Preface

The reason for this disputation is this, that I desired you should be

supplied and fortified against the future snares of the devil, for a certain

man has put forth a mockery against the Church.  I am not so much troubled

that an unlearned, unskilled, and altogether ignorant man seeks praise and a

name for himself, as that the men of Lower Germany are troubled by his inept,

foolish, ignorant, unlearned, and ridiculous mocking.  May you preserve this

article in its simplicity, that in Christ there is a divine and a human

nature, and these two natures in one person, so that they are joined together

like no other thing, and yet so that the humanity is not divinity, nor the

divinity humanity, because that distinction in no way hinders but rather

confirms the union!  That article of faith shall remain, that Christ is true

God and true man, and thus you shall be safe from all heretics, and even from

Schwenkfeld, who says that Christ is [not] a creature, and that others teach

falsely, though he does not name those who teach wrongly.  This is the malice

of the  devil:  he implicates us as well as the papists, but he names no one. 

If he were to say such things to me, I would answer:  You are lying, [when

you imply that] we say that Christ is not the Lord God.  For our writings cry

out in answer [to your charge].  That wicked man perceives that he cannot

survive if he comes into the light, therefore he works secretly among women

under secret names [tectis nominibus].  But I am not troubled that he thus

seeks to make a name for himself and works secretly, but more by the fact

that better theologians are not moved by these frivolous calumnies to say to

him:  "You, wicked man, are a liar!  We do not say that Christ is merely a

creature, but that he is God and man in one person.  The natures are joined

personally in the unity of the person.  There are not two sons, not two

judges, not two persons, not two Jesuses, but because of the undivided union

[unitam coniunctionem] and the unity of the two natures there is a

communication of attributes, so that, what is attributed to one nature is

attributed to the other as well, because they are one person."  If these

[articles] are held fast, Arius falls along with all heretics, but

Schwenkfeld works secretly like the tooth of the serpent, who bites secretly

so that he cannot be accused.  Therefore we are now holding this disputation

so that you may learn the substance and manner of speaking [res et phrases]

of Scripture and the Fathers.  It is an incomprehensible thing, such as not

even the angels can grasp and comprehend, that two natures should be united

in one person.  Therefore, so that we may grasp this in some small measure,

God has given us patterns of speech [formulas loquendi]: that Christ is God

and man in one person, and there are not two persons, but two natures are

united in one person, so that what is done by the human nature is said also

to be done by the divine nature, and vice versa.  Thus the Son of God died

and was buried in the dust like everyone else, and the son of Mary ascended

into heaven, is seated at the right hand of the Father, etc.  We are content

with these models [formulis].

  Finally, we must observe the manner of speaking [phrases] of the

holy Fathers.  But if they have sometimes spoken ineptly [incommode], it is

to be rightly interpreted, not abused, as the papists do, who, having twisted

the words of the Fathers, abuse and allege them in defense of their

idolatries, purgatory, and good works, whereas [the Fathers] thought

correctly concerning these things, as many of their sayings testify with

clearer and more apt expression.  St. Augustine indeed teaches much

concerning good works in many places and praises both good works and those

who perform them.  But in his Commentary on the Psalms, he says,  "Have mercy

on me; that is, 'I shall be troubled, but not troubled greatly, for I have

trusted in the Lord.'"  Here he pleads none of those good works before God. 

And again in another place he says, "Woe to man, however praiseworthy he may

be, etc."  Such is the sinful and sacrilegious man who twists the correct

sayings of the Fathers.  But we learn to agree with the sayings of the

Fathers; or if we cannot agree with them, we forgive them, for no man can be

so wise that he does not sometimes stumble and fall, especially in speaking,

where it is easy to slip.  Schwenkfeld does not see this, and so when he

hears the Fathers say that Christ according to his humanity is a creature, at

once he seizes on the saying and twists it and abuses it for his own

purposes.  Even if the Fathers say that Christ according to his humanity is a

creature, this could in any event be tolerated; but Schwenkfeld wickedly

twists it:  "Therefore Christ is simply a creature."  Why, wicked man, do you

not add that Christ according to his divinity is the Creator?  Therefore he

was created!  But he does not add this, because he says, "I can let my

conscience be deluded in this way.  Therefore I have omitted it"--that is, I

have done wickedly!  He employs a fallacy of composition and division.  This

is the hidden tooth of the serpent  and the true sacrifice of the devil among

the papists as well.  For they too work secretly, twist the words of the

Fathers, and omit those things which seem to weaken their own cause, as

Schwenkfeld also does.  Before the learned he deals deceitfully and seeks

glory, but among his own he says:  "Oh, what wickedness of the papists, what

blasphemies of the Lutherans!  They say that Christ is a creature, even

though he was not created."  This is [sheer] wickedness rather than force or

power [of argument].  He should have added, that we say that Christ is a

creature according to his humanity, and the creator according to his

divinity.

        Schwenkfeld is to be refuted thus:  Humanity is a creature. 

Therefore Christ is a man and a creature.  And then he says that the redeemer

of the human race cannot be a creature, sit at the right hand of the Father,

etc., be the seed of Abraham; but the consequence is to be denied.