A14216:453
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.
The first degree of liberty was in man not yet fallen, 1before sin; even that power and ability given unto man from above, by which the mind was lightened with the perfect & certain knowledge of God & his divine will, whereby the will also by the proper inclination thereof and free motion did yield perfect obedience unto the known will of God. But yet the will was not so confirmed in this inclination & knowledge, but that it could decline & defect from that obedience by her own proper and free motion, if hope or show of any good to come by defecting were offered unto it. Or shorter thus. Before the fall it was such a power in man, as that he was able to will and yield perfect obedience, to be conformable to god, & to make choice of that conformity: And further was able if he listed to forsake that conformity. Or to be yet shorter. 2Before the fall there was a fitness and aptitude in man to choose good or evil: and man was perfectly conformed to god, because he was made to the Image of God. Again, All things which God made were very good. ⟨p. 160⟩Now that there was in our first Parents some weakness joined with perfect knowledge and obedience of God, which might be overcome by the greatness and force of some temptation,3 the event it self doth evidently enough declare. And that by the especial purpose of god there was not so much grace bestowed upon our first Parents, as thereby they were not able to be seduced by the tentation of Satan, and be moved to sin: the Apostle witnesseth Rom. 11. when he saith: God hath shut up all in unbelief, that he might have mercy on all. Likewise Rom. 9. say••g, That the vessels of wrath are prepared of god to destruction; •e showeth, that god therefore suffered mankind to fall, because it seemed good to him not only to declare his mercy towards his chosen, but his anger also, and power and justice, in punishing the reprobate. Furthermore, whereas nothing is done, without the everlasting & most good purpose & counsel of god; the fall also of our first Parents may be so much the less exempted from it, by how much the more god had precisely & exactly determined from everlasting, concerning his chief work, even mankind, what he would have done. Lastly, the creature can by no means retain that righteousness, and conformity with God, except God who gave it, keep it, neither can he leese it, if god will have it kept: