A68840:132
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.
Now it seemeth good to declare,1 for what cause god would have some men sometimes to be borne with so huge bodies. It was done for this cause Augustine thinketh in his book before alleged 23. chap. to leave a testimony unto us, that nether the beauty of the body, neither the bigness of stature, nor strength of the flesh are to be accounted among the chief good things, when as they are no less commune to the godly sometimes than they are to the ungodly. They surely which are desirous of godliness will judge that spiritual good things are far to be preferred before them,2 partly because they are an help unto us to salvation, and partly because they make us more noble in deed than others. And that giants had no help by their huge stature to salvation, he confirmeth it by that which Baruch the Prophet hath written in the .3. chap. There are giants from the beginning of the world, famous men, expert in wars: those hath not the Lord chosen, neither hath he given them the way of knowledge, but they have perished because they had not wisdom.3 Also if a man shall read over the holy scriptures, he shall never almost find that they took in hand any good or godly cause, which they would defend, and for the which they would fight: yea he shall rather see that by their perverseness and pride, they have always ben against God. So did Og king of Bashan behave him self, so also did Goliath and his brethren. All these were most deadly enemies to the people whom God loved and had chosen from the rest to be peculiar to him self.4 There is an other thing also besides, which may much confirm our faith, for the holy scriptures do always declare how such monstrous giants were filthily overcome in battle, and that by feeble men and very unexpert in warlike affairs, namely by David being yet but a shepherd, & the people of Israel which were then but young beginners in matters of war, whereby the spirit of god doth admonish us to be of a constant and valiant courage when for godliness sake we must fight against such monsters. We must have no regard there to our own strength, seeing that the holy oracles do so often declare, that it is god which delivereth such beasts into their hands whom he defendeth.