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.

OF CHRISTES PASSION.

THE Passion of Christ onelie doth followe next his conception and natiuitie. 1. Be∣cause in his Passion consisteth our saluation. 2. Because his whole life was a Passion, suffe∣ring, and calamitie. Yet notwithstanding many things maie and ought to be ob∣serued out of the storie of the whole race of his life on earth. For that 1. doth shew This person to be the promised Messias, seeing in him concur and are fulfilled all the Prophecies. 2. That storie is a consideration or medita∣tion of that humility or obedience, which hee perfourmed vnto his Father.

The chiefe questions of Christes Passion are these.

• 1 What Christ suffered.
• 2 Whether he suffered according to both natures.
• 3 What was the impellent cause of Christes Passion.
• 4 What the final cause or end thereof.

1 WHAT CHRIST SVFFERED.

BY the name of Passion is vnderstoode the whole humilia∣tion, or the obedience of his whole humiliation, all the miseries, tormentes, ignominies, paines and grifes, vnto all which Christ was subiect, and obnoxious, as wel in soule as in body, from the point of his natiuity, vntill the howre of his death & resurrection. Mat. 26.38. My soul is very heauy euen vnto the death. Mat. 27.46. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Isa. 53.4. Surelie he hath carried our sorrowes. But principally by the name of Passion is signified the last act of the humiliation, and pains of Christ: the chiefe part of which his pains and dolours was in his soule, wherein hee felt the ire and wrath of God against sinne: which also was the cause why he so trembled and shooke at death, & was so faint-harted in his death, whereas other Martyrs of Christ haue susteined stoutlie and coura∣giouslie extreme torments. For the torments & punishments of others haue no proportion with the torments and pu∣nishments of Christ. For others, as Stephen, Laurence, and

the like, susteined only corporall paines and torments: but were vpheld within by the holy ghost. But Christ suffered the paines both of body & soule. For he suffered first our infir∣mity, that is, the infirmities of humane nature: he hungered, thirsted, was wearie, was stroken with sadnesse and griefe. 2 Hee suffered pouertie. Luk 9.58. The sonne of man hath not whereon to lay his head. 3 He suffered infinite iniuries, contumelies, slaun∣ders, layings in wait for him, backbitings, reproches, blasphemies, annihilating, and contempt. Psalm. 22.7. I am a worme, and not a man. Isay. 53.2. He hath neither forme nor beutie: when wee shall see him, there shall bee no forme that we should desire him. 4 Hee suffered the Tentations of the diuel, Mat. 4.1. & He. 4.15. He was in all thinges tempted in like sort. 5 Hee suffered the death of the bodie, and that reprochefull and contumelious, euen the death of the Crosse. 6 He suffered the most grieuous torments of soule, that is, he found the sense and feeling of the wrath of God against sinne to be laide on him. Hereof it was that he cried with a loude voice, My God, why hast thou forsaken me? as if he should saie, why doost thou not driue and put away from me so great torments? For he signifieth by those words not a diuulsion or separation of his Godhead from his manhood, but the differring and delaying of help and succour. We see then what and howe great thinges Christ hath suffered for vs, which are therefore proposed vnto vs and sette before our eyes, to giue vs to consider 1. The history it selfe of Christs pas∣sion agreeing with Gods sacred oracles, and prophecies. 2. The cause or fruites of Christes Passion. 3. His example, that wee are also to enter into eternal life, and heauenlie glorie, by death, as did Christ: and these three thinges are especially to be considered in Christs Passion.

Obiection There is no proportion betweene temporal punish∣ment and eternal. Christ suffered only temporal paines and punish∣mentes. Therefore he could not satisfie gods iustice. Aunswere. There is no proportion betweene temporall, and eternall punishment, if they bee considered as beeing both in the same degree and in the same subiect. Question. But how may the raunsome of one person answere for the sins of an infinit num∣ber of men? Aunswere. It may, and that for these two causes. 1. Because he is true God which suffered. Obiection. But god cannot die and suffer. Aunswere. God cannot suffer, in that

he is God; Or further, we graunt, that Christ was not God, in that he suffered, & died. Obiect. Christ is not God in that he suffered, Therefore it is false which is saide, Acts 20.28. That God hath purchased the Church with his owne bloode. Ans. This was spoken by a communicating of the properties, but this was in the person, not in the nature: that is, That person which is God and man, purchased the Church. The commu∣nicating of properties is, to attribute that to the whole per∣son, which is proper vnto one nature; and this is attribu∣ted in a concrete voice, not in an abstract: because the con∣crete voice signifieth the person, in which are both na∣tures, and the property of that nature, whereof some thing is affirmed. But the abstract name signifieth the nature which is in the person, but not the person. And therefore it is, that nothing hindereth, why that which is proper to one nature, may not bee affirmed of the whole person, so that propertie it selfe be in the person. But contrarie, of the ab∣stract name onely the properties of that nature are affir∣med, vnto which they properly belong. As of the God-heade, (which is the abstract name) no propertie of the man-hoode maie be affirmed, but onelie the properties of the God-heade; because the God-heade signifieth not the person which hath both natures, but onelie the diuine na∣ture it selfe. But of God (which is the concrete name) the properties not of the God-head only, but of the manhood also may be affirmed, because God signifieth not the diuine nature, but the person which hath both the diuine nature, and humane.

