A14216:2228
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.
7 What the wicked receive in the Lords supper.
7 What the wicked receiue in the Lords supper.
THE wicked receive. 1. The bare signs only, namely bread and wine. 2. They receive those signs to their condemnation, or they eat their own damnation. Now to eat damnation, is, through incredulity & abusing of the sacrament to be abalienated and repelled from christ and all his blessings: or, through abusing of the sacrament being received without faith & repentance, grievously to offend God, and so to draw upon themselves temporal and everlasting punishments, except they repent. Contrariwise, to eat christ, is, through faith to be made partaker of his merit, efficacy, and benefits. For no man can eat christ, and not withal be made by faith partaker of his merit, efficacy, and gifts. No man therefore can both eat Christ, and withal eat his own damnation: and therefore false is their objection, who say thus: The wicked eat damnation unto themselves: Therefore they eat Christ. Reply. But why eat the wicked damnation unto themselves, seeing it is a good work to receive the sacraments? Answer. It is a good work by it self, but not unto the wicked. The receiving of the sacraments is a good work, when the true and right use is adjoined: otherwise it is made not a commanded, but a forbidden work, as also God saith: He that killeth a bullock is as if he slue a man. So Paul: If thou be a transgressor of the Law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision.
THE wicked receiue. 1. The bare signes onely, namely bread and wine. 2. They receiue those signes to their condemnation, or they eate their owne dannation. Nowe to eate damnation, is, through incredulitie & abusing of the sacrament to be abalienated and repelled from christ and al his blessinges: or, through abusing of the sacrament being receiued without faith & repentance, grieuously to offend God, and so to draw vpon themselues temporal and euerlasting punishmentes, except they repent. Contrariwise, to eate christ, is, through faith to bee made partaker of his merite, efficacie, and benefites. For no man can eate christ, and not withall be made by faith partaker of his merite, efficacie, and giftes. No man therefore can both eate Christ, and withall eate his owne damnation: and therefore false is their obiection, who say thus: The wicked eate damnation vnto themselues: Therefore they eate Christ. Reply. But why eat the wicked damnation vnto themselues, seeing it is a good worke to receiue the sacramentes? Aunswere. It is a good work by it selfe, but not vnto the wicked. The receiuing of the sacramentes is a good worke, when the true and right vse is adioined: otherwise it is made not a commaunded, but a forbidden work, as also God saith: He that killeth a bullocke is as if he slue a man. So Paul: If thou be a transgressour of the Law, thy circumcision is made vncircumcision.