A14350:576
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.
which thing in so great a variety of people might hardly have been done. Afterward, when so great a procreation was not needful, when arts were found out, and the holy scriptures (unto which the service of God was fastened) were given unto us, long life would have been tedious. 1The patriarch Jacob said; Few and evil are the days of thy servant, if they should be compared unto the age of our forefathers, not to our age. So this shortening of mans age, was done of a certain mercy of God towards us.
which thing in so great a varietie of people might hardlie haue béene doone. Afterward, when so great a procreation was not néedfull, when artes were found out, and the holie scriptures (vnto which the seruice of God was fastened) were giuen vnto vs, long life would haue béene tedious. 1The patriarch Iacob said; Few and euill are the daies of thy seruant, if they should be compared vnto the age of our forefathers, not to our age. So this shortening of mans age, was doone of a certeine mercie of God towards vs.
But why did those first men abstain so long from procreation of children? For it is written, 1that they begat children at the age of five hundred years, at a hundred and thirty, and not before. Augustine in the 15. book De civitate Del, the 15. chapter saith, that It may be answered two manner of ways; the first is, that in these men it was long before they came to the age of procreation, & that they enjoyed not the power of seed so soon as we do. Which answer may thus be confirmed; our age is divided into infancy, childhood, youth, and mans state. Wherein if so be the number of years be proportioned to the rate of our whole age, so was it then. And therefore, if their life did so greatly exceed ours, it behooved also that the time of their infancy & childhood should be more at length extended and enlarged. The second answer is, that in that genealogy, the descent is not reckoned from one first begotten to another. For it may be, that there were others begotten even before them; which thing is after this manner declared. The purpose of the scripture is to convey the course of the narration unto Abraham, from whom the people of Israel had their beginning: wherefore in the genealogy those children are chosen to be described, by whom they descend unto him. But it is of no necessity, that those had been of the first begotten.