A14216:1350
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.
11 Objection. It is not found any where in Scriptures, that Christ is the natural and coeternal Son of God. Therefore it is but an invention of men, imagining in him besides his flesh another substance, according to which he should be the eternal son of God. Answer Although these very words are not, in the very same Syllables, extant in the Scripture: yet there are found the like, and equivalent, or such as signify the same which these do. For, the wisdom of God which is Christ and the Son, Prou. 8.22. is described to be such, as was with GOD from everlasting before his works were made. And further, John saith, that the Word, whom he called the Son, was even then in the beginning of the world, and was God, creating and preserving all things. But God is eternal and before things were created, together with which also time began, eternity only existeth, and may be imagined in mind. Moreover, he is expressly called the proper son of God Therefore he is the natural son of God: who hath the nature and essence of his father, and that the same with his father: because the Deity is but one in number, creatress of all things; also he hath the same whole & entire, because it is indivisible. Wherefore the man christ is the same eternal god with the Father,2 by reason of the Deity, which he hath simply all one, & the same with the father: for there are not two eternals: he is also the natural & coeternal Son of the father, because he is another from the father as touching his person. Reply 1 Christ is called the proper Son of God, because he was made by God: as also the church is called the proper people of god. Answer. This is a corruption of a place of ⟨p. 473⟩Paul. For Paul, Rom. 8.3. and 32. opposeth the proper Son of God to us, and also to the Angels. For both the Angels and we are made the Sons of God, in respect either of our creation, adoption, and regeneration by the holy Ghost, or also in respect of both, as the regenerate. Therefore we being compared with Christ, are not the proper Sons of God. For so he could not be called the proper and only begotten Sonne. Wherefore he is, and is called the proper Son of God, in that he alone was begotten of the substance of God the Father. Reply 2.