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 â—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 mindâ—s of all faithfull people by that which we shall deliuer coÌ„cerning 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 deâ—ire to find out the true faith in euery particuler CoÌ„trouersy 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 conseÌ„t 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 coÌ„sidered 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 seÌ„se of the Letter which is as it were the very soule and life thereof without which the Letter alone rather killeth theÌ„ 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 theÌ„selues stiffely to the Letter of the old TestameÌ„t 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
bookes to wit that which is receaued and appreâ—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 auncieÌ„t tradition of the Church but they neyther admit this Canon nor wil stand to this vnwritten TraditioÌ„ 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 writteÌ„ 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 amoÌ„gst 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 theÌ„â—o belieue that which is not the Word of God for we are not now to expect new â—â—uelations from God as do the â—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 theÌ„ 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 TestameÌ„t in that nuÌ„ber 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 â—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 conteÌ„t 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 argumeÌ„ts 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 seÌ„se 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 iâ— 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 meÌ„bers 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 proâ—â—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 pareÌ„thesis for the combat of the Church and of her childreÌ„ 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 iâ— 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 theÌ„ to assigne such a iudge of Controuersies as can neyther heare nor speake but is vtterly voyd of lâ—â—e changing their opinion They begin now to â—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 aâ— 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 veriâ—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 â—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 wheÌ„ they say that al things necessary to saluatioÌ„ 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
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 â—etter as a body without a soule so they remayâ—â— 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 coâ—ntemâ—e them but because they do not vnderstand them And before him S. Hilary that honour of the French Nation RemeÌ„ber 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 seÌ„ce meaning they preteÌ„d sayth without fayth indeed for the Scriptures consist not so much in the reading as in the vnderstaÌ„ding 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 eternallâ— 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 contentioÌ„ betweene vs and our Aduersaries about the meanes how to finde out the true and naturall interpretation of the lettâ—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 Oâ—cumenicall Councell of TreÌ„t 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 meÌ„ confesse that diuine fayth is necessary to saluation but such as forsake the RomaÌ„ Church cannot haue diuine â—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
I meane as despise the sense and consent of the holy Fathers yea and of the whole Catholike Church but to little ones and such as are humble who follow in al things the foresayd sense coÌ„sent it is manifest and perspicuous The testimony of our Lord is faythfull sayth the Psalmist giuing wisedome to the little ones that is to such as are humble and not proud and Christ our Lord sayth thou hast hidden these thinges from the wise and reuealed them to little ones that is to the humble The Scripture indeed is obscure to such as want fayth are destitute of the holy Ghost but easy playne to those which abide perseuere in the faith of the Church by that meanes are guided gouerned by the holy Ghost 4. The Word of God shineth brightly the Word of God I say not the word of men not the word of the Diuell for that only is the true Word of God which is in the true sense not in the bare letter for the letter depraued by a false seÌ„se is not the Word of God but the word of men or rather the word of the Diuell the word of God doth illuminate the eyes but the eyes of such as haue eyes to see and not their eyes whose mindes Satan hath blinded so as the light of the Ghospell cannot shine to them 5. In vaine therefore do our Aduersaries heape