A14216:1357
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.
1Object. The man Jesus is called the only begotten, because he only was begotten of the Virgin by the Holy Ghost. Answer. It is a misconstruing and corrupt interpretation of the word. 1. For he is so the only begotten, that he is also the proper or natural son. Now such a one is said to be the only begotten, not for the special manner only of begetting, but because he only was begotten of his substance, whose son he is called, or because he only hath his essence issuing from the substance of the Father. 2 Because he the very same, by whom all things were made and are preserved, who is in the bosom of the Father, even from the beginning of the world revealing God unto the chosen: who being sent from heaven into the world took flesh, came in the flesh &c. he is called the only begotten son of the father. Joh. 1.18. 1. Joh. 4.9. John. 1.14. We saw the glory thereof, that is, of the Word, but not of the man Jesus, as heretics would have it. For there is no other antecedent in that place, but the Word. For these words go before; The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us: then it followeth, and we saw the glory thereof. If then the Word it self be called and is the only begotten: then Christ is called the only begotten in this place not in respect of the manner of his generation of the virgin, but in respect of his generation from everlasting of the Father. 3 The Words generation, of the father, is often in scripture discerned and distinguished from christs generation of the virgin. The Evangelist, as we see, calleth the Word the only begotten of the Father. Of wisdom it is said, Proverb. 8.25. that before the mountains, that is, from the beginning, it was formed, or (as the Chaldee paraphrast interpreteth it) begotten: but we read in Matthew, that Jesus, who is called Christ, was borne of Mary. 4 The only begotten is opposed to Angels & men. But Angels and men are the Sons of God, either by creation, or by adoption, or by sanctification, after what sort soever this be wrought by the holy ghost. Therefore Christ must needs be called the only begotten for this cause, even for that he is his Son by nature. For after this manner he is the Son of God only, and truly and simply severed from other Sons.