A64611:1483
The sum of Christian religion, delivered by Zacharias Ursinus first, by way of catechism, and then afterwards more enlarged by a sound and judicious exposition, and application of the same : wherein also are debated and resolved the questions of whatsoever points of moment have been, or are controversed in divinity / first Englished by D. Henry Parry, and now again conferred with the best and last Latin edition of D. David Pareus, sometimes Professor of Divinity in Heidelberg ; whereunto is added a large and full alphabetical table of such matters as are therein contained ; together with all the Scriptures that are occasionally handled, by way either of controversy, exposition, or reconciliation, neither of which was done before, but now is performed for the readers delight and benefit ; to this work of Ursinus are now at last annexed the Theological miscellanies of D. David Pareus in which the orthodoxall tenets are briefly and solidly confirmed, and the contrary errors of the Papists, Ubiquitaries, Antitrinitaries, Eutychians, Socinians, and Arminians fully refuted ; and now translated into English out of the original Latin copy by A.R.The summe of Christian religion, delivered by Zacharias Ursinus first, by way of catechism, and then afterwards more enlarged by a sound and judicious exposition, and application of the same : wherein also are debated and resolved the questions of whatsoever points of moment have been, or are controversed in divinitie / first Englished by D. Henry Parry, and now again conferred with the best and last Latine edition of D. David Pareus, sometimes Professour of Divinity in Heidelberge ; whereunto is added a large and full alphabeticall table of such matters as are therein contained ; together with all the Scriptures that are occasionally handled, by way either of controversie, exposition, or reconciliation, neither of which was done before, but now is performed for the readers delight and benefit ; to this work of Ursinus are now at last annexed the Theologicall miscellanies of D. David Pareus in which the orthodoxall tenets are briefly and solidly confirmed, and the contrary errours of the Papists, Ubiquitaries, Antitrinitaries, Eutychians, Socinians, and Arminians fully refuted ; and now translated into English out of the originall Latine copie by A.R.
London: printed by James Young, 1645
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.
WE are doubt less to wish for the day of judgment, because it is an undoubted sign and token of that difference whereby the elect are discerned from the reprobate; which declaration the godly do earnestly desire. Moreover, it shall be a delivery out of those miseries in which we are:1 O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? 2The Spirit and the Bride say, Come Lord Jesus: which they say not, who are not ready to receive the Lord; for the wicked tremble and shake at the mention of that judgment.
WE are doubt lesse to wish for the day of judgment, because it is an undoubted signe and token of that difference whereby the elect are discerned from the reprobate; which declaration the godly do earnestly desire. Moreover, it shall be a delivery out of those miseries in which wee are:1 O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? 2The Spirit and the Bride say, Come Lord Jesu: which they say not, who are not ready to receive the Lord; for the wicked tremble and shake at the mention of that judgment.
1What is the meaning then of this Article, I believe in Christ, which shall come to judge the quick and the dead? Ans. I believe, 1. That Christ shall certainly come, and that at his second coming there shall follow a renewing of heaven and earth. 2. That the self-same Christ shall come, who for us was born▪ suffered, and rose again. 3. That he shall come visibly and gloriously to deliver his Church, whereof I am a member. 4. That he shall come to abject and cast away the wicked into everlasting pains.2 By these we receive great and sound comfort also and consolation: For seeing there shall be a renovation or renewing of heaven and earth, we have a confidence and trust, that our state also shall be at length other, and better then now it is: seeing Christ shall come, we shall have a favourable Judge; for he shall come to judge, who hath merited righteousness for us, who is our Brother, Redeemer, Patron, and Defender: seeing he shall come gloriously, he shall also give a just sentence and judgement, and shall be mighty enough to deliver us: seeing he shall come to deliver his Church, great cause why we should cheerfully expect him: seeing ⟨p. 335⟩he shall abject and cast away the wicked into everlasting torments, let us suffer patiently their tyranny. To conclude; seeing he shall deliver the godly, and cast away the wicked, he will also deliver, not cast away us; and therefore it is necessary that we repent, and be thankful in this life, and fly fleshly security, that we may be in the number of them whom he shall deliver.
1What is the meaning then of this Article, I beleeve in Christ, which shall come to judge the quick and the dead? Ans. I beleeve, 1. That Christ shal certainly come, and that at his second coming there shall follow a renewing of heaven and earth. 2. That the self-same Christ shall come, who for us was born▪ suffered, and rose againe. 3. That he shall come visibly and gloriously to deliver his Church, whereof I am a member. 4. That he shall come to abject and cast away the wicked into everlasting pains.2
Ans. First, that he is true and co-eternal God with the eternal Father and the Sona: Secondly, that he is also given to meb, to make me through a true faith partaker of Christ and all his benefitsc, to comfort med, and to abide with me forevere.
