A14216:1217
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.
By the name of FATE or destiny, 1sometimes is understood the decree & providence of God: As that of the Poet, Leave off to hope that the fates of the gods are moved with entreaty. But the Stoics by this word understood the immutable connection and knitting of all causes & effects, depending of the nature of the causes themselves, so that neither the second causes are able to work otherwise than they work, ⟨p. 420⟩neither the first cause can work otherwise, than do the second, and therefore all effects of all causes are absolutely necessary. This opinion of the Stoics, because it spoileth God of his liberty and omnipotency, and abolisheth the order and manner of working in second causes disposed by Gods divine wisdom, not only founder Philosophy, but the Church also rejecteth and contemneth, and doth openly profess her dissenting from the Stoics. First, because the Stoics tie god to second causes, as if it should be necessary for him so to work by them, as their nature doth bear and suffer. But the Church teacheth, that God worketh not according to the rule or lore of second causes, but second causes according to the prescript of GOD as being the chief and most free governor and lord, and therefore are subject and tied to his will & pleasure. Secondly, the Stoics were of opinion, that neither God nor second causes can do any thing of their own nature otherwise than they do. The church affirmeth, that not only second causes are made & ordained by god, some to bring forth certain & definite effects, some variable and contrary; but God himself also could from everlasting either not have decreed, or have decreed & wrought otherwise, either by second causes, or without them, and by them either changeable in their own nature, or unchangeable, all things whose contrary are not repugnant to his nature: & that he hath so decreed them, and doth so work them, not because he could not otherwise, but because it so pleased him, as it is said Ps. 115.3. Our god is in heaven, he doth whatsoever he will. And Luk. 1.37. With god shall nothing be impossible: that is, which is not against his nature, or whereby his nature is not overthrown, as it is said 2. Tim. 2