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1303 [1303]

K. Henry. 8. The aunsweres of Iohn Lambert to the Byshops Articles.

Aungel, ne honour the same, but onely in imitation of them, folowing their good actes in our liuyng, as they folowed our moste mercifull God whyles they were aliue, not building Churches in the name or honour of them, for they would haue no such honour done vnto them: it is to them no pleasure, but contrarywyse. MarginaliaAungells are not to be worshipped.No, the Aungels will not that we should builde anye Churches in reuerence of them, but would, that with them we should honour the originall maker & performer of all. They refuse all honour, sauing that which is called honor charitatis, which is nothing els, but to be loued. Thus sayth S. Augustine. MarginaliaThe best worshipping of Sainctes, is in following their good acts.Which loue we shall testifie in folowing theyr good actes, by helpyng the poore or helpeles with almes and mercy, and dealyng truely in worde and deede, according to our state and calling, both towardes God and man. Which is no light matter to them that doe consider the thyng well. But who soeuer shall truely and dulye folowe, that trade, shal feele it (I dare saye) as the burden of Christes crosse was vnto hym ryght weyghtie & greuous, whē he bare it to Caluarie: sauyng that we nede not to feare, for he hath promysed to be with vs in tribulation, to rydde vs from the same. For the Prophet Dauid sayth: Cum ceciderit iustus non collidetur, quia Dominus supponit manum suam.MarginaliaPsal. 37. That is to witte, whē a iust person beginneth to fall, he shal not be borne flatte down to be broken, for the Lord shall put his hand vnder hym, to reare hym vp agayne. And in the Gospell he biddeth: Venite ad me omnes qui laboratis & onerati estis & ego reficiam vos. MarginaliaMath. 11.That is to say, Come you vnto me all that do trauayle and are sore charged, and I shall comforte or refreshe you. Take my yoke vpon you, learnyng of me, that I am softe and meeke mynded, and you shall fynde ease therby in your soules: for my yoke is easy, and my burden light. See you here, how he is euer ready to supporte them, that for truth shal susteyn the chargeable and sore vexations put vpon thē of the world, whiche can not endure the truth to preuayle, and the vntruth to be disclosed.

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MarginaliaInuocation.As touching inuocation, that is to witte, callyng vpon them, we haue in Scripture, how we should call vpon almigtye God in all necessityes or tribulations. As in the Psalmes euery where: as in this: Call vpō me in tyme of your tribulation, and I shall deliuer you. MarginaliaPsal. 50.
God onely to be called vpon.
Marke howe he sayeth, here call vppon me, appoyntynge neyther S. Thomas, ne maister Iohn Shorne.  

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The reference is to Thomas Becket and John Schorne, who were venerated at popular shrines in Canterbury and Windsor respectively. John Schorne was a fourteenth-century rector of North Marston, who was popularly venerated as a saint. His body was moved to Windsor in 1478, where it was an extremely popular pilgrimage site. Schorne was credited with trapping the devil in a boot during an exorcism and his boots were credited with the power to heal gout.

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Also in an other place: The Lord is nigh vnto them that call vpon hym, that call vpon him truely, MarginaliaWhat is to call truely vpon God.
Psal. 145.
and with that he sheweth who calleth truely vpon hym, saying thus: He shall do the will or desire of thē that reuerenceth hym, & shall heare graciouslye theyr prayer, and make them safe, for the Lorde loueth all that loueth hym, and all synners shall be destroyed.

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And thus vsed þe holy Prophets, Patriarkes, Apostles, & other good faythfull people in olde tyme, in all tribulation & anguish, to resort vnto þe head foūtaine, which is of grace infinite, as is shewed in other places in this wise: In my trouble I called vpō the lord (saith Dauid) & he heard me graciously. MarginaliaPsal. 4.Whē I was troubled, I cried vnto the Lord, and he mercifully heard me. MarginaliaPsal. 18.Also I lift myne eyes vp vnto the mountaynes: but from whence shal helpe come vnto me? Myne helpe (quod he) shall come from the Lord that made both heauen and earth. MarginaliaPsal. 127.I reade the fyrst of these verses in forme of interrogation, folowynge S. Augustine, which (as I remember) interpreteth it in thys wyse. If I recite not authorityes in all places in the moste perfight forme, I would pray you somwhat to pardon me, for you know that I lacke bookes, and haue not them lying by me. Notwithstandyng I am certain, I shal not decline much from him. The hylles towarde the which Dauid dyd lyft vp hys eyes, were Sainctes and holy men, of whome when hee coulde not haue hys mynde satisfied, he turned an other way, saying: from whence shall helpe come vnto me? Anone he remembryng hym selfe better, sued vnto God hym selfe, of whome incontinent he obtayned the accomplyshment of hys wyshe, MarginaliaGod onely is the geuer of helpe, & not Sainctes.and so witnessed the same for our instruction, saying: Mine helpe is of the Lord, or cōmeth from the Lord, which made heauen and earth. This interpretation (as neare as I remember) is after the mynde of S. Augustine: and I suppose verely, that it is not contrarye vnto the mynd of God, ne disagreing with the sequele of scripture.

