The sum of Christian religion, delivered by Zacharias Ursinus first, by way of catechism,…The summe of Christian religion, delivered by Zacharias Ursinus first, by way of catechism,…

Of the incarnation of the Word, the confession made by the Fathers of Antioch, against Paulus Samosatenus.

1. 1This confession in taken out of the Acts of the first Ephes••e Councell,

Vigilius Lib. 4. against Eutyches.

IF there be one nature of the Word and flesh, how then, seeing the Word is every-where, is not the flesh also found every-where? For when it was in the earth, it was not verily in heaven: and now because it is in heaven, it is not verily in the earth: and insomuch it is not, as that, as touching it, we look for Christ to come from heaven, whom, as touching the Word, we believe to be in the earth with us. Wherefore, according to your opinion, either the Word is contained in place with the flesh, or the flesh is every-where with the Word; whereas one nature receiveth not any contrary or divers thing in it self: and it is a thing diverse and far unlike ⟨p. 290⟩to be circumscribed in place, and to be every-where: and seeing the Word is every-where, and the flesh is not every-where; it is apparent, that one and the same Christ is of both natures, and is every-where as touching the nature of his God-head, but is not every-where as touching the nature of his man-hood: is created, and hath no beginning: is subject to death, and cannot die: the one he hath by the nature of the Word, whereby he is God: the other by the nature of his flesh, whereby the same God is man. Wherefore that one Son of God, and the same made the Son of man, hath a beginning by the nature of flesh, and hath no beginning by the nature of his God-head: was created by the nature of his flesh, and was not created by the nature of his God-head: circumscribed in place by the nature of his flesh, and not contained in any place by the nature of his God-head; is lower also then the Angels by the nature of his flesh, and is equal with the Father according to the nature of his God-head: died by the nature of his flesh, and never died by the nature of his God-head. This is the Catholic faith and confession, which the Apostles delivered, the Martyrs established, and the faithful hitherto hold and maintain.

IF there be one nature of the Word and flesh, how then, seeing the Word is every-where, is not the flesh also found every-where? For when it was in the earth, it was not verily in heaven: and now because it is in heaven, it is not verily in the earth: and insomuch it is not, as that, as touching it, we look for Christ to come from heaven, whom, as touching the Word, we beleeve to be in the earth with us. Wherefore, according to your opinion, either the Word is contained in place with the flesh, or the flesh is every-where with the Word; whereas one nature receiveth not any contrary or divers thing in it selfe: and it is a thing diverse and far unlike ⟨p. 290⟩

¹Quest. 37. What believest thou when thou sayest, He suffered?

¹Quest. 37. What beleevest thou when thou saiest, He suffered?

1. 1ON THE 15. SABBATH.

Answ. That he, all the time of his life which he led in the earth, but especially at the end thereof, sustained the wrath of God both in body and soul, against the sin of all mankind,^a that he might by his passion, as the only propitiatory sacrifice,^b deliver our body and soul from everlasting damnation,^c and purchase unto us the favour of God, righteousness, and everlasting life.^d

Answ. That he, all the time of his life which he led in the earth, but especially at the end thereof, sustained the wrath of God both in body and soule, against the sin of all mankind,^a that he might by his passion, as the only propitiatory sacrifice,^b deliver our body and soule from everlasting damnation,^c and purchase unto us the favour of God, righteousnesse, and everlasting life.^d

1. aIsaiah 53.4. 1 Pet. 2.24. & 3.18. 1 Tim. 2.6.Esay 53.4. 1 Pet. 2.24. & 3.18. 1 Tim. 2.6.

The Explication.

Now have we in few words expounded those Articles of the Apostolic Creed, which entreat of the person of Christ; and have withal declared in the exposition thereof, those things which are necessary for us to know, both of the Divinity of Christ, and of his humane nature, which was taken by the Word of the seed of David, united personally with the Word by the virtue of the holy Ghost, and begotten in marvellous manner of the Virgins substance: The course of order requireth, that now consequently we expound and declare those Articles which treat of the office of Christ: and first of all of his Humiliation, or humbling, which is the former part of Christs office, whereunto belong these Articles; He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried: He descended into hell. After we have expounded these, we will come unto the rest of the Articles, which speak of his Glorification; which is the other part of Christs office. The Passion of Christ doth follow next his Conception and Nativity:¹ 1. Because in his Passion and Death consisteth our salvation. 2. Because his whole life was a continual passion, suffering, and calamity. Yet notwithstanding, many things may, and ought to be profitably observed out of the story of the whole race of his life on earth, set down by the Evangelists. For that doth show, 1. This person to be the promised Messiah, seeing in him concur, and are fulfilled all the prophecies. 2. That story is a consideration or meditation of that humility or obedience, which he performed unto his Father. Hither belong those things, which are especially to be considered in Christs Passion: 1. The history it self of Christs Passion agreeing with Gods sacred Oracles and Prophecies. 2. The causes or fruits of Christs Passion. 3. His example, that we are also to enter into eternal life & heavenly glory, ⟨p. 291⟩by suffering death, as did Christ. But, for fuller explication, these four Questions touching Christs Passion are to be considered: 1. What is understood by the name of Passion, or what Christ suffered. 2. Whether he suffered according to both natures. 3. What was the impellent cause of Christs Passion. 4. What the final causes or ends and fruits thereof.

