Collection of Discourses, Title page – Table of contents
A COLLECTION OF CERTAINE LEARNED DISCOVRSES, WRITTEN BY THAT FAMOVS MAN OF MEMORY ZACHARY VRSINE; Doctor and Profeſſor of Divinitie in the noble and flouriſhing Schoole of NEVSTAD.
For explication of divers difficult points, laide downe by that Author in his CATECHISME.
Lately put in Print in Latin by the laſt labour of D. DAVID PARRY: and now newlie tranſlated into Engliſh, by I. H. for the benefit and behoofe of our Chriſtian country-men.
AT OXFORD, Printed by IOSEPH BARNES, and are to be ſold in Pauls Church-yard at the ſigne of the Bible▪ 1600.
TO THE READER.
COurteous & Chriſtian Reader: at their inſtant requeſt whom it moſt concerned, and of mine owne inclination, which ſhall (I profeſſe) bee ever ſervile to thy godly deſi…es, I did ſixe moneths ſince begin (and only beginne) to teach this ſtranger to ſpeake Engliſh (A ſtrāger indeed for language, but for conſent in doctrine our natural country-man, and fellow-citizen in the heavenly Hieruſalem.) This courſe vponupon ſpecial occaſion interrupted, I hauehave now the ſecond time attempted and perfited, at the importunity of my friend this …rinter, whoſe commodity had otherwiſe beene much preiudiced by prevention.
If I hauehave truely expreſſed the Authors intent, it is as much as I can deſire, or thou expect. Jf I hauehave failed thereof, I hope it is neither ordinarily, nor groſlie; wherefore being vnworthy of pardon, much more of praiſe, I humbly pleade for thy favourable cenſure. Haſt is the enemie of circumſpection, and ſeldome meetes a ſwift and wiſe reſolution. Thou wilt (I preſume) the rather beare with me, if thou remember but this, that I was compelled to make a three weekes worke of it, in a time when (beſides this) I did of dutie diſpatch more buſineſſe, and of neceſſity endure more griefe and heavineſſe, then in ſo ſmall a ſpace did ever afore befall me. Some proofe hereof may be this, that for certaine howers I was enforced to imploy others, whoſe ſtile (I know) thy quicke re…iſh can iudiciouſly diſtinguiſh.
Touching the Author, all I can ſay is too little, and of that little (leaſt thou ſurfette on me, eare thou come to him) take only this little. He was in his life laborious, religious, & like an Angell amongſt men; in his ſtile princely, pure, and plentifull like a ſweeping torrent; in his learning (which was of all ſortes, eſpecially in Divinity) ſound, ſubtile, and profound as the deepe Ocean.
The difficulty and obſcurity which muſt needs be where is great depth, naturall brevity, and neceſſitie of ſchoole-termes ſhould hauehave beene plained and cleered (as farre as my weake vnderſtanding could perfourme) had not the niggardly ſhortneſſe of time, & envious occurrent of buſineſſe, and diſquiet of minde beene a barre to my honeſt intent. Time may miniſter occaſion of ſupplying theſe and all other defectes: In the meane while for mine encouragement and thine owne good, accept theſe firſt fruites of my ſtudies in this kinde; and remember to read, not for contention, but inſtruction. And ſo I leaue thee to God; whom I deſire a… well to enable thee to the conceaving, as he did this his ſervant to the vnfolding of the moſt deep myſteries and ſubtle controverſies of religion.
A TABLE OF THE SEVEral diſcourſes contained in this booke.
1. Two prefaces of D. David Parrie prefixed before the two laſt partes of the Catechiſme in the firſt Edition.
2 An exhortatiō of Vrſine to the ſtudy of Chriſtianity.
3. The Antiochian beleife touchinge the incarnation of the Word, againſt Paulus Samoſatenus: with the catholique faith and beliefe touching the vbiquitie of Chriſtes bodie. Out of the 4. booke of Vigil. againſt E…tych.
4. An epiſtle of Vrſine vponupon predeſtination: with ſome fragments of certaine of his Epiſtles.
5. Parte of an oration vponupon this queſtion: Whether, & how far forth Chriſt died for all: by D. David Parie.
6. A ſhorte introduction to the controverſie of the Lordes ſupper, by David Parrie.
7. A breife expoſition of the controverſie about the Lordes ſupper: betweene the Conſubſtantialiſts, and maintainers of the truth: by D. Zacharie Vrſine.
8. Poſitions of D. Zacharie Vrſine, about ſome principall pointes of Chriſtian religion.
9. The funerall oration of D. Frances Iunius, vponupon the life and death of D. Zacharie Vrſine.