A14216:958
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.
1Incomprehensible, or immense] 1. He will have us to know, that he cannot be comprehended in the cogitation of any creature, so that what things he ascribeth to himself in his word, how great soever they be thought of us, yet are they always far greater. For the power of understanding which reacheth but to finite things, cannot conceive the form or perfect pattern of an infinite nature. 2. The Deity cannot be comprehended or circumscribed in place or space, or any limits; that is, the essence of God, is immense or unmeasurable, neither to be extended, nor divided, nor multiplied. Therefore it is all every where, one & the same. The 1. reason hereof is: Because an infinite power cannot be contained in an essence or nature which is finite & limited. 22. Because the power of god is always every where; & therefore his substance also. For that cannot be without this; yea it is the divine essence it self. And that the power or virtue of the divinity which hath been spread perpetually in infinite manner both before & after the creation of the world, cannot be any where, either in no substance at all, or in any substance, but only in the very substance it self of god, the Philosophers also, who conceived god to be infinite, have confessed. Neither yet is it to be thought, that the substance of the divinity is so extended, that one part thereof is one where, or so multiplied, that an other part is another where; but that it being infinite is every where: and seeing it cannot be divided into parts, as being immense and most perfect, to be all every where: and seeing it is but one, ⟨p. 311⟩that it is every where the same, so that none can pierce into or comprehend it, but it pierceth into & comprehendeth all things. Jere. 23. Do not I fill the heaven & the earth, saith the Lord? 3 Not only the power, but the essence also of the Divinity to be infinite, doth even hereby most certainly appear, Because there is one, the same, and whole substance of the three persons. For the eternal father, as he is always, so at that time, when Christ lived on earth, was he in heaven. And the word or coeternal Son of the Father was in his body on earth: & yet because there is but one & the same essence of the father & the son, both the father was with the Son on earth, and the son with the father in heaven; as himself saith,