life of john picus earl of mirandola - The Center for Thomas More ...
life of john picus earl of mirandola - The Center for Thomas More ...
life of john picus earl of mirandola - The Center for Thomas More ...
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30<br />
Picus’ Second Letter to Francis<br />
ing, but regard only the judgment <strong>of</strong> God,–Which° shall yield every<br />
man after his own works when He shall show Himself from heaven<br />
with the angels <strong>of</strong> His virtue, in flame <strong>of</strong> fire, doing vengeance upon<br />
them that have not known God nor obeyed His Gospel, which (as<br />
the apostle saith 1 ) shall suffer in death eternal pain, from the face <strong>of</strong><br />
our Lord and from the glory <strong>of</strong> His virtue, when He shall come to<br />
be glorified <strong>of</strong> His saints and to be made marvellous in all them that<br />
have believed. It is written: Nolite timere qui corpus possunt occidere, sed qui<br />
animam potest mittere in gehennam.–“Fear not them,” saith our Lord, “that<br />
may slay the body: but fear Him that may cast the soul into hell.” 2 How<br />
much less, then, be they to be feared that may neither hurt soul nor<br />
body? Which° if they now backbite thee living virtuously, 3 they shall<br />
do the same nevertheless if (virtue <strong>for</strong>saken) thou were overwhelmed<br />
with vice,–nor <strong>for</strong> that vice displeaseth them but <strong>for</strong> that the vice <strong>of</strong><br />
backbiting always pleaseth them. Flee if thou love thine health, flee as<br />
far as thou mayest their company and, returning to thyself, <strong>of</strong>tentimes<br />
secretly pray unto the most benign Father ⌐ <strong>of</strong> heaven ¬ , crying with<br />
the prophet: Ad te Domine levavi animam meam : Deus meus in te confido,<br />
non erubescam, etiam si irrideant me inimici mei. Etenim universi qui sperant in<br />
te non confundentur. Confundantur iniqua agentes supervacue. Vias tuas Domine<br />
demonstra mihi, et semitas tuas edoce me. Dirige me in veritate tua, et doce me:<br />
quia tu es Deus Salvator meus, et in te sperabo tota die,–that is to say, “To<br />
<strong>The</strong>e, Lord, I lift up my soul:¦ in <strong>The</strong>e I trust, I shall not be ashamed,<br />
an though mine enemies mock me. Certainly all they that trust in <strong>The</strong>e<br />
shall not be ashamed. Let them be ashamed that work wickedness in<br />
vain. Thy ways, good Lord, show me, and Thy paths teach me. Direct<br />
me in Thy truth, and teach me: <strong>for</strong> Thou art God, my Saviour; in <strong>The</strong>e<br />
shall I trust all the day.” 4 Remember also, my son, that the death lieth at<br />
hand. Remember that all the time <strong>of</strong> our <strong>life</strong> is but a moment and yet<br />
less than a moment. Remember how cursed our old enemy is, which<br />
<strong>of</strong>fereth us the kingdoms <strong>of</strong> this world that he might bereave us the<br />
kingdom <strong>of</strong> heaven; how false the fleshly pleasures which there<strong>for</strong>e<br />
embrace us that they might strangle us; how deceitful these ⌐ worldly ¬<br />
1 Which who / 12 Which who<br />
¦23 <strong>More</strong> omits deus meus, “my God” (CW 1:360, 361).<br />
1. as the apostle saith: 2 <strong>The</strong>ssalonians 1:7–10.<br />
2. Nolite…hell: Matthew 10:28; Luke 12:4.<br />
3. virtuously: <strong>More</strong>’s translation <strong>of</strong> the Latin, ex ratione, “according to reason” (CW 1:360).<br />
4. Ad te…the day: Psalm 24:1–5.<br />
41<br />
[93]<br />
Our <strong>life</strong> is less than a<br />
moment.<br />
<strong>The</strong> devil, the world,<br />
the flesh