Propositions and Principles of Divinity Disputed, Title page – Dedication
VERITAS.
CASTITAS.
PROPOSITIONS AND PRINCIPLES of Diuinitie, propounded and diſputed in the vniuerſitie of Geneua, by certaine ſtudents of Diuinitie there, vnderunder M. THEOD. BEZA, and M. ANTHONIE FAIVS, profeſſors of Diuinitie. WHEREIN IS CONtained a Methodicall ſummarie, or Epitome of the common places of Diuinitie.
TRANSLATED OVT OF Latine into English, to th… end that the cauſes, both of the preſent dangers of that Church, and alſo of the troubles of thoſe that are hardlie dealt vvith els-vvhere, may appeare in the English tongue.
AT EDINBVRGH Printed by Robert Waldegraue, printer to the Kings Maieſtie. Anno Dom. 1591.
Cum Priuilegio Regali.
TO THE RENOVMED AND NOBLE LORD, THE LORD NICHOLAS, EARLE of Oſtrorog, &c.
IT hath bene long ſince the complaint of verie many, that thoſe whome they call the Schoolmen and Diſputers, hauehave giuen the ſtudies of the holie Scriptures, not onelyonly a great ſtroake, but euen a deathes wounde. And therfore it will ſeme wonderfull, it may bee vntounto ſome, that the cuſtome of diſputing touching diuine matters, is retained in theſe Churches and Schooles, which are reformed acording to the pure word of God▪ For to diſpute of eueryevery matter (will ſome ſay) is blame-worthie, neither can it be lawfull to call eueryevery thing into question: but only ſuch matters, as being doubtfull and vncertaine in their own nature, may be argued one boath ſides, according as the opinions and iudgements of men do vary and diſagree: of which ſorte there are many thinges in Philoſophie, which do ſo moue the mindes of men with a kinde of probability, that it may be iuſtly doubted, whether the things be as they ſeeme or no. But Diuinitie is grounded vponupon ſuch a ſure and certain foundation, that there is no place left therein vntounto doubting and queſtioning. For he himſelfe ſpake, that is not PYTHAGORAS, but IEHOVA by his Prophets and Apostles in his word written by them, teaching therein, the onelyonly truth of thoſe matters, which neither eie hath ſeene, eare hath heard, nor euer enterd into the harte of man, and which they whome God loueth, and who louelove him againe, do obtaine of the mercifull Lord, not by reaſoning, but by beleeuing and leading an holy life. This reaſon hath ſo preuailed, that many godly & graue men, hauehave either from their hartes as beeing of this iudgement, or for ſome other cauſe abſtained, from this courſe of diſputing touching diuine matters. For godlines ſay they, is to bee taught and learned according vntounto the plaine and ſimple maner of Fiſhermen, and not by the ſubtilties of ARISTOTLE: and that doubting of the ACADEMICKES (who as AVGVSTINE ſaith) hold that men are to bee without all hope of finding the truth, beeing an opinion, that maketh men wauering and changeable, ready to holde any thing, and to beare any face and countenance, is to be vtterly remoued from the Church: wherunto you may adde as the Apostle admoniſheth vsus, that we take heed leſt any man ſpoil vsus by philoſophy: neither indeed can it be denied, but that in the very firſt beginning of the Church there was a very ſore blowe giuen vntounto religion, by thoſe who being ſwollen vppe by the pride of humaine reaſonings, would rather ſubmit Chriſt vntounto their iudgements, then themſelues vntounto his maiestie. So that TERTVLLIAN long ſince, iustlie named the Philoſophers to be the Patriarches of haereſies. Now in the ages following, that wound was not onelyonly not healed, but made greater and grieuouſer, by thoſe who mingling the Schoole Philoſophy with Diuinitie, did make the Ladie and Miſtres, to bee at the commandement of the ſeruant and handmaide. For the craft of Sathan was ſuch, that whileſt thoſe, who (being otherwiſe good men) did endeuour by the light of diſputation, to cleare the truth againſt errors, they themſelues falling into far greater darknes, drewe others after them. For why ſhould wee not ſo account of thoſe queſtionarie maiſters as they call them? Whereunto (if vntounto any other) that which AVGVSTINE allegoricallie ſpake out of the eight Pſalme, concerning curious men may be moſt fitlie applied. The moſt earneſt and obſtinat ſtudie (ſaith he,) of all curious men, who ſeeke vaine and tranſitorie thinges, is like vntounto the fiſhe, that walke through the pathes of the Sea: the which pathes, doe as ſoone vaniſh away and decay, as the water cōmeth againe together, after it hath giuen place to any that paſſe or ſwimme thorough it. Thus far AVGVSTINE. For what is more curious and more intricate or brier like, then ſo many (not ſo ſound as ſubtil) questions, diuiſions, diſtinctions and ſolutions of theſe men, whoe ſtand gnawing vponupon the bones of argumentes as TERTVLLIAN ſaith. Verely that which is ſet downe in the Fables touching IXION, rauiſhing the cloude in ſtead of IVNO, whence the CENTAVRES were begotten, who killed one another, may be verie aptlie applied vntounto theſe men. For the bare ſhadow in ſteed of the ſolide truth, being taken holde vponupon and apprehended by them, hath altogether drunke vp, and conſumed the iuyce and moiſture of godlines, ſo that there remaineth nothing for them, but the dry and wythered barke: and it hath brought forth ſo many controuerſies and diuerſities of opinions, which teach and learne nothing els, but brawles and partes taking, that to recall ſo many mindes and contrarie iudgements that deadlie gore one another vntounto concord and the right rule of reaſon, concord and reaſon it ſelfe cannot ſuffice and bee able. For as NAZIANZEN ſayeth, when as hauing once left faith, we pretend the force and the abilitie of diſputation, wee do nothing els thereby, but blot out the authoritie of the Spirit by queſtionings. By the which vnſuccesſiue and lamentable iſsue, wee are earneſtly admoniſhed, to betake our ſelues from their traine, who vſe over narrowlie and curiouſlie to ſift matters, vntounto the aſſemblie of thoſe, that are godlie and profitable hearers.
But yet this was the falt of theſe men, who in diuinitie obſerued not that rule. That nothing ſhoulde bee too much, which is exceeding profitable in ciuil affaires. For it followeth not, becauſe they were over curious (which is not to bee commended) that therefore carefull diligence ſhoulde bee diſliked, or ſluggiſhnes and ſecuritie thought praiſe worthie. But holie things as they are to be dealt in with great iudgment, ſo they are to be handled with greater pietie: for this latter is as it wer the ſoule, the former being as the eie of diuinitie. The orations of the Prophets, the ſermons of Chriſte, the writings of the Apostles, and eſpeciallie the Epistles of PAVL, do containe moſt ſharp and graue diſputations, which can in no wiſe bee aptlie diſcuſſed, but by the vſe of reaſoning. Our Sauiour Chriſt him ſelfe diſputed with the Doctors, Phariſies, Sadduces, &c. The ſame did PAVL with the Iewes, with the Philoſophers, with the brethren. The Fathers alſo diſputed: IRINEVS againſt the GNOSTICKES, TERTVLLIAN againſt the MARCIONITES, ATHANASIVS againſt the ARRIANES, NAZIANZEN, CYRIL, THEODORET, HILLARIE, AVGVSTINE, and many others, almoſt againſt innumerable haereſies: but ſo as their diſputations wer not a bare exerciſe, or a ſetting forth for a ſhewe of their witts for delightes ſake: But all of them labored, that their reaſonings and controuerſies, ſhould not be ſo much ſubtill in ſhewe, as profitable indeed.
And diſputations ſaith AVGVSTINE become then profitable, if nothing els be conſidered in them, but the waies of the Lord which are mercy and truth: and when al deceit, ſubtiltie, ſelfe▪louelove, and deſire of the victorie is cleane remooued, and when of the contrarie ſide, the deſire of the truth, the louelove and reuerence of Gods maieſtie, ioyned with modeſtie and ſinglenes is vſed therein: So that whether wee doe louinglie confer with our brethren and friends, our mutuall reaſonings of boath ſides, ought to be as it were a Beſome, to ſweepe away all errors: or if the aduerſaries and Haeretickes be to be conuinced, (which PAVL requireth of the Pastor,) were neither to ſeek contention by the truth, nor victorie by contention, but onelyonly the feare of God and the edification of our neighbour. And it is a notable ſaying, which the ſame NAZIANZEN hath to this purpoſe: namely, that it is not any great matter to be ouercome with wordes or in reaſoning: but it is a great and dangerous caſe to loſe the Lorde: and certainely he hath loſt the Lord, as far as lieth in him, who doth make old lies and falſehoods to become new ſinnes and tranſgreſsions, as it is in the auncint Prouerbs among the Greeks. All chriſtian doctors, then are ſo to frame and faſhion al their Schollers, that they timely ſeaſon them with the iuice of theſe vertues in ſuch ſort, as when afterwardes they ſhall come abroad from their priuat ſtudies, vntounto any publick calling, they may perpetually retaine the ſame. This point do we endeuor to perform according vntounto our ſlender abilitie, as in all the partes of our callings, ſo alſo in the exerciſe of diſputation, according as we are bounde by the lawes of our Schoole: who in expreſſe tearmes do forbidde, that neither curious nor ſophisticall propoſitions, nor ſuch as containe falſe doctrine in them be propounded, and that all wrangling, curioſitie, ſacrilegious boldenes in corrupting the word of God, euill contention, and obstinat headines be cleane baniſhed from our diſputations. According vntounto which patterne, all thoſe that will ſincearly iudge may perceaue, that theſe Principles hauehave bene framed. Now they are publiſhed according vntounto the example of other moſt famous Schooles, that it may appeare by this patterne of wholſome wordes, boath what is taught in our vniuerſitie, and after what manner the ſame is deliuered, (the which point alſo, is publicklie made knowne, by many other the writings of our men:) and withall it may be manifeſted, that we are farre from the defence of all falſe and erroneous doctrines, as far as our weake capacitie is able to vnderſtand the truth out of the worde of God alone, expounded purelie, and according to the analogie of faith: and that we may manifeſt, that as it becommeth honeſt temperat and ſober men, we abhorre from that ſtagelike vnſeemlines of malepert reuiling, and railing againſt thoſe, that hauehave bin famous men, both for their godlines and