A14350:394
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.
113 Indeed the Platonists grant, that there be spirits; but they say that they have bodies either watery, or aery, or fiery. These things doubtless they speak; howbeit they speak such things as will not agree one with another. For if the bodies of spirits be elementary, 2how cometh it to pass, that they be eternal? For the elements have both cold and heat, qualities both active and passive, and sometime they strive one with another, and sometime they perish. Others reason after this sort; Forsomuch as there be extremities, we must also grant that there is a mean: but heaven is eternal, and mens bodies are frail and mortal; wherefore of necessity, something must be put between these two, that may be partaker of both. This is no necessary argument. For first we grant, that certain minds there be void of bodies; such as are the angels, and those intelligences, which drive the celestial spheres; & further, that the souls of our bodies are the other extreme. Of other mean things there is no need. But they say, that as fishes be in the sea, and fowls in the air; so there must be spirits conversant in the fire. This is of no necessity. For living creatures are not made for the elements; but the elements for living creatures: and living creatures were made for mans sake. Now what use can there come unto man by those living creatures, which abide in the fire?