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Also in this wise it is reported in þe newe testament by authoritye deduced out of the olde, where it is wryten: Euery one that calleth vpon the name of the Lorde shalbe saued. MarginaliaMark. 13.
Ioel. 2.
And marke how, cum Marginalia* That is, with a speciell efficacie for vs to marke more attentiuely.* energia, it is sayd: vpon the name of the Lord, without any sending vs, either to S. Christopher (though he be paynted neuer so stout) eyther to S. Patrickes purgatorye in Ireland, or to S. Iames in Galicia  

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I.e., the shrine of St. James in Compostella, a major European pilgrimage site.

, in the yeare of grace, or yet to any other Sainct or place: but woulde vs, that we should call vpon almighty God, & vpon his name, for þe loue that he beareth to Christ, that is alway our Aduocate before our father, to purchase mercye for our synnes: and not for our synnes onelyMarginalia1. Ioh. 3. (quod Saint Iohn, who is the wryter of this saying & testimonie) but also for the synnes of all the world. S. Augustine vpon that same noteth, that S. Iohn in that place, sayeth: MarginaliaAugust. in Ioannem.we haue an Aduocate, MarginaliaChriste is aduocate as well for Sainctes and Apostles, as for vs.and that Christ is Aduocate for hym aswell as for other, to purchase mercy for hym, lyke as he doth for all other that shall be saued: and that S. Iohn wyll not bee knowen for our Aduocate, but that Christ should be taken for Aduocate of all.

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MarginaliaBede vpon Sainct Iohn.S. Bede  

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The Venerable Bede was never a saint.

(as I remember) vpon the same, maketh as much for thys purpose, as doth S. Augustine, or well more. So that by course of scripture, we are taught to resorte for all ayde and reliefe (as I haue sayed) vnto the head spryng and fountayne of all comfort and mercye, as S. Paule calleth hym, the Father of mercies and of all comforte, which is ready to comforte vs in all tribulations:Marginalia2. Cor. 1. which (as the Psalme reporteth) healeth all our infirmityes, and taketh mercye vpon all oure iniquityes:MarginaliaPsal. 103. For hee is sweete (as is said in an other place) and gentle, and many mercyes are layde vppe for all those that call vpon hym.MarginaliaPsal. 46.
Scripture in no place sendeth vs to Saintes departed.
Yet he sheweth vs no where (I trowe) of benefytes that we shall purchase by praying vnto Saincts departed, and if any person cā or wyll vouchsafe to teach me that, by some authoritye of scripture, I would thinke my selfe hyghlye beholdinge to hym, whatsoeuer he were, eyther great or small, yonge or olde: but I weene it can not be.

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I haue made truely long searche, yet coulde I neuer fynde any such substantiall teaching. Howbeit, I offer myselfe euer to learne, and know that my rude wit, foolyshe youth, vnexpert experience, and feble discretion, had neede of good instruction, as much as any other. MarginaliaThe light of Gods word open to children: and hydde from the wise.Howbeit, I see (thanked be God) that sometime he sheweth some sparkle of lyght and wisdome to children, hydyng the same from other that are reputed of hygher prudēce: so that the world therby many tymes is brought into admiration, seing such factes done of God before their face, and laugh thereat sometyme with indignation, as the Phariseis dyd at the blynde man whome Christ had restored to syght, where they sayd to hym. Thou caitife wast borne blinde for thy sinnes, and wylte thou teach vs, that are a great multitude of hygh officers of the temple, and Doctours to teache the lawe?MarginaliaIohn. 9. As who woulde saye, it becommeth thee full ill. Yet we ought not to maruell greatlye at suche doyng, for so much as S. Paule. 1. Cor. 1. sheweth of lyke practise done in hys tyme, and that he writeth for the instruction of all ages after ensuyng, so that it pertayneth (lyke as all the holy scripture doth) as wel to our time, as it did to that it was fyrst written in. The doctrine of Christes crosse, that is to witte, of the newe Testament, is to them that perishe, foly (sayth he)Marginalia1. Cor. 1. but to vs that obtaine

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