A68840:126
Most fruitful [and] learned co[m]mentaries of Doctor Peter Martyr Vermil Florentine, professor of divinity,…Most fruitfull [and] learned co[m]mentaries of Doctor Peter Martir Vermil Florentine, professor of deuinitie,…
Most fruitful [and] learned co[m]mentaries of Doctor Peter Martyr Vermil Florentine, professor of divinity, in the University of Tygure with a very profitable tract of the matter and places. Herein is also added [and] contained two most ample tables, aswell of the matter, as of the words: with an index of the places in the holy scripture. Set forth & allowed, according to the order appointed in the Queens majesties injunctions.Most fruitfull [and] learned co[m]mentaries of Doctor Peter Martir Vermil Florentine, professor of deuinitie, in the Vniuersitye of Tygure with a very profitable tract of the matter and places. Herein is also added [and] contained two most ample tables, aswel of the matter, as of the wordes: wyth an index of the places in the holy scripture. Set forth & allowed, accordyng to thorder appointed in the Quenes maiesties iniunctions.
London: printed by John Day, 1564London: printed by Iohn Day, 1564
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
1Furthermore if thou wilt demand when giants began to be, if we may follow Augustine de civitate Dei, the .xvi. book and xxiii. chapter. We must say that they began before the flood. And therefore we believe him, because he hath proved it by the testimony of the holy Scriptures: for it is written in the vi of Genesis that giants were at that time on the earth: whose kind although it was kept after the flood, yet as he believeth they were not in so great number.2 Besides this it may be doubted concerning their procreation and parents: for there are some which think that they were not begotten of men, but that Angels or devils were their parents. And this sentence they say is confirmed by that which is written in the book of Genesis. The sons of God seeing the daughters of men that they were fair, they took them to wives, and of them were borne most mighty men or giants. Concerning this fall of the Angels many of the old writers agree that it was because they used company with women, and among other is Lactantius in his second book and xv Chapter. For his opinion was (as it is there written) that God feared least Satan to whom he had granted the government of the world should utterly have destroyed mankind,3 and therefore he gave unto it Angels for tutors by whose industry & care it might be defended. But they being provoked as well by the wiliness of Satan, as also allured by the beauty of fair women, committed filthiness with them. Wherefore they were thrown down from their dignity and made soldiers of the devil. This was Lactantius opinion, but yet he saith not, that Giants were borne of those copulations of Angels with women but earthly devils which abide on the earth to our great hurt.4 Eusebius of Caesarea in his .v book de preparatione evangelica, doth nothing in a manner disagree from them. For he also saith that Angels which fell, begat of women whom they filthily loved those devils, which afterward troubled the world many ways, and to them ⟨p. 16⟩he referreth all these which the Poets and historiographers have written to have been Gods, & have either in Metre or in Prose made mention of their battles discords, lusts, and sundry and grievous tumults,