

3. It is contrary to the custom of the primitive Church. As the Christian religion was spread to different nations, so they all worshipped God in their own tongue, and though the Syriac, Greek

there appears to have been no stated form of prayer, and therefore St. Paul's objections seem to refer to prayer in general, not to a particular kind of it. But further, their assertion is contradicted by their own doctors. Thus Lyra says, that "the vulgar tongue was "used in the early Church, on account of the directions here given by St. Paul. See Lyra in 1 Cor. 14.

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In the liturgy of St. Chrysostom, the people and the priest have their responses appropriated to them; which shows that the former must have understood the service in which they thus had a share. See Chrysos. in 2 Cor. c. S. Hom. 18.

b

and Latin were so generally known, that we have no particular accounts of any nation in which they might not be used, yet there was the same reason for adopting other languages as well as these. It is evident from the works of Origen and Basil, that all nations praised God in their own tongues. An instance of this occurred so late as the ninth century; when the Sclavonians were converted, Pope John VIII. debated in what language they should be allowed to worship God; and after some deliberation, it is said, a voice was heard, declaring," let every tongue confess to God." Immediately the Pope wrote both to the prince and the bishop of the Sclavonians, allowing them to have their public service in their own tongue. In the other parts of the Western Church, the Latin language con

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2 Several examples of nations which used their own tongue in their form of service, are given by Bishop Jewel, in his Reply to Harding, Art. 3. p. 130.-See also Field of the Church, Append. b. 3. p. 240.

b See Orig. cont. Celsum, 1. 8. p. 402. and Bas. Ep. 63. ad Neoces.

The letter of the Pope on this subject contains the most decisive argument against the present practice of the Roman Church. In part of it these words occur: "It does not hinder the faith or doctrine, to have the mass sung, or the Gospel and lessons well translated, or other divine offices sung in the same Sclavonian tongue." Modern writers, on the contrary, maintain, that the use of the vulgar tongue directly hinders both faith and doctrine.See Johan. 8. Ep. 247. Concil. tom. 9. and Æneas Sylv. Hist. Bohem. 1. 1. c. 13.