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.

5 By what meanes mans deliuerie may be wrought.

THe meanes whereby we may be deliuered from the curse, and beeing reconciled to God, may be accoun∣ted iust before him, is only one, euen a full and condigne or worthy satisfaction, that is, punishment for sinnes committed, or obedience omitted. For the Lawe,* 1.1 when as wee haue not perfourmed obedience, dooth iustly exact punishment of vs: this being sufficiently paied, wee are receiued of God into grace, and beeing indued with the holy spirit are re∣nued to the image of God, that wee may hence-forward obey his Law, and enioy euerlasting blissefulnes. Beeing therefore reconciled vnto God by satisfaction most ful∣ly perfourmed vnto the Law, we are deliuered then from sinne also, that is, from corruption it selfe, by regeneration, that is, by the forcible working of the holy Ghost, abolishing it in vs, and restoring true holines and righteousnes, heere, by beginning it, and in the life to come also, by perfecting and absoluing it. This deliuery is necessarily knit with the former, as a necessary effect with his proper & nearest cause. For God wil of that condition accept of this satis∣faction, and for it pardon our sinne, so that wee leaue off to offend him hereafter thorough our sinnes, and be thankfull vnto him for our sinnes pardoned, and other his benefites. For to bee willing to bee receiued into Gods fauour, and yet not to be willing to cease from sinning, is to mock God. Wherfore they who are receiued of God into fauour, are withall regenerated: and satis∣faction is the cause, as of acceptation, so also of regenera∣tion. Now that, if satisfaction or sufficient punishment come not betweene, there is no deliuery from the guilt, or from sinne it selfe: the cause hereof is gods great iustice, and truth, which his mercy dooth no way ouerthrowe, Deut. 27.26. Cursed bee hee that confirmeth not all the woordes of this

Law, to doe them. Matth. 5.18. It is not possible that one iot of the Law should fall, that is, be frustrate, till al thinges be fulfilled. Psal. 5.4. Euill shal not dwel with thee. Seeing then the Lawe is not an emptie sound, and doth exact satisfaction for sinne committed, equall vnto the fault, it is wholy neces∣sary, that we performe it, if we wil be receiued of god into fauour.

Heere are wee met with an Obiection: But wee neuer sa∣tisfie the Lawe, therefore this manner of escaping punishment, is vaine and imaginary. We Aunswere. Wee are not able to sa∣tisfie by obedience; wee are, by paying the penalty which the Law in most full manner exacteth for our obedience omitted. Reply. But the Lawe requireth obedience, that is, the loue of God and our neighbour. Therefore it is necessarie, that the Law be satisfied by obedience. Aunswere. The Antecedent or former proposition is to be distinguished. The Lawe re∣quireth obedience, that is, which was after to bee perfourmed: this beeing perfourmed, the Lawe was satisfyed. But if it bee not perfourmed, then the Lawe exacteth punishment, as a satisfaction for o∣bedience omitted. For neither can satisfaction bee made by obedience, for the breach of the Lawe, or for omitting of obedience. Because the obedience or Godlinesse which followeth the breach of the Lawe, when as it is due for that present, when it is perfour∣med, cannot at all satisfie for the debt or offence or trespasse which is past. Wherefore sufficient punish∣ment, is that satisfaction, which the Lawe and Gods iustice exacteth at our handes for the not perfourming of obedience, that wee may bee accepted and beloued of God.

This beeing sette downe and resolued of, further demaund is made, by whome that satisfaction or punishment is to bee perfourmed? The Lawe will haue it perfourmed by vs, and that iustly: but it yeeldeth not ability to perfourme it, neither any where maketh declaration thereof. But the Ghospell declareth and sheweth vs Christ, by whome we may satisfie. By our selues wee can∣not.