NOw have we in few words expounded those Articles of the Apostolike Creed, which intreate of the person of Christ; and have withall declared in the exposition thereof, those things which are necessary for us to know, both of the Divinity of Christ, and of his humane nature, which was taken by the Word of the seed of David, united personally with the Word by the vertue of the holy Ghost, and begotten in marvellous manner of the Virgins substance: The course of order requireth, that now consequently we expound and declare those Articles which treat of the office of Christ: and first of all of his Humiliation, or humbling, which is the former part of Christs office, whereunto belong these Articles; He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried: He descended into hell. After we have expounded these, we will come unto the rest of the Articles, which speak of his Glorification; which is the other part of Christs office. The Passion of Christ doth follow next his Conception and Nativity:

1. What is meant by the name of Passion, or what Christ suffered.

BY the name of Passion is understood the whole humiliation, or the obedience of Christs whole humiliation, all the miseries, infirmities, torments, ignominies, pains, and griefs, unto all which Christ for our sakes was subject and obnoxious, as well in soul, as in body, from the point of his nativity, until the hour of his death and resurrection. For the chief part of his pains and dolours, were the torments in his soul, wherein he felt the ire and wrath of God against the sin of mankind. But principally by the name Passion is signified the last part of his humiliation, even the last act of his life,¹ wherein he suffered extreme torments of soul and body for our fins. My soul is very heavy, even unto the death. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Surely he hath carried our sorrows. The Lord hath laid upon him the iniquities of us all. The Lord would break him, and make him subject to infirmities. What then did Christ suffer? He suffered, §11. A privation and want of incomparable happiness, joy and all other heavenly blessings, which he should have enjoyed. §22. All the infirmities of mans nature, sin only excepted: he hungered, thirsted,² was weary, was stricken with sadness and grief, &c. §33. Extreme need and poverty: The son of man hath not whereon to lay his head. §44. For infinite injuries, contumelies, slanders, layings in wait for him, back-bitings, reproaches, blasphemies, annihilating,³ and contempt: I am a worm, and not a man. He hath neither form nor beauty: when we shall see him, there shall be no form that we should desire him. §5⁴5. The temptations of the Devil: He was in all things tempted in like sort, yet without sin. §66. The death of the body; and that, reproachful and contumelious, even the death of the Cross, §7

especially seeing other Martyrs have been much more stout and courageous in their torments? ¹Ans. The cause hereof was the diversity of the punishment which Christ endured, from that which other Martyrs abide. Saint Laurence lying on the grid-iron, felt not Gods dreadful wrath against his own sins, and the sins of mankind (the whole punishment whereof was laid on the Son of God, as Isaiah saith, Christ was stricken, and humbled for our iniquities) Saint Laurence, I say, then felt not God angry and striking, but reconciled and appeased with him & gracious and favourable towards him: neither sustained he (as Christ sustained) the horrors of death and hell; but had great comfort in that he suffered for the confession of the Gospel, and was assured of remission of his sins by, and for the Son of God, on whom God laid them, as it is said: Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world. ²Hence is it that S. Laurence may seem to have bin more stout and courageous in his martyrdom, than Christ in his Passion. And hereof it was that the humane nature of Christ, though united to the God-head, did sweat blood in the Garden, & brake into that out-cry: My God my God, why hast thou forsaken me? ³not that there was any separation of the natures, but because the humanity was for a time forsaken of the ⟨p. 292⟩Divinity,⁴ in as much as the Word (as Irenaeus speaketh) was at quiet, and assisted not, nor delivered the afflicted man-hood, until a sufficient Passion was finished and fulfilled. Christs Passion therefore differeth from the torments of other men, 1. In the very form: for Christ felt the whole wrath of God, both in his body, and in his soul; others not so. 2. In the impulsive cause: for Christ suffered not for his own sins, but for ours. 3. In the end: for Christs Passion is the ransom and only propitiatory sacrifice for our sins; the sufferings of other men are no ransom, but either punishments, or trials, or witnessings of the truth.

especially seeing other Martyrs have been much more stout and courageous in their torments?

Object. 1. The order of Gods justice, permitteth not that the innocent and righteous should suffer for the unrighteous. For it is the point of justice to punish the guilty offenders. But Christ was an innocent. Therefore Christs Passion seemeth to overthrow Gods justice. Ans. The righteous may not suffer for the unrighteous, unless these conditions concur in his Passion. 1. That of his own accord he offer himself to punishment. 2. That he so voluntarily offer himself to punishment, that he be able also to pay a sufficient ransom for the offenders, whose punishment he undergoeth. 3. That he be able to preserve himself from perishing therein, and able to recover thence. 4. That he effect in those for whom he satisfieth, that they offend no more hereafter. 5. That he be of the same nature which the offenders are, for whom he satisfieth. If such a satisfier be deputed, Gods justice is no way impaired. For thus, both he that suffereth, and they for whom he suffereth are saved. Now Christ is such a satisfier. For Christ both performed all the forenamed conditions, and is not only a man of the same nature with us, but we in a nigher degree of conjunction with him are his very members. In regard whereof, his punishment becometh our punishment: and the Apostles every where teach, that we all suffered and died in Christ. For when the head is afflicted, all the members suffer with it. More of this argument shall be spoken hereafter in the Article of the remission of sins. In a word, these conditions must concur to this, that one should satisfy for another: 1. This satisfaction must be sufficient. 2. It must be voluntary. 3. It must content him to whom it is due. These all are found in Christs satisfaction.