The second cause, why the raunsome of one person may aunswere for the sinnes of an infinite number, is the grie∣uousnesse of his punishment, because hee suffered that which wee should haue suffered for euer. His Passion therefore is equi∣ualent to euerlasting punishment; yea it surpasseth it; For, that God should suffer, is more, than, that all the creatures shoulde perish euerlastinglie.

2 According to which nature Christ suffered.

CHRIST suffered not according to both natures, nei∣ther according to his God-head, but according to his humane nature onely, both in body and soule. For his di∣uine nature is immortal. Now he so suffered according to

his humanity, that by his death and Passion he made satis∣faction for infinite sinnes of men.

Question. But why could not his God-head suffer? Answere. Because it is not changeable: neither can that, which is life it selfe, dy. This susteined & vpheld the humane nature in paines, & after death restored it to life. Obiection. God pur∣chased the Church with his owne bloode. Actes 20.28. Therefore the god-head suffered. Aunswere. It doth not follow, because an argument from the concrete (which is, God) to the ab∣stract (which is, the God-heade) is if no consequence. A∣gaine, the kind of affirmation is altered. God is said to haue died, by a figure of speech, which is Synecdoche (vsed whē we sig∣nifie the whole by a part, as whole Christ, by, God,) and by a communicating of the properties. But when it is said, The god-head died, that admitteth no figure, as beeing a meere ab∣stract. The concrete signifieth the subiect or person hauing the nature or forme: But the abstract signifieth the bare nature and forme onelie. Wherefore the argument doth not follow. A man is compounded of the elementes, and is corporeal: Therefore his soul also is corporeal. This can∣not follow; Because al things agree not to the forme, which agree to the subiect; the soule is the forme of man, man is the essentiall subiect of the soule. Wherefore neither doth it follow. Christ, God, died: Therefore Christs God-heade died. For, from the concrete to the abstract the reason doth not follow.

Christ therefore suffered according to his humane na∣ture onelie, making a sufficicnt and most perfect satisfacti∣on thereby for our sins. Which his satisfaction is made ours by applicatiō, which is double. The one from god, who iustifieth vs for christs merit, & maketh vs to cease from sin. The other from our selues who by faith apprehend & applie vnto vs Christs merit by being fully persuaded that God for the ransome of his Son doth pardon vs our sinne. Nowe that there was another nature in christ, which nether suffered nor died, is proued by these te∣stimonies, Ioh. 2.19. Destroie this Temple, & in three daies I wil raise it vp again. 1. Pe. 3.18, was put to death concerning the flesh, but was quickned in the spirit. Reu. 1.18. I was dead: and behold J am aliue. Ioh. 18. I haue power to laie downe my soule, and power to take it vp againe.

3 The causes impellent, or motiues of Christs Passion.

1 THE loue of God towardes mankind. Ioh. 3.16. So God loued the world, that he gaue his onlie begotten Sonne. 2. The mercy of God towards men fallen into sin. 3. The wil of God to reuenge the iniurie of the Diuel, who in reproch and de∣spite of God auerted vs from him, and maimed the image of God in vs in despite of the creator.

But here it maie be demaunded whether Christ fulfilled the Lawe or no; and secondly if he did, why then hee shoulde suffer so bitter a Passion? Whereunto we aunswere first, that he ful∣filled the Law. 1. By his righteousnes in obseruing it. 2. By satis∣faction in suffering punishment for our sinnes, who had transgres∣sed it. Both which are most perfect. Nowe to the second demand then, why if Christ fulfilled the law, was he so grieuously punished of God, seeing punishment is the wages of sinne, and sinne was not in him, who neuer committed anie? We answere, that it was not for himselfe, but for vs that hee was punished. Reply. A righteous man ought not to be punished for the vnrigh∣teous. Aunswere. True, except first he voluntarilie offer himselfe for them. Secondly, except he willinglie do suffer in such sort for them, as that he yeelde a sufficient ransome and payment. Thirdly, except he haue the power of recouering himselfe out of the punish∣ment once suffered. Fourthly, except he be able to bring to passe that they also, for whom he offereth himselfe to satisfie, leaue off to transgresse and sinne hereafter. Fifthly, except he bee of the same nature with them for whom he satisfieth.

If such a satisfier bee substituted, there is nothing com∣mitted against the iustice of God: for in so suffering, both are saued, both he that suffereth, and they for whome hee suffereth. Now such a suretie, and satisfier was Christ, who is not onelie man, or of the same nature with vs; but wee are also his members, & when the whole suffereth punish∣ment, the members also and partes are punished. And for this coniunction of ours with Christ our head, the Apo∣stles commonly say that he suffered in Christ.

