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 HOW CHRIST IS THE SONNE OF GOD.

CHrist is the sonne of God according to both natures,* 1.1 but in diuers respects. According to his Godhead hee is the sonne by nature, and his natural, or proper and onely begotten sonne: be∣cause according to this nature he alone was from euerla∣sting begotten of the substance of his father, after a man∣ner altogether ineffable, beeing of the same nature and essence with him. Ioh. 5.26. As the father hath life in himselfe, so likewise hath he giuen to the sonne to haue life in himselfe. The eternall father therefore hath communicated vnto his sonne the life, whereby both himselfe by himselfe ne∣cessarily is, and maketh all other things to be: which life is that one & eternal Deitie creatresse and defendresse of all thinges.* 1.2 According to his humanitie hee is not the naturall and proper sonne of god; because his humanitie as touching it selfe, is not the person, and it issued from the substance of his mother, not from the substaunce of GOD: But he is the sonne of god by grace, not of adoption, because he was at no time not his sonne, as that hee shoulde bee made of no sonne, or of the sonne of wrath, the sonne of God; but by grace of conception by the holie ghost, and of vnion with the word. For his humanitie was from the very wombe sanctified, and vnited to the Godhead of the Word, which Godhead is the sonne by nature.* 1.3 And that a masse of fleshe in so maruelous manner, by the power of the holy Ghost, shoulde bee seuered out of the fleshe of the Virgin, and that thereof beeing sanctified shoulde bee formed a true humane bodie, that is, quickened with a humane soule, & the same to be vnited to the verie sonne of god in∣to one person & subsistence, was not the merite of his hu∣mane nature, as which had not as yet any being, & is in it selfe but a creature; but the speciall & free gift or benefite of God, as Paul in plaine woordes declareth, Colos. 1.19. It pleased (saith hee) the Father, that in him should all fulnesse dwell. And Phil. 2.9. God hath giuen him a name aboue euerie name. Christ therefore as touching his humane nature was as the Sonne of GOD by grace, euen presently from that very moment when hee beganne to bee borne man, and

that therefore, because by the vertue of the holy Ghost he was borne, of the substance of the Virgin, pure from al stain or corruption, and so was personally vnited with the Word.

Obiection. Euerie sonne is either natural, or adopted: Christ according to his humanitie is not the naturall sonne of god: hee is therefore the sonne of god by adoption. Aunswere. The Maior of this reason, albeit it may be graunted according to ciuil constitutions, yet is it false in diuinitie; because it compri∣seth not a perfect and sufficient enumeration of the sonnes of God. For there are sonnes of God by grace, as the An∣gels, Iob. 1.6. likewise Christ, according to his humanity, which yet are not adopted sonnes. Replie. Grace is adop∣tion: Christ according to his humanitie is the sonne of GOD by grace: therefore hee is the sonne of GOD by adoption. An∣swere. The Maior of this reason either is particular, and so nothing is inferred thereby: or if it be generallie taken, it is a fallacie. For grace is more large in signification then is adoption, and is in respect of adoption, as a generall in respect of a speciall. For besides the grace of adoption, there is also the grace of creation, in respect of God crea∣ting and conforming Angels and men vnto himselfe: the grace of conception and vnion, in respect of God the Fa∣ther, the sonne and the holy Ghost, forming and fashio∣ning after a singular maner the flesh of CHRIST in the wombe of the Virgine, and vniting it vnto the sonne.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Christ is the sonne of God by nature, accor∣ding to his God∣head.
• * 1.2

  Christ is the sonne of God by grace of vnion according to his manhood.
• * 1.3

  That Christ ac∣cording to his flesh was a sonne by grace, not by merit of his hu∣mane nature.