A14216:1565
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.
2 According to which nature Christ suffered.
CHRIST suffered not according to both natures, neither according to his God-head, but according to his humane nature only, both in body and soul. For his divine nature is immortal. Now he so suffered according to ⟨p. 557⟩his humanity, that by his death and Passion he made satisfaction for infinite sins of men.
CHRIST suffered not according to both natures, neither according to his God-head, but according to his humane nature onely, both in body and soule. For his diuine nature is immortal. Now he so suffered according to ⟨p. 557⟩his humanity, that by his death and Passion he made satisfaction for infinite sinnes of men.
Question. But why could not his God-head suffer? Answer. Because it is not changeable: neither can that, which is life it self, die. This sustained & upheld the humane nature in pains, & after death restored it to life. Objection. God purchased the Church with his own blood. Acts 20.28. Therefore the god-head suffered. Answer. It doth not follow, because an argument from the concrete (which is, God) to the abstract (which is, the God-head) is if no consequence. Again, the kind of affirmation is altered. God is said to have died, by a figure of speech, which is Synecdoche (used when we signify the whole by a part, as whole Christ, by, God,) and by a communicating of the properties. But when it is said, The god-head died, that admitteth no figure, as being a mere abstract. The concrete signifieth the subject or person having the nature or form: But the abstract signifieth the bare nature and form only. Wherefore the argument doth not follow. A man is compounded of the elements, and is corporeal: Therefore his soul also is corporeal. This cannot follow; Because all things agree not to the form, which agree to the subject; the soul is the form of man, man is the essential subject of the soul. Wherefore neither doth it follow. Christ, God, died: Therefore Christs God-head died. For, from the concrete to the abstract the reason doth not follow.