4 The final causes or ends of his Passion.

THE first final cause or end of his passion is, That his passion might bee a sufficient ransome for our sins, or the re∣deeming of vs. 2. The m••nifesting of the loue, goodnes, mercie, righteousnes of God, while he punnisheth his sonne for vs. The

chiefe finall causes then are, Our saluation, and the glorie of God. To the former belongeth the knowledge of the great∣nesse of sinne, that we may knowe how great an euil sinne is, and what it deserueth: and further to knowe that death is not now pernicious and hurtfull to the Godly, and ther∣fore not to bee feared. To the latter belongeth our Iusti∣fication, wherein all the benefites are comprehended, which Christ merited, by dying, & euen our deliuery from death, which hee bestoweth vpon vs. Obiection. If hee haue satisfied for all, then al should be saued. Answere. He satis∣fied for al, as touching his satisfaction, but not as touching the application thereof, al not applying it vnto them. Wherefore hee hath satisfied for al, but doth not deliuer all, but only those who by faith applie it. And those he de∣liuereth, 1. Because the Father ordeined him to this, or because the Father will. 2. Because the Son willingly offereth himselfe. 3 Because this ransome is sufficient.

SVFFERED VNDER PONTIVS PILATE.

MEntion is made of Pilate in Christs passion, 1. Because Christ would receiue from him a testimony of his innocencie, that thereby we might knowe that he was pronounced in∣nocent by the voice of the iudge himselfe. 2. Beecause it was requisite that he should be solemnly cōdemned, that we might know that hee, though innocent, was notwithstanding con∣demned, that we might not be cōdemned, as also he sustai∣ned death, that we might be freed from it. 3. That wee might be aduertised of the fulfilling of the Prophecy. Gen. 49.10. The scepter shall not depart from Iudah, nor a Law-giuer from be∣tweene his feete, vntill Shilo come. For then was the Scepter taken from Iudah, when Christ was a little after condem∣ned of Pilate a Romane gouernour, of whom before he was absolued. This circumstance therefore is diligently to be cōsidered in Christs passion, that we may know him to be the Messias: because al conditions are fulfilled in him, which are required in the Messias. Whereof this Prophecie, of the taking away of the Scepter from Iudah, was one. 4. That we might know that Christ was condemned of God himselfe also, and therefore that hee satisfied God for vs. For the head and gouer∣nour of ordinarie iudgement is God himselfe. Wherefore Christ was not to haue beene priuily taken away by the

Iewes, neither to be drawen to death by tumult, and disor∣derlie, but by lawefull order, and iudgement, and by inqui∣sition made concerning all the accusations of Christ, God would haue him, first to be examined, that his innocencie might appeare; Secondly to be condemned, that it might ap∣peare that hee beeing before pronounced innocent, was now condemned not for his owne fault, but for ours: and that so his vniust condemnation might be insteed of our most iust condemnatiō. Thirdly, to be put to death, both that the prophecies might bee fulfilled, and also that it might appear, that both Iewes & Gentils did put Christ to death.

CRVCIFIED.

I Beleeue in Christ Crucified, that is, I beleeue Christ did vn∣dergo this punishment, and this curse of the Crosse for my sake, and that he was made obnoxious for my sake to Gods curse, which I, and we all deserued, a type also of which curse, was the death of the Crosse cursed by God himselfe.

Now for three causes would God haue his Sonne suffer the punishment of so ignominious a death. 1 That we might knowe, The curse due for our sinnes to haue laine vpon him, & so should be stirred vp to greater thankefulnesse, conside∣ring how detestable a thing sinne is, so that it could not be expiated or satisfied for, but with the most bitter and most opprobrious and shamefull death of the onely begotten Sonne of God. 2 That it might be an exasperating of the pu∣nishment, and so wee so much the more confirmed in a true faith, when wee consider Christ by this kinde of punish∣ment to haue taken vpon him our gilt, & euen our punish∣ment also and curse, according to that, Cursed is euerie one that hangeth on tree, Deut. 21.23. Gal. 3.13. 3 That the trueth might answere according to the types and figures, & so we might know the types to be fulfilled in Christ. For, 1 The sacrifi∣ces which shadowed the sacrifice of Christ were hung vpon trees, thereby to signifie, that Christ should be fastned on a tree, and accomplishing his sacrifice, offer a holy sacrifice vnto his Father. 2 The sacrifices being lifted vp on high before they were burned, did signifie the exalting and listing vp of Christ on the Altar of the Crosse. 3 The same was shadowed in Isaack. who being laid on wood, was to haue beene sacrifi∣ced

of his Father. 4 The brasen Serpent, which Moses set vp vpon a pole in the wildernesse, depainteth this kind of punish∣ment. Christ himselfe interpreted of himselfe this type of the brasen Serpent. Joh. 3.14.

DEAD.

I Beleeue in Christ dead, that is, I beleeue Christ, not onely to haue suffered extreame torments for my sake, but also death it selfe, & hath by his death obtained for me remissi∣on of sinnes, and reconciliation with God, & consequently also the holy Ghost, who beginneth in me a new life, that I may againe bee made the Temple of God, and at length attaine vnto euerlasting life, wherein I shall woorship and magnifie God for euer.