A14350:119
The Common Places
The common places of the most famous and renowned divine Doctor Peter Martyr divided into four principal parts: with a large addition of many theological and necessary discourses, some never extant before. Translated and partly gathered by Anthony Marten, one of the sewers of her Majesties most honourable chamber.The common places of the most famous and renowmed diuine Doctor Peter Martyr diuided into foure principall parts: with a large addition of manie theologicall and necessarie discourses, some neuer extant before. Translated and partlie gathered by Anthonie Marten, one of the sewers of hir Maiesties most honourable chamber.
Imprinted at London : In Pater noster Rowe, by Henry Denham and Henry Middleton at the costs and charges of Henry Denham, Thomas Chard, William Broome, and Andrew Maunsell, 1583Imprinted at London : In Pater noster Rovve, by Henry Denham and Henry Middleton at the costs and charges of Henrie Denham, Thomas Chard, VVilliam Broome, and Andrew Maunsell, 1583
No title page in the transcription: set from the catalogue record.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
3 And by these words which Paul addeth: namely: For God hath made manifest unto them, it was gathered, that all truth cometh of God. For it springeth not from us: 1but how it is of God, there be two opinions. For some say, that therefore it is, because God hath made those things, by which we may perceive these truths. But others say (whom I better allow) that God hath planted in our minds certain fore-gatherings and informations, whereby we are driven to conceive excellent and worthy things of the nature of God. And these knowledges ⟨p. 12⟩of God being naturally engrafted in us by God, are every day more and more confirmed and made perfect by the observation of things created. Some do fondly, and no less wickedly say, that they have learned those truths of Aristotle, or of Plato, so as they will give God no thanks at all for them. Indeed Plato and Aristotle were organs and instruments, 2but yet not authors. But these men say even as if an Israelite should say, that he knew the truths of the law, not by GOD, but by Moses, whereas he was but only a mediator & messenger of God, and one who made relation unto the people of those things, whereof God was the author. And it is to be noted, that whereas God is a nature so dissevered from any matter, as he cannot sensibly be perceived; yet he hath been accustomed by signs and certain sensible words to declare himself. 3And those signs, which from the beginning have declared God unto us are creatures: which when the natural philosophers did weigh, as touching the wonderful properties & qualities of nature, they are brought unto the knowledge of God. 4For they knew the order of causes, and the conjunction of them with their effects, and when they easily understood, that an infinite proceeding of things could not be determined, they concluded that they must attain to some chief thing: and so included that there is a God. These things, both Plato, Aristotle and Galen, have singularly well set forth. But least we should neglect the holy Scriptures, they also have declared unto us even the same way.