A treatise of religion & learning and of religious and learned men consisting of six books, the two first treating of religion & learning, the four last of religious or learned men in an alphabetical order ... / by Edward Leigh ...

TO THE Right Reverend JAMES USHER Arch-Bishop of Armagh.

HONOURED SIR,

BOth the Subject I handle, and my own special Obligation are a just Apologie for my Dedication of this Treatise unto you. I treat of Religion and Learning, a no∣ble Argument, and (were it an∣swerably handled) well-worthy of so noble a Patro∣nage. Learning is the great Ornament of a man, and true Religion (which is an honouring of God suitably to his Excellency) is the great Ornament of a Christian. Where there is a happy conjunction of a learned Head, and a sincere and truly religious Heart, there is a Person every way accomplisht. Bi∣shop Juell is frequently for this reason styled, The Jewell of Bishops; and of D^r Raynolds it is said, Incertum est fuerit doctior an melior.

D^r Rivet and Peter du Moulin, two French Divines are famous for their eminent Piety, learned Writings, and fifty years preaching. Your Name is also precious in all the Reformed Churches, witness the Dedication of divers learned a Treatises to you, and the honourable mention which many learned men frequently b make of you One thing I shall desire to specifie, which I look upon as one of your great Ac∣complishments, your humble and affable Disposition, both in a free admission of the very meanest; and al∣so in a ready communicating of your self unto them, which noble quality being in you when you were at the highest (as I have heard) is therefore the more commendable. Your sending to Samaria for several Copies of the Samaritane Pentateuch, bringing them first into Europe, and dispersing them many wayes, and also your purchasing at a dear rate the Syriack-Bible, and many other Syriack-Books from Syria, and your free imparting them to such Schollers as were skilfull in that Language, is deser∣vedly celebrated by M^r Selden in his Preface ad Marmora Arundeliana, De Dieu in his Epi∣stle Dedicatory to the Acts, and D^r Boot in his index Autorum before his Animadversiones Sa∣crae. Your Liberality to such as are in a necessitous condition, is also well known. It is a usual Maxim or Proverb, That the greatest Schollers are not the best Preachers; and Queen Elizabeth was wont to say, That she had made a Bishop, and marr'd a Preacher. You have really confuted both these, by your plain and powerfull Preaching, and by your constant labouring (for above fifty years) in that

sacred Function, even after the time, that through a naturall decay you were unable to reade your Text. Therein well fullfilling your Motto, both in your Episcopall and Archiepiscopall Seal, Vae mihi si non Evangeliza vero.

Could your leisure have permitted you to have heard me reade this whole Work to you, as you did vouchsafe me the favour, to hear part of it, it might have been more exact in it self, and so more worthy your Countenance You were pleased to com∣mend to me some of the Authou••s I made use of, and to supply me also with some choice Books out of your well-furnisht Library; some of the Observations also I was beholding to you for, to you (I say) who are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a breathing Library, and walking Study. This, with what I before alleadged, may justifie this honouring of my Book with your Name, the Dedication of it to you be∣ing as proper, as that of Tullies Book De senectute ad senem; or that of Hermannus Hugo De ori∣gine scribendi ad Scribanium. The Argument also is seasonable for these tim••s, wherein Learning hath other enemies besides the ignorant, if a Gover∣nour of a Colledge in the Vniversity, may not goe for an Ignaro also; and wherein the vitals of Religion are in so much danger, partly by Scepticisme of the one side, and questioning almost all the great Articles of Christian Faith, and by Libertinisme on the other side, as if the Primitive Christians, Martyrs, and old Puritans, had been more precise then wise. It is your honour therefore in such a declining Age, when others dispute away Truths and Duties, to stand for

Orthodox Truths, and practise holy Duties. Psal. 119.126, 127. Old-age (saith Salomon) is a Crown when it is found in the way of Righteousness. As God hath inriched you with large Abilities, so lay them out still for the good of the Church, that so you may prove a happy instrument whilst you live of Gods Glo∣ry, which is the desire of

SIR

Your most Affectionate Friend and Servant EDWARD LEIGH.

Notes

• a

  De Dieu in Acta Apost. Span••em. Dub. Evang. parte 2^da. Bootii Ani∣madver. Sac. Mori Cal∣vinus. Cartw in Exod.
• b

  Reveren∣distimus an∣tistes. Iaco∣bus Vsserius Archie pis∣copus Ar∣machanus, vir summa pietate, ju∣dicio singu∣lari, usque ad miraculum doctus, & literis seve∣rioribus promoven∣dis natus Seld••nus in Praefat. ad Marinora Arundelia∣na.
• Praesulum decus the Ia∣cobus Arma∣chanus Ga∣tak. Cinnus. c. 5.
• Eunapius de Longino in Porphyr. p. 12.