The life and miracles of St. Wenefrede, together with her Litanies: with some historical observations made thereon / [Robert].

  • Robert, Prior of Shrewsbury, -1167.
Date:
1713
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The life and miracles of St. Wenefrede, together with her Litanies: with some historical observations made thereon / [Robert]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Mjrtyfdom ? IF not, how know they that /he was a Martyr ? Whether it be as certain that /he is now a Saint in Heaven’ as that St. Peter and St. Paul are now in Heaven ? If not how can they pray to her ? 9 Whether it be certain that all who are in Heaven hear all the Prayers that are made to them on Earth ? Whether the Saints know diftin&ly and feparately the Pray¬ ers of one Wan from another ? How is it, that Men on Earth can be fure that fuch a one is a Saint in Heaven, and that /he hears their Prayers, and inter¬ cedes with God for them, unlefs God hath told them /o either in the Scriptures, or by other particular Revelation ? Hath God by either of thefe Ways told them, that IVenc- frede is a Saint in Heaven, and hears their Prayers, and inter* cedes for them ? If not, how come they to pray to her ? Is there any Command, any thing like a Command, in the Scriptures, that Men /hould pray to Saints ? Is there any En- couragement fo to do ? And who would venture on fuch a Practice without a pofitive Command, when they may go to God by Chrilt, which is commanded, and to which there cart be no Exception or Obje&ion, and for whofe Sake alone it is that any Prayers are heard or granted ? And now I cannot chufe but hope, that the devout Pilgrim* after confidering all thefe Things, will require at their Priefit Hands a more full and fatisfa&ory Account of the Certainty of the Life, Beheading, Refufcitation, Second Death, and Mi¬ racles of «jt. Ifenefrede, than Prior Robert ($oo Years after her fuppofed Life) hath given them in a poor, miferable, fufpici- ©us Legend j and that they will no longer addre/s them/ejves to one by Prater (of whofe very Being they are, and can be lo little afiured) in Terms as great, as ftrong, and weighty, at they would ufe tojefus Chrift himfelf. Such are the follow¬ ing ones in the Prayer to St. IVenefrede: O [ingular Hope of aU, that fly unto thee With Confidence and Humility • though unworthy, yet we, thy devoted Pilgrims, make cur ddreffes unto thee. O San binary of Piety, lock upon ns with patient Eyes, receive our Petitions, accept cur Offerings, and prefent our Supplications to the Throne of Mercy, that through thofe thy powerful Interciffions, God will be plcafed to blefs this our Pilgrimage, and grant us our Requejl and Defires, through Jefus Chrlff his Son, &£. Think with your /elves if this be righf, to take a Saint upon Trufl from the Tradition of a poor, igno¬ rant obfeure, and fup^rftitious Corner of the Land, drefs’d up by a Monk, who was employed to Real her Bones, and thereby bring the Advantage of Oblations to his Monaftery, and give her fuch great Names and Tides, fuch Appellations and Attributes, in Prayers addrefs’d to her herfelf, as you would jnve to Jefus Chrift himfelf. the Everlaftrng Son of God, and King of Saints, if you fhould go on Pilgrimage to any Placd devoted to his Name and Honour to ask him any Favour. Ihmk with ycur ftlves, I pray you, for your Good, if this fee right and fitting. FINIS. / St*-