A14216:1214
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
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.
NECESSARY is that which cannot be otherwise, than it is. CONTINGENT is that, 1which is indeed, or is done, but might notwithstanding not have bin, or have bin done otherwise. Necessity therefore and contingency is the order which is between the cause and the effect, unchangeable or changeable. And because the effects follow of their causes unchangeably, either in respect of the nature it self of the causes, or in respect of some external cause, which designeth and appointeth another cause to a certain effect: and because also the effects themselves cannot be more unchangeable, than are their causes: therefore there is said to be a double necessity; 2One absolute or simple, which is of them, whose opposites or contraries are simply unpossible, in respect of the nature of the cause or subject whereof it is affirmed. As are the essential & personal properties of god, to wit, god is, god liveth, god is just wise, &c. God is the eternal father, son, & holy ghost. The other is necessity of consequence or by supposition, which is the immutability and unchangeableness of those effects which follow of causes: which causes being supposed or put, the effect must necessarily follow, but the causes notwithstanding themselves might either not have been, or might have been changed. So are those things necessary which god hath decreed that they should be don, in respect of the unchangeableness of his decree, which decree yet god most freely made, that is, he might from everlasting either not have decreed it at all, or have decreed it otherwise, according to those words, Mat. 26.53. Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my father, & he will give me moe than twelve legions of Angels? How then should the scriptures be fulfilled? Likewise those things are said to be necessary, which are done indeed by such second causes, as are so made of god, that by their ⟨p. 419⟩own nature they cannot do otherwise than they do, but yet they may be by God himself either taken away, or hindered, or altered and changed. As the Sun and the shadow going forward, in consequence or order of nature, with the Sun, and yet consisting and standing still in that battle of Joshua, and returning backwards in the days of Hezekiah: the fire burning bodies within the reach thereof which are capable of burning, & yet not burning the three children in the furnace of Babylon: