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.

2 For what, man was created.

THe last and principall end of mans creation is the glorie and praise of god. For therfore god created reasonable crea∣tures, that being known of them he might bee magnified. It is an action proper vnto man to know & magnifie god.

Therefore he was created to know and worship God: that is, to professe him, to call vpon him, to giue thankes vnto him, & to obey him; Lastly to loue God & his neighbour.

The worship of God comprehendeth Profession and In∣uocation on the name of God, Thankesgiuing, Praiers, & Obedience, which consisteth in our loue and dueties to∣wards God and men. Many other endes are subordinated to this principall end. For vnto the worship is substituted the true knowledge of God. For God not being known can not be worshipped. This is euerlasting life, that they may know thee a∣lone to bee the true God. Further, To the knowledge of God is sub∣ordinated or next in order the felicity & blessednes of man, which is the fruition and euerlasting participation of God, in which consisteth glorie and eternall life. To this is subordi∣nated the manifestation of God, or the declaration of Gods mercie in his chosen to euerlasting life, and of his iustice and wrath a∣gainst sinne to be punished in the reprobate. For that thou maist know God, and be happy, it is needfull also that he make himselfe manifest vnto thee. Vnto the manifestation of God is subordinated the preseruation of societie in mankinde. For ex∣cept there were men, God shoulde not haue whom to ma∣nifest himselfe vnto. I will declare thy name vnto my brethren. To this preseruatiō there folow next in order the duties of nature, and the mutuall good turnes, and benefites of one man towards an other. For no societie or coniunction or conuersing of men together can be or consist without mutuall dueties passing enterchangeably betweene them. Wherefore the societie of men, and mutuall communicating and imparting of dueties betweene them, are the subordinate endes of man created, seruing for the obtaining of the principall end, which is the manifestation, participation or fruition, knowledge, praise and worshippe of God. When therefore God is saide to be the ende of man, it is meant of him ma∣nifested, participated, knowne, and worshipped. And in this end, as being the chief and last, the whole felicitie and blessednes, and glorie of man consisteth.

1. Obiect. Heauen, earth, and other creatures which are void of reason, are said to worshippe and magnifie God: Therefore the worship and praise of God is not the proper end why man was created. Answere. This reason hath a fallacie of equiuo∣cation

or ambiguitie. Creatures voide of reason are saide to worship and praise God, not that they vnderstand ought of god, or know and worship him: But because they bea∣ring certain prints and steps of Diuinitie in them, are the matter of gods praise and worship. But the creatures en∣dewed with reason are said to praise and magnifie god, not onely, because in them are extant most conspicuous and notable testimonies of god, but chiefly, because they bee∣ing endewed with a power & facultie of vnderstanding, & of conforming themselues to the will of god, know by the beholding & contemplation of gods works in thēselues & other creatures, the infinite goodnes, wisedome, power, iu∣stice, bounty, and maiestie of god, and are raised and stirred vp to worship god aright both in minde, and in worde, and in the whole obedience, according to his diuine law. And if god had not created creatures of reason and vnderstan∣ding, who might beholde, consider, and with thankefull minde acknowledge his workes, and the order and dispo∣sing of thinges in whole nature: other thinges which are voide of reason, might no more be saide to praise and wor∣ship god, that is to be the matter and occasion of praising him, than if they had neuer beene at all.

2. Obiection. The felicitie and blessednes of man is a qua∣litie, or condition and estate, in which or with which man was cre∣ated; that is, it is a part of the image of God, and a forme or pro∣pertie of man. Therefore it belōgeth to the first question, what man was created, and not to this of the end of mans creation. Answere. This hath no contrarietie in it; for the same may be in di∣uers the finall cause & the formal. For the soule and the properties or faculties thereof, are both the formal and final cause of a liuing bodie: the forme, as they actuate and giue life vnto the bodie: the ende, as the bodie is framed of nature for this, that the soule may informe it, and exer∣cise by it his operations & actions. In like sort the blessed∣nes of man, or participation or fruition of god, as also the knowledge of god, is a propertie and part of the image of god in man, in respect of the beginning, when man by his creation beganne both to bee, and to bee iust and blessed: it is the ende of man in respect of continuance & perseue∣rance, that is, as god created man wise, iust, and blessed for

this, that hee shoulde continue so for euer: that is, man was created iust and happie, & he was created for this, that he might be iust and happie. Wherefore albeit the existence of blessednesse and the continuance & abiding of the same are the same in the thing it selfe: yet in consideration and respect they are diuers. By reason of which diuers respects, felicitie, wisedome, holines, are both a qualitie and an end of man, that is, are referred to the questions, WHAT and FOR WHAT man was created.

This first creation of man is diligently to be compared with the miserie of mankinde, as also the end for which we were created with the aberration and swaruing from the end: that so by this meanes also wee may know the great∣nes of our miserie. For howe much the greater wee see the good was, which wee haue lost; so much the greater wee know the euils to be, into which we are fallen.

Notes

• The principal end of mans cre∣ation, to praise & worship God.
• Other ends of mans creation are, The knowledge of God.
• Mans felicitie.
• The manifesta∣tion of God.
• The preseruati∣on of the society of men.
• Other creatures are said to praise God as being the matter of his praise: which yet they shoulde not bee, if man and Angels were not.