=6. The Reading of the Scriptures in the Vernacular.=--The various Protestant versions of the Scriptures were prohibited in so far as they came to the knowledge of the Inquisition or the Congregation. The same course was taken with a number of translations into the language of the people, which were the work of good Catholics. In 1668, the New Testament of Mons was condemned by a brief of Clement IX; and in addition to the New Testament text with the commentaries of Quesnel, were prohibited French versions that had been prepared by Sinori and by Hure and a Dutch translation by Schurius. A number of editions for popular use escaped prohibition and some of these secured a very wide circulation; but in Italy, in Spain, and in Portugal, a general regulation was kept in force prohibiting any reading of the Scriptures in the language of the people. In the last decade of the 17th century, the question of the use of the Scriptures by the unlearned brought about some active controversies. The Jansenists maintained from the outset that the fourth of the Ten Rules of the Index of Trent was not to be accepted as binding. This question brought into the Index a number of controversial writings of the time, and in the Bull _Unigenitus_ were condemned a series of specific propositions, a condemnation which carried with it the prohibition of any works in which could be identified the doctrines contained in the propositions. In the Index of Benedict XIV, Rule IV, cited from the Trent Index, is printed, with an addition based upon a decree issued by the Congregation of the Index in June, 1757: Permission can be given for the use of versions of the Scriptures or of portions of the Scriptures printed in the language of the people, when these versions have been prepared by devout and learned Catholics or have been issued with commentaries or annotations selected from the writings of the Fathers of the Church, and when said editions have been specifically approved by the Holy See. For the reading of all editions not carrying such specific approval, permission must be secured in each individual case. This modification of Rule IV was, however, itself revoked under Gregory XVI through a _Monitum_ issued by the Congregation of the Index in January, 1836, which _Monitum_ has, since 1841, been printed in the successive issues of the Index. “It has come to the knowledge of the authorities of the Congregation that, in certain places, editions of the Scriptures, printed in the language of the people, have been brought into circulation without reference to the restrictions and regulations imposed by the Church. The Congregation recalls therefore to believers that, according to the decree of 1757, only such versions of the Scriptures can be permitted which have secured the specific approval of the Holy See. For all other editions of the Scriptures the provisions of Rule IV must be enforced.”