A treatise of the vnvvritten Word of God, commonly called traditions. Written in Latin, by the R. 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 second part of the first controuersy

CHAP. X. Wherein other obiections of our Aduersa∣ries against Traditions are re∣suted. (Book 10)

THE fourth argument is deduced* 1.1 out of those words of the Apoca∣lyps which they also cite and al∣ledge in their confessiō at Rochell. If any man shall adde to these things, God shall adde vpon him the plagues written in this booke. But who doth not see that S. Iohn speaketh ex∣presly of the booke of the Apocalyps only, and not of the whole Scripture, for he sayth, I testify to euery one hearing the words of the Prophesy of this booke, if any man sall adde to these things &c. and in the 19. verse follow∣ing. If any man shall diminish of the words of the booke of this prophecy &c. he speaketh ther∣fore only of the propheticall words of the Apocalyps. For it is manyfest otherwise out of Ecclesiasticall histories, that S. Iohn wrote his Ghospell after the Apocalyps, and consequently that he added many things* 1.2 besids the Apocalyps. But let our Aduersaries take heed least they incurre those paynes which S. Iohn threatneth to those which

adde or detract any thing from the Apoca∣lyps; seing that they so often and so bould∣ly wrest the prophesies of the Apocalyps to many strange senses against the Pope and the Catholike Church.

2. Our Aduersaries alledge many other things, but their arguments which be of lesse moment are taken out of those places of Scripture which commend vnto vs the great excellency of holy Scripture. But all these are very easily confuted by that* 1.3 one ground, which as we haue declared before euen our Aduersaries do admit, to wit, that to the end the holy Scripture be perfect in it selfe and sufficient to euerla∣sting saluation, it is not necessary that it should expresly cōteyne al points of fayth, but it is sufficiēt, that all such poynts may be deduced by a good consequence out of it. But all the Traditions of the Church which belong vnto fayth may be gathe∣red* 1.4 as we haue sayd out of Scripture, the which also we declare more at large in euery one of these controuersies. Our Ad∣uersaries therfore haue not reason to say that we teach the Scripture to be imper∣fect or insufficient. For as concerning this sufficiency and perfectiō of Scripture they are forced at least to yield and sub∣scribe vnto our opinion herein: but these

their arguments, whereof they make great account, we haue therfore alledged, to the end all may know how badly they interpret the holy Scriptures, and by how friuolous reason they are perswaded to forsake the Catholike fayth.

3. But euen this sufficiency of Scri∣pture which they pretēd, they proue very foolishly by those wordes of the Apo∣stle, wherein he teacheth, that the Scri∣pture* 1.5 is very profitable; as though for∣sooth euery thing which is profitable for obtayning some particuler end or purpose, were also absolutely sufficient then the which nothing can be spoken more absurdly. The head truely is not only profitable, but also necessary, that a man may liue, but who I pray you will say that the head only without the rest of the body is sufficient for the lyfe of man. But to our late Aduersaries to the end they may make this their discourse or reason the stronger, say, that in humane thinges not euery thing which is profitable is al∣so sufficient, but in diuine matters what∣soeuer is profitable, is also sufficient, wher∣vnto* 1.6 Iunius like a fine young stripling ad∣deth, that this can be ouerthrowne by no sophistry. But who doth not see that the Eucharist by the diuine vertue thereof is

profitable to the obtayning of eternall sal∣uation, and yet notwithstanding with∣out Baptisme it is not sufficiēt, as also with∣out faith and pennance: the same may be sayd of Baptisme and of euery booke of Scripture. Yea euen the Apostle doth not speake of the whole Scripture, as our Ad∣uersaries thinke he doth, when he saith, that euery Scripture is profitable, but of euery particuler part thereof. For how* 1.7 could he speake of a thing which was not then extant. But as then the Ghospell of S. Iohn was not yet written nor the Apo∣calyps. For these were after S. Pauls death written by S. Iohn: hence it is that the A∣postle S. Paul doth not say the whole Scripture▪ but euen Scripture inspired by God is profitable. For there is not one parte of Scripture which is not profitable vnto vs if it be well vnderstood. Yea for all that notwithstanding euery one part precisely in it selfe abstracting from the rest of the Scripture (as all do very well know) is not sufficient.

4▪ Finally it is also to be considered that all those places wherin the integrity, perfection and vtility of the Scripture is commended vnto vs, must needes be vn∣derstood not of the bare wordes only, but* 1.8 of the same well and rightly vnderstood.

But this true vnderstanding of the words cannot otherwise be had then by Tradi∣tion* 1.9 and the vnwritten doctrine of the Church it selfe, as we haue already decla∣red. Wherefore all those places which do commend vnto vs the holy Scriptures, do also consequently cōmend vnto vs Tra∣ditions and the vnwritten Word of God, seing that therein consisteth the principal part of holy Scripture, to wit, the true sense of the wordes.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Apoc. vlt v. 18. con∣fess. Ru∣pell. Ar∣tic. 5.
• * 1.2

  S. Hier. de script. Ec∣cles. in Ioā. Apost.
• * 1.3

  Supra c. 25.
• * 1.4

  Supra c. 25.
• * 1.5

  Ad Tim. 3. v. penul•…•….
• * 1.6

  Iunius cō∣tra Bell. controu. 1. lib. 4. c. 10. nota 44.
• * 1.7

  S. Hier. de Script. Ec∣cles. in Ioan Apost. 2. ad Tim. •…•…. v. penult.
• * 1.8

  Supra c. 3.
• * 1.9

  Supra c. 4