A14216:19
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.
If yet in this I have been presumptuous, if bold, if undiscreete, if foolish: my brethren, for your sakes have I bin so: for your sakes have I bin presumptuous, bold, undiscreete, & foolish, even for you and for your children. The greater is my hope and trust, that these whatsoever my pains and labours shall find favour and grace in your sights, and receive good entertainment at your hands; because for you they have bin undertaken, and the gains and commodity, that shall arise thereof (if by the blessed will of God any shall arise) shall redound unto you and yours for ever.
If yet in this I haue been presumptuous, if bolde, if vndiscreete, if foolish: my brethren, for your sakes haue I bin so: for your sakes haue I bin presumpteous, bold, vndiscreete, & foolish, euen for you and for your children. The greater is my hope and trust, that these whatsoeuer my paines and labours shall find fauor and grace in your sights, and receiue good entertainment at your hands; bicause for you they haue bin vndertaken, and the gains and commodity, that shal arise therof (if by the blessed wil of God any shal arise) shal redound vnto you and yours for euer.
It is a case lamentable, deserving the bowels of all Christian pity and compassion, and able to cause the tears of sorrow to gush out and stream down the face of a man, who is not frozen too hard in security and in an uncharitable carelessness: when he shall but lift up his eyes, and see the wast and desolation of so many distressed souls, who in so many places of this our land & country have bin & are daily either pined away and consumed to the bone for lack of Gods sustenance, the bread of life, the word of God, the only preservative of the soul; or, through the deceitful poison of that old Sorcerers and Witches Children, infected and banned unrecoverably. Alas poor souls, fain would they have somewhat to keep life within them: and therefore as famished and starved creatures, ⟨image 6⟩which have been for a space pounded up and pin-folded in a ground of barrenness, debarred of all succour & relief, when ever they may light of any thing that may go down the throat, be it as bitter as gall, and as deadly as poison, they swallow bitterness as sugar, and lick up death as sweet honey. And yet, (I rue to speak it) such is the hard-hartednes and brutish unnaturalness of many merciless men, if yet men, who have so flinted their foreheads, seared and sealed up their minds and consciences in all impiety: as that they have entered as it were into a league & bond with themselves to forget Christ, never to know the man more, never to speak in the name of Jesus; never to feed the flock of Jesus, whose souls are even as great and dear to him, as the price they cost him. For, had not these men swornlike