A14461:1059
The Christian disputations, by Master Peter Viret. Divided into three parts, dialogue wiseThe Christian disputations, by Master Peter Viret. Deuided into three partes, dialogue wise
The Christian disputations, by Master Peter Viret. Divided into three parts, dialogue wise: set out with such grace, that it cannot be, but that a man shall take great pleasure in the reading thereof. Translated out of French into English, by John Brooke of AsheThe Christian disputations, by Master Peter Viret. Deuided into three partes, dialogue wise: set out with such grace, that it cannot be, but that a man shall take greate pleasure in the reading thereoff. Translated out of French into English, by Iohn Brooke of Ashe
London: printed by Thomas East, 1579
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.
Theophilus. Thou hast said it, by other words. Whereby thou doest not perceive thy self. For when 1thou saidest, that the holy Scripture taketh his authority of the church, thou sayest that men do give light and clearness unto the Sun. For as David doth witness, the word of the Lord is pure & clear, that is the light which giveth 2light unto the eyes, & giveth wisdom unto babes. It is then certain and true, not because the Church judgeth it such, but it judgeth it such because that it is so, and cannot judge of it otherwise, no more then he which hath clear eyes can judge of the light of the Sun, of which the blind person is not capable. Wherefore he cannot judge, no more then the Infidels and reprobate can judge of the word of God, nor allow it. Then thou mayst by this understand, that the certainty, verity and firmness doth not depend upon mans opinion and judgement, but upon the holy Ghost, and of the proper force virtue and effects by which it doth verify it self, and compelleth the faithful hearts to allow and receive it as the light of the Sun doth the eyes. ⟨image 224⟩For the sheep do hear and understand the shepeartes voice, but not that of the strangers. And all that that the Prophets have foreshowed and taught, the Apostles in like manner, have been verified and authorised by the virtue of him which hath spoken in them, insomuch that all the world cannot resist it. Now we cannot say she like of the books of the Maccabees, chiefly of the second. First, for that it is not found in the Hebrew, and that the stile of the same witnesseth 3clearly, that it was first made in Greek, and was not translated from the Hebrew tongue into the Greek tongue. We may take it for a certain rule, that it hath not belfe written by any Prophet, or man worthy to be accounted for such a one. For the Prophets have written in their proper language, to wit, Hebrew, or in the language of the 4Chaldees, sithence the time of the captivity of Babylon. Furthermore, it is easy to know, that that book hath been written long time after the return of the people of Israel into Jerusalem, and the age of Esdras, Nehemiah,