learning, whoſe vertues beeing now as dead Lyons, theſe Hares of our time, or rather (that I may vſe that old word of CATO) theſe woden Images do reprochefullie defame. And yet do their railinges and ſcoffings light vponupon themſelues. One of this number came out the laſt mart, from among the HERDECANIE, who reckoneth vsus vp among the ARRIANS, NESTORIANS, and MAHVMETANS, of the which crimes, I hope that the Lord will neuer make vsus guiltie, ſo theſe Principles doe ſhewe howe falſe and ſhamefull the ſame is conuinced to be: Now this fellow hath put vsus in minde of that complaint of IEROME againſt his vpbrayders, who did calumniouſly ſlander not onelie his words, but alſo his very ſyllables: being men notwithſtanding of that ſottiſh ignorance and ſielines, that they were not able, no not to reuile in their own wordes, but were faine to borrowe the vnbrideled tongues of thoſe enemies, that had bene long ſince buried in the duſt. But this honeſt man ſhall hauehave no worſe entreatie at our hands for this preſent time, but that which PLVTARCH ſayth, namelie, that it is a ſeruile thing to be bound to anſwer every vaine fellowe. The Lord forgiue him all his ſinnes, and this great iniury alſo, wherewith he would hauehave reproched vsus, as alſo we (becauſe we are Chriſtians) doe forgiue him vnfeignedly. Now vntounto this purpoſe of publiſhing theſe Propoſitions, is ioyned another occaſion, affoorded by manie godlie and reuerend men, who hauing ſeene heere and there ſome Copies of theſe thinges, entreated both others, and alſo my ſelfe, to ſend them ſome of them: and when as none of the Printed Coppies were to bee gotten, they cauſed them to bee written out for their vſes. Amongeſt whome (right Honorable) I remember that your Lordſhip was one. For when you were at Altorfe, & bare with gret commendations, the office of the honorable Lord gouernor in the Schole of that famous & honorable Common-wealth of Norinberg, you deſired by your Letters, that I would ſend vntounto you thoſe principles, which we had diſcuſſed and determined ſince your departure: Which thing alſo (if you bee remembred) I performed accordinglie. The ſame did IONAS MORAVNS, the moſt careful ouerſeeer of your ſtudies craue at my hand, as many others alſo hauehave doone: vntounto whome, I thinke it was verie deliteſome, to ſee that web finiſhed, which wee had onelyonly begun, when they were heere. Nowe as to your ſelfe, I thought that this worke would be gratefull and acceptable vntounto you, as for many cauſes, ſo eſpeciallie in that, by reading theſe Principles, you maye call to mind, the endeuours wherein you hauehave beene imployed in this ſtudie of the word. For beſides that, you would not hauehave your ſelf to be wanting in any dutie of godlines while you were here, you were alſo an example vntounto all others of induſtrie and diligence in the Schooles, not onelyonly by hearing, but euen by your godly and learned diſputations. To the end therefore, that we might ſatisfie your mind, and the requeſt of others, the Propoſitions that hauehave bene heere diſputed vponupon, for the ſpace of ſom yeares paſt, are nowe gathered and brought togeather into one bodie, and placed in that orderly ſort, that I thinke, they may not vnproperlie bee accounted a Methodicall ſummarie of diuinitie: yet ſo, as a man may perceaue, both by the things them ſelues, and alſo by the forme of ſpeach, that theſe thinges were handled in the Schooles: which is ſpoken, leaſt any man ſhould require all things to be here exactly done. But whatſoeuer this worke be, the ſame (right honorable) is offered and dedicated vntounto your Lordſhip, not onelyonly in mine owne name, but alſo, in the name of that worthie man, M. THEODORE BEZA, who tooke the greateſt paines in this worke: to let you vnderſtand, that although, you hauehave beene this long time abſent, yet your memorie is freſh among vsus, as alſo the remembraunce of that noble Lord, the Lord IOHN your brother, and of many other the honorable gentlemen of the nobility of POLAND: of whome, not a few liued heere in times paſt, very Chriſtianly and religiouſlie: And this I doe, by reaſon of the excellent gifts, wherewith God hath endued you, the which I beſeech and pray him, for our Lord Ieſus Chriſts ſake to increaſe and multiply. Fare you well, from Geneua the tenth of the Kalends of September. 1586.
Your Honors at commandement ANTHONIE FAIVS.