To this agreeth S. Paule writyng thus to the Cor. Omnes nos manifestari oportet coram tribunali Christi, vt reportet quisque ea quæ fiunt per corpus, iuxta id quod fecit, siue bonum siue malum.Marginalia2. Cor. 5. For we must all appeare before the iudgement seat of Christ, that euery man may receyue the things which are done in hys body according to that he hath done, whether it be good or euill. And agayne where he writeth vnto þe Hebrues, I trow it be sayd in this wise: Memores sitis vinctorum tanquam vna cum illis, vincti: eorum qui affliguntur, veluti ipsi quoq; versantes in corpore:MarginaliaHeb. 13. Remēber them that are in bondes, euen as though ye were bound with them: be myndfull of them which are in affliction, as if ye were also afflicted in the body.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaAūswere to the 14. article.
Praying to saintes. To the 14. where you aske whether holy Martirs, Apostles, and Confessours departed from thys worlde, ought to be honored, called vpon, and prayed vnto? I aūswere as touching the honouring of them, with the very words of S. Augustine in his booke De vera religione, in he last leafe, where he sayth thus: Non sit nobis religio cultus hominum mortuorum: Quia si pie vixerunt, non sic habentur vt tales quærant honores, sed illum a nobis coli volunt, quo illuminante lætanturMarginalia* Id est, eiusdem meriti cuius ipsi sunt participes. * meriti sui nos esse consortes: honorandi sunt ergo propter imitationem, non adorandi propter religionem. Si autem male vixerent, vbiscumq̀ sunt, non sunt colendi. Agayne, a little after the same, he sayth: Nam idipsum actum est temporali dispensatione ad salutem nostram, vt naturam humanam, ipsa Dei virtus & Dei sapientia incommutabilis & consubstantialis patri & cœternus, suscipere dignaretur, per quam nos doceret id esse homini colendum, quod ab omni creatura intellectuali et rationali colendum est: Hoc est, ipsos optimos angelos, et excellentissima Dei ministeria velle credamus, vt vnū cum ipsis colamus Deum, cuius contemplatione beati sunt: neque enim et nos videndo angelum beati sumus, sed videndo veritatam, qua ipsos etiam diligimus Angelos, & his congratulamur. Nec inuidemus quod ea paratiores, vel nullis molestijs interpedientibus perfruuntur, sed magis eos diligimus, quoniam et nos tale aliquid sperare a communi domino iussi sumus.MarginaliaAngels woulde haue no Temples builded to them. Quare honoramus eos charitate, non seruitute: nec eis templa construimus. Nolunt enim se sic honorari a nobis, quia nos ipsi cum boni sumus, templa summi Dei esse nouerunt. Recte itaque scribitur hominem ab Angelo prohibitum ne se adoraret, sed vnum Deum, sub quo ille esset & conseruus. Thus sayth S. Augustine, handlyng the same matter a litle after, more at large.
The content of this vnto you I expound that knowe no latin, for I couet that all persons shoulde knowe both my thought in this, and all maner of doyng, to the intent that of al persons I would haue true reporte and testimonie, what soeuer shall betyde me. S. Augustine in these words would haue,MarginaliaMen departed are not to be worshipped. that we should worshyp no men departed, be they neuer so good & holy, for they seeke no such honour, but would haue vs to worshyp God alone: no nor yet no Aungell, ne honour the same, but onely in imitation of them, folowyng their good actes in our lyuyng, as they folowed our moste mercifull God whiles they were alyue, not buildyng 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 contrariwise.MarginaliaAungels are not to be worshipped No, the Aungels will not that wee shoulde builde anye Churches in reuerence of them, but would, þt with them we should honour the originall marke, and performer of all. They refuse all honour, sauyng that whiche is called honor charitatis, whiche is nothyng els, but to bee loued. Thus sayth S. Augustine.MarginaliaThe best worshipping of saintes, is in following their good actes. Whiche loue wee shall testifie in folowing theyr good actes, by helpyng the poore or helpeles with almes and mercy, and dealyng truely in worde and dede, accordyng to our state and callyng, both towardes God and man. Which is no light matter to them that do consider the thyng well. But who soeuer shall truely and duelye folowe that trade, shall feele it (I dare say) as the burden of Christes crosse was vnto hym ryght weyghty and greuous, when he bare it to Caluarie: sauing that we nede not to feare, for he hath promised to bee 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. 35. That is to witte when a iust person begynneth to fall, he shall not be borne flatte down to be broken, for the Lord shall put his hand vnder hym, to reare him vp agayne. And in þe 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 trauaile 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 shall sustein the chargeable and sore vexations put vpon them of the world, whiche can not endure the truth to preuayle, and the vntruth to be disclosed.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaInuocation. As touchyng inuocation: that is to witte, callyng vpon them, we haue in Scripture, how we shoulde call vpon almigtye God in all necessityes or tribulations. As in the Psalmes euery where: as in thys: Call vpon me in tyme of your tribulation, and I shall deliuer.MarginaliaPsal. 50. 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.
