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.

VVhether the Holie men were infe∣rior to the Ethniks in abiding aduersities, and in repres∣sing of affections.

* 1.1 36 But some doo maruell, that holie men, which are accounted iust in the holie scriptures, suffered aduersities with a slender courage; and that they made not that shew of fortitude, which manie of the Ethniks made semblance of. We read that Horatius Puluillus, * 1.2 when he was dedi∣cating of a temple, was not amazed to heare of the death of his sonne, but held fast the post, and performed his dedication. Anaxagoras, when he heard that his sonne was dead; I knew (saith he) that I begat a mortall man. Paulus Aemi∣lius, hauing obteined prosperous successe, at the time that his sonnes died, said, that he was fa∣uourablie heard of the gods immortall: for that he made this petition, That if anie calamitie were néere at hand, the same should be turned, not vpon the people of Rome, but vpon his house. Brutus executed his owne sonnes: so did Torquatus. Wherefore did not God grant these things to his saints? Why doo they séeme to be of so base mind in affliction, séeing they knowe it is laid vpon them by God? It séemeth to be a goodlie question: but I will in few words ab∣solue it. When I doo consider thereof, that com∣meth to my remembrance, which happened in the ship wherein was caried Aristippus, and a certeine other hardie fellowe, but vnlearned. There arose a gréeuous tempest, so as the ship was well néere soonke: the philosopher was sore afraid. When the tempest was ceased, the other man said; What meantst thou (philosopher) to be so afraid? Surelie, I which haue not studied philosophie, was not afraid, but with a valiant courage looked for shipwracke. The philosopher somewhat pleasantlie answered; Thou oughtest not to be carefull for the life of a varlot, I sawe the life of Aristippus the philosopher in danger.

Euen so doo I consider, that it should be no maruell, if holie men and Ethniks behaue them selues after a sundrie maner; for there is great difference betwéene them. For the Ethniks thought, * 1.3 as touching aduersities, that they hap∣ned through a necessitie of nature; or should be abidden without consideration, and that after this life there should remaine no life. They had not regard vnto the prouidence of God that go∣uerneth all things: or else, if they were of the better sort, they professed the Stoicall sect, they followed an * 1.4 immoueablenes of passions, and * 1.5 a lacke of paine. Bicause they could not denie, but that they were sometimes troubled with sudden euils; they did * 1.6 things that came natu∣rallie of themselues, * 1.7 and things that came not of nature, which were taken before hand, euen from their childhood: for that those things are laid before vs, which we would desire, and which at the first motion we would refuse. And they said, that we must wrestle, not as did the Peripa∣tetiks, to moderate affections, but to root them out. But in that wrestling they saie, that reason and affection striue for the possession of man. Wherefore they did therein wholie applie them∣selues. Howbeit, our cause is farre otherwise: we doo not weigh those aduersities themselues, according to their owne nature; but we flie vn∣to the cause. We consider, that God is author, and that we haue giuen the cause of that afflicti∣on: those be causes of moorning. There faith is stirred vp, and the earnester it is, the more sor∣row we haue for the things which we haue com∣mitted.

We adde, * 1.8 that these affections are not altogi∣ther staied by godlie men, bicause they knowe, that in their owne nature they are not euill: for God graffed them in men, at the creation. God sawe that all things which he had made were good. He made the soule of man perfect, that it might haue both the vpper and the grosser parts where these affections be: they be the matter of vertues, and doo helpe them. And to speake of anger, it is the whetstone of fortitude; it hel∣peth men to doo honest things with a valiant courage. There is no affection, which hath not some vtilitie vnto honest things. They which go about to extinguish affections, doo nothing else, but as they shuld take awaie the nature of man. Wherefore the Stoikes were foolish men, which therein were wholie bent, that they might take awaie all affections. Rather ought the apostles to be heard, which saie, that they should be mode∣rated. Paule in the first to the Thessalonians, the fourth chapter; * 1.9 I would not that ye should sor∣rowe as others which haue no hope. He taketh not awaie moorning, but he giueth a meane.

