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.

Other Rules, whereby the obiections of the Arrians are dissolued.

1 NOthing hindereth, why they, who are equall in na∣ture, may not be in degree of office vnequall.

2 That which the father hath giuen vnto the Sonne, that he should euer haue it, he will neuer demand of him againe: but that which was but for a certaine time giuen & committed vnto him, the same he must needes depart from and resigne.

3 That consequence dooth not holde in reason, which is brought from a thing that is respectiue, to a thing that is abso∣lute.

4 ••hat is said of the person in the concrete, which is proper only to one nature, but no otherwise than in respect of that nature, vnto which it is proper.

6 There is a double wisedome: one existing in the creatures, which is the order of thinges in nature wiselie disposed, and the do∣ctrine or knowledge aswell of nature and the Lawe, as also of the Gospell. Another wisedome is subsisting in God, which, when it is opposed vnto the creatures, is the verie diuine minde, or eternall decree as touching this order of thinges, in the Father, the Sonne, and the holie Ghost, that is, it signifieth the three persons: but when it is distinguished from God, then is it taken for the Sonne of God the second person onely. The former wisedome existing in the creatures is created: the other subsisting in god is vncreate.

7 God absolutelie named in the scripture is neuer meant but of verie God himselfe.

8 Whereas the sonne and the holie ghost are of the Father; and the Father worketh by the sonne and the holie ghost, neither was humbled as the sonne: the scripture doth oftentimes, especially in Christs speaches, vnderstand by the name of the father, the sonne also and the holy ghost.

9 When god is considered absolutelie or by himselfe, or is op∣posed to the creatures, the three persons are comprehended: but when he is opposed to his sonne, the first person of the godhead, is vnderstood, which is the Father.

10 The name of God beeing put simply or absolutely, is essen∣tially taken, that is, for the godhead it selfe, and compriseth all three persons: but when the propertie of any person is ioyned ther∣with, it is taken personallie.

11 The Scripture distinguisheth the persons, when it opposeth or compareth them among themselues, or expresseth their personal properties, whereby it restraineth the name of God, common to them all, to one certaine person: & it meaneth them al together, when it opposeth the true God to creatures or false gods, or consi∣dereth him absolutely according to his owne nature.

12 That which began at some certaine time to be manifested, may not thence be concluded neuer to haue beene before.

13 The sonne is woont to refer that to the Father, which yet he hath common with the Father, not making any mention of him∣selfe, when he speaketh in the Mediatours person.

14 The sonne is said to see, learne, heare, and woorke, as from

the Father, in respect of both natures, yet not without a difference still remaining. For vnto his humane vnderstanding the will of God is made knowen by reuelation: But his godhead dooth by it selfe & of his owne nature know and behold from euerlasting most perfectly the Fathers will.

15 The externall operations of the three persons, if they were distinct, they should make verily distinct essences: because, one woorking, & another ceasing, there would be diuerse essences: but the internall operations, because they are the communicating of one & the same whole essence, make not a diuersitie, but an vnity of essence.

16 When God is called the Father of Christ & the faithfull, it doth not hereof folow, that he is after the same manner their fa∣ther and his.

17 The Father was neuer without the sonne, nor the father & the sonne without their spirit, in asmuch as the godhead can nei∣ther be augmented, nor lessened, nor changed.