A14216:143
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.
but will open unto us the true and certain meaning of his word concerning all things necessary to our salvation, that our faith may depend not on humane, but divine authority, even as it is promised in the seventh Chapter of Matthew, Ask, and it shall be given you: seek, and ye shall find: knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For whosoever asketh, receiveth: and he that seeketh, findeth: and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened. And in the eleventh of Luke, How much more shall your heavenly Father give the holy Ghost to them that desire him? Also in the first of James, If any of you do lack wisdom, let him ask of God, which giveth to all men liberally, and reproacheth no man, and it shall be given him: but let him ask in faith, and waver not.
but will open vnto vs the true and certaine meaning of his woord concerning all thinges necessarie to our saluation, that our faith may depend not on humane, but diuine autoritie, euen as it is promised in the seuenth Chapter of Matthewe, Aske, and it shall bee giuen you: seeke, and ye shall finde: knocke, and it shall bee opened vnto you. For whosoeuer asketh, receiueth: and hee that seeketh, findeth: and to him that knocketh, it shall bee opened. And in the eleuenth of Luke, How much more shall your heauenlie Father giue the holie Ghost to them that desire him? Also in the first of Iames, If anie of you doe lacke wisedome, let him aske of God, which giueth to all men liberallie, and reprocheth no man, and it shall bee giuen him: but let him aske in faith, and wauer not.
To their former arguments our adversaries add, that it Objection. 11 is a shame that the holy Ghost speaking in the Church should be subject to the examination and judgement of another: 1and therefore we must not examine him by the rule of the Scripture. But seeing that the same spirit speaketh in the Church and in the Scripture: when we do examine the voice of the Church by the Scripture, we do not subject the holy Ghost to another: but we compare him with himself. And by this means first we give unto him the praise of trueth and constancy, while we do acknowledge and testify that he is always like himself, and doth never square from himself: then also we confess that the supreme authority of pronouncing the will of God belongeth unto him, while we do not seek, whether those things be true and certain which he hath spoken, but whether those be his words, which men ascribe unto him: and this we do even after the selfsame manner which he hath prescribed us: and after that we find out by the rule of the written word, that any thing hath proceeded from him, to that without making any controversy we submit our minds & wills. Contrariwise it is easy to see that our adversaries themselves are guilty of that contumely against the holy Ghost, of which they accuse us. For while they will have the authority of giving judgement, concerning the meaning of the Scripture, and of deciding controversies, not to belong unto the Scriptures but unto themselves: by this very thing both they imagine that the holy Ghost may dissent from himself, and do make themselves judges higher then the holy ghost and the word of God.