37 What is the meane that ought to be vsed? The Peripatetiks reason manie things as tou∣ching mediocritie: they saie, That meane must be vsed, which a wise man sheweth in his life. But mans wisedome is foolishnes before God. * 1.10 All men are liers. That same mediocritie must be determined by the word of God. If we haue sinned, and doo liue in aduersities; let vs be sor∣rowfull, but yet so, that we depart not from the word of GOD. Let vs doo nothing against his word, let vs not be alienated from God, nor suf∣fer faith, hope, and charitie to be put awaie. God requireth of vs, that valiant courage, * 1.11 which the Stoiks boasted of, but yet according to right rea∣son. He would not that we should be vnreaso∣nable or senselesse, as the Stoiks would haue men to be. Wherefore Crantor in the third booke

of Tusculane questions, thus speaketh; To liue altogither without sorrowe, happeneth not with∣out vnsensiblenes of the mind, and blockishnes of the bodie. But he speaketh tauntinglie. Au∣gustine De ciuitate Dei, the 14. booke, and ninth chapter, writeth; that This vnsensiblenes, wher∣by those affections are cast awaie, is woorse than all vices. Neither is that required, which Aulus Gellius, in the twelfe booke, the 15. chapter, shew∣eth of a certeine sword-plaier, who while his wounds were lanced by the physicians, did laugh. This is a brutish kind of fortitude. This hath God otherwhile giuen vnto martyrs, that in flames, and other deadlie punishments, they would be of a chéerfull countenance, * 1.12 and would sing. Howbeit, this was giuen them by an ex∣traordinarie waie, to the intent that tyrants might be mooued, and the standers by be held with admiration: [but] we ought to followe the ordinarie waie appointed by God.

Paule, in the second epistle to the Corinthi∣ans, did rightlie and wiselie expresse what is to be doone in these cases; * 1.13 We are afflicted on eue∣rie side, but yet we faint not; we labour in all things, but are not destitute; euen in the perse∣cutions themselues we are not forsaken; we are cast downe, but we perish not. Thus fare the minds of the saints: they are afflicted with those sorrowes, they are not senselesse; yet doo they not so sorrowe as they will despaire. Thus also must we doo. Wherefore they, which haue brought in a Stoicall reason, séeme that they would haue dealt with blocks; but not haue instructed men: they represented vnto vs a shew of wisedome, the which we cannot sée expressed anie where; neither dooth it concurre with humane nature. But there be some, which thinke it to be a wic∣ked thing for godlie men to sigh, to grone, or to be sad. * 1.14 But these be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; to wit, such things as are strange, both from the word of God, and from humane nature. We must haue an eie vnto the word of God.

* 1.15 Christ saith; The world shall reioise, and ye shall sorrowe; they shall laugh, and ye shall weepe. Yea, and he set foorth a decrée; Blessed are they which moorne, * 1.16 for they shall receiue comfort. Vndoubtedlie Paule accounteth those 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, * 1.17 to wit, they which are without affection, and which be deliuered vp euen to a reprobate sense. In the psalme Dauid saith, vnder the per∣son of Christ; * 1.18 I looked for som man to be sorow∣full with me. Paule commandeth vs To moorne with them that moorne, * 1.19 and reioise with them that reioise. The same apostle said; that Hee greatlie longed to see the Romans, * 1.20 that hee might haue some fruit among them. He was gelous ouer the Corinthians, * 1.21 he would haue had them not to be seduced by false prophets. He said, * 1.22 that He sorrowed for his brethren the Israe∣lites, and wished to be separated from Christ for their sakes. Those affections were in him most vehement. He saith that he wrote vnto the Co∣rinthians with manie teares, * 1.23 not with common affection. Peter bitterlie wéeped, when he had de∣nied Christ. * 1.24 But why séeke we examples of the apostles? Let vs haue regard to Christ the au∣thor of our saluation. * 1.25 He was manie times moo∣ued with pitie, when he sawe them hungrie, which followed him; * 1.26 when he sawe the Israelits wander like shéepe without a shepheard; * 1.27 when he sawe a mother following the corse of hir one∣lie sonne. He wept at the sepulchre of Lazarus; * 1.28 he wept when he looked vpon Ierusalem, * 1.29 and considered that it should be destroied; I haue earnestlie (saith he) desired to eate this passeo∣uer with you. * 1.30 * 1.31 In the garden he was mooued with sadnes, sorrowe caused him to sweat blood. Esaie spake of him; He bare our sorrowes, &c. * 1.32 These things are rather to be followed, than the rigorous saiengs of the Stoiks.

38 But they maruell at Christ, * 1.33 how he could be troubled with such affections, séeing his soule was blessed, and had alwaies the diuine nature ioined with him, and in his sight. But it is to be vnderstood, that Christ was not only verie God, but also verie man: and he had not béene verie man, vnlesse he had also had a perfect soule, that is to wit, adorned with vpper and grosser parts, in the which these affections be. * 1.34 Wherevpon Au∣gustine, in the place aboue alledged; Neither had he a counterfet humane affection, séeing he had the bodie and soule of a man. Herevpon Ambrose woorthilie saith; that Christ tooke vpon him, not a shew of incarnation, but a truth; and therefore truelie had affections. And he added, that this vndoubtedlie was conuenient, that he might ouercome sorrowe and sadnes; but not exclude them. He addeth, saieng; Neither is that fortitude cōmendable, which bringeth in an vn∣sensiblenes of wounds, not a gréefe. If there be anie that knowe they haue so vnsensible a bodie, as they féele not wounds, they haue not the commendation of fortitude or valiant cou∣rage: but those [haue it] which ouercome the gréefs which they féele. * 1.35 Wherefore Hilarie must be aduisedlie read, in his 10. booke De Trinitate, who speaketh dangerouslie of the bodie of Christ, and of those affections. He affirmeth, that the Lord had a bodie to suffer, but not to féele paine. And he saith, that the crosse, sword, and nailes put vpon Christ the violence of a passion, * 1.36 but not a gréefe. And he vseth a similitude, to wit, that it fared, euen as if one would attempt with a sword to thrust through water, fire, or aire: he should doo violence against these elements, and the sword of his owne nature would put to gréefe; but those bodies be not of that nature, as they can suffer a wound. These things are not

agreable to the scripture, and to a true humane bodie.

On this wise may we argue, that Christ had gréefe. * 1.37 To the féeling of gréefe in anie man, two things are chéeflie required: which things being appointed, gréefe dooth followe; first, that the bodie shuld be hurt; secondlie, that there shall be a féeling of that hurt. But the bodie of Christ was hurt; being whole, it was broken. The soule of Christ was most perfect, it had sense; Ergo, it was not without féeling. The selfe same are we to iudge as touching sadnes. This is the nature thereof, * 1.38 that if in the cogitation or imagination we perceiue anie hurtfull thing, that is like to happen, or is present; then it she∣weth it selfe. Such cogitations had Christ. Those things were repugnant vnto nature; where∣fore there followed a sadnesse: howbeit, that fol∣lowed not which had sinne ioined with it. They were perfect motions, they went not beyond the rule of Gods word: they had the nature of a pu∣nishment, but not of an offense. Our affections be vnpure. What cause of difference is there? Augustine, * 1.39 in the place aboue recited, sheweth the reason; bicause the affections of Christ were deriued of power, ours of infirmitie. Christ had that power, that he could vse these affections, when and as often as he would; but ours doo now spring of infirmitie, yea and they rise a∣gainst vs whether we will or no. We can not bridle them, wherefore they be troublous; but Christs be cléere: not onelie as they were by institution giuen vnto Adam; but also as they were adorned by the grace of God, they presu∣med nothing, but so long, and so much as it be∣hooued.

39 So then we may assigne thrée differen∣ces betweene Christs affections and ours. The first, as touching the obiects; the motions and affections of Christ neuer declined vnto sinne, but ours doo verie often. The second, Christ (as saith Augustine) vsed, when he iudged that they should be vsed; as when he would that man should be, man was made: it dooth not so hap∣pen with vs; they breake foorth euen against our wils. Thirdlie, those perturbations be some∣times so forcible in vs, as they disquiet reason it selfe, and doo hinder faith: but it was not thus in Christ. * 1.40 Wherefore Ierom vpon Matthew, in the handling of that sentence, [He that shall looke vpon a woman to lust after hir, * 1.41 &c.] distin∣guisheth and saith, that There is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which may be called, suffering, & fore∣suffering. That 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is alwaies taken in the the ill part, when they vanquish and ouercome vs. But 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 be the first motions, which although they be held vnder the name of an of∣fense; yet are they not crimes, they doo not ouer∣come. But what the difference is betwéene a crime and a sinne, Augustine in the 41. * 1.42 treatise vpon Iohn sheweth; Crimes be gréeuous sins, which haue accusation, and deserue condemna∣tion; but sinnes are of lesse weight. Wherefore the apostle, when he speaketh touching the ordei∣ning of pastors, will haue them to be without crime; not without sinne: otherwise he should exclude all men from the ministerie.

Therefore in Christ those affections procée∣ded not so far, that they could alienate his will from the right waie: as Ierom saith, when he handleth that place; My soule is heauie, &c. * 1.43 They had rather the nature of foresuffering than of suffering. His diuine nature could bring to passe, that they should not begin to come foorth; but by a certeine dispensation of grace for our saluation, he made place for them when the time serued. But if they were affections, * 1.44 whie did he call them a will, saieng; Not my will be doone, but thine? He ment the inclination of nature, whereby we shunne things hurtfull. And it was requisite, that Christ should be sad, and mooued with those affections; bicause it behooued him to be tempted in all things, and to ouercome these affections: and this victorie not a litle furthered our redemption, neither was it against the will of God. For he would haue him not onelie to be crucified, but also to be affected with those mo∣tions: euen as Ierusalem to be ouerthrowen, and Christ to bewaile it; neither while he wept did he against his Fathers will. Wherefore (if we shall beléeue Cyrill) Christ his death, in re∣spect that he was a man, and had appetite and sense, was not voluntarie: yet was it volunta∣rie, bicause it pleased the Father, and bicause it serued to our redemption, for the which Christ came. But it was said; Christ was blessed: how could he be mooued with those affections? Bi∣cause that felicitie was so conteined in the vp∣per part of the mind, as it did not redound to the lower parts.

40 All these things make against the Stoiks; namelie, the doctrine of Christ, and the doctrine apostolicall: also the example of Christ. Where∣fore it is no maruell, if the godlie be so sorrow∣full. Yea, and I thinke good to adde, * 1.45 that true affections are greater in the godlie, than in the wicked; who by litle and litle put them awaie, and the greater that they be, the more they sor∣rowe, when they be mooued against these affec∣tions. So Dauid, the more he was inclined to his children, the more he was vexed. They which attribute all things vnto destinie and fortune, or to the necessitie of a matter; bicause they doo a∣gainst the scriptures of God, must not be heard. We conclude, that holie men, when they on this wise sorrowe, wéepe, and are mooued with sad∣nesse, doo please God; so as they retaine faith, and followe the spirit. But on the other side, we

