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cause_n	church_n	error_n	just_a	1,473	5	6.9702	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A03881	A treatise of the vvritten VVord of God. Composed in Latin, by the Reuerend Father Iames Gordon Huntley of Scotland, Doctour of Diuinity, of the Society of Iesus. And translated into English, by I. L. of the same Society. The first part of the first controuersy; Controversiarum epitomes. English. Selections	Gordon, James, 1541-1620.; Wright, William, 1563-1639.	1614 (1614)	STC 13996; ESTC S115737	32,568	73

to the Greeke text of the new perswading themselues by this meanes to attayne to the true and proper sense of the letter wherefore somthing is to be sayd in this place of the Hebrew Greeke text both which appertayne to the Letter of the holy Scripture 2. VVe grant indeed that when the Latin translation is either ambiguous o● lesse playne the Hebrew text is well and profitably looked into as also that diuers myst●ries which lye hidden in the Hebrew text and cannot sufficiently be explicated in Latin wordes may be the better vnderstood And lastly that we may the more fully attayne vnto the force and Emphasis of that holy tongue 3. But as for the Hebrew text now extant we do not acknowledge it to be of so great either authority or perspicuity as our Aduersaries pretend and we further deny that the vulgar Editiō wherinsoeuer it differeth from it is to be corrected by it and that for two reasons The first is for that the Hebrew text though neuer so incorrupt further then it is approued by the authority of the Church is much more doubtfull and vncertayne then the Latin The other reason is for that the Hebrew text which is now in vse is in many places corrupted and depraued in which the vulgar Edition is entire and vncorrupted Both these reasons shal be confirmed in the ensuing ●hapters which the learned Reader may see in the Latin edition from the seauenth Chapter to the 14. all which I haue omitted to put into English because I intend to help the lesse learned who are not so capable of that so profoūd and learned a discourse CHAP. VII Of our Aduersaries new Translations of the Bible THE Catholike Church of Christ not without good cause doth reiect and condemne our Aduersaries new Translations of the Bible and that for many reasons The first and most iust reason is because such their translations are replenished with errors which haue byn inuented eyther by Iewes or Heretikes of which see many examples in the precedent Chapters of the Latin edition but we in this Chapter will set downe three other causes or origens from whence these errors spring wherby it shall further appeare that our Aduersaries can set out no trans●ation which shall not be found full of many great errors 2. The first cause is for that our Ad●ersaries eyther contemne or make little account of the translations and interpretations of the Fathers and imploy all their labour in finding out all the versions and interpretations and expositions of the Iewes which they highly extoll commend so as in their Commentaries vpon the old Testament you shall see them cite Thargus Rabins and such other Thalmudicall fictions but especially Rabbi Dauid Kim●i whom sometimes they call learned sometymes the most learned among the Hebrewes But of the auncient Fathers no mention at all for if there be it is for the most part eyther to taxe or manifestly to oppugne or euen to corrupt their writings 3. Now what can be more vnreasonable or absurd then to begge the true sense of the Scripture of the Iewes who lacke faith and who haue a veyle ouer their hartes when they read the old Testament with whome God is not pleased and who are Aduersaries to all men vpon whom the Angel of God is come to the end who peruert all the oracles of the Prophets that appertayne to Christ and lastly who are the most malicious enemies of Christians And on the other side to despise the excellent Doctors of Christs Church who euen in the iudgment of our Aduersaries were indued with the true faith full of the holy Ghost raysed by God and placed in the Church to the end we should not be carried about with euery wind of doctrine who haue defended the faith against all heresies who haue sincerely instructed the faithfull people in the mysteries of the Christian faith who haue faithfully sent downe to posterity the sense and interpretation of the Scriptures which they receaued frō the Apostles 4. Moreouer wheras no man can rightly interprete the Scriptures who hath not receaued from God the gift of the interpretation which is not giuen but to the members of Christ and his Church only it is apparent inough how much more safe it is to follow such holy Doctors then the impiou● Iewes which are wrapt in the snares of the Diuell and held captiue at his will And seeing that saying of Christ is most true if the blind lead the blind they both fall into the ditch it cannot be but our Aduersaries blind and destitute of the light of faith and led by the blind Iewes must needes fall downe headlong and breake their neckes 5. Here●hence it is that our Aduersaries do insert into the new translations almost all the places of Scripture corrupted by the Iewes and that they deny togeather with the Iewes many oracles of the Prophets to be vnderstood of Christ and many wayes wrest euen those oracles which they cānot deny to be vnderstood of Christ from that true sense in which they are cited in the new Testament by the Apostles Euangelists and Christ himselfe to prophane impious senses lately inuented by the Iewes out of their hatred to Christ. 