life of john picus earl of mirandola - The Center for Thomas More ...

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Picus’ Commentary on Psalm 15
hope, that it shall arise in the Day of Judgment immortal and shining
with his soul. And also the prophet more expressly declareth¦ in the
verse following, for where he said thus, “My soul is glad,” he addeth
the cause, saying, Quoniam 1 non derelinques animam meam in inferno–“For
Thou shalt not leave my soul in hell.” Also where the prophet said that
his flesh should rest in hope, he showeth the cause, saying, Nec dabis
sanctum tuum videre corruptionem–“ Nor Thou shalt not suffer Thy Saint
to see corruption,” ⌐ that is to say, ‘Thou shalt not suffer the flesh of
a good man to be corrupted.’ ¬ For that that was corruptible shall arise
incorruptible. And forasmuch as Christ was the first which entered
paradise and opened the life unto us, and was the first that rose again
and the cause of our resurrection, therefore these words that we have
spoken of the resurrection be principally understood of Christ, as
Saint Peter, the apostle, hath declared; 2 and secondarily, 3 they may be
understood of us, in that we be the members of Christ, Which only
never saw corruption, for His ⌐ holy ¬ body was in His sepulchre nothing
putrefied. Forasmuch, then, as the way of good living bringeth us to
perpetual life of soul and body, therefore the prophet saith, Notas mihi
fecisti vias vitae–“Thou hast made the ways of life known unto me.” And
because that all the felicity of that¦ standeth in the clear beholding and
fruition of God, therefore it followeth, Adimplebis me laetitia cum vultu
tuo–“Thou shalt fill me full of gladness with Thy cheer.” And for that
our felicity shall be everlasting, therefore he with, Delectationes in dextera
tua usque in finem–“Delectation and joy shall be on Thy right hand for
ever”;–he saith ‘on Thy right hand’ because that our felicity is fulfilled
in the vision and fruition of the humanity of Christ, Which sitteth in
heaven on the right hand of ⌐ His Father’s ¬ majesty, after the words
of Saint John, Haec est tota merces, ut videamus Deum, et quem misisti Jesum
Christum–“This is all our reward, that we may behold God, and Jesus
Christ Whom Thou hast sent” 4 : ⌐ to which reward He bring° us That
sitteth there and prayeth for us. Amen. ¬
30 He bring may He bring
¦ 2 More omits hoc totum, “all this” (CW 1:370, 371). / 20 More omits vitae, “life” (CW 1:370).
1. Quoniam: The Latin has quia (CW 1:370).
2. as…declared: Acts 2:26–31.
3. secondarily: Employed here in the sense of “secondly,” More’s usage antedates the earliest found
in the OED (s.v. secondarily adv. 2).
4. Haec…sent: John 17:3.
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