A14216:1178
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 GODS PROVIDENCE. › Section 2: 2 WHAT THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD IS.
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.
it followeth thereof necessarily that there is a providence of god which taketh a most strait and exact care even of the smallest dust, whereby the substance of our bodies so often altered & dissipated into infinite forms & parts is again in such wise to be recollected, gathered together, & reduced to their first mass & form, as that not other, but the self same bodies which we have in this life shall rise again. Against these places of scripture alleged some make exception, that the examples, whereof these places speak, are particular & prophetical events administered by the special counsel of god, and that therefore there may not be framed a general rule universally extending to all events. But against these we return a threefold answer. For first, The like causes are found in all events, for which the scripture affirmeth those events afore recited to have been done or to be done by the counsel & decree of god; namely the glory of god, and the safety of his chosen. The causes therefore of all events being like, we are to judge alike of all. For all wise men confess that a general is well gathered out of the enumeration or numbering of many singulars or particulars, then, when as there cannot be alleged any different or unlike example. Neither doth any of the godly & such as conceive aright of the immeasurable wisdom of god deny, that god hath most good reasons for all things which are done, albeit they are not known to us, whereby all things are referred to those two last ends. Wherefore those things which god hath not foretold or hath not by the special testimony of his word showed to be done by his will, are no less to be thought to depend of his secrete government than those things which he hath ⟨p. 402⟩by plain words expressed, that himself either would do hereafter, or before had done. Secondly, we see the scripture it self not only to attribute the particular events of all both specials and generals unto gods providence, but further to transfer & apply the same to all the specials & generals, which it speaketh of singular and particular examples. Wherefore the scripture will have the same also to be understood of all individuals & singulars. For as god brought the wind upon the earth, Gen. 8. so doth he bring the wind out of his treasures, Psal. 135. As he would that he, of whom it is spoken,