6. The second cause is that they desire nothing more then in their translations to depart from the vulgar edition the which seeing it is most sincere and correct they which almost in all thinges leaue it must needes fall into many errors 7. The third cause is the malicious intention of our Aduersaries who set forth new translations of the Scripture for no other end then by them to oppugne the Catholike doctrine and to establish and confirme their owne errors and heresies and therefore when any plain text occurreth which maketh manifestly against their erroneous doctrine they seeke to make obscure the true and proper sense by their peruerse translation but if they light vpon any place somewhat obscure which may seeme to fauour their doctrine they so depraue it by their new translation that the Scripture it selfe may seeme to confirme what they falsely teach and so by this meanes they must needes stuffe their translations with infinite corruptions for these three reasons therfore not without great reason do we reiect our Aduersaries transla●ions which so swarme with corruptions Many other reasons are both learnedly and largely set downe by Iames Gretser which we for breuity sake omit CHAP. VIII Of the Latin vulgar Edition OVR Aduersaries conuinced by the truth it selfe confesse sometymes that the vulgar Edition not only is to be preferred before all other latin Editions but euen before the Greeke text of the new Testament and the Hebrew text of the old for in many places reiecting them they follow our vulgar translation as may be seene in the Latin edition in the Chapters 8. 9. 10. 13. notwithstanding that in many other places they exceedingly inueigh against it and with great hostility oppugne it partly for that

bookes to wit that which is receaued and appre●ued by the iudgment of the Catholike Church which cannot erre our Aduersaries reiecting this Canon make all the bookes doubtfull conteined therin for no certayne testimony can be had of these bookes but eyther by this Canon only or by the aunciēt tradition of the Church but they neyther admit this Canon nor wil stand to this vnwritten Traditiō or acknowledge it for the true Word of God 2. Now as for the Canons lately set out by themselues no man can safely belieue them seeing they neyther agree one with another nor with the auncient Canons of the Church nor are any where found in the writtē Word of God which as they teach is only to be belieued neyther can they bring any thing eyther concerning the Canon of the Hebrewes or any other auncient Canon which they haue not taken from the writings of the auncient Fathers whose authority without the expresse written Word of God they will haue to be in no wise sufficient to ingender fayth so as euen by the iudgment of our Aduersaries none of all these can establish fayth concerning this matter 3. Iohn Caluin indeed sayth that it is as easy for a faithfull man to discerne Canonicall Scripture from that which is not Canonicall as to one that seeth it is easy to discerne light from darknes and white from Black But in so saying he contradicteth both reason and experience for it is euident that in old tyme there was no small controuersy amongst the raythfull yea and amongst learned and godly men concerning many bookes of the old and new Testament yea and also euen now amōgst such as our Aduersaries esteeme faithfull men which Caluin himselfe in many places confesseth 4. Moreouer Caluins owne followers well perceauing this fly vnto their owne peculiar spirit by which they say they are chiefly perswaded and moued and not by the only consent of the Church But these speake nothing to the purpose for in faith two thinges concurre one is the cause or origen of fayth to wit God himselfe and the holy Ghost whereof there is no controuersy betweene vs and them for we all acknowledge the holy Ghost to be the principall cause of the assent we giue by fayth that is to say that it is the holy Ghost who chiefly perswadeth vs to belieue The other is the obiect of fayth or that which is to be belieued whereof we now dispute for the holy Ghost doth not induce vs to belieue the false vncertaine deuises of men but the pure and sincere Word of God only we aske therfore of our Aduersaries by what expresse Word of God he reuealeth vnto them that there are so many Canonicall bookes and neyther fewer nor more for we read not this any where in the Scripture and they admit only the written Word of God how can the holy Ghost then perswade thē●o belieue that which is not the Word of God for we are not now to expect new ●●uelations from God as do the ●nabaptists and Libertines whom for this cause our Aduersaries condemne It is necessary therefore that if they will haue vs belieue that they are perswaded by the holy Ghost to belieue such books only to be authenticall as they doe say are such that they first shew this to be a truth expressely contayned in holy Scripture which they will neuer be able to do wherfore there is no certainty with them eyther of the sense of the holy Scripture or of the Letter nor euer wil be vntill they returne vnto the Church agayne But we Catholikes are certaine of both for we haue a most faythfull Canon receaued in the Church more thē a thousand and two hundred yeares agoe confirmed by a generall and Oecumenicall Councell 5. And this to haue beene the faith and doctrine of the auncient Church for the discerning of true and authenticall Scriptures that short but pithy sentence of S. Augustins whome Caluin acknowledgeth to haue byn the best and most faithfull witnes of antiquity sufficiently testifyeth saying I for my part would not belieue the Ghospell vnlesse I were moued by the authority of the Church of which place I will say more herafter in the Controuersy of the Church And else-where he saith VVe receaue the old and new Testamēt in that nūber of bookes which the authority of the holy Catholike Church deliuereth So S. Augustine 6. I know our Aduersaries obiect many thinges against many bookes contayned in our Ecclesiasticall Canon but their chiefe arguments do not only derogate authority from those bookes but also from many others which they receaue as Canonicall For they obiect that some Fathers did sometymes doubt of those bookes which they will not admit but they are not ignorant that some Fathers of old haue doubted of the Epistles of S. Iames and S. Iude of the second Epistle of S. Peter of the 2. and 3. of S. Iohn of the Epistle to the Hebrewes and of the Apocalyps of which bookes they dare not now doubt especially Caluins followers as is manifest by their confession of faith 7. They say further that in those bookes which they reiect there are many thinges obscure difficult and full of contradiction but what booke of Scripture in a manner is there in the which there do not occurre sometymes thinges obscure and hard to be vnderstood did not S. Peter acknowledge as much But as for true contradictions there are none at al howsoeuer there may be some things which at the first fight may seeme to imply contradiction yet indeed all thinges agree very well togeather such a contradiction is oftentymes found in those bookes which euen our Aduersaries receaue yea euen in the Ghospells themselues which for all that are not to be reiected but humbly soberly and piously to be ●nterpreted as S. Augustine many tymes admonisheth 8. To conclude all the arguments that our Aduersaries make against these bookes are fully answered by Catholike writers which haue set out Commentaries vpon those bookes to wit Cornelius Iansenius vpon Ecclesiasticus Ionnnes Laurinus vpon the booke of VVisedome Ioannes Maldonatus and Christopher à Castro vpon Baruch and Nicolas Serarius vpon the rest of the bookes of the old Testament which our Aduersaries call Apocriphall to omit the most Reuerend and famous Cardinall Bellarmine and his Champion Iacobus Gretserus as also Iames Gordon Lesmoreus For it is sufficient only to haue cited them seeing that I write only an abridgment of Controuersies not any long commentaries vpon the Scripture And therfore contēt my selfe to haue shewed in this place that our Aduersaries must either receaue the Canon of Scriptures approued by the Councell of Trent or be vtterly destitute of any certayne and assured Canon CHAP. VI. Of the Hebrew Text. OVR Aduersaries when they are vrged with Catholike argumēts taken from the Scriptures are wont to fly to the Hebrew text of the old Testament and

required that he should interprete the later part as he did by these wordes tu insidiaberis calcaneo eius which is as much to say as thou shalt crush her heele not by open warre but by taking her at vnawares See further of this matter in this Chapter in the Latin Edition the 8. § And you shall see that our Aduersaries make a great adoe about a matter of small moment if the wordes be rightly vnderstood For whether we reade ipsa and so referre it to the Church or ipsum that it may be referred to the children of the Church the sēse is all one for it is all on to say the seed of the woman shall crush the head of the Serpent or the Children of the Church shall doe it And heerehence it i● that the auncient Fathers whether they read ipse as S. Hierome and S. Chrysostome do or ipsa as read S. Ambrose S. Augustine S. Gregory and other Latin Fathers all of them expound this place of the Church 9. Howsoeuer it be the reading of the vulgar Edition is to be preferred before the other for this victory is rather to be attributed to the Church as to the Mother of all the faithfull and to her who continueth for euer according to that promise of Christ the gates of hell shall not preuaile against her then to her children or mēbers which are euery day changed for this promise is an explication of the promise made by God in Genesis for the head of the Serpent and the gates of hell signify one and the same thing And if the victory be attributed to the woman that is to the Church all thinges are better explicated for God first did foretell the emnity that was to be betweene the woman the Serpent and afterward he maketh mention of the seede of the woman and the Serpents seede so as the woman is opposed to the Serpent and the seede of the one to the seede of the other but the victory pro●●sed is sayd to be gotten against the Serpent himselfe and not against the seed wherefore the same appertaineth rather to the woman her selfe then to her seed for the words following betweene thy seed and her seed do not properly signify any new combat but a continuance of that combat which was betweene the woman and the Serpent and are put in by way of parēthesis for the combat of the Church and of her childrē is all one combat 10. But the chiefe cause that moued the Church to retayne at this tyme rather the word ipsa then ipsum or ipse was to controle the error of the Lutherans for if the reading had byn ipsum or ipse one might haue thought this promise to haue appertayned only to Christ as they though erroneously would haue it but by reading ipsa this promise must needes be vnderstood to haue byn made to the whole Church For such is the custome of the holy Church whether she interprete the Scripturs or administer the Sacraments to do all as is most profitable and most for the edification of the faithfull Neyther is Christ hereby excluded but he is rather included in the name of the Church as is also the holy Ghost for the true Church of Christ cannot consist or do anything that is good without the help of her supreme head Christ and the assistance of his holy spirit That the reading according to the Hebrew text i● ipsa or ipsissima and not ipsum or ipse is learnedly proued in the next Chapter of the Latin Edition of this Controuersy to which I referre the Reader and to the Chapters following in which other places of the vulgar Edition are defended CHAP. XI That the written Word is no fit Iudge of Controuersies concerning matters of fayth OVR Aduersaries in the beginning did stifly mayntaine that the holy Scripture was to be the only iudge of all Controuersies which arise in matters of fayth but when they were told that to make the Scripture a iudge was as much as to say the Scripture did heare speake liue for all these appertayne to a iudge that nothing is more vnreasonable thē to assigne such a iudge of Controuersies as can neyther heare nor speake but is vtterly voyd of l●●e changing their opinion They begin now to ●ay that the Scripture is improperly called a iudge and that to speake properly the holy Ghost only is the iudge And thus hauing for many yeares togeather spoken vnproperly now a● last they fly to the holy Ghost of whome there is no doubt but that he is the supreme iudge of all 2. But they should haue added further that the holy Ghost at this tyme doth not immediatly propose any new reuelations to any particuler man concerning points of fayth but only proposeth veri●ies already reuealed and that by the mouth of the Church as shal be shewed heereafter in the next Controuersy where we shall haue occasion to say more of this matter Whosoeuer therefore contemneth the iudgment of the Church in so doing he despiseth the iudgment of Christ and of the holy Ghost for Christ himselfe saith he that despyseth you despyseth me Neyther doth the holy Ghost speake by the Scripture but when it is rightly vnderstood which is neuer but when we imbrace the interpretation of the Catholike Church as we haue already shewed in the fourth Chapter CHAP. XII Whether the Scripture be obscure or hard to be vnderstood THE Word of God is eyther written or vnwritten and preached Now certaine it is that the Word preached is not obscure for it is not hidden from such as perish the question thefore is of the written Word Our Aduersaries in the beginning did teach that the whole Scripture was easy and no part therof hard to be vnderstood but after that not only many obscure places but euen whole Chapters out of the Canticle of Canticles out of Izechiel and other Prophets were obiected by the Catholikes they changing their mind confesse that very many places of Scripture are obscure but that all points of doctrine necessary to saluation are be ●ound in places plains and easy 2. For resolution of this question we must answere with a distinction and say that if the word Scripture be taken for the bare Letter only then doubtlesse the Scripture is obscure or els S. Paul would not have sayd that it killeth and causeth death and damnation but if it be taken properly that is to say togeather with the true sense and meaning thereof then it is not obscure but plaine inough in al things necessary to saluation and in this sense speaketh S. Augustine as do also other Fathers whom our Aduersaries cite whē they say that al things necessary to saluatiō are manifestly conteyned in the holy Scripture 3. Moreouer the holy Scripture is both manifest and obscure but not in regard of the same persons It is passing obscure and not to be vnderstood of the proud such