A14216:905
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.
To believe in God, is, to believe 1. That there is a God, and he such a one, as he hath manifested himself in his word and works. 2. That he is such a one to me, and that whatsoever he hath manifested of his nature, he will apply and refer to my safety.
To beleeue in God, is, to beleeue 1. That there is a God, and hee such a one, as hee hath manifested himselfe in his woord and woorkes. 2. That he is such a one to me, and that whatsoeuer he hath manifested of his nature, hee will apply and refer to my safety.
Object. In the Creed the father only is said to be God. 1Therefore the son & the holy ghost are not god. Ans. We deny the antecedent. Because the name of god in the creed is put essentially, & compriseth all 3. persons, that is, it is put for God the father, the Son, & the holy Ghost. These 3. therefore, The Father, the Son, & the holy Ghost, are one subject by apposition of the word, God, as if it should be said: I believe in one God, who is the Father, the Son, and the holy Ghost. The rest, which cometh between each of these in the Creed, appertain to the description of each person: and this is easily proved. First, these words, I believe, and the particle, in, are referred after the same manner and sense to all three persons. For it is as well said, I believe in the Son, and, I believe in ⟨p. 292⟩the holy ghost, as, I believe in the father. But we may believe but in one god. Wherefore as we believe in the father, in that he is God: so believe we also in the Son and the holy ghost, because they are God. When then it is said, I believe in the son, &, I believe in the holy ghost, in both places is necessarily understood the word, God. Furthermore, if of these words of the first article, it follow, that the father only is God, then of the same words by the like reason it should follow, that the Father only is omnipotent, and creator of heaven and earth: which the whole Scripture crieth to be most false. But of especial consideration is this name of God, but only once mentioned in the Creed, thereby to signify, that the true God is but only one.