A collection of certaine learned discourses, written by that famous man of memory Zachary Ursine; doctor and professor of divinitie in the noble and flourishing schools of Neustad. For explication of divers difficult points, laide downe by that author in his catechisme. Lately put in print in Latin by the last labour of D. David Parry: and now newlie translated into English, by I.H. for the benefit and behoofe of our Christian country-man

OF GOD AND THE TRVE KNOW∣ledge of him.

1 MAn being destitute of the true knowledge of God, is most vnhappy.

2 It is no true knowledge of God, which agree∣eth not with Gods own opening of himselfe, nor is ioined with true loue and feare of God.

3 Of this opening & knowledge of God in mā∣kinde there are 3 degrees, 1 By Gods workes shi∣ning in nature: 2 by the word of God delivered to the church: 3 by the grace of the holy spirite lightning the mindes of the regenerate through consideration of the workes and word of God.

4 For that there is a God, these testimonies cō∣pell all reasonable men though ignoraunt of the doctrine of the church to confesse. 1 The most wise order of things in nature: 2 The excellencie

of the minde of man: the knowledge of naturall principles, and amongst them of this, that there is a God: 4 The feares of conscience in the wicked: 5 The punishments of sinne in this life: 6 The in∣stituting and preservation of Civile order: 7 The vertues and singular motions in heroike mindes: 8 The significations of future things: 9 The desti∣nating and appointment of all thinges vnto cer∣taine ends: 10 The order of causes not proceeding to infinitie.

5 That there is but one true God, besides the testimonies of Gods word, these also proue. 1 The revealing of one true God only: 2 The most high and excellent maiestie, perfection, and omnipo∣tencie of the true God. 3 Because more then one would be either idle or superfluo••.

6 Lastly, they who doe not oppose themselues against reason, confesse that God is a nature spiri∣tuall, intelligent, eternal, divers frō al other things, incōprehensible, in it selfe most perfect, immuta∣ble, of infinite power, wisdome, & goodnes, iust, chaste, true, merciful, bountifull, most free, angrie for sinne, governing the world.

7 But without the light of Gods word men nei∣ther vnderstand these things which they confesse of God, neither know anie of those things, which the voice of heavenly doctrine, that is, the scrip∣ture, addeth to this knowledge of God, as of the eternal father and son & holy Ghost, of the crea∣tiō of things, sending his son, gathering his disper∣sed church, vniversall iudgment, & eternall life.

8 Wherefore the testimonies of God in nature are to be considered, but whosoeuer seeke GOD without the doctrin of the church, they substitute an idoll in steede of the true God.

9 Moreover the true knowledge of God is not to be learned out of the very word of God, with∣out the speciall grace of the holy Spirit.

10 And in the ende, all the knowledge of God which mē haue in this life, is but slender, and be∣gunne, nor shal be perfited, but in the celestiall e∣ternitie.

11 The eternal Father,* 1.1 Son, and holy Ghost are three persons

12 Indeed distinct one from an other.

13 Equall in all essentiall or naturall properties of the Deitie.

14 And of one essence or nature.

15 By the divine essence church vnderstādeth that which the eternall father,* 1.2 son, & holy Ghost, (every of them beeing absolutely considered in himselfe,* 1.3 or his owne nature) are, & are called. But by this word person they meane that which everie of the three is, and is called, beeing considered as he is compared with the other, or respectiuely, or according to the manner of their exillence.

16 That the sonne is a divine subsistence or per∣son,* 1.4 it is prooved, because 1 He is named the pro∣per and only begotten Sonne of GOD, that is, his naturall Sonne: 2 Hee is saide in scripture to haue taken vpon him the nature of man, and before that to haue beene the sonne of GOD.

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3 He is called the word which by Iohn is described to be a person subsistent and by Salomon wisdome sub∣sistent. 4 He is the mediatour betweene God and man, who must needs haue beene from all eterni∣tie. 5 He is named an Angell even before his in∣carnation. 6 Lastly, he is described to be CHRIST borne of the virgin, naturall and true God & the sonne of God.

17 That the holie Ghost also is a subsistence or person subsisting it is plaine 1. Because he appeared in a visible forme:* 1.5 2. Because in scripture hee is called God, 3. Because in his name we are bapti∣sed. 4. Because to him are attributed thinges pro∣per to a person.

18 But that these persons are distinct one from an other,* 1.6 hereby it is manifest, 1. Because the Fa∣ther, Sonne, and holy Ghost are also called for reference and respect which they haue one to an other: and, 2. Because the scripture saith that the Sonne and holy Ghost are not one with the Fa∣ther, nor the holie Ghost with the Sonne: 3. Be∣cause they are said to be more then one; and be∣cause properties are attributed to one, which a∣gree not to an other.

19 The equalitie of godhead in these three per∣sons is prooued by expresse testimonies of scrip∣ture,* 1.7 by their personall proprieties, because not some parte, but the whole divine essence is communicated to the Sonne by the Father, and to the holy Ghost by the Father and the Sonne: 2. By such attributes or proprieties as are com∣mon

to the divine nature: 3. By the workes of GOD; and by equalitie of honour due vnto them.

20 That they are consubstantiall it is certaine,* 1.8 1 Because they are Iehovah which is one; 2 Be∣cause they are in scripture described as the true GOD, which is onely one: 3. Because there is one spirite of the Father and of the Sonne: 4. Be∣cause the Father communicateth to the Sonne and the holy Ghost, and the Sonne to the holie Ghost, not an other, but his own proper essence, and that whole and vndevided.

21 The differences of these persons in the Dei∣ty are either internall,* 1.9 from those operations which they exercise one towardes an other: or externall, from those operations which they exer∣cise towardes the creatures.

22 The internall differences are,* 1.10 that the Father is the first person of the Deity, neither borne nor proceeding from any other, but being of it selfe, which from all eternitie begate the sonne, and from whom the holy Ghost proceedeth: the Son is the second person of the Deity, begotten from all eternitie of the Father, and from whom the holy Ghost proceedeth: the holy Ghost is the thirde person of the Deity proceeding from all e∣ternity from the Father and the sonne.

23 These workes vvhich the Deity exerciseth towardes the creatures,* 1.11 although they bee com∣mon to the three persons, yet the order which the three divine persons obserue in performing them

make their difference externall: as that the Father doth all things of himselfe, by the Sonne and ho∣lie Ghost; the Son & holy Ghost not of thēselues; but the Sō of the father by the holy ghost; and the holy GHOST of the father & the Son by him∣selfe.

24 And hence it is that some benefites are pro∣perly said to be gifts of the holy ghost, nor because the father hath no part in them, but because hee bestoweth them vpon vs by the son or the holie ghost, as when the son is called the wisedom, the word, counsellor, angell, apostle, image of the Fa∣ther, power of the father, vniting vnto him the hu∣mane nature, and therefore incarnate, and man, and mediatour, intercessor, priest, redeemer, iusti∣fier, shepheard, head, and king of his church. Sit∣ting at the right hand of his father, iudge of quick and dead &c. Also that the holy ghost is called a sanctifier, that is a person immediately lightning vs, regenerating, vniting vs to God, comforting and confirming vs.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Three per∣sons of one God.
• * 1.2

  What is meant by essence.
• * 1.3

  What a person is
• * 1.4

  The Sonne 〈◊〉〈◊〉 person of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉, or a subsistence.
• * 1.5

  The holy Ghost a person.
• * 1.6

  That these persons are distingui∣shed.
• * 1.7

  That the persons be equall.
• * 1.8

  That the persons are consubstā∣tiall.
• * 1.9

  Two sortes of differen∣ces in the persons.
• * 1.10

  Internall.
• * 1.11

  Externall.