A14216:134
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.
Now if they reply again:1 that divine matters are hard and obscure to all men, as it is said, 1. Cor. 2. The natural man perceiveth not the things of the spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned: they should first have called to mind, that this ignorance and hardness riseth not of the obscurity of the scripture, but of the blindness of mans mind: and furthermore, that this obscurity, since in very deed it is not in the Scripture, but seemeth to be the fault of our nature, doth not always remain in those who are regenerate, but is removed from them by the illumination of the holy Spirit, according to those sayings, Luc. 8. It is given unto you to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but to others in parables, that when they see, they should not see: & when they hear, they should not understand. And 2. Cor. 3. Until this day when Moses is read, the veil is laid over their hearts. Nevertheless when their hart shall be turned unto the Lord, the veil shall be taken away. 2From this very place may we easily refute that which they object: That we our selves, in that that we say the Scripture hath not bin understood for these many ages in the Popish Church, do confess the obscurity of it. For the ignorance, which hath bin from the beginning of the world, and shall be to the end, in the adversaries of the truth, is not to be imputed to the obscurity of the Scriptures, but to their own perverseness, who have not a desire to know and embrace the truth. As the Apostle saith, 2 Thes. 2. Because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved, therefore God shall send them strong delusions, that they should believe lies.
Now if they replie againe:1 that diuine matters are hard and obscure to all men, as it is said,