A treatise concerning the ground of faith. VVritten 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 second part of the second controuersy

THE FIRST CHAPTER. Whether the Church be the foundation and ground of our faith? And of the true state of this Question. (Book 1)

IF the pertinacy of our Ad∣uersaries were not so great, it were an easy matter to de∣fine this questiō out of those few wordes of the Apostle, affirming, that the Church is the Pillar and ground of truth: for seing that our faith relyeth vpon truth (that is to say, v∣pon the most true word of God) and that* 1.1 the Church is the Pillar and ground of this truth, it must needes follow that the Church is the Pillar and ground of our faith, as afterward we will declare more at large. But because our Aduersa∣ries

goe about to ob•…•…ure this great and renowned prayse of our Church, we will treate of this matter more exactly: especi∣ally* 1.2 because this is a question of great im∣portance, seing that theron dependeth our whole faith. For euery thing rely∣eth and dependeth of his foundation. Moreouer, heereby is declared the great excellency and authority of the Church. Hence also other opiniōs of our faith are to be proued which our Aduersaries de∣ny, their errors confuted, and they them∣selues very easily conuinced: but that the true state of this Controuersie may the better be vnderstood, three thinges are to noted.

2. The first is, that euery science and doctrine hath her grounds & principles, out of which all other thinges are dedu∣ced, proued, and depende: wherefore we must heere diligently examine and search out the true principles of our faith, least otherwise our faith become doubt∣full and vncertaine.

3. The second is, that there are two principles of our faith, the one, that God is true, and the Author of truth, the o∣ther that these thinges which we belieue are spoken and reuealed vnto vs by God. There is lesse difficulty of the former

principle. For all who confesse that there is a God, may easily know euen by natural reason, that he is true, or rather the very Truth it selfe. And seing that he is the chiefest good, he can deceiue no body, and seing that he is Wisdome it selfe, he* 1.3 cannot be deceyued. Hereupon the Apo∣stle taketh this as a principle manifestly knowne by it selfe, It is impossible for God to lye.

4. But the doubts and difficulties which we cōceyue cōcerning matters of faith do especially arise of the secōd prin∣ciple, to wit, because we know not cer∣tainly that such things as we belieue, are reuealed by God: for hence ariseth the whole cōtrouersy with Iewes, Turkes, & He∣retikes. For all do cōfesse that God is true, but the Turkes say that their Alcorā was re∣uealed vnto thē by God, the Iewes their Tal∣mud, the Anabaptists their bible, corrupted & maymed by them; the Antitrinitarians their blasphemies vttered against the Blessed Trinity; the Lutherans their opinions, the Caluinists theirs, and the Catholikes theirs. And hence it is that we need greatly some sure foundation, principle, rule, and meanes, whereby we may know certainly which is the doctrine indeed reuealed by God, and which is not, otherwise our fayth

will alwayes remayne doubtfull and vn∣certayne.

5. The third is, that God is accusto∣med three wayes to assure his Church of this his reuelation. The first way is, when God himselfe appeareth frō heauen and speaketh to his Church, for so in tymes past he spake vnto all the children of Israel, when he gaue them the tables of* 1.4 his Law in the mount Sinay.

6. The second is, when God speaketh to one alone from heauen, and he sendeth him to the Church, that he may reueale vnto the whole Church such things as God hath spoken vnto him. So in tymes past in the old Testament God spake by himselfe to Moyses, and Moyses reuealed* 1.5 the same things to the people. And in the new Testament Christ in this manner re∣uealed his Ghospell to S. Paul, which he afterward reuealed vnto others. But these two wayes are extraordinary, and are ceased, as all docōfesse, excepting only a few Anabaptists, and Swenkeldiani, whose madnesse and folly all men disproue.

7. The third way is ordinary, which alwayes remayneth in the Church, and whereof the whole controuersy is. For almost all Lutherans & the purer sort of Cal∣uinists will haue the sole Scripture to be

the foundation and rule, wherby we may certainly know the true reuelation of* 1.6 God from the false. But Caluin himselfe at the first blush seemeth to attribute this to the sole Scripture, and very cōtu∣meliously inueygheth against Catholikes who deny it, whome therefore he calleth brauling and sacrilegious persons: yet a litle after he reduceth the principall* 1.7 and cheifest certaynty of Scriptures, and of our whole fayth to the particuler and priuate spirit of euery belecuer. The late Caluinists do put two grounds and rules of fayth, to wit the Scripture, and this pri∣uate spirit: But Catholikes do teach that neyther the Scripture alone is sufficient, nor this priuate spirit togeather with the Scripture: but moreouer the spirit, and authority of the whole & visible Church is necessary. And this is the true state of of this question.

8. We will therfore explicate foure things, that this whole controuersy may more clearly be defined. First what are the properties and conditions of the ground of fayth, for by these the ground it selfe will easily be knowne. For euen as by the pro∣perties of a man it may be knowen who is a true man, and by the properties of any other thing, the thing it selfe may be

knowne. So by the properties of the ground of fayth, the ground it selfe wilbe knowne. Secondly it shalbe proued that the Scripture alone is not a sufficient ground or rule of fayth. Thirdly, that neyther any priuate spirit will suffise. Fourthly that the authority of the Catholike Church, is the most true ground and rule of fayth.

Notes

• * 1.1

  1. ad Tim. 3. v. 15.
• * 1.2

  Cap. 13. seq. §. 16.
• * 1.3

  Ad Hebr•…•… 6. v. 18.
• * 1.4

  Exod. 20. v. 22.
• * 1.5

  Exod. 24. v. 2. 3. Ad Gal. •…•…. v. 12.
• * 1.6

  Calu. l. 1▪ Inst. cap. 7. sect. 1. & 2.
• * 1.7

  Calu. eod•…•… c. 7. sect. 4. in fine. & sect. 5.