A14216:1329
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.
3 Why Christ is called the only begotten and first begotten son of God.
3 Why Christ is called the onelie begotten and first begotten sonne of God.
1Christ is called the only begotten son of God according to his divine nature: Because according to this he alone & only was from everlasting begotten of the substance of his father, and therefore hath no brethren of this generation and nature. For of no other it is said, that the father giveth him to have life in himself: and again, that in him dwelleth all the fullness of the godhead bodily. Object. He that hath brethren, is not the only begotten. Christ hath brethren. Therefore he is not the only begotten son of god. Aunsw. The Major is to be distinguished. He that hath brethren, to wit, of the same generation and nature, he is not the only begotten. Christ hath brethren, but not of the same generation ⟨p. 465⟩and nature: because not any have been begotten from everlasting of the substance of God the father. Therefore he is the only begotten son of God in respect of his Godhead. Reply. He that hath a generation or begetting unlike to the generation of other sons, is in respect thereof said to be the only begotten: Christ according to his humanity hath a generation unlike to the generation of other sons of God. Therefore Christ is called, not in respect of any eternal, but of this temporal and miraculous generation, the only begotten. Answer. The Major is true of such a son, as hath a generation unlike in the whole kind, that is, both in nature, and in the manner of the generation. But Christ according to his humanity hath a generation divers from us, not as concerning his nature, the term or end of his generation, but only in respect of the manner. For he is true man,2