Letter 7015: Thanks be to God, whose generosity toward Your Greatness has exceeded what mere human merit could claim.

Thanks be to God, who, although he has held back the things desired with respect to Your Greatness, has not refused them. For, lest the faith of the suppliant should falter, desires are deferred, because a swift obtaining cheapens the charm of the gladness that is to follow. And indeed it is plain that you have deserved honors, not merely wished for them; but the prior arrangement of things bespeaks the prayers of those who love you. The Almighty knows it, both moved by the luster of your lineage and invited by confidence in the grace which you have promised: whatever you restrain by discipline or by reason has gone before you in your prosperous fortunes. Let close conversations at the doorway suffice: answer one who is anxious about your prosperity, though not in doubt about your love. My lord, rendering the dutiful service of a most full greeting, I commend the bearer of this letter, because he has been found by me to be trustworthy and honorable, wishing that what regard I have for Your Worthiness should not be kept silent from anyone, so that those who hope may be fed from the harvest of our common grace.

XV. ENNODIVS AGNELLO. Deo gratias, qui circa magnitudinem uestram licet protulerit cupita, non reppulit. etenim ne fides claudicet supplicantis, desideria differuntur, quia deuenustat secuturae hilaritatis genium uelox impetratio. et uos quidem honores meruisse, non optasse manifestum est. sed praecedens concinnatio eloquitur uota diligentum. nouit omnipotens et generis uestri luce permotus et gratiae quam polliciti estis inuitatus fiducia: praecessit in prosperis uestris quicquid uos disciplina aut ratione cohibetis. sufficiant in foribus stricta conloquia: respondete de prosperitate uestra sollicito, quamuis de amore non dubio. domine mi, salutationis plenissimae obsequia dependens litterarum portitorem commendo, quia mihi fide et honestate conpertus est, uolens uniuersis quid dignationis uestrae habeam non taceri, ut sperantes de communis gratiae messe pascantur. 3 Prou. 27, 2 1 sis] se Bb 2 monimentis (ni ex nu corr.) L 3 lauden L 4 nelim B2b, uellim Bl domino Tb 5 praesbitero B 6 mi scripsi, mihi BLTVb 7 aepistolae B 8 depraecans B 9 ũquã L, nquam B XV. 13 uestram magnitudinem T 14 repulit BT, reppullit L 16 meruiesS & optasse L 17 manifestum L man in ras. minoribus litteris 18 diligentium LTV 19 estis] est B praecessi B, praeceasit V 21 cohebetis Bb strieta ex scripta B respondente Bb 23 mihi BLVb 24 fede B 26 communi T