Ans. First, that he is true and co-eternall God with the eternall Father and the Sona: Secondly, that he is also given to meeb, to make mee through a true faith partaker of Christ and all his benefitsc, to comfort med, and to abide with me forevere.
IN this last part of the Apostolic confession are contained six Articles; whereof the first speaketh of the person of the holy Ghost: the next of the Church, which is gathered, confirmed, and preserved by the holy Ghost: the four Articles following are of the benefits bestowed by the holy Ghost on the Church, and of the communion of Saints: 2. of remission of sins: 3. of the resurrection of the flesh: 4. of everlasting life. Touching the holy Ghost, three things are especially to be considered; his person, his office, his gifts and works. But for more full and ample explication hereof, these Questions following are each in their order to be examined.
IN this last part of the Apostolick confession are contained six Articles; whereof the first speaketh of the person of the holy Ghost: the next of the Church, which is gathered, confirmed, and preserved by the holy Ghost: the foure Articles following are of the benefits bestowed by the holy Ghost on the Church, and of the communion of Saints: 2. of remission of sins: 3. of the resurrection of the flesh: 4. of everlasting life. Touching the holy Ghost, three things are especially to be considered; his person, his office, his gifts and works. But for more full and ample explication hereof, these Questions following are each in their order to be examined.
1. What the name *Spirit signifieth. 2. Who, and what the holy Ghost or Spirit is. 3. What is the holy Ghosts office. 4. What, and of how many sorts his gifts are. 5. Of whom the holy Ghost is given, and wherefore. 6. To whom, and how far forth he is given. 7. When, and how he is given and received. 8. How he is retained and kept. 9. Whether he may be lost, and how. 10. Wherefore he is necessary. 11. How we may know that he dwelleth is us.
1. What the name *Spirit signifieth. 2. Who, and what the holy Ghost or Spirit is. 3. What is the holy Ghosts office. 4. What, and of how many sorts his gifts are. 5. Of whom the holy Ghost is given, and wherefore. 6. To whom, and how far forth he is given. 7. When, and how hee is given and received. 8. How he is retained and kept. 9. Whether he may be lost, and how. 10. Wherefore hee is necessary. 11. How wee may know that hee dwelleth is us.
The name spirit is sometimes taken for the cause; sometimes for the effect. When it is taken for the cause, it signifieth a nature incorporeal, and living, of a spiritual essence, wielding, moving, and stirring something; and this nature is either create, or uncreate. Uncreate, and so God essentially and personally is a Spirit; that is, incorporeal without any bodily dimension or quantity, invisible; God is a Spirit. Create, and so the Angles, whether good or bad, are in this sense spirits: 1Which maketh his Angels spirits: And after the same manner the souls of men are called spirits; 2He breathed in his face breath of life, that is, he sent a spirit or soul into him:3 When thou takest away their breath, they die. When the word spirit is taken for an effect, it signifieth, 1. The air moved. 2. The moving it self, and motion of the air. 3. The wind, and moving vapours. 4. Spiritual affections or motions, good or bad. So it is said The spirit of fear: And contrary. The spirit of princes, that is, courage: likewise, the spirit of fornication. 5. New spirit signifieth the gifts of the holy Spirit: as,4 Quench not the spirit. In this doctrine which we have in hand, Spirit signifieth the cause stirring and moving; namely, the third person of the God head, which is forcible in the minds and wills of men: And this third person of the God-head is called a ⟨p. 336⟩Spirit, §151. Because he is a spiritual essence or substance, incorporeal and invisible. §22. Because he is inspired of the Father and the Son: that is, because he is the person by which the Father and the Son immediately work their motions in the hearts of the elect; or because he is the immediate stirrer and mover of divine works: The Father and the Son move, but by this Spirit. §33. Because himself inspireth and immediately worketh motions in the hearts of the elect; whence he is called,
The holy Ghost is the third person of the true and only God-head, proceeding from the Father and the Son, and co eternal, co-equal, and consubstantial with the Father and the Son: and is sent from both into the hearts of the elect, to sanctify them unto eternal life. Here are we to say the same things of the God-head of the holy Ghost, which have been spoken before of the God-head of the Son: for this definition is also to be proved and confirmed by the same four parts:1 1. That the holy Ghost is a person. 2. That he is the third person, or that he is other and distinct from the Father and the Son. 3. That he is true God with the Father and the Son, or that he is equal to the Father and the Son. 4. That he is of the same God head with the Father and the Son, or that he is consubstantial unto both. All these that testimony of the Apostle jointly proveth: No man knoweth the things of God but the Spirit of God. 2Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we might know the things which are given unto us of God. Also that other else where: All these things worketh even the self-same Spirit, 3distributing to every man severally as he will. But we will proceed to treat of each of these in their order.
THe holy Ghost is the third person of the true and only God-head, proceeding from the Father and the Son, and co eternall, co-equall, and consubstantiall with the Father and the Son: and is sent from both into the hearts of the elect, to sanctifie them unto eternall life. Here are wee to say the same things of the God-head of the holy Ghost, which have been spoken before of the God-head of the Son: for this definition is also to be proved and confirmed by the same four parts:1 1. That the holy Ghost is a person. 2. That he is the third person, or that he is other and distinct from the Father and the Son. 3. That he is true God with the Father and the Son, or that he is equall to the Father and the Son. 4. That he is of the same God head with the Father and the Son, or that he is consubstantiall unto both. All these that testimony of the Apostle jointly proveth: No man knoweth the things of God but the Spirit of God.
I. First therefore,1 That the holy Ghost is a person, is proved, §12By his apparitions, because he hath appeared visibly: The holy Ghost came down in a bodily shape like a Dove. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like fire, and it (that is, the fire, or the holy Ghost) sate upon each of them. Seeing then the holy Ghost descended in bodily shape upon Christ, and sate upon the Apostles, it followeth that he is subsisting: for no quality or created motion of minds or hearts is able to do in like manner: For an accident doth not only not take upon it any shape, but standeth in need of something else in which it self should consist and be. Neither is the air the place or subject of holiness, godliness, love of God, and other spiritual motions, but the minds of men. §23He is proved to be a person, because he is called God: Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? Why hath Satan filled thine heart, that thou shouldest lie unto the holy Ghost? Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. Howsoever then the adversaries of this doctrine grant the holy Ghost to be God, yet this cannot be, but he must be a subsistent or person,4 seeing God is a being: but our godliness, goodness, godly motions, and other divine affections cannot be called God.§3 5He is a person, because he is the author of our baptism, and we are baptised in his name, that is, by his commandment and will. But we are not baptised by the commandment and will of a dead thing, or of a thing not existing; neither are we baptised in the name of the graces or gifts of God.§4 6Because the properties of a person are attributed unto him; as that he teacheth, that he distributeth gifts even as he will, that he comforteth,
He giveth prophecies of Simeons death, of Judas the traitor, of Peters journey to Cornelius, of Pauls bands and afflictions which should ⟨p. 337⟩betide him at Jerusalem, of a falling away, and of the deceivers in the last times, of the meaning of the high priests entrance into the holiest of all,1 of the first tabernacle, of the new covenant, of Christs sufferings, and his glory which should follow after them, and such like: he maketh request for us with sighs, which cannot be uttered; he crieth in our hearts, Abba, Father; he is tempted by them who lie unto him, he is a witness in heaven with the Father and the Son, he commandeth and willeth that the Apostles be separated; and lastly, he appointeth teachers in the Church: All these things are proper unto a person existing, intelligent, endued with a will, working and living.2 §53Because he is plainly distinguished from the gifts and graces of God. All these things worketh the self-same Spirit, distributing to every man severally as he will. There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit: Wherefore the gifts differ much from the Spirit it self. Obj. The gift of God is not a person: 4The holy Ghost is called the gift of God: Therefore he is not a person. Ans. The Major is false, if it be universally taken: for the Son being given, is the gift of God, and yet is a person. The holy Ghost is called the gift of God, because he is sent from the Father and the Son.5 I will send the comforter unto you from the Father. Or we may answer; He is called a gift, in respect that he was sent, and dwelleth in the hearts of the saints to whom he is given; and is such a gift as worketh by his virtue and power the rest of his gifts and graces. Now that, to proceed, signifieth to exist, or to be from both, I prove; Because Paul calleth him the Spirit of God, which is of God, and in God: Of God; Because the Spirit floweth from the Father and the Son. In God; Therefore he is some-what of God himself. Other spirits are not in God, that is, in the substance of God. And what is in God, that is the very essence of God.
THe name spirit is sometimes taken for the cause; sometimes for the effect. When it is taken for the cause, it signifieth a nature incorporeall, and living, of a spirituall essence, wielding, moving, and stirring something; and this nature is either create, or uncreate. Uncreate, and so God essentially and personally is a Spirit; that is, incorporeall without any bodily dimension or quantity, invisible; God is a Spirit. Create, and so the Angles, whether good or bad, are in this sense spirits: 1Which maketh his Angels spirits: And after the same manner the soules of men are called spirits; 2He breathed in his face breath of life, that is, hee sent a spirit or soule into him:3 When thou takest away their breath, they die. When the word spirit is taken for an effect, it signifieth, 1. The aire moved. 2. The moving it selfe, and motion of the aire. 3. The wind, and moving vapours. 4. Spirituall affections or motions, good or bad. So it is said The spirit of fear: And contrary. The spirit of princes, that is, courage: likewise, the spirit of fornication. 5. New spirit signifieth the gifts of the holy Spirit: as,4 Quench not the spirit. In this doctrine which wee have in hand, Spirit signifieth the cause stirring and moving; namely, the third person of the God head, which is forcible in the minds and wils of men: And this third person of the God-head is called a ⟨p. 336⟩Spirit, §151. Because he is a spirituall essence or substance, incorporeall and invisible. §22. Because hee is inspired of the Father and the Son: that is, because hee is the person by which the Father and the Son immediately work their motions in the hearts of the elect; or because hee is the immediate stirrer and mover of divine works: The Father and the Son move, but by this Spirit. §33. Because himselfe inspireth and immediately worketh motions in the hearts of the elect; whence hee is called,6 The power of the most High. §44. Because hee is God, equall, and the same with the Father and the Son: and God is a Spirit. This third person of the God-head is called holy; §171. Because he in himselfe, by himself, and of his own nature is holy. §22. Because he is hallower or sanctifier; that is, he immediately halloweth, or sanctifieth and maketh holy others. The Father and the Son sanctifie by him, and therefore immediately.
I. First therefore,1 That the holy Ghost is a person, is proved, §12By his apparitions, because hee hath appeared visibly: The holy Ghost came downe in a bodily shape like a Dove. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like fire, and it (that is, the fire, or the holy Ghost) sate upon each of them. Seeing then the holy Ghost descended in bodily shape upon Christ, and sate upon the Apostles, it followeth that he is subsisting: for no quality or created motion of minds or hearts is able to doe in like manner: For an accident doth not only not take upon it any shape, but standeth in need of something else in which it selfe should consist and be. Neither is the aire the place or subject of holinesse, goldinesse, love of God, and other spirituall motions, but the minds of men. §23Hee is proved to be a person, because hee is called God: Know yee not that yee are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? Why hath Satan filled thine heart, that thou shouldest lie unto the holy Ghost? Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. Howsoever then the adversaries of this doctrine grant the holy Ghost to be God, yet this cannot be, but hee must be a subsistent or person,4 seeing God is a being: but our goldinesse, goodnesse, godly motions, and other divine affections cannot be called God.§3 5Hee is a person, because hee is the authour of our baptisme, and wee are baptised in his name, that is, by his commandement and will. But we are not baptised by the commandement and will of a dead thing, or of a thing not existing; neither are wee baptised in the name of the graces or gifts of God.§4 6Because the properties of a person are attributed unto him; as that hee teacheth, that hee distributeth gifts even as hee will, that he comforteth,7 confirmeth, ruleth, reigneth: likewise, that he sendeth Apostles,8 that he speaketh in the Apostles: The holy Ghost shall teach you in the same houre what you ought to say. So also he declareth the things to come: The Spirit of truth will shew you the things to come.
Hee giveth prophecies of Simeons death, of Judas the traitor, of Peters journey to Cornelius, of Pauls bands and afflictions which should ⟨p. 337⟩betide him at Jerusalem, of a falling away, and of the deceivers in the last times, of the meaning of the high priests entrance into the holiest of all,1 of the first tabernacle, of the new covenant, of Christs sufferings, and his glory which should follow after them, and such like: he maketh request for us with sighs, which cannot be uttered; he crieth in our hearts, Abba, Father; he is tempted by them who lie unto him, he is a witnesse in heaven with the Father and the Son, he commandeth and willeth that the Apostles be separated; and lastly, he appointeth teachers in the Church: All these things are proper unto a person existing, intelligent, indued with a will, working and living.2 §53Because he is plainly dishinguished from the gifts and graces of God. All these things worketh the self-same Spirit, distributing to every man severally as he will. There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit: Wherefore the gifts differ much from the Spirit it selfe. Obj. The gift of God is not a person: 4The holy Ghost is called the gift of God: Therefore he is not a person. Ans. The Major is false, if it be universally taken: for the Son being given, is the gift of God, and yet is a person. The holy Ghost is called the gift of God, because he is sent from the Father and the Son.5 I will send the comforter unto you from the Father. Or we may answer; He is called a gift, in respect that he was sent, and dwelleth in the hearts of the saints to whom he is given; and is such a gift as worketh by his vertue and power the rest of his gifts and graces. Now that, to proceed, signifieth to exist, or to be from both, I prove; Because Paul calleth him the Spirit of God, which is of God, and in God: Of God; Because the Spirit floweth from the Father and the Son. In God; Therefore he is some-what of God himself. Other spirits are not in God, that is, in the substance of God. And what is in God, that is the very essence of God.
