SCRIPTURE, [Book 3. I give the fourth rule of the Index, for the purpose of showing the restrictions which the Church of Rome lays on the indiscriminate reading of the Scriptures, and the injury they attribute to such reading. "Inasmuch as it is manifest from experience, that if the Holy Bible, translated into the vulgar tongue, be indiscriminately allowed to every- one, the temerity of men will cause more evil than good to arise from it, it is, on this point, referred to the jud�nt of the bishops or in- quisitors, who may, by the advice of the priest or confessor, permit the reading of the Bible translated into the vulgar tongue by Catholic authors to those persons whose faith and piety they apprehend will be augmented, and not injured by it; and this permission they must have in writing. But if any shall have the presumption to read or possess it without any such written permission, he shall not receive absolution until he have first delivered up such Bible to the ordinary. Book- sellers, however, who shall sell, or otherwise dispose of Bibles in the vulgar tongue, to any person not having such permission, shah forfeit the value of the books, to be applied by the bishop to some pious use; and be subjected by the bishop to such other penalties as the bishop shall judge proper, according to the quality of the offence. But re- gulars shall neither read nor purchase such Bibles without a special license from their superiors." 4. From the above the following particulars are derived, which we will make the topics of discussion in this chapter :-- (1.) The ori?nal Scriptures, Hebrew and Greek, are of no authority in the Church of Rome; for they are omitted in the decree, and a translation is substituted. (2.) All Protestant translations, such as our English Bible, Luther's translation, &c., are prohibited. (3.) The Latin Vulgate is put in the place of the originals, and is to be considered as authentic in all public lectures, disputations, &c. (4.) They make the Apocrypha a part of Holy Scripture. (5.) Tradition, both written and unwritten, is added to Scripture, and made of equal authority with Scripture. (6.) The church, i.e., the clergy, are the only interpreters of Scripture. (7.) Every person who is permitted to read the Scripture is bound not to exercise his own judgment in matters of faith and morals, but tatum, &ut etiam contra unanimem consensum Patrum, ipsam 8cripturam sacram inter- pretari audeat; etiam ai hujusmedi interpretationes hullo unquam tempore in lucem edendin forest. Qui contravenerint, per Ordinario? declarentur, et prosis & jure statuti? puniantur.--Idem., decreturn de ed/gione el ? sazror. libr.
- "Cure experimento manifesturn sit, si sacra Biblia vulgari lingua pn_?_irn sine
discrimine permittantur, plus inde, ob horninure temeritatem, detrimenti, quarn utilitatis oriri, l?ac in perte judicio Episcopi, aut inquisitoris stetur: ut cure concilio Parochi Confessarii, Bibliorum & Catholicis, auctoribus versorum lectionem in vulgnri lingua concedere possint, ques intellexerint ex hujuamodi lectione, non damnurn, md fidei atque pierntis augmenturn capere posse; quam facultatem in scriptis babeant. Qui autem absque tali facultate ea legere seu hsbere prmsumpserit, nisi prius BibIlia Or- dinsrio redditis, peccatorum absolutionera percipere non possit. Bibliopol? veto, prodicom facultatem non habenti Bibli? idiomate vulgari conscripts vendiderint, vel alio quovis modo eoncesaerint, librurum pretinm, in uaoz pioe ab Episcopo converten- dure, amirrant, ?liisque ?nis pro dellcti qualitate ejusdem Episcopi trbimo subjaceant. Regu_!sre? veru non nis? facultate ? Prmluis auis habits, ea legere, aut emem point." De/,it? Pro?., r?. 4. l
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