IT hath bene long since the complaint of ve∣rie many, that those whome they call the Schoolmen and Disputers, haue giuen the studies of the holie Scriptures, not onely a great stroake, but euen a deathes wounde. And therfore it will seme wonderfull, it may bee vnto 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 euery matter (will some say) is blame-worthie, neither can it be lawfull to call euery thing into question: but only such mat∣ters, 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 doub∣ted, whether the things be as they seeme or no. But Diuinitie is grounded vpon such a sure and certain foundation, that there is no place left therein vnto doubting and questioning. For he himselfe spake, that is not PYTHAGORAS, but IEHOVA by his Prophets and Apostles in his word written by them, tea∣ching therein, the onely 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 loue him againe, do obtaine of the mercifull Lord, not by reasoning, but by beleeuing and leading an holy life. This reason hath so pre∣uailed, that many godly & graue men, haue either from their hartes as beeing of this iudgement, or for some other cause ab∣stained, from this course of disputing touching diuine matters. For godlines say they, is to bee taught and learned according vnto the plaine and simple maner of Fishermen, and not by the subtilties of ARISTOTLE: and that doubting of the A∣CADEMICKES (who as AVGVSTINE saith) hold that men are to bee without all hope of finding the truth, beeing an opi∣nion, 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 vs, that we take heed lest any man spoil vs 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 vnto religion, by those who being swollen vppe by the pride of humaine reasonings, would rather submit Christ vnto their iudgements, then themselues vnto his maiestie. So that TERTVLLIAN long since, iustlie named the Philoso∣phers to be the Patriarches of haeresies. Now in the ages follow∣ing, that wound was not onely 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 grea∣ter darknes, drewe others after them. For why should wee not so account of those questionarie maisters as they call them? Whereunto (if vnto any other) that which AVGVSTINEallegoricallie 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 tran∣sitorie thinges, is like vnto 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, di∣uisions, distinctions and solutions of these men, whoe stand gnawing vpon 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 ve∣rie aptlie applied vnto these men. For the bare shadow in steed of the solide truth, being taken holde vpon 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 vnto 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 no∣thing 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, vnto the assemblie of those, that are godlie and profitable hea∣rers.
But yet this was the falt of these men, who in diuinitie ob∣serued 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 com∣mended) 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 A∣postles, 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 MARCIO∣NITES, ATHANASIVS against the ARRIANES, NAZI∣ANZEN, CYRIL, THEODORET, HILLARIE, AVGVS∣TINE, 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 pro∣fitable, if nothing els be considered in them, but the waies of the Lord which are mercy and truth: and when al deceit, sub∣tiltie, selfe▪loue, and desire of the victorie is cleane remooued, and when of the contrarie side, the desire of the truth, the loue and reuerence of Gods maiestie, ioyned with modestie and sin∣glenes is vsed therein: So that whether wee doe louinglie con∣fer 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 onely 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 ouer∣come with wordes or in reasoning: but it is a great and dan∣gerous case to lose the Lorde: and certainely he hath lost the Lord, as far as lieth in him, who doth make old lies and false∣hoods 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, vnto any publick calling, they may perpetually retaine the same. This point do we endeuor to perform according vnto 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 vnto which pat∣terne, all those that will sincearly iudge may perceaue, that these Principles haue bene framed. Now they are published ac∣cording vnto 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, ex∣pounded 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 haue bin fa∣mous 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 scof∣fings light vpon themselues. One of this number came out the last mart, from among the HERDECANIE, who reckoneth vs vp among the ARRIANS, NESTORIANS, and MAHV∣METANS, of the which crimes, I hope that the Lord will neuer make vs guiltie, so these Principles doe shewe howe false and shamefull the same is conuinced to be: Now this fellow hath put vs in minde of that complaint of IEROME against his vp∣brayders, 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 haue no worse en∣treatie at our hands for this present time, but that which PLV∣TARCH 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 haue re∣proched vs, as also we (because we are Christians) doe forgiue him vnfeignedly. Now vnto 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 Hono∣rable) 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 vnto 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 ouersee∣er of your studies craue at my hand, as many others also haue doone: vnto whome, I thinke it was verie delitesome, to see that web finished, which wee had onely begun, when they were heere. Nowe as to your selfe, I thought that this worke would be gratefull and acceptable vnto you, as for many causes, so e∣speciallie in that, by reading these Principles, you maye call to mind, the endeuours wherein you haue beene imployed in this studie of the word. For besides that, you would not haue your self to be wanting in any dutie of godlines while you were here, you were also an example vnto all others of industrie and dili∣gence in the Schooles, not onely 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 Propo∣sitions that haue bene heere disputed vpon, 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 di∣uinitie: 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 vnto your Lordship, not onely 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 haue beene this long time absent, yet your memorie is fresh among vs, 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 religi∣ouslie: And this I doe, by reason of the excellent gifts, where∣with 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.