The life of the Most Reverend Father in God, James Usher, late Lord Arch-Bishop of Armagh, primate and metropolitan of all Ireland with a Collection of three hundred letters between the said Lord Primate and most of the eminentest persons for piety and learning in his time ... / collected and published from original copies under their own hands, by Richard Parr ...

LETTER CXXVII. A Letter from Dr. Samuel Ward, to the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh, at Tredagh. (Book 127)

Most Reverend and my very good Lord;

THough I must needs acknowledg my neglect in writing, or forgetfulness, or both, since your last going into Ireland; yet now I could have no further pretext for the omission of that Duty, by which I am obliged by no few Bonds, especially having such conveniency of sending, by my most worthy Friend, with whom I am most loth to part, but that upon higher considerations, I conceive God may use him as an Instrument of much good in that place, if God send him health and life. I assure your Lordship, I know not where you could have pitched upon a Man, every way so qualifi∣ed for such a place. He is a sincere honest Man, not tainted with avarsee of ambition; pious, discreet, wise, and stout enough, si res exigat; he will be frugi, and provident for the Colledg: and for converse of a sweet and amiable disposition, and well experienced. In a word, he is homo perpaucorum homi∣num, si quid judico. I pray the God of Heaven to bless his coming to you, to the good of your Colledg, and the Church of Ireland.

I suppose your Lordship will desire to hear somewhat of our Cambridg-Affairs; though I doubt not but you hear, by some Cambridg Men which come over to you. I suppose you have heard of a Lecture for reading of History, intended to be given us by the Lord Brook. Who, as you know, first intended to have had Mr. Vossius of Leyden; afterward his Stipend be∣ing augmented by the States, he resolved of Dr. Dorislaw of Leyden also. He, before his coming hither, took his Degree of Doctor of the Civil Law at Leyden: was sent down to Cambridg by my Lord Brook, with his Majesty's Letters to the Vice-Chancellor, and the Head, signifying my Lord Brook's intent: and also willing us to appoint him a place and time for his Reading; which accordingly was done. He read some two or three Le∣ctures, beginning with Corneh••s Tacitus; where his Author mentioning the conversion of the State of Rome from Government by Kings to the Go∣vernment by Consuls, by the suggestion of Junius Bru••us; he took occasi∣on to discourse of the Power of the People under the Kings, and afterward. When he touched upon the Excesses of Tarquintus Super••us his infringing of the Liberties of the People, which they enjoyed under former Kings, and so among many other things, descended to the vindicating of the Nether∣landers, for retaining their Liberties against the violences of Spain. In conclusion, he was conceived of by some, to speak too much for the defence of the Liberties of the People; though he spake with great moderation, and with an exception of such Monarchies as ours, where the People had surrendered their Right to the King, as that in truth there could be no just exception taken against him: yet the Master of Peter-house complained to the Vice-Chancellor; Master of Christ's-Colledg: and complaint also was made above, and it came to ••is Majesty's ear; which we having intelligence of Dr. Dorislaw denied to come and clear himself before the Heads, and carried himself so inge••••ously, that he gave satisfaction to an; whereupon 〈…〉〈…〉 were 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to his Patron, to the Bishop of Durham, and others, to signify •••• much. But he going to his Patron first, he suppressed the Letters, 〈…〉〈…〉, he would 〈…〉〈…〉, before any excuse should be made. Af∣ter word came from the Bishop of Winchester, then Durham, in the Majesty's

Name, to prohibit the History-Reader to read. But after that, both his Majesty, and the Bishop, and all others above, and here, were satisfied; but then his Patron kept off, and doth to this day, and will allow his Rea∣der the Stipend for his time; but we fear we shall lose the Lecture. I see a Letter which his Patron writ to him, to Malden, to will him to be gone into his Country; but he would assure him of his Stipend. The Do∣ctor kept with me, while he was in Town. He married an English Woman about Malden in Essex, where now he is. He is a fair-conditioned Man, and a good Scholar.

I had a Letter from Mr. Vossius before Christmass, with a Book of the La∣tin Historians, which he lately set forth, and dedicated to my Lord the Duke of Buckingham. He sent also a Book to his Majesty, and the Court-Bishops. I writ back unto him, and sent him my Lord of Sarum his Com∣mentary on the Colossians, willing him to revise his Pelagian History, especi∣ally about the Points of Original Sin, and the Efficacy of Grace.

As touching my self, in my Readings, I have suspended my Reading upon the Real Pretence, though I had almost finished it. And have read this Year and half, at least, upon that Point which I chiefly insist upon in my Sermon in Latin, to shew, that the Grace of Conversion giveth not only posse convertere, but also 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 velle. I have been long in vindicating the third Argument, used by the Contra-Remonstrants in Colloq. Hagiensi, ta∣ken from the places, where we are said to be mortui in peccatis; wherein the Remonstrants do discover the grounds of their Assertions, more than else∣where.

Dr. Jackson hath lately set forth a Book of the Attributes of God; wherein, in the Preface to the Earl of Pembroke, he doth profess himself an Arminian, ascribing to the opposites of Arminius, as I conceive, that God's Decrees, before the Creation, take away all possibilities of contrary Events after the Creation. True it is, that God's eternal Decree of any Event, as that I should write at this moment; cannot consist, with my actual not writing at this time: But none say it taketh from me all possibility of writing at this time, unless it be sensu composito. This conceit (as I conceive) maketh him elsewhere to impugn all. Divine Predefinitions as prejudicious to Man's Liberty and Freedom; which is a most silly conceit. I do con∣ceive, all that which he disputeth in his Book, against Negative Reproba∣tion, as not sorting with the antecedent Will of God, for the Salvation of all, to be against the seventeenth Article of Religion, which plainly aver••eth a gratuitous predestination of some, and not of all. Therefore from thence is inferred, a not-election of others to that Grace, which is that which pro∣perly is stiled, Reprobation.

As for our University, none do patronage these Points; either in 〈…〉〈…〉 or Pulpit; though because Preferments at Court are conferred upon such as incline that way, causeth some to look that way.

I suppose your Lordship hath seen my Lord of 〈…〉〈…〉 Reading 〈…〉〈…〉 the Colossions, which should have been exhibited, 〈…〉〈…〉 his Majesty, when he was here about the beginning of Lent. But my Lord of Winchester hindred that intention, though herein he 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the Univer∣sity. For we having received a Favour from his Majesty, to enjoy the pri∣viledg of our Charter for printing all kind of Books against the London Printers, thought to shew to his Majesty a Specimen of our Printing both for good Letter, and good Paper, of both which his Majesty had 〈…〉〈…〉 in printing the Bibles at London.

Thus with remembrance of my best Service to your good Lordship; with my best Wishes and Prayers for the continuance of your Lordship's Health and Prosperity here, for the good of God's Church, and your hap∣piness hereafter I commend you to the gracious protection of the highest Majesty; resting,

Your Graces, in all Service, Samuel Ward.

Cambridg, May 16. 1628.

Mr. Whalley and Mr. Mead are both in good health, for which Friends I am be∣holden to your Lordship, tho you take Mr. Bedell from me. Dr. Chaderton also is in health.