LETTER CCCCXLVI. THOMAS S. TRONESINUS TO THE ARCHBISHOP OF ARMAGH. REVERENDISSIME PRESUL, INCOMPARABILIS eruditio et pietas tam eximia nomen tuum tam venerabile per omnes Ecclesias fecerunt, et in amorem reverentiamque alliciunt omnes bonos. In eorum qui te animitus colunt numero me esse, utinam tam officiis probare possem, quam sincere profiteor; si daret se occasio, res ipsa pro me loqueretur. Hoc certe fide omni assevero me precibus quotidianis apud Deum tui memorem esse, ut Ecclesiæ tam afflictæ bono te diutissime conservet. Filius meus qui has tibi traditurus est, ex colloquio, consiliis, benevolentiaque præstantissimorum virorum se utiliorem Ecclesiæ conatur reddere. Id ego quoque habeo in votis. Quare et hoc beneficium velis ei non denegare, quam possum studiosissime rogo. Sic non illum tantum tibi devincies, sed et plantam hanc rigando, sperabo fructum ad Ecclesiam rediturum, et me magis magisque devotum tibi reddes, et quas jugiter pro te concipio preces, in dies fundam ardentiores. Geneva, 18 Febr 1652. Reverendissimo Præsuli ac D. D. Jacobo Usserio Archiepiscopo Armachano. R. T. addictissimus, T. S. TRONESINUS. LETTER CCCCXLVII. DR. LANGBAINE TO THE ARCHBISHOP OF ARMAGH, MY MOST HONOURED LORD, I RECEIVED from your Grace by this bearer, Mr. Patrick Yonge, at his coming to Oxon, two books directed for Corpus Christi College Library, viz., Marianus Scotus (or, as I should rather call it, Chronicon Wigorniense), and another MS. of some pieces of Hierom, with Ignatius his epistles; but this latter does, doubtless, belong to Baliol College, and was the gift (as most of their MSS. in that library were) of William Gray, Bishop of Ely. did acquaint both the colleges, I mean the governors, with my receipt of these books, and desired to borrow that of Corpus Christi for a little time, and the other I do yet forbear to return to Baliol College, till I had acquainted your lordship with it. I I have set one a transcribing Damascius his spissum opus, and will not be done in haste. I received from your lordship, by Mr. Harlow, a copy of your arbitration of the difference betwixt DD. Capell and Boot, wherein I conceive most sober, learned men will readily subscribe to your lordship's judgment in the point. Indeed that opinion of Capell's did ever seem to me to be built itself upon weak foundations, and upon which, if it were admitted, might be built dangerous superstructions. What may not either the translator or transcriber mistake by ignorance or negligence, or offend wittingly, but all must be charged upon the original. But I can add nothing material in that argument, saving my approbation of your sentence, and humble thanks for imparting it to Your Lordship's most humble servant, GERARD LANGBAINE. Queen's Coll. Oxon. To the Most Reverend and his much LETTER CCCCXLVIII. LORD CONWAY AND KILULTA TO THE ARCHBISHOP OF ARMAGH. MY LORD, I was lately asked by a lady what those three men were that came to Abraham and eat with him, Genesis, xviii. I said that two of them were angels, the third was Christ. The lady was not satisfied, but asked two country preachers; they said that they were only angels. In defence of my opinion I said that one of them is called Jehovah, and the Judge of the whole earth, and that Christ said in the 8th of St. John, that the Jews did seek to kill Christ, which Abraham did not endeavour to do. If then there was a time when Abraham might have used Christ well or ill, it was then when Christ coming to him did receive good entertainment from him. Besides Christ saith there, that Abraham rejoiced to see his day, which the Jews understood of his seeing of Christ as a man; to this one of the preachers said that this was only meant of Abraham's seeing Christ by faith; and for Abraham's not seeking to kill Christ, it was only meant that he did not seek to kill Christ's prophets, as Christ said to Saul, Why persecutest thou me? The other preacher said that my argument was ridiculous. I did alledge the authority of Willet, Paræus, Freidlibius, and Placeus, and unless my memory do much fail me, Zanchius; those had no authority with them. I do now humbly desire that you will be pleased to let me know what your opinion is; not that I would show it to make you my second, for I know that we live in a time. wherein they speak evil of dignities, and I have more discretion to cast your pearl before swine that should rent you. It is only for my own satisfaction, for I esteem your judgment before all the assembly of divines, if they had been all good scholars. I hope that the next summer I shall have the happiness to see you again, and in the mean time I desire the coming out of the second part of your Chronology, and I shall ever be Your most affectionate and most humble servant, CONWAY AND KILULTA. Petworth, Nov. 15. 1652. |