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.

THE SECOND PETITION.

THY kingdome come.

Thy kingdome come, that is, let it by continual encreases be augmented, and alwaies by a new enlargement, and ac∣cession let thy kingdome bee extended and multiplied, which thou O god in thy Church dost hold and possesse.

The special Questions concerning the kingdom of god.

1 What the kingdome of god is.

A Kingdome, in general, is a certaine forme of ciuil gouerne∣ment, wherein the soueraigntie of rule belongeth to some one person, who is furnished with giftes and vertues aboue the rest, and ruleth ouer al, according to iust, honest, and certaine Lawes, in re∣quiring obedience, making Laws, defending the good, & punishing the bad. The kingdome of God, is the sending of the Son from the father, euen from the beginning of the world, who should ordain and maintaine a ministerie, and should by the same be effectual & forcible in working, should gather a Church by the woorde and the holy ghost, out of all mankinde, rule and preserue the same, raise it from death, adorne it with heauenly glorie, that so God may be all in all, and maie be magnified by the Church of Angels and men for euer. Out of this definition wee may gather and make these partes the kingdome of God. 1. The sending of the Sonne our Mediatour. 2. The ordaining and maintaining of the ministerie by Christ. 3. The gathering of the church by Christ out of mankinde by the voice of the gospell, and the efficacie of the holy Ghost, beginning in vs true faith and repentaunce. 4. The perpe∣tual gouernement of the church. 5. The preseruation thereof in this life, and protection against her enemies. 6. The casting awaie of her enemies, into eternal paines. 7. The raising of the church vnto eter∣nal life. 8. The glorifieng of the church in eternall life, when god shal be al in al.

Now then, seeing we vnderstand what the kingdome of God is, it is knowen also vnto vs, what is conteined in this petition. Here therefore we desire, that God wil by his Son our Mediatour sent from the very beginning into the woorlde, 1. Preserue the ministerie which he hath ordained. 2. Gather his church by the ministerie of his word, and the woorking of the holie Ghost. 3. Rule his church gathered, and vs the members thereof with his holy spirite, who may conforme vs vnto him, soften our hearts, regenerate our wils. 4. Defend vs and his whole church a∣gainst our enemies & tyrants. 5. Cast away his & our enemies into eternal pains, wherewith he maie punish them for euer. 6. And at length deliuer his church, and glorifie it in the world to come.

By al this it appeareth, That this kingdome, which we desire maie come, is a spiritual kingdom: which also the lord himselfe sheweth by diuerse parables in the Euangelist; and vnto Pilate he aunswereth; My Kingdome is not of this woorlde. Of the kingdome of Christ is it said, Psalm. 110.2. Be thou ruler in the mids of thine enemies. And furthermore, seeing we must desire, that this kingdome may come, and therefore must withal desire our ful deliuery; hereby it is euident, how im∣pious a thing it is to bee afraid of the iudgement of God, & the last day of doome: because such as doe this, shew them∣selues not to bee godly, neither to desire their full deliue∣raunce, and glorifieng. Obiection. But terrible wil the daie of iudgement be: Therfore we are not to desire it. Answer. It wilbe terrible, but to the wicked onely. For vnto the godly it is said, Lift vp your heads. Therefore Christ wil haue them to reioice, and to wish for the approching of that day. For what thou reioicest in, that also thou wishest. Come Lord Je∣sus. Obiection. That which commeth neither sooner nor later for our praiers, is in vaine desired of vs, and therefore we are not to de∣sire it. But the kingdome of god, that is, the deliuerie of the church from all euils and miseries shall come neither sooner nor later, for our praiers, than god hath decreed it. Therefore wee are not to de∣sire the deliuerie of the church. Aunswere. The Maior is false. For so then may we conclude or reason of al those benefits which remaine in the counsel and purpose of God. Reply. But god hath promised other benefites with this condition, that we must aske and desire them. Aunswere. So also doth ful deliuery from al euils befal to them onely in that daie, who in their

affliction and crosse wish for and desire that deliuery, and pray that this deliuery may come speedily, according to the decree of God, and that no one elect may be excluded. Reply. But we must not desire that god would hasten the deliuerie of his church: because that would be done with losse of manie of the Elect, who are not as yet borne. Aunswere. When we desire that God would hasten the deliuery of his church, we d••sire al∣so, that whosoeuer of the Elect are as yet remaining, may be al speedily gathered, not one of them beeing excluded. This deliuery of vs and the whole church we must craue of the Lord with daily prayers: if so we wil bee our selues also at length deliuered together with the Church. And more∣ouer, for this cause also must we desire this deliuerie, that then that iudgement may bee of a sauing force vnto vs, wherein the Lord will fullie deliuer his Elect and chosen. God will also therefore haue vs desire an hastning & spee∣ding of this day, that there may be an end of wickednes & impieties: & that all the godlie may rest from their labors. But so notwithstanding must we desire and craue all these things, that we subiect and submit our wil to the comman∣dement of the Lord, or his diuine will. It is our part, to ob∣serue, what God commaundeth, not what shall fall out or come to passe: but the euent wee must leaue and commit to God himselfe.

2 Howe manifold the kingdome of God is.

THIS kingdome is but one indeede, but it differeth in the manner of gouerning and administration. For it is diuers∣lie administred here, and in heauen. Hereby is that Que∣stion assoiled out of the place of Paul, 1. Cor. 15.24. He shall deliuer vp the kingdome to God, euen the Father. Wherefore as concerning the forme and manner of administration, hee shall de∣liuer the kingdome after our glorification, that is, he shal cease to discharge the office of a mediatour. There shall be then no neede of conuersion, of purging out of sinne, of prote∣cting of vs against our enimies; he shall not gather, he shal not raise the dead, hee shall not glorifie, nor perfect them, because then they shall bee perfect: Hee shall not 'teach them: tongues shal cease. There shall be no neede of these instrumentes any longer. The kingdome of god then is of two sorts: one begun in this life, another consummated after this life.

Wee desire both in this petition, to wit, both the constitu∣tion of this kingdome of God, and the consummation thereof. In the consummated and perfect kingdome of god there shall be no neede of any meanes or instruments: be∣cause in that the glorification of the Church shall be more perfect, as being without euil both of crime and paine. God shall be all in al, that is, shall manifest himselfe immediately vnto the blessed Saints. Reuel. 21.22. Jn that Citie (which is that kingdome) J sawe no temple: for the Lord god almightie and the Lambe are the temple of it. And the Citie hath no neede of the Sunne, neither of the Moone to shine in it: for the glorie of god did light it: and the Lambe is the light of it.

3 Who is king in gods kingdome.

THE head or King of this kingdome, is god the father, the sonne, and the holie ghost. There is but one King, because there is but one god. Nowe the father is King, and ruleth by the sonne, and the holy ghost. The sonne is King, 1. Because he sitteth god at the right hand of god; and ruleth with equall power with the father. 2. Because he is Mediatour, that is, be∣cause he is that person, by which god worketh immediatly, and giueth the holy Ghost. Iohn. 15.26. J will send him vn∣to you from the father. And after a special and peculiar man∣ner is Christ said to be the king of that kingdome, as he is Mediatour.

4 Who are the Citizens or Subiects of gods kingdome.

THE citizens of this kingdome are, 1. The Angels in hea∣uen confirmed and established in grace. 2. The blessed Saints in Heauen, who are called the Church triumphant. 3. The Godly, or conuerted in this life, who haue as yet certaine remaines of sinne, and are called the Church militant. 4. Hypocrites, namelie the Called of the visible Church onelie, but not Elected. These are counterfeit and apparaunt citizens to the outwarde shewe, who indeede are not the citizens of Christs kingdome, but onelie in name, but are in truth the bondslaues of the Diuel. Hypocrites notwithstanding are called the citizens of this kingdome, as the Iewes are ter∣med by Christ the sonnes and children of the kingdome. Of these is it saide, The First shall be last: that is, they who will be accounted first, and yet are not, shalbe last.

5 What are the Lawes of this kingdome.

THE Lawes whereby this kingdome is administred, and go∣uerned, are, 1. The woorde of god, or the doctrine of the Lawe and Gospel. 2. The efficacie of the holie ghost in our hearts.

6 What benefites are bestowed on the subiectes of this kingdome.

THERE is no kingdome which hath not regard vnto the commodities of the subiectes. And Aristotle wri∣teth to Alexander, A kingdome is not Jniurie, but bountiful∣nes. Wherefore this kingdome hath also his proper goods and commodities. Those are the spiritual and eternal be∣nefites of Christ, as tru faith, conuersion, remission of sins, righteousnes, preseruation therein, and the continuaunce of the holy ghost, glorification, & life euerlasting. Ioh. 8.36. Jf the Sonne shall make ye free, ye shal be free indeed.

7 Who are the enemies and foes of this kingdome.

THE enemies of this kingdome are the Diuels and wicked men. Now of wicked men, some are in the church, as hypo∣crits, who challenge to thēselues the name & title of the kindgdome, when as they are nothing lesse: others are without the church and professed enemies, as Turkes, Iewes, Sa∣mosatenians, Arrians, & whosoeuer defend errors against the grounds and foundations of religion.

8 Jn what place this kingdome is administred.

THIS kingdome, as concerning the beginning or gathering thereof, is administred here on earth: yet so, that it is not in any one certain place, Iland, Prouince, but is spred through the whole world. 1. Timo. 2.8. J wil that the men praie euerie where. Matth. 18.20. Where two or three are gathered to∣gether in my name, there am J in the midst of them. Wee neuer go out of this kingdome, if we abide in true faith. This king∣dome, as touching the consummation or perfection thereof, is admi∣nistred in heauen. Ioh. 14.3. And although I go to prepare a place for you, J wil come againe, and receiue you vnto my selfe, that where I am, there maie yee bee also. Ioh. 12.26. Where I am, there

shal also my seruant be. Ioh. 17.24. Father, I wil that they which thou hast giuen me, be with me, euen where I am. 1. Thes. 4.17. We shal be caught vp to meete the Lord.

9 What is the time of the durance and conti∣nuaunce of this kingdome.

THE beginning and gathering of this kingdom dureth from the worlds beginning vnto the end thereof, be∣cause there are alwaies in this world some members of the Church, whether few, or many. The consummation, or perfection of this kingdome shall endure from the glorifi∣eng of the godly vnto al eternity. 1. Corint. 15.24. Then shall be the end, when hee hath deliuered vp the kingdome to god, euen the father, which is to be vnderstoode (as was before obser∣ued) as touching this forme of administration of that king∣dome.

10 How this kingdome commeth.

THIS kingdom commeth to vs foure wais. 1. By the preaching of the gospel, whereby is reueiled the light of the true & heauenly doctrine. 2. By conuersion, when some are conuer∣ted, and are endued with faith and repentaunce. 3. By ma∣king progresse, or encrease, when the godlie receiue encrease, or vvhen the proper giftes and blessings of the faithful are augmented vvith perpetuall encrease in the godly or con∣uerted. Reuelat. 22.11. He that is righteous, let him be righteous stil: and hee that is holy, let him bee holy still. 4. By consummation, and ful accomplishment, vvhen the godly shal be glorified in the second comming of our Lorde. Reuel. 22.20. Euen so come Lord Jesus.

11 Why we are to desire that the kingdome of god come.

WE ought to desire, that the kingdome of god come, 1. For the glorie of god, or in respect of the first petition; because that wee may sanctifie & hallow his name it is re∣quired that he rule vs by his word & spirit. For except god erect in vs this his kingdome, & deliuer vs out of the king∣dome of the diuell, we shall neuer hallowe & sanctify his name, but rather shall defile & pollute it. 2 Because god will giue this kingdome onlie to those that aske it, like as he giueth the holie ghost vnto them onlie, that aske him.