The Summe of Christian Religion: Delivered by Zacharias Ursinus in his Lectures upon the Catechism authorised by the noble Prince Frederic, throughout his dominions. Wherein are debated and resolved the Questions of whatsoever points of moment, which have been or are controversed in Divinitie. Translated into Enlighs by Henrie Parrie, out of the last & best Latin Editions, together with some supplie of ways out of his Discourse of Divinitie, and with corrections of sundrie faults & imperfections, which are as yet remaining in the best corrected Latine

At Oxford, Printed by Joseph Garnes, & are to be sold in Pauls Churchard at the signed of the Tygres head. 1587. 8vo, 156 x 103 mms., pp. [xvi], 1047 [1048 blank, 1049 - 1056 index], woodcut border on title-page, historiated initials, contemporary ownership inscription dated 1788 on top margin of dedicated page (closely shaved with loss of several letters,) ownership repeated on blank page [1048], occasional marginal annotation, bound in 19th century half calf, marbled boards, gilt spine, red morocco label; top margins of most leaves very closely shaved, with loss of running title and page number, but text spared, rear joint cracked, a good copy. Zacharias Ursinus (1534 - 1583) was, as Wikipedia notes, "was a sixteenth-century German Reformed theologian and Protestant reformer, born Zacharias Baer in Breslau (now Wroclaw, Poland). He became the leading theologian of the Reformed Protestant movement of the Palatinate, serving both at the University of Heidelberg and the College of Wisdom (Collegium Sapientiae). He is best known as the principal author and interpreter of the Heidelberg Catechism." The Heidelberg Catechism was published in Germany on 19 January 1563. The Heidelberg Catechism received its name from the place of its origin, Heidelberg, the capital of the German Electorate of the Palatinate. It was written at the request of Elector Frederick III, ruler of the most influential German province, the Palatinate, from 1559 to 1576. This pious Christian prince, in order that the Reformed Faith might be maintained in his province, commissioned Zacharius Ursinus, twenty-eight years of age and professor of theology at the Heidelberg University, and Caspar Olevianus, twenty-six years old and Frederick's court preacher, to prepare a catechism for instructing the youth and for guiding pastors and teachers. Frederick obtained the advice and cooperation of the entire theological faculty in the preparation of the Catechism. The Heidelberg Catechism was adopted by a Synod in Heidelberg and published in German with a preface by Frederick III, dated January 19, 1563. Second and third German editions, each with some small additions, as well as a Latin translation were published in Heidelberg in the same year. While the first edition had 128 questions and answers, in the second and third editions, at the request of the Elector, the eightieth question and answer, which refers to the popish mass as an accursed idolatry, was added. In the third edition the 129 questions and answers were divided into 52 "Lord's Days" with a view to the Catechism's being explained in one of the services on the Lord's Day. From the blog, drmatt@apuritansmind.com Founded in 1869, Ursinus College in Collegeville, Pennsylvania, celebrates the life of Ursinus.