A14216:2028
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 Sacraments therefore are the signs of the eternal covenant between God and the faithful, that is, they are rites, commanded & prescribed to the church, & added unto the promise of grace, whereby, as by visible and certain testimonies, God might signify and testify that he communicateth and imparteth Christ and his benefits to all those that use and receive these tokens and symbols with a true faith, according to the promise of the gospel: and that hereby also he might confirm in them a full persuasion and trust of his promise: & that the church also of the other side might by the participation of these symbols and tokens profess publicly their faith and thankfulness towards God, and bind themselves unto it, preserve and propagate the memory of christs benefits, be discerned from all other sects, and obliged and stirred up to a mutual dilection and love under one head christ Jesus.
2 Sacraments therefore are the signes of the eternal couenant betweene God and the faithful, that is, they are rites, commaunded & prescribed to the church, & added vnto the promise of grace, whereby, as by visible and certaine testimonies, God might signifie and testifie that hee communicateth and imparteth Christ and his benefites to al those that vse and receiue these tokens and symboles with a true faith, according to the promise of the gospel: and that hereby also hee might confirme in them a full perswasion and trust of his promise: & that the church also of the other side might by the participation of these symboles and tokens professe publiquelie their faith and thankefulnes towardes God, and binde themselues vnto it, preserue and propagate the memorie of christes benefites, be discerned from all other sects, and obliged and stirred vp to a mutual dilection and loue vnder one head christ Jesus.
3 Rites and ceremonies, which are not commanded of God, or are not instituted to this end, as to be signs and tokens of the promise of grace, are not signs and tokens of the church: for a sign can confirm nothing but by his consent and promise, from whom the thing promised and signified is expected and looked for. No creature therefore can institute any signs or pledges of Gods will.