A14216:1343
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.
1 Objection. The Word, in John, doth not signify any person, which was subsisting before the flesh borne of the Virgin, but only that visible Preacher or teacher Jesus who was made flesh, 1that is, was a man weak, miserable, and abject. Ans. This is a notorious, manifest, & impudent corrupting of this place. For it is easy for any man to show out of the very narration of John that the Word signifieth an hypostasis or person, which was existing before Jesus borne of the Virgin. For the Word, 1. was in the beginning, that is, was now before existing, when things were created. 2. And that Word was ⟨p. 469⟩God. 3. By whom all things were made. 4. Who is the author of all life and light. Therefore he is a person existing before all things. 5. Which lighteth every man that cometh into the world, that is, all, if not with spiritual, yet with natural light therefore he is their illuminator, who were before the flesh which was born of the Virgin. 6. Who being in the world and not known, 7. Yet came unto his own, 8. being made flesh, that is,2 assuming and taking humane nature of the Virgin Mary. For that these words, the Word was made flesh, have this meaning namely, that he who now from the beginning was in the world, was made flesh, that is man (which before he was not) not by any changing or mutation of himself, but by assuming and taking humane nature; other places of Scripture do demonstrate, Heb. 2.14.16. He was partaker of the flesh: he took the seed of Abraham. 1. Tim. 3.16. God was manifested in the flesh. The Word therefore assumed and took flesh, but was not converted into flesh: that is, the divine nature was distinct from the flesh taken and assumed.
1 Obiection. The Word, in Iohn, dooth not signifie anie person, which was subsisting before the fleshe borne of the Virgin, but onelie that visible Preacher or teacher Iesus who was made flesh, 1