togeather so many places of Scripture in which it is said that the Word of God is said to be cleare ful of light perspicuous for this is not attributed by the Scripture to the bare letter but to the letter ioyned with the true sense which true seÌ„se cannot be had out of the Catholike Church 6. Neyther doth the Scripture say that the Word of God is manifest to all indifferently but to such only as being indued with the true fayth are humble oâ— hart and therefore inspired by the holy Ghost if therefore our Aduersaries will haue the Scripture to be full of light and easy to be vnderstood of them it is necessary that they returne againe to the true Church in which only is true faith 〈◊〉 humility the true sense of the Scripture the true spirit of God without whiâ—â— the holy Scripture will neuer be plaine cleare and manifest for it is great imprudency I will not say impudency to contend so eagerly and with such hostility about the plainenes and perspicuity of the holy Scripture and to haue no will to returne into that way the which only leadeth to that plainenes and perspicuity CHAP. XIII Whether the holy Scripture be to be translated into the vulgar tongue THAT we may briefly dispatch that which hath beene so largely treated of by many concerning this matter we will reduce all vnto foure generall assertions The first is There is not doubt but the Word of God is to be preached to the people in the vulgar tongue so as the question is only of the bare written letter 2. The second assertion is Neyther the example of Christ nor of the Primitiue Church do coÌ„uince that the Scripture is to be translated into the vulgar tongue but rather the contrary for Christ neuer commaunded the Iewes to translate the Scriptures out of the Hebrew tongue into the Syriac and yet in Christs tyme the auncient Hebrew tongue was to the Iewes as the Latin is to the French Italians and Spanyards and only the Syriac tongue was in vse amongst the common people which euen our Aduersaris confesse such I meane as are the more skillfull in the Syriac and Hebrew tongue as namely these Sebastian Munster in his preface before his Siriacal Chaldaâ—cal Grammer Francis Iunius in his preface before the new Testament in the Syriac tongue of Termelâ—â—â— Peter Martin Morentine of Nauarre in the preface of his Caldaicall Grammer printed at Rochell the yeare 1590. 3. Neyther did S. Paul write in Latin to the Romanes but in Greeke though not the Greeke tongue but the Latin was their vulgar tongue So S. Luke did write the actes of the Apostles at Rome in Greeke and not in Latin And euen to S. Augustines tyme foure hundred yeares after Christ the Byble was not extant but in the three learned tongues Hebrew Greeke and Latin no not in the tyme of Rabbanus Maurus who liued eight hundred yeares after Christ as himselfe testifyeth in expresse words 4. Neyther can our Aduersaries alleadge any authenticall example of the auncient Church for the translation of the Scripture into the vulgar tongue they tell vs indeed of one Vulphilas a Bishop of the Gothes who is said to haue translated the Scripture into the Gothish tongue but he was not a Catholike but an Arian Heretike as witnesse Theodoret Socrates Sozomenus and Cassiodorus 5. For as for that which certayne late writers alleadge of S. Chrysostome his translating of the Scripture into the Armenian tongue as also of S. Hierome his translating of the same into the Dalmatical toÌ„gue there can no certayne proofe be brought thereof And they who write this do not affirme that all the Scripture was translated by them but certayne partes only vsed of old to be read in the prayers of the Church as the Psalmes Epistles Ghospels and Lessons which were song publickely at Masse in the Canonicall houres which we read to haue byn graunted by Pope Iohn the eight of that name to the Morauianâ— at their first conuersion to the faith of Christ but this was 880. yeares after Christ and this custome was of no long continuance amongst them as appeareth by that which Pope Gregory the seauenth writeth to the Duke of Bohemia is to be seene in Cesar Baronius 6. The third assertion To translate the Scripture into the vulgar tongue is neyther in it selfe vnlawfull nor forbidden by any Ecclesiasticall law so it be truly translated Nay such a translation serueth Preachers to great vse who are to cite and expound the Scriptures to the people in the vulgar tongue Hereticall translations are indeed forbidden especially of the new Testament because in them many places of holy Scripture are by false translating corrupted 7. The fourth assertion It is not a thing profitable to all to read the Scriptures in the vulgar tongue yea to many it is rather pernicious for we are taught by the Apostle S. Peter that in the Scriptures are many thinges hard to be vnderstood which vnlearned and vnstayed persoÌ„s depraue to their owne destruction Many also there are vncapable of meate and solid sustenance who are therefore to be fed with milke as the Apostle speaketh and for such it is more wholesome to be fed by the sermons and instructions of their Pastors then to feede themselues with reading the Bible It was therefore great prudence of the Church to forbid that the Bible though translated and set forth by Catholikes should be read of all indifferently and without the approbation and leaue of the Bishop
our Aduersaries say our arguments are not solid seeing they write so much of Christs owne arguments 4. Their sixt shift is to answere to such plaine testimonies as are alledged out of Scripture against their errors that the Scripture speaketh not simply that is to say not truly but according to the false opinion of them agâ—inst whom it hath to do which indeed is nothing els but to deny the Scripture This is an vsuall shift of Caluin who interpreteth to dispute by contention to be all one as to disput not according to our owne mind but according to their error and foolish affection who obscure the light of the Ghospell So as when we proue that our Sacraments excell the Sacraments of the old law because S. Paul sayth that the ceremonies of the Iewes were shaddows of things to come but Christ the body it selfe And againe that the Sacrifices of the law could not make perfect according to conscience but serued only to sanctification cleansing of the flesh and 〈◊〉 that they could not take away sinne To all these places Caluin answereth we are sayth he to obserue diligently that the Apostle S. Paul in all these places speaketh not simpliciter sed per contentionem which what it is to say we haue interpreted out of Caluin before CHAP. XVI Of the seauenth and eight shift THEIR seauenth shift is when they are vrged with expresse words of Scripture to say that they are to be vnderstood before men and not before God or in truth This shift Caluin and Beza vse often for thus they rid themselues of these places Euery branch that bringeth not forth fruite in me he will cut off Caluin hâ—â—re coÌ„tendeth that the euill which belieue in God are in Christ only in the estimation of men and not indeed whereof it followeth that the words of Christ are thus to be vnderstood to wit that the euill 〈◊〉 indeed to men to be in Christ but are not so in truth 2. That place also of S. Iames Man is iustified by workes and not by fayth alone is interpreted by Caluin and Beza and almost all other our Aduersaries of iustification only before men not before God See more exaÌ„ples in this Chapter in the latin edition 3. The eight shift is when they know not what to answere to say it is an improper speach and by this occasion to change the words of the Scripture into other words of their owne forging For when we câ—te the words of Christ in which a reward is promised to fasting and prayer Caluin turneth them of with this answere when Christ sayth he promiseth a reward from God 〈◊〉 fasting he speakes improperly as is sayd a litte before CoÌ„cerning prayer likewise wheâ— to proue free will we alledge those worâ—s of Christ to wit make the tree good Caluin aâ—swereth it is an improper speach CHAP. XVII Of the ninth and tenth shift THEIR ninth shift is when the words of Scripture are so playne and manyfest that they cannot otherwise escape they say at last that â—e Scripture commendeth vnto vs a thing impossiâ—e and to make this shift more probable â—hey corrupt the text by adding the partiâ—â— si as if the Scripture spake conditionally and not absolutely for when we cite the places of Scripture in which life euerlasting is promised to such as keepe Gods commandments as when Christ saith if thou wilt enter into life keepe the commandments And againe do this and thou shalt liue The answere of Caluin and Beza is that Christ in these words speaketh of a thing impossible Caluin vpoÌ„ the former place writeth thus Some of the auncieÌ„t Fatherâ— saith he haue interpreted this place amisse as do the Papists after them as if Christ should teach â—hat we cold deserue life euerlasting by keeping the law And a little after he concludeth saying This answere of Christ is according to the old law to wit that no man can be accounted iust before God but he who â—hall satify the law which is impossible And vpon the later place he writeth this it is impossible sayth he to fulfill what the law commaundeth yea it is a principall axione with Caluin a coÌ„moÌ„ aÌ„swere to al such â—laces A legal promise saith he aÌ„nexed to a condtion impossible proueth nothing thus with sâ—ch impossibilities he dallieth with vs wth the holy Scripture it selfe so far forth â—s they dare affirme that the Apostle in one Chapter auoucheth vnto vs seauen times thinges impossible for wheras the Apostle in the 2. cap. of the Ep. to the Rom. and 6. affirmeth first that God will render tâ— euery one according to his workes the interprete the place thus that God will indeed giue to meÌ„ according to their good works it there were any such but that no man can do any good worke before God Is there any man saith Beza that shal be able to bring these workes which the Apostle saith shal be rewardeâ— with eternall life And wheras in the seaueÌ„th v. the Apostle saith that God doth render life euerlasting to such as seeke the same by the patience of good works their answere is that he insinuateth a thing impossible and that no man can do any good worke before God no not the iustest man which is not worthy of eternall damnatioÌ„ VVhosoeuer saith Caluin haue made the greatest progresse before all others in the way of the Lord if they cast their â—yes vpon the Lord God what worke soeuer they attempt or go about they see into be accursed And surely â— for my part could easily belieue that such is the progresse of our aduersaries in the way of our Lord See the rest of the Apostles places in the latin edition 2. The tenth last shift is the wresting of diuers wordes to a wrong sense and to inuent sundrie different vnderstandings of the wordes to build vpon it many interpretations neuer heard of before and for a finall Conclusion to say the place is obscure and therfore proueth nothing For example heerof those most euident words of Christ this iâ— my 〈◊〉 with is giuen for you may suffice for some of theÌ„ wrest the pronowne hoc others the word est others the word corpus others the pronowne meum others the relatiue quod others the prepositiâ—n pro others the pronowne he vobis and others the Verbe datur and 〈◊〉 word they wrest diuers waies so as one more then thirty yeares ago hath gathered out of their writinges two hundred expositions of these few wordes of Christ of which 〈◊〉 Xainctes 〈◊〉 particularly 84. And that they are both many and different yea repugnant wherwith they labour to make obâ—cure these wordes of our Sauiour no man can doubt See another example in the latin edition And it is worthy of the noting that in all these shiâ—fs they serue themselues of other places of Scripture to proue what they say wherby it may appeare how
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 oâ— lesse playne the Hebrew text is well and profitably looked into as also that diuers mystâ—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 EditioÌ„ 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 â—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 profouÌ„d 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 transâ—ation which shall not be found full of many great errors 2. The first cause is for that our Adâ—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 Kimâ—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 froÌ„ 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 impiouâ— 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. Hereâ—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 caÌ„not 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 translaâ—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
Pastor or Ghostly Father 8. Our Aduersaries obiect certayn places of S. Chrysostome and S. Hierome in which they exhort to the reading of the Scripture but they should haue obserued that those Fathers speake of reading the Scripture in the Greeke tongue then extant or in the Latin according to the old edition which was neuer forbidden to any by the Church whereas our Controuersy is about the translations of the holy Scripture out of the Hebrew Greek and Latin into the vulgar tongue which are all for the most part corrupted 9. And it is worth the nothing that our Aduersaries spend their tyme in vayne in gathering togeather arguments by which to perswade men that it is necessary for them to read the Scriptures in the vulgar tongue to the end they may learne out of them what they must necessarily know if they wil be saued for how truly or plainly soeuer they be translated no man shall euer recevue any fruite by them vnlesse he first belieue aright and be guided by the holy Ghost to whome it appertayneth to guide vs into the right land to make knowne vnto vs the way in which we are to walke to teach vs the will of God which we are to fulfill VVhich is manifestly to be seene in the Iewes who vnderstaÌ„d the Hebrew text much better then Christians in which there is so ample and cleare mention of Christ and yet for all that they do not belieue in Christ-Our Aduersaries therefore haue little reason to keepe such a do about the wordes of Scripture or the translation of them let them first imbrace the true Faith which is in the Church only let them seeke after the holy Ghost who is not to be found out of the Church let them seeke out the true sense of the Letter which the Church only conserueth vncorrupted and it will easily be graunted