A68840:172
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.
Neither am I ignorant that Bernard writeth in his little book of loving of God, that charity by it self can not be empty, although it behold no reward.1 &c. By which words he putteth us in mind of two things: both that the works of charity in them selves have so much delectation, pleasure and commodity, as may be sufficient for them which live well, although of that their well doing they should have no other reward given them of God. And that we in loving ⟨image 31⟩of God should look for no other reward, but this, that he according to his goodness will not suffer, but faithfully to render those things which are to be rendered unto us. And therefore no man ought chiefly to be moved with the desire of the reward.2 And he addeth, that he doth far prefer the love of the wife toward her husband before the love and obeisance wherewith the children love the father. For as much as the sons do so love their father, because they hope they shall be enriched of him by his inheritance: wherefore their love (as he thinketh) is not so pure. But the wife if she be such a one as she ought to be, she wisheth good to her husband for his own cause and his own sake, although she hopeth or looketh to obtain no good at his hand. Many have thought that the sentence of this father ought to be allowed, & have gone about to make plain the same by a certain distinction not so circumspectly invented by them in my opinion: for they affirm that we may measure God or his nature by our worthiness, or that we may behold him, according as our perfection & uprightness is. Moreover they say that we must do what soever we do, for his sake in the first consideration, and not in respect that he is our chief goodness and felicity. And this they think that Bernard meant by the words now alleged. For they bring these words which he writeth in another place,3 namely that he suspected all that love wherewith we love any thing besides God. But these men do not mark that by this distinction, which is found out rather by the judgement of men, than by the verity of the Scriptures, that they are against the sentence of God. For he said unto Abraham as it is written in Gen. I am thy reward and that very ample: