A64611:735
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,…
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
Title page: Internet Archive scan of the Early English Books microfilm
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.
1Most free.) God also alone is most free, because he alone by nature is such, 1. That no fault or misery can fall upon him. 2. Neither can he be constrained of any. 3. Neither is he bound to any. 4. Neither is he subject or tied to the rule or lore of another. Wherefore whatsoever he willeth and doth, that he willeth and doth himself most freely, ⟨p. 165⟩when, as much, and in what manner he will; and what he will, that is most good and just. But here chiefly is considered the freedom of will, or liberty from constraint; which is the power and ability whereby God, without any necessity, hath from everlasting decreed the whole order of creation, preservation, and rule of all things, and doth accomplish the same, not being constrained or tied to other causes; yet so, that he never swerveth from his rightness. To this bear witness his miracles, and many examples of deliveries and punishments, and many places of Scripture; as, Whatsoever pleased the Lord, that did he in the heaven and earth, 2in the sea, and in all the depth. It is not hard to the Lord to save with many or with few. 3Object. 1. That without which second causes, which work necessarily, cannot work, doth it self also work necessarily: Without the first cause, which is God, second causes, which necessarily work, cannot work: Therefore the first cause also, which is God, worketh together with them necessarily. Answ. The Major is true of such causes as work with absolute necessity: but it is false of such as work only of a conditional necessity; that is, because it so pleased God (who notwithstanding could move them otherwise, or else at all not move them, or not so much as make them) that they should work, and should work after that manner which they do work: Therefore all second causes depend on the first, but not the first any way on the second. Object. 2. God is unchangeably good: Therefore not freely good. Ans. This unchangeableness doth not diminish, but establish the liberty of Gods will: for it is not the unchangeableness of a nature, but constraint and coaction which is contrary to liberty; and so much the more freely the will chooseth, with how much the greater and surer force and motion it is carried unto her object. Object. 3. It is said also of particular events, that God can only will those things which are best: But only those things which he hath decreed are best: