A14216:438
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.
1Sixthly, they say, If the creature cannot but do that which God will have done, and cannot do, what god will not have done, the will hath no active force, but is wholly passive, especially in our conversion, which is the work of god: Likewise there is no use of laws, doctrine, discipline, exhortation, threatenings, punishments, examples, promises, and lastly of our study and endeavour. We deny the consequence: Because the first or principal cause being put, the second or instrumental cause is not thereby taken away. For as god lighteneth the world, & doth quicken the earth, bringeth forth corn, nourisheth living creatures, & yet are not the instruments of gods working idle, as the sun, the rain, the earth, husbandmen, & food: So god converteth men, ruleth their purposes, wills, & actions, that is, teacheth & moveth them to approve & choose what he will, by laws, by magistrates, by doctrine, by rewards, by punishments, and lastly by their own will, which all he useth as instruments, not as if he could not without these enlighten the mind with notions, and incline the will: but because it so seemeth good to him to exercise his power by these.
1Sixtly, they say, If the creature cannot but doe that which God wil haue done, and cannot do, what god will not haue done, the wil hath no actiue force, but is wholy passiue, especially in our conuersion, which is the work of god: Likewise there is no vse of laws, doctrine, discipline, exhortation, threatnings, punishments, examples, promises, and lastly of our study and endeuour. Wee denie the consequence: Because the first or principal cause beeing put, the second or instrumentall cause is not thereby taken away. For as god lightneth the world, & doth quicken the earth, bringeth foorth corne, nourisheth liuing creatures, & yet are not the instruments of gods working idle, as the sun, the raine, the earth, husbandmen, & food: So god conuerteth men, ruleth their purposes, wils, & actions, that is, teacheth & moueth them to approue & chuse what he wil, by laws, by magistrats, by doctrine, by rewards, by punishments, and lastly by their owne wil, which al he vseth as instruments, not as if he could not without these illighten the mind with notions, and incline the wil: but because it so seemeeh good to him to exercise his power by these.
- 1The will is not idle or mere passive when God worketh by it, no more than the sun, rain and such like instruments of Gods operation.