vnto them to haue the Scriptures in what tongue soeuer they will so they be truly and vncorruptedly translated and that they vse them to their owne saluation and not to their destruction as many do wherof we haue for witnesses not only the Scripture but dayly experience and this shall suffice concerning the translatioÌ„ of the Scripture into the vulgar toÌ„gue 10. For of the prayers in Latin eyther priuately made by the people or publikely offered by the Priest at masse and in the administratioÌ„ of the SacrameÌ„ts we wil treat hereafter in their proper places CHAP. XIIII That our Aduersaries vse many sleightes in corrupting the Word of God OVR Aduersaries often require vs to proue all that which we say out of the written Word of God but when we cite the same in expresse tearmes they haue many wayes by which they depraue it Wherfore before I make an end of this Controuersy concerning the written Word it shall not be from the purpose briefly to detect such their corruptions partly to the end that no man be deceaued by them and partly that euery man may vnderstand nothing to be so plainely and clearely set downe in the written VVord which by the Commentaries of crafty and subtile wittes may not be weakned and made of little force if no regard be had to the authority and iudgment of the Church And that no man may thinke that I herin calumniate them or deale lesse sincerely with them I will set downe out of their owne writings some one or two exaÌ„pls of each manner of corrupting wherof many exaÌ„ples will occure in each Controuersy 2. The first manner of shifting of places alleadged out of the written Word is to say that the originall text is corrupted and what is alleadged crept out of the margent into the text whereof see many examples in the 12. and 18. Chapter of the Latin Edition of this CoÌ„trouersy 3. Their second shift is to reiect the vulgar translation and instead thereof to cite some new and corrupt translation of their owne It is euident inough that Luther in his first version of the new Testament into the Germane tongue set forth in the yeare 1522. hath more then a thousaÌ„d errors as many haue obserued amoÌ„gst which neyther the last nor the least is his presuming to ad to the text of S. Paul the 3. Chapter and 28. verse the particle alone thereby the stronglier to establish his doctrine that Fayth alone iustifieth for this place of the Apostle VVe thinke a man is iustifyed by fayth he traÌ„slateth by fayth alone when a certaine friend of his to whome the same was obiected by a Catholike asked the cause why he so translated it he no lesse ridiculously then proudly answereth in a certayne little booke set forth by him in the yeare 1530. vnder this title A certaine information or answere made to two questions proposed by a certayne good friend concerning the translation of Scripture and the inuocation of Saints In which he aduiseth his friend to answere the Catholikes obiection after this manner D. Martin Luther will haue it so and saâ—â—h that a Papist and an Asse is all one thing so I will so I command let my will stand for a reason for we will not be the Papists schollers but their Iudges Luther will haue it so he saith that he is a Doctor aboue all the Popes Doctors So Luther concluding at last that the word alone shal remayne in his new Testament though it should make all his Aduersaries mad and he addeth further that he is only sory that he had not added two wordes more to the text and translated it after this manner we are iusâ—ifyed by only faith without any workes of any law 4. Zwinglius also who first in our age endeauored to perswade many that the body of Christ is not really contayned in the Sacrament of the Eucharist the better to establish this his error goeth about to proue that those words of Christ this is my body are very well translated thus this signifieth my body with this his new translation he is so rauished as if he had receaued the same from heauen for these are his wordâ— So therefore hath Luke with whome we content our selues without citing any other Euangelist And hauing taken bread he gaue thankes brake it and gaue it them saying this signifyeth my body which is giuen for you do this in remembrance of me Thou seest O faithfull soule but yet wrapped in absurd opinions how all thinges heere agree and nothing inviolently eyther taken away or added so as thou hast cause to wonder that thou hast not byn alwayes of this opinion and much more that any dare so boldly teare and rent the body of this speach so well ioyned togeather So Zwinglius in the praise of his new translation wherein he arrogates more authority to himselfe theÌ„ is due so as that of Cicero in his booke de diuinatione may well be applyed to him I neuer saw any man arrogate greater authority to himselfe and in the end say iust nothing 5. Moreouer concerning Caluins and