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

CHAP. III. (Book 3)

Of the written Word of God. (Book 3)

THE written Word of God con∣sisteth 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 eui∣dently 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, re∣ceiue eyther altogeather, or for the grea∣test part the Letter of the new; but be∣cause they will not acknowledge the true sense of the Letter, Iewes they are Here∣tikes 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 pro∣perly 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 an∣other 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 spi∣rit, by which the dead body is so moued, and stirred, as it seemeth to many to bea∣liue: 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 ap∣peareth by the words of S. Augustine.* 1.1 The vnhappy Iewes, sayth he, & more vnhappy Here∣tikes, whilst they attend only to the sound of the ••et∣ter, as a body without a soule, so they remay•••• dead, and voyd of the spirit which quickneth. And els where:* 1.2 All Heretickes which receiue the Scriptures and their authority will seeme to fol∣low 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. Re∣mēber (saith he) that there is not one of the here∣tikes which doth not say that he preacheth now ac∣cording to the Scriptures,* 1.3 euen those things in which he blasphemeth, albeit he lieth in so saying▪ And a little after: All of them speake Scrip∣tures, without the true sēce & meaning, they pretēd sayth without fayth indeed, for the Scriptures consist not so much in the reading as in the vnder∣stāding, neyther are they vnderstood of such as go in∣to preuarication, but continue and abide in charity. Moreouer S Hierome.* 1.4 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,* 1.5 pith, or roote of reason. And a little after: o∣therwise euen the Diuell himselfe speaketh. Scrip∣tures, and all heresies according to Ezechiel make vnto themselues pillowes which they may lay vnder the elbow of euery age.* 1.6

2. By that which hath byn sayd answere may be made to our Aduersaries when they obiect against vs, that we af∣firme the Scripture to be imperfect, ob∣seure, like a nose of wax which a man may writh which way he will, and last∣ly the origen and spring in a manner of all heresies: for we affirme this of the na∣ked 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 Ad∣uersaries any cause to wonder at this, see∣ing S. Paul himselfe saith of the bare letter alone,* 1.7 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.

Notes

• * 1.1

  August. serm. 78. de temp.
• * 1.2

  August'•• Epist. 222••
• * 1.3

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 l. ad Const. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.4

  Hiero••. in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Gal.
• * 1.5

  Matth. 4. v. 6.
• * 1.6

  Ezech. 13. v. ••8.
• * 1.7

  1 Cor. 3. v. 6. 7. & 9.