Second Commentary on the Doctrine of Abstinence

advantages. In the final place, I shall diminish what will be brought forth concerning the transfer of ecclesiastical goods to profane use, along with Cyprianus, and especially Conringius, in his Animadversions on the Pope's Bull against the Peace of Westphalia. With these matters discussed, it will be clearer than light itself that the whole affair is to be ascribed to a conscience divinely awakened to the truth rather than to a lust for I know not what advantages. You have the more important moments of the following commentaries, which shortly, if God wills, I shall expand with as much care as can be done. However, I shall not bring forth all the reasons by which I might create faith in my opinion, but the primary ones. I shall speak in such a way that more might still be added and said.

XIII

Otherwise, the benevolent reader will grant pardon that in these commentaries he finds only those things that prepare for the present purpose, that set forth the history of the question to be discussed, that commend the rationale of the project, and that announce the summary of the subsequent dissertations. For I have seen that the point which now falls into dispute could scarcely be treated according to its dignity unless certain things had been prefaced and secured by me generally, for the sake of order and doctrine, from which one might go to the subject matter itself by a more convenient path.