First, because the Lawe requireth perfect satisfaction:

it is not perfect,* 1.2 except it bee either eternall (for all sinne is an offence against the infinite good: If then this infinite good must bee satisfyed, satisfaction must needes be made by eternall punishment, which aun∣swereth in equality to that infinite good) or else tem∣porall, yet equall to eternall, and worthie to bee ac∣cepted by the iustice of GOD for satisfaction. If it bee eternall, then neuer shall wee bee deliuered or recouered out of punishment, death and sinne beeing fullie conquered: because it can neuer bee saide, that wee haue satisfyed (which implyeth the ende) but one∣lie that wee are satisfieng (which sheweth the perpe∣tuation and continuing of punishment) which satisfa∣ction is such as the punishment of the Diuels and reprobate men, which neuer shall haue an end. Nowe for a Temporall punishment which shoulde bee aunswerable and equall to eternall, there is no man, by reason of manifolde imperfection who can perfourme it.

Secondly, because dailie wee heape vp offences and debtes, yea euen in our punishmentes themselues, while wee doe not in them acknowledge God to be iust, and iust∣lie to punish vs for our sinnes, but murmur and fret against him. Wherefore our paines and punishmentes must needes be also heaped vp and encreased. For he, who goeth on afterwards in offending him, whom he hath here∣tofore offended, can neuer haue him fauourable vn∣to him. Thirdly, because wee cannot deserue of God, that hee shoulde pardon vs our present sinnes, muchlesse our sinnes past. Neither can wee pay the debt past, with that, which wee owe presently. Since then wee are not able by our selues, wee must needes make satisfaction by ano∣ther.

Obiection. The Lawe requireth OVR punishment, because wee haue sinned. Aunswere. The Lawe requireth ours, but not exclusiuely, so that it doth not admit it to bee performed by another, for vs. For, albeit the Law knoweth not this satisfaction for our sins made by another, & to be imputed vnto vs, but the Gospell onely reuealeth it: yet no-where dooth the Lawe either exclude or disalowe it.

Wherefore it is not contrarie to the Lawe, that another should satisfie for vs. Reply. But that another should be puni∣shed for offenders, is vniust. Aunswere. That another should bee punished for offenders, is not disagreeing with Gods iustice,* 1.3 if these conditions cōcur withall. 1 If hee who is puni∣shed, be innocent. 2 If he be of the same nature with the offenders. 3 If of his own accord he offer himselfe to punishment. 4 If him∣selfe be able to recouer out of punishment, and not inforced to pe∣rish therein. And this is the cause that men can not iustly punish ones offences in another, because they cānot bring to passe, that the partie punished shoulde not perish in the punishment. 5 If hee wish and attaine vnto that ende which Christ respected, euen the glorie of GOD, and saluation of men.

* 1.4Furthermore, that other, by whom we must satisfie, either must be a creature onlie, or God to. But no mere creature, be he man, or not man, can satisfie for man, which is a sinner. First, be∣cause the iustice of God doth not punish in other creatures that, which man hath committed. But man hath sinned. There∣fore all humane nature which hath sinned, ought to bee punished, Rom. 5.12. As by one man sinne entered into the world, and death by sinne, and so death went ouer all men, for as much as all men haue sinned. Secondly because no creature at al can sustain temporal punishment equiualent to eternal. By reason there∣fore of the infirmitie & weakenesse of the creature, there would not be proportion betweene the punishment & the sinne, and so not sufficient punishment. Psalm. 130.3. If thou Lord straitly markest iniquities, O Lorde, who shall stande? Rom. 8.3. Because the Lawe was not able to iustifie, God sent his sonne. Deut. 4.24. God is a consuming fire. Thirdly, He who is himselfe defiled with sinne, cannot satisfie for others. Fourthly, Because the punishment of a meere creature would not bee a price of sufficient woorthinesse and valewe for our deliuerie. Where∣fore our Mediatour must be a man: yet so, that he be god also. Fiftly. The same is also shewed by this, that the deli∣uerie of man is wrought after a sort also by regeneration. But to purge out sinne, and to make fleshie hearts of stonie, is the worke, not of any creature, but of God alone. For his it is to restore the image of God in vs, who first created it in vs. Seeing therefore wee haue neede of a Mediatour for

our deliuerie, we must nowe speake of him.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The law being transgressed, no satisfaction but by suffering due punishment.
• * 1.2

  Our satisfaction can not bee by our selues, be∣cause then it woulde bee infi∣nite, and so ne∣uer accompli∣shed.
• * 1.3

  The conditions to bee in him re∣spected, who may bee punish∣ed for another.
• * 1.4

  A meere man is not able to suffer and satisfie for man.