God onely to be exalted. Marke how hee sayeth, here call vpon me, appointinge neyther. S. Thomas, ne maister Iohn Shorne
Psal. 145. and with that he sheweth who calleth truely vppon him, saying thus: He shall do the will or desire of them that reuerenceth hym, and shall heare graciously their prayer, and make them safe, for the Lord loueth al that loueth hym, and al synners shall be destroyed.
And thus vsed the holy prophets, Patriarkes, Apostles, & other good faythfull people in olde tyme, in all tribulation & anguish, to resort vnto the head fountain, which is of grace infinite, as is shewed in other places in this wise: In my trouble I called vpon the lord (sayth Dauid) & hee heard me gratiously,MarginaliaPsal. 4. when I was troubled, I cryed vnto the Lord and he mercifully heard me.MarginaliaPsal. 18. Also I lift myne eyes vp vnto the mountaynes but from whence shall helpe come vnto me? Myne helpe (quoth he) shall come from the Lord that made both heauen and earth.MarginaliaPsal. 127. I read the fyrst of these verses in forme of interrogation, folowyng S. Augustine, whiche (as I remember) interpreteth it in this wyse. If I recite not authorities in all places in the moste perfite forme, I would pray you somewhat to pardon me, for you know that I lacke bookes, and haue not them lying by me. Notwithstandyng I am certein I shall not declyne much from him. The hylles toward the which Dauid dyd lyfte vp hys eyes were Sainctes and holy men, of whome when he could not haue hys mynde satisfied, he turned an other way, saying: frō whence shal help come vnto me? Anone he remēbring hym selfe better, sued vnto God him selfe, of whome incontinent he obteyned the accomplyshment of his wishe,MarginaliaGod onely is the geuer of helpe and not saintes. and so witnessed the same for our instruction saying: Myne helpe is of the Lord, or commeth from the Lord, whiche 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 mynde of God ne disagreyng with the sequele of Scripture.
[Back to Top]Also in this wise it is reported in the new testament by authoritie deduced out of the olde, where it is writen: Euery one that calleth vpon the name of the Lorde shalbe saued.MarginaliaMarke. 13.
Ioel. 2. And marke how, cumMarginalia* That is, with a speciall efficacie for vs to marke more attentiuely. * energia, it is sayd: vpon the name of the Lord, without any sendyng vs, either to S. Christopher (though he be paynted neuer so stout) either to S. Patrickes purgatorye in Ireland or to S. Iames in Galicia
I.e., the shrine of St. James in Compostella, a major European pilgrimage site.
MarginaliaBede vpon S. Iohn S. Bede
The Venerable Bede was never a saint.
I haue made truely long search, yet coulde I neuer finde any such substantiall teachyng. Howbeit, I offer my selfe euer to learne, and know that my rude witte, foolysh youth vnexpert experience, and feble discretion had nede of good instruction, as much as any other.MarginaliaThe light of Gods worde open to children: & hidde from the wyse. Howbeit, I see (thanked bee God that sometyme hee sheweth some sparkle of lyght and wisdome to children, hydyng the same from other that
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