A14216:925
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.
1And hence is apparent the impudency of Epicures and Academics, who deem all religion to be devises of subtle men, coined to this end and purpose, that the rest of the common people might, through fear of a superior power, be kept in good order. For first, if through deceivableness other men believe that God is, and dread him; why then are these men themselves, who will seem by their sharp insight to espy the guile most of all tormented with the conscience & privy acknowledgement both of this their blasphemy, as also of other their misdeeds? Moreover the sole and bare asseveration & word of a few could not have bin sufficient neither to persuade all mankind, nether to maintain the persuasion, once ⟨p. 297⟩brought in, to all succeeding ages. Neither doth that lighten the force of those arguments, which are deducted from this notion, that there is a God; & from the conscience, in that they say, there are many found, who neither believe there is a god, nether are moved with the conscience of their sins. For although they covet never so much to persuade themselves, that there is no God, yet is their conscience always against them. And therefore it is most false that these men imagine that any one of the wicked is free from the gnawing of his conscience. For how much the more every one despiseth God and all religion, and endeavoureth to repress the pricks of conscience: so much the more is he tormented, and at every mentioning and signifying of God he trembleth and shaketh with horror; and how much the slowlier, with so much the more severe dolour & pain is his security shaken from him. Whereupon we see, those, whose whole life was profane and secure, for the most part, when they are oppressed with the terror of gods judgement, to perish in despair. Now that which is said Psa. 10. The ungodly is so proud, that he careth not for god: neither is god in all his thoughts: & Ps. 14. & 53. The fool hath said in his hart, there is no god: that this hath not this meaning, as if the wicked were void of all knowledge and fear of god, or do not confess that there is a god: but that framing unto themselves another, than he indeed is who hath manifested himself, to wit, one that careth not for mens affairs, defendeth not, nor delivereth the good, and punisheth the wicked; they place an idol in the room of the true God: