A14216:307
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.
It remaineth that we show,1 that also God is not the author of sin. Gen. 1. & 2. God saw those things which he had made, and they were very good. Psal. 5. Because thou art not a God that loveth wickedness. James. 1. Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God. Eccle. 15. Say not thou, it is through the Lord that I turn back: for thou oughtest not to do the things that he hateth. To these and very many the like speeches may be added the great and most perfect goodness of God, so that no effect of his is evil. And because God is true, and far from all dissembling and guile, neither can destroy or deny himself; 2it is certain that plain contradictory wills cannot be in him. But he testifieth in his law (which is as it were a glass of that purity which is in God) that he hath a horrible hatred of sin. Wherefore he doth not will any, and much less causeth or furthereth it. Moreover, that which one himself worketh in an other, he cannot of right punish. But God doth most justly punish all sins. Wherefore he neither will nor causeth any sin. Rom. 3. Is God unrighteous which punisheth? God forbid: else how shall God judge the world? Lastly God doth neither will nor cause that which destroyeth his image: sin is the destruction of the image of God. Wherefore God doth neither will nor cause it. Of this we conclude, that God is not the author of sin; but that the original of evil springeth from man himself, by the instigation of the Devil: yet so nevertheless, that we say, that the Devil being at the ⟨p. 102⟩first corrupted did corrupt man,3 but could have done nothing, except man of his own accord had consented to evil. Here are we to remember again the fall of our father Adam. God made Adam to his own image, and similitude, that is, he made him most good, uncorrupt, holy, righteous, and immortal: he furnished him with most excellent gifts, that nothing might be wanting unto him to all blessedness in God. Wherefore his understanding was wholly divine: his will most free and most holy, he had power of doing good and evil: a law was given him of God, which showed him what he should do, or what he should not do. For the Lord said, Thou shalt not eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge both of good and evil.