A14350:249
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.
Let us not be brought to think, that the holy scriptures have gotten their credit and authority by the church. And yet I urge not this much, as though I despised or contemned the dignity of the church. 1For I attribute unto it three goodly functions about the word of God: The first is that I grant she doth, as it were a witness, preserve the holy books; but it cannot be gathered thereby, that it is lawful for the church, either to alter or pervert any thing in the holy scriptures. 2Experience teacheth us, that both private and public evidences are committed to registers & notaries, to be safely kept and preserved: and yet no man in his right mind will say, that it is lawful for them to change any thing in them. Neither may we think, that the power of those registers can be greater, than their wills which appointed them to be put in record. And here it shall not be unprofitable, if we consider of the difference between the word of God, 3as it was revealed unto the prophets at the first, & that which was preached afterward, or published in writing; wherein we shall only see a difference in the time, and not in the strength and authority. For we grant that the word unwritten was of more antiquity, than that which was afterward put in writing; and that aswell both the one as the other was bestowed upon the church: but yet (as we said before) it was not lawful for the church by any means to wrest or alter the same. Secondly, we doubt not, 4but that the churches part is, to preach and set forth the word of God committed unto it: wherein it is likened to a crier, who notwithstanding he proclaim the statutes of a prince or magistrate, 5yet is he not either of more or of equal authority with them. But all his labour is faithfully to proclaim all things, even as he received them from the princes and magistrates. For if he should so do, he might be counted a traitor. Wherefore, it behooveth the ministers of the church, that they provide and endeavour nothing more than to be found faithful.
Let vs not be brought to thinke, that the holy scriptures haue gotten their credit and authoritie by the church. And yet I vrge not this much, as though I despised or contemned the dignitie of the church.