A14216:1078
The Sum of Christian Religion
The sum of Christian religion: delivered by Zacharias Ursinus in his lectures upon the Catechism authorised by the noble Prince Frederick, throughout his dominions: wherein are debated and resolved the questions of whatsoever points of moment, which have been or are controversed in divinity. Translated into English by Henry Parry, out of the last & best Latin editions, together with some supply of wa[n]ts out of his discourses of divinity, and with correction of sundry faults & imperfections, which are [sic] as yet remaining in the best corrected Latin.The summe of Christian religion: deliuered by Zacharias Vrsinus in his lectures vpon the Catechism autorised by the noble Prince Frederick, throughout his dominions: wherein are debated and resolued the questions of whatsoeuer points of moment, which haue beene or are controuersed in diuinitie. Translated into English by Henrie Parrie, out of the last & best Latin editions, together with some supplie of wa[n]ts out of his discourses of diuinitie, and with correction of sundrie faults & imperfections, which ar [sic] as yet remaining in the best corrected Latine.
Oxford: printed by Joseph Barnes, 1587Oxford: printed by Ioseph Barnes, 1587
Part 2 › OF CREATION. › Section 2: 2 How God made the world.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
4 God created all things of nothing, not of a preexistent or forebeing matter: 1not of the Essence of god, nor of any matter coeternal with god. For if God created all things, nothing then is excepted besides the creator himself, no not the matter, whereof all the rest were framed. 1 Objection. That which is produced with some preexistent thing is not created: 2Man was produced out of a preexistent thing, the earth, and the rib. Therefore he was not created. But this is false; for the scripture saith that god created man. Therefore creation is not a production of a thing out of nothing. Answer. The Major is not simply true. Because those things also are said to be created, whose matter, whereof they came, is of nothing. Man therefore was made of nothing, not immediately, but mediately by reason of his matter, not the last, but the first matter: for this at the beginning, had a beginning from nothing, & out of it afterward divers kinds of things were formed. To this reason also, that may be added, namely, that that production also is called creation, whereby a thing, which was not before, is made suddenly, without any motion by the commandment of God only out of a matter indeed, but yet such, as hath no definite power in it self of producing any thing.
4 God created all thinges of nothing, not of a preexistent or forebeing matter: 1not of the Essence of god, nor of anie matter coeternall with god. For if God created all things, nothing then is excepted besides the creator himselfe, no not the matter, whereof all the rest were framed. 1 Obiection. That which is produced with some preexistent thing is not created: 2Man was produced out of a preexistent thing, the earth, and the rib. Therefore hee was not created. But this is false; for the scripture saith that god created man. Therefore creation is not a production of a thing out of nothing. Aunswere. The Maior is not simplie true. Because those thinges also are said to be created, whose matter, whereof they came, is of nothing. Man therefore was made of nothing, not immediately, but mediately by reason of his matter, not the last, but the first matter: for this at the beginning, had a beginning from nothing, & out of it afterward diuers kinds of things were formed. To this reason also, that may bee added, namely, that that production also is called creation, whereby a thing, which was not before, is made sodainly, without any motion by the commaundement of God onely out of a matter indeede, but yet such, as hath no definite power in it selfe of producing any thing.