A14216:1327
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.
2 HOW CHRIST IS THE SON OF GOD.
2 HOW CHRIST IS THE SONNE OF GOD.
Christ is the son of God according to both natures, 1but in divers respects. According to his Godhead he is the son by nature, and his natural, or proper and only begotten son: because according to this nature he alone was from everlasting begotten of the substance of his father, after a manner altogether ineffable, being of the same nature and essence with him. Joh. 5.26. As the father hath life in himself, so likewise hath he given to the son to have life in himself. The eternal father therefore hath communicated unto his son the life, whereby both himself by himself necessarily is, and maketh all other things to be: which life is that one & eternal Deity creatress and defendresse of all things.2 According to his humanity he is not the natural and proper son of god; because his humanity as touching it self, is not the person, and it issued from the substance of his mother, not from the substance of GOD: But he is the son of god by grace, not of adoption, because he was at no time not his son, as that he should be made of no son, or of the son of wrath, the son of God; but by grace of conception by the holy ghost, and of union with the word. For his humanity was from the very womb sanctified, and united to the Godhead of the Word, which Godhead is the son by nature.3 And that a mass of flesh in so marvellous manner, by the power of the holy Ghost, should be severed out of the flesh of the Virgin, and that thereof being sanctified should be formed a true humane body, that is, quickened with a humane soul, & the same to be united to the very son of god into one person & subsistence, was not the merit of his humane nature, as which had not as yet any being, & is in it self but a creature; but the special & free gift or benefit of God, as Paul in plain words declareth,