Object. 1. The order of Gods justice, permitteth not that the innocent and righteous should suffer for the unrighteous. For it is the point of justice to punish the guilty offendors. But Christ was an innocent. Therefore Christs Passion seemeth to overthrow Gods justice. Ans. The righteous may not suffer for the unrighteous, unlesse these conditions concurre in his Passion. 1. That of his own accord he offer himselfe to punishment. 2. That he so voluntarily offer himselfe to punishment, that he be able also to pay a sufficient ransome for the offendors, whose punishment he undergoeth. 3. That he be able to preserve himselfe from perishing therein, and able to recover thence. 4. That he effect in those for whom he satisfieth, that they offend no more hereafter. 5. That he be of the same nature which the offenders are, for whom he satisfieth. If such a satisfier be deputed, Gods justice is no way impaired. For thus, both he that suffereth, and they for whom he suffereth are saved. Now Christ is such a satisfier. For Christ both performed all the forenamed conditions, and is not only a man of the same nature with us, but we in a nigher degree of conjunction with him are his very members. In regard whereof, his punishment becometh our punishment: and the Apostles every where teach, that we all suffered and died in Christ. For when the head is afflicted, all the members suffer with it. More of this argument shall be spoken hereafter in the Article of the remission of sinnes. In a word, these conditions must concurre to this, that one should satisfie for another: 1. This satisfaction must be sufficient. 2. It must be voluntary. 3. It must content him to whom it is due. These all are found in Christs satisfaction.

Object. 2. Between the satisfaction and the crime there must be some proportion: But between one mans Passion, and the sins of infinite numbers of men there is no proportion: How then may the ransom of Christ alone answer for the sins of an infinite number of men? Answ It may, and that for these two causes: 1. For the dignity of the person suffering, because he is true God, and a pure and unspotted man. 2. For the grievousness of his punishment; because he suffered that which we should have suffered for ever. His passion therefore is equivalent to everlasting punishment; yea it surpasseth it. For that God should suffer, is more then that all the creatures should perish everlastingly. It was the strangest miracle that ever happened, that the Son of God should cry on the Cross,¹ My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Repl. God cannot die and suffer: Christ suffered and died: Therefore he is not God. Answ. God, that is, the person which is only God, cannot suffer, or is impassible, according to that whereby he is God. But Christ is not only God, but man withal. Or we may grant the whole reason: For Christ was not God according to that wherein he suffered and died, that is, his humanity. Repl. If Christ be not God according to that wherein he suffered, then it is false which is said; God hath purchased the Church with his own blood. Answ. This was spoken by a communicating of the properties; but this was in the person, not in the nature: that is, that person, which is God and man, purchased the Church by his blood which he shed in his man-hood.² The communicating of the properties, is, to attribute that to the whole person, which is proper unto one nature, and this is attributed in a concrete voice, not in an abstract: because the concrete voice signifieth the person in which are both natures, and the property of that nature whereof something is affirmed. But the abstract name signifieth the nature which is in the person, but not the person. And therefore it is, that nothing hindereth, why that which is proper to one nature, may not be affirmed of the whole person, so that property it self be in the person: but contrariwise, of the abstract name, only the properties of that nature are affirmed unto which they properly belong.

Object. 2. Betweene the satisfaction and the crime there must be some proportion: But betweene one mans Passion, and the sinnes of infinite numbers of men there is no proportion: How then may the ransome of Christ alone answer for the sins of an infinite number of men? Answ It may, and that for these two causes: 1. For the dignity of the person suffering, because he is true God, and a pure and unspotted man. 2. For the grievousnesse of his punishment; because he suffered that which we should have suffered for ever. His passion therefore is equivalent to everlasting punishment; yea it surpasseth it. For that God should suffer, is more then that all the creatures should perish everlastingly. It was the strangest miracle that ever hapned, that the Son of God should cry on the Crosse,

As of the ⟨p. 293⟩God-head (which is the abstract name) no property of the man-hood may be affirmed, but only the properties of the God-head; because the God-head signifieth not the person which hath both names, but only the divine nature it self. But of God (which is the concrete name) the properties not of the God-head only, but of the man-hood also may be affirmed: because God signifieth not the divine nature, but the person which hath both the divine nature, and the humane.

As of the ⟨p. 293⟩God-head (which is the abstract name) no property of the man-hood may be affirmed, but only the properties of the God-head; because the God-head signifieth not the person which hath both names, but only the divine nature it selfe. But of God (which is the concrete name) the properties not of the God-head only, but of the man-hood also may be affirmed: because God signifieth not the divine nature, but the person which hath both the divine nature, and the humane.