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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

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 IESVS And translated into English by I. L. of the same Society The first Part of the first Controuersy Permissu Superiorum M. DC X IV. THE FIRST CHAPTER Of the Scope and Methode of this Treatise ALL the Controuersies of this time may be reduced to two heades for eyther they are certayne generall principles foundations of our faith and religion or they are particuler questions appertayning to the same Amongst other generall principles there are two about which there is greatest contention at this day the one is the Word of God the other the Church we will first speake of the word of God and afterwardes of the Church and lastly we will examine euery particuler Controuersy if God shall ●raunt vs life and health Two thinges there are which now adayes hold many in error The one is a 〈◊〉 opinion that many haue who thinke it a matter of little importance whether they giue credit or no to many things taught by the Roman Church which daungerous perswasion may be taken out of the mind●s of all faithfull people by that which we shall deliuer cōcerning the Word of God and the Church for thereby it shall euidently appeare that al thinges are firmely to be belieued which the Roman Church belieueth and that without this faith no man can hope to be saued The other is that such as de●ire to find out the true faith in euery particuler Cōtrouersy are oftentimes so hindred by the sleights and falshoods of our aduersaryes as it will be very hard for them to discerne that which is true from that which is false Wherfore we will endeauour in euery particuler Controuersy to set downe the true state of the question Afterward we will lay open the foundation of the Catholike doctrine And lastly we will plainly and briefly answere the chiefe obiections of our Aduersaries whether they be drawne out of the Scriptures or taken from the Fathers 2. And because our Aduersaries euermore boast and brag of the written Word of God pretending out of it only to proue their doctrine impugne ours our chiefe care shal be to shew that the Catholike and Roman faith is both euidently and strongly to be confirmed out of the written Word of God and the doctrine of our Aduersaries hath no foundation at all in the holy Scriptures but is manifestly opposite repugnant therunto yet so as we will set downe the vniforme consēt of the auncient Church to be agreeing with vs in euery Controuersy leauing the more ample search of antiquity vnto others to whome we will referre the Reader setting downe their particuler names so loath we are that this booke of ours should grow too great and for the same reason we haue thought good to omit many arguments which might be drawne out of the holy Scriptures for confirmation of the Catholike faith contenting our selues to set downe only the more solide and euident proofes because we are resolued to be as briefe as we may CHAP. II. Of the Word of God in generall THE word of God if we speake of it in generall may be considered two wayes either for that One Eternall and Infinite Word which contayneth perfectly in it selfe whatsoeuer is in the mind of Almighty God which is the same with the Sonne of God and Word of the Father of whome S. Iohn speaketh in his Ghospell saying In the beginning was the VVord but of this Word we are to say nothing heere but the Word of God may be other wise cōsidered and taken for that Word which was not alwayes nor contayneth all thinges which are in the mind of God but a small part only of them to wit such thinges as God would haue vs know and belieue and of the Word of God in this sense we speake now For this Word is the proper and complete obiect of our faith 2. Moreouer this Word hath two conditions or properties the one is that the same be reuealed vnto vs for there are innumerable verities in the mind of God the which because they are not reuealed to vs do not appertayne to this Word The other is that it be immediatly reuealed by God for such thinges as God manifesteth vnto vs by naturall reason appertayne not to this word of God called therfore by the Deuines the reuealed Word of God 3. Of this Word of God so vnderstood there is no Controuersy betwene vs and our Aduersaries but only in wordes for wheras our Aduersaries say that Catholikes affirme that we must with diuine fayth belieue the words of men or which is worse rather belieue the words of men then the Word of God it is a meere slaunder for there is no Catholike so ignorant but he knoweth that the Theologicall vertue Faith relieth astogeather vpon the pure sincere and certayne Word of God alone according to that of S. Paul when you had receiued of vs the word of the heating of God you receaued it not as the word of men but as the VVord of God as indeed it is Neyther can any man doubt but that the reuealed word of God is partly the written Word contayned in the Canonicall bookes of the old and new Testament partly vnwritten and deliuered by tradition and preaching of which vnwritten word the Scripture maketh mention in many places but we will first treat of the written Word CHAP. III. Of the written Word of God THE written Word of God consisteth of two parts of the Letter which euery man may read in the books themselues and in the true sēse of the Letter which is as it were the very soule and life thereof without which the Letter alone rather killeth thē quickneth or giueth life as we see euidently by experience in the Iewes Arians c all other heretikes as well new as old for the Iewes hold thēselues stiffely to the Letter of the old Testamēt the Arians as also in a manner all other heretikes receiue eyther altogeather or for the greatest part the Letter of the new but because they will not acknowledge the true sense of the Letter Iewes they are Heretikes they are Catholikes they are not And surely the Letter alone without the true sense cannot truly and properly be called the Word of God no more then a body without a soule can truly and properly be called a man wherefore they which spoile the Letter of the true sense may be compared to them who bereaue a man of his soule and life 2. But whosoeuer do substitute another contrary sense and meaning in place of the true do no otherwise then they who not only kill a man but by Art Magick bring into the body of the man killed some other diabolicall spirit by which the dead body is so moued and stirred as it seemeth to many to bealiue all this is so manifest a truth as our

Aduersaries themselues are not able to deny it 3. This to haue byn the doctrine of the auncient Church sufficiently appeareth by the words of S. Augustine The vnhappy Iewes sayth he more vnhappy Heretikes whilst they attend only to the sound of the ●etter as a body without a soule so they remay●● dead and voyd of the spirit which quickneth And els where All Heretickes which receiue the Scriptures and their authority will seeme to follow them whereas indeed they follow rather their owne errors and are therefore Heretikes not because they co●ntem●e them but because they do not vnderstand them And before him S. Hilary that honour of the French Nation Remēber saith he that there is not one of the heretikes which doth not say that he preacheth now according to the Scriptures euen those things in which he blasphemeth albeit he lieth in so saying And a little after All of them speake Scriptures without the true sēce meaning they pretēd sayth without fayth indeed for the Scriptures consist not so much in the reading as in the vnderstāding neyther are they vnderstood of such as go into preuarication but continue and abide in charity Moreouer S Hierome Let vs not thinke sayth he the Ghospell to be in the words of the Scripture but in the sense not in the out side but in the inside or marrow not in the leaues of the words but in the sappe pith or roote of reason And a little after otherwise euen the Diuell himselfe speaketh Scriptures and all heresies according to Ezechiel make vnto themselues pillowes which they may lay vnder the elbow of euery age 2. By that which hath byn sayd answere may be made to our Aduersaries when they obiect against vs that we affirme the Scripture to be imperfect obseure like a nose of wax which a man may writh which way he will and lastly the origen and spring in a manner of all heresies for we affirme this of the naked and dead letter alone destitute of the true sense or rather of the letter to which the Heretikes adde their owne peruerse sense and meaning neyther haue our Aduersaries any cause to wonder at this seeing S. Paul himselfe saith of the bare letter alone that is killeth and bringeth eternall● death and damnation But neuer any Catholike did euer attribute any such thing to the liuing letter which hath conioyned with it the true and natiue sense and which alone is truly and properly the word of God CHAP. IIII. How we are to seeke out the true sense and meaning of the holy Scripture THERE is a great contentiō betweene vs and our Aduersaries about the meanes how to finde out the true and naturall interpretation of the lett●er a thing to necessary to eternall saluation They teach diuers thinges concerning this matter but deliuer nothing that is certayne One assigneth more rules to this purpose another fewer but when they haue sayd all they confesse at last that there was neuer any which hath not at sometyme erred in seeking out the true interpretation of holy Scripture For they giue not their assent either to the ancient Fathers or to their owne Maisters in all thinges they teach or write nay they cannot assigne any one whom they acknowledge not to haue erred sometyme nor dare affirme to be free from error seeing as they say euery man is a lyar and so at last all thinges are left by them doubtfull and vncertayne 2. But the Catholikes proceed after another manner who teach that the certayne vndoubted sense of the Letter is not to be taken from the iudgment of any particuler man but from the vniforme consent of the ancient Fathers and especially from the iudgment and interpretation of the Catholike Church to whome it appertayneth to iudge of the sense and meaning of the holy Scriptures as the holy and O●cumenicall Councell of Trēt teacheth very well for there is no doubt but that it is nore safe to follow such an interpreter as cannot erre then such a oners erreth sometymes or at leastwise may erre but the Church cannot erre in her iudgment seeing that Christ and the holy Ghost remayne with her to teach her all truth wherof more herafter when we shall come to treat of the Church 3. It shall suffice to obserue and note here that according to the doctrine of our Aduersaries nothing either solide or certayne is contayned in the holy Scripture for wheras all dependeth of the true sense of the Letter and with them there is no certayne or sure meanes by which to finde out this sense it followeth that they call all into doubt which is in the Scripture wherby who seeth not how much they iniure them But contrariwyse according to the Catholike doctrine all thinges are euident and certayne which are contayned in the holy Scriptures appertayning eyther to faith or good manners the Catholikes hauing euer a certayne and faithful Interpreter to wit the Catholike Church And surely whosoeuer reiecteth the sense which the Church giueth and in place therof substituteth another altogeather repugnant to it doth all one with him who reiecting the holy Scripture should in place therof bring in a new Scripture of his owne forging the sense of the Scripture being no lesse a part of the word of God then the letter which in these few wordes Tertullian confirmeth out of the tradition of the auncient Church The sense adultered or falsified is no lesse repugnant to the truth then the letter or stile corrupted 4. And to conclude it may be inferred that saluation is to be found in the Roman Church only and none at all out of it which I proue thus Both the Scripture testifyeth all mē confesse that diuine fayth is necessary to saluation but such as forsake the Romā Church cannot haue diuine ●aith which wholy relieth vpon the word of God only but meerly humane seeing their fayth is founded not in the word of God interpreted by the Church which cannot erre but in the word and interpretation of Luther Caluin or some other priuate man who as they themselues graunt may erre and be deceiued such an humane fayth then so doubtfull and vncertayne and only warranted by mans authority cannot iustify or bring a man to eternall saluation CHAP. V. How we may know which is the true letter of the holy Scripture ALL such as forsake the Roman Church and make little account of her authority are not only doubtfull vndertayne which is the true sense of the Scripture but they can haue no assurance at all eyther of the whole or of any part of the letter therof For whilst they goe about to call in question and make doubtfull certayne bookes only of the old Testament before they are aware they take away all authority from all other bookes both of the old and new Testament For whereas there is but one certaine and vndoubted Canon of these

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

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