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 Whether anie Deliuerie might be wrought after the fall.

THis question is necessarie. For if there be no deli∣uerie of vs out of miserie, in vaine make wee que∣stion of the rest. Againe, there is some cause to doubt thereof, to them especially,* 1.1 vnto whom the doctrine of the Gospell is vnknowen. The Deliuerie therefore of man is possible. And the causes of the possiblenesse thereof are in GOD alone, declared in the sacred Scripture.

The first is his mercie and immeasurable goodnesse, which that hee woulde exercise in sauing of vs, not impeaching his iustice, he hath vttered in his word. Iohn. 5.21. The father quickeneth whom he will.

The second is, his infinite wisedome, whereby hee know∣eth, how to turne the purposes of the Diuel imagined and deuised to the reproche of GOD himselfe, by corrup∣ting

mankinde, and to the ouerthrowing of the salua∣tion of Gods chosen, euen to the manifesting of his owne glorie, and to the saluation of his chosen. God therefore, by this his wisedome hath found out an admirable tempe∣rament, and such as no creature coulde haue found, of his iustice and mercie, in deliuering man, that is, such a way, whereby hee might shewe his exceeding both mercie and iustice.

The third is Gods omnipotencie, wherefore hee is able to performe that deliuerie of man from sinne and death, which hee through his immeasurable mercie, and wise counsaile decreed. Luc. 1.37. With God nothing shalbee im∣possible. To denie then mans deliuerie, is to spoile God of infinite wisedome, goodnes, and power, against that which is said, 1. Sam. 2.6. The Lorde bringeth downe to the graue, and raiseth vp. Psal. 68.20. To the Lord God belong the issues of death. Isai. 59.1. The Lords hand is not shortened.

Obiection. What the vnchangeable iustice and truth of god requireth, that is vnchangeable. But the iustice and truth of god requireth the casting away and damnation of man: for god had expresselie threatned euerlasting death to the transgressours of his lawe: and the iustice of god will destroie euerie thing that is not conformable thereunto. Therefore the casting awaie of man from the face of god is vnchangeable, neither is it possible that without the impeaching of gods iustice and truth man should escape euer∣lasting damnation. Aunswere. The Maior is to bee distin∣guished. What the iustice of God requireth, to wit, simplie without al condition, that is simply vnchangeable. It re∣quireth the casting away of man with this condition, ex∣cept there bee interposed a full and perfect satisfaction. Wherefore the iustice of GOD requireth that a sinner ei∣ther satisfie, or bee cast away. Mathew 5.36. Thou shalt not come out thence, vntill thou hast paide the vtmost farthing. Re∣plie. But impossible is it for vs to satisfie for our sinnes, or to beare sufficient punishment, so that wee may come from thence. Aunswere. It is impossible in respect of our selues, but not in respect of God. He knoweth the meanes how by an o∣ther full satisfaction may be made for vs.

* 1.2But that our deliuerie by another is possible, is knowen onely by the promises of the Gospel, and the reuealing of

the holy Ghost forcibly mouing our hearts to beleeue the Gospel.

Here ariseth a question: Whether Adam after his fall might haue certainly promised himselfe deliuerie? Wee aun∣swere, that hee coulde not, without especiall promise, and reuelation. And before he had this, nothing could present it selfe vnto his mind, but the great iustice & truth of God exacting of him euerlasting punishment, for not yeelding obediēce. For flesh & bloud reueal not those things, which are the peculiar and proper benefites of the Mediatour. But some man may except: that the selfe same causes notwithstanding doe remaine, euen nowe after the publishing of the Gospell, to wit, the iustice and truth of GOD, who is neuer chaunged. If then Adam coulde not hope for deliuerie before the promise was published, neither could he after the publishing there∣of. For so hee might haue reasoned: It is impossible that the iustice and truth of GOD shoulde bee impeached. But mans recouering and escaping out of punishment, would impeache the iustice and truth of GOD, because euerlasting punishment shoulde not bee inflicted on man which yet the iustice and truth of GOD require. For, the punishment to bee euerlasting, and yet man to wade and escape out of it, are thinges contradictorie, and of flatte repugnauncie. There∣fore mans escape and deliuerie out of punishment is impos∣sible.

This Obiection or temptation Adam might by the promise nowe made haue repelled on this wise. The Minor is true, if the escaping bee such, that suf∣ficient punishment and equall to the sinne bee laide neither vpon the sinner himselfe, nor on another who offereth himselfe in the sinners place. But the iustice of GOD hath inflicted punishment sufficient for our sinnes, on his owne Sonne who offered himselfe of his owne accorde to sustaine it for vs. Wherefore mans escaping out of miserie, by the full satisfaction per∣formed by the Sonne of GOD, doth not impeache but rather establish Gods iustice.

But againe it is replied: That which necessarilie doth not conclude punishment to insue, doth leaue some hope,

neither willeth vs to dispaire of deliuerie from punish∣ment. But the euent hath taught, that the casting away of man is not necessarilie concluded or inferred vpon the first fall of Adam. Therefore Adam beeing fallen, no not before the promise published concerning the seede of the Woman, ought altogether to haue dispaired of his deliuerie. Aun∣swere. Hee ought not verily to haue dispaired, nei∣ther coulde hee haue inferred vpon his fall necessarily, that his deliuerie out of miserie was simplie impossible; but neither coulde hee of the otherside haue certaine∣ly promised vnto himselfe, or hoped for it, before the publishing of the Gospell. Because neither hee nor any creature was able,* 1.3 or shoulde for euer haue beene a∣ble of himselfe to perceiue, or so much as imagine vn∣to himselfe a maner of escaping punishment, not re∣pugnant to the iustice of God: except GOD had de∣clared and reuealed the same by his Sonne. Hee might truelie (as others likewise, who liue out of the Church destitute of the worde of promise) haue probablie reaso∣ned, that one day there shoulde bee a deliuerie. First, be∣cause it is not meete, that man the most excellent creature shoulde bee made of GOD to sustaine the greatest punish∣ment, and that for euer. Againe, For that it seemeth not likely, that GOD woulde haue deliuered a lawe to man to no effect, that is, which shoulde neuer bee perfectly performed by him.

But except the voice of the gospel had come, mā would neuer haue beene able by these reasons long to haue withstood the tentation of the Diuel, who woulde ea∣sily haue refuted them by his owne example. Where∣fore albeit these two reasons are of themselues most true (for GOD did not make mankinde vnto perpetuall miserie, neither made hee a lawe to no effect) yet man beeing fallen is not able, by reason of his blind∣nesse and corruption, without the promise and grace of the holy Ghost to assent vnto them, that is, is not able of them certainely and necessarily to infer, that he knoweth and hopeth for his deliuerance out of paine and miserie.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The deliuerie of man possible. The causes of which possibility in God onelie.
• * 1.2

  Adam after his fall, before by special reuela∣tion hee was as∣sured of the pro∣mise, could not hope for deliue∣rance.
• * 1.3

  Humane reason might probablie coniecture, but not necessarily conclude mans deliuerie.