[Tractationes theologicae; (Geneva, 1570)]
Theodore Beza, born on June 24, 1519, in Vézelay, France, was a distinguished theologian, scholar, and reformer of the Protestant Reformation. Educated under the humanist Melchior Wolmar, Beza initially pursued law but later embraced the Reformed faith, leading to his exile from France. In 1548, he settled in Geneva, where he became a close associate of John Calvin. Beza's contributions were manifold. He served as a professor of Greek at the Academy of Lausanne and later at the Geneva Academy, where he succeeded Calvin as the chair of theology. His leadership extended to the Company of Pastors in Geneva, where he played a pivotal role in shaping Reformed theology and church governance. A prolific writer, Beza authored several significant works. His De jure magistratuum (1574) defended the rights of magistrates against tyranny, and his editions of the Greek New Testament were instrumental in biblical scholarship. Beza also penned a biography of Calvin and contributed to the Genevan Psalter, enhancing the liturgical life of the Reformed churches. Throughout his life, Beza was actively involved in theological debates, notably defending the doctrine of predestination and engaging in dialogues with Lutheran theologians. His efforts were crucial in consolidating the Reformed tradition during a period of religious upheaval. Beza passed away on October 13, 1605, in Geneva, leaving behind a legacy as a steadfast guardian of Reformed orthodoxy and a key figure in the Protestant Reformation.
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AN EPISTLE TO THE MOST ILLUSTRIOUS PRINCE NICOLAS RADZIWIL, SUPREME MARSHAL OF THE GRAND DUCHY OF LITHUANIA
MOST ILLUSTRIOUS Prince, we have received at one time two letters from thy Highness, one inscribed to D. J. Calvin, a man of blessed memory, the other to us, both copiously and elegantly written, to which we pray that thy Highness attribute our late response neither to negligence, nor to any other cause than the scarcity of messengers traveling from Tubingen, whence the letters were sent to us. But that we answer so briefly in a matter so weighty and serious, these are the causes:
WE HAVE READ, and that not without horror, what Gregory, Paul, Casanonius, and certain others bewitched by Blandrata and Gentile, transforming the three persons, or hypostases, into three ousias or essences in number, have written in various books: in which we have found so many things both ambiguous and also inconsistent that we are scarcely clear even now concerning their dogmas and arguments.
BUT THY LETTERS, although written much more clearly, nevertheless do not in all points satisfy our rudeness, to speak ingenuously with thy Highness, especially in the explanation of that third conciliatory opinion, which if we understand rightly, we think differeth very little from that either Gentilean or Gregorian one.
THEREFORE since we are not yet so clear about the matters themselves, and much less also concerning the arguments of the adversaries, but that we justly fear we may seem either to labour in vain about things not controversial, or not sufficiently apposite to attack the opinion of the adversaries, which thing might rather kindle those unhappy contentions than extinguish them: and moreover also since the matter itself showeth, that by writing so many things back and forth, altercations increase rather than diminish, while everyone suffereth not what he hath once written to be reproved: therefore before we issue a just response to each point, we earnestly beseech thy Highness, in the name of Christ, that thou compel those to whom this proposition is not pleasing, FATHER, SON, AND HOLY GHOST ARE ONE AND THE SAME GOD, to write out their whole dogma both concerning essence, and concerning hypostases, particularly, clearly, and distinctly, in certain and perspicuous theses: then to add also their own reasons both from the Word of God, and from the writings of the Greek and Latin Fathers, and also, if it pleaseth them, refutations of our arguments, which they do not ignore.
FOR thus at length it shall come to pass, that we may answer both more fully and more certainly: which although thy Highness had not sought from us for thy zeal toward thy country and indeed toward the whole Church, we would do of our own accord, and now being much more called upon by thy Highness, we have determined to do it altogether more willingly and diligently according to the measure of grace granted to us by God the Most Good and Great.
BUT IN THE MEANTIME lest some should think that we defer our answer either by tergiversation, or by some craft, we openly testify before thy Highness, Most Illustrious Prince, that we by the grace of God not only persevere in the true and orthodox opinion concerning the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, three persons indeed really distinct, and yet nevertheless one and the same God according to essence, but also have been greatly confirmed by reading the comments of those men.
FOR what is more absurd, yea rather what more impious, than to multiply the most simple infinity in number?
Therefore the blindness of the Jews is indeed horrible, who take away the distinction of persons: and execrable is the impudence of Sabellius, who so acknowledgeth persons, that he distinguisheth them in word only, not in reality: and horrible is the blasphemy of the Arians, of whom some make Christ of another-essence, others of like-essence: as also the Macedonians are execrable, by whom the deity of the Holy Ghost is opposed.
BUT we judge that all those, however detestable, have spoken less absurdly than the Severians of old, and these men of whom we now treat.
FOR they retain this foundation, that there is one God just as his essence is one, the real distinction of which into three persons, without any division of the essence, since only the Word of God declareth it, but they have refused to understand from it: it is no wonder that they have not held this distinction of persons.
BUT THESE MEN what indeed, the divine essence being torn into three gods, will they leave entire in the foundation of religion?
YET THEY would willingly persuade us that they avoid a multitude of gods, if they should say, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are one, that is, one divine nature or essence. As if truly even if, for example, Peter, John, and James are said to be one in species, therefore three men are not maintained.
WHAT therefore availeth it to use evasions, and why do they not rather freely and ingenuously declare what followeth altogether from their dogma, namely that there is indeed one Deity, but three gods, and indeed unequal among themselves, since it is greater to have being from elsewhere, than to have one's own being from another's being, or to be God by sufferance?
CERTAINLY they must either constitute one God in number, or more. If one, about what do they contend? But if more (namely the essence of the Son being so propagated from the essence of the Father, that there are two essences in number) with what front will they dare to deny that they maintain several gods in number?