affirme, that the philosophers and Ethniks, while they séeme to deale so magnificallie, to con∣temne all aduersities, and by no meanes to be disquieted, doo displease God with all their good∣lie shew of vertues. * 1.46 This thing hath Augustine taught, in his fourth booke against Iulian, the fourth chapter: and he alledged thrée reasons. The first is; that Without faith it is vnpossible to please God: wheras they séeme to deale so he∣roicallie, & in the mean time be void of faith, they cannot please God. The second reason; Men void of faith, be as yet ill trées: but ill trées bring foorth ill fruit. The third reason; It is not suffici∣ent to doo those things, which in their owne na∣ture séeme good: but we ought to doo well. Who will saie that those Ethniks doo those woonder∣full things rightlie, séeing they doo vnfaithfullie? In that they doo vnfaithfullie, they doo not right∣lie. Let them boast of their things as magnifi∣callie as they will, these reasons haue we. We saie, that they & their woorks doo not please God.

The same father saith, in the exposition of the 25. psalme at the end, that there were manie of the Ethniks, which deferred to come vnto the Christians: they said, We sée in them manie de∣fects, the which we haue not. He answereth, that they are greatlie deceiued; séeing in those ver∣tues, which they boast of, they are not good, but in a sort euill: and I haue willinglie added; that they are often times verie euill. Forsomuch as they please themselues verie much with those vertues of theirs, they become proud: but pride is hated of God. We conclude, that Dauid, and such as he was, pleased God in sorrowfulnesse, more than could the Puluilli, Anaxagoras, Ae∣millij, Bruti, or Torquati, which séemed with a great & loftie mind to contemne the sorrowfull things which happened. When Socrates is obiec∣ted vnto vs, of whom Plinie writeth in his se∣uenth booke, that he alwaies shewed to be of one countenance, neuer merrier or sadder. Against him we oppose Christ, which vnto vs is one for all; also the apostles, prophets, and our Dauid; and we will saie, that these did a great deale more rightlie and wiselie, than he did. For the godlie are gouerned by the word of God, not by the opinions, which men haue spred abroad. They are led, not by the opinion or staie of assent of the Platonists, and doubting philosophers: but by a most certeine and constant faith. They are di∣rected by the spirit of God, but not by the wis∣dome of humane flesh, which is enmitie against God: and therefore they please God. Neither haue the godlie thought it méet, that affections in these cases should altogither be restrained, or taken awaie; when they sawe themselues to be chastised by God, when they sorrowed that they had broken the lawes of the Lord, and that they had giuen the cause of these euils: these things can neuer sufficientlie be lamented. They did ra∣ther iudge it méet to slacke the bridle vnto af∣fections, which might further godlinesse, and strengthen repentance.

41 But one thing perhaps some man will demand, how it happeneth, * 1.47 that we more read of those gréefes in the old testament, than in the new? I might peraduenture saie, that this, which they would prooue, is not true. In the new testa∣ment they lament, which doo féele their sinnes. But it appéereth not now, as it did in the old time: it is not doone with that preparation. I grant, that the custome then was, that those moornings should be publike: now the conside∣ration of the age in our time suffereth not this. Againe I might answer; that certeinlie the forefathers had the promise of eternall life, as we haue: but moreouer and that, the promises of the land of Chanaan, and the increase of séed, and these temporall blessings were more ear∣nestlie offered vnto them than vnto vs. * 1.48 These things are also promised vnto vs: for if we First seeke the kingdome of God, the rest shall be ministred vnto vs. Howbeit, these things are generallie promised vnto vs, they are nor so of∣ten repeated. We are in greater light, therefore we rather applie our mind vnto the better pro∣mises. Thereby perhaps insue lesser sorrowes, in the losse of temporall things.

42 This must the rather be called to mind, least we be disquieted, when we perceiue that Dauid was so vexed, * 1.49 whereas neuertheles God had said by Nathan, that his sinne was put a∣waie. * 1.50 Those things are not repugnant in them∣selues: for it was vndoubtedlie taken awaie, and forgiuen; bicause it happened not vnto him to eternall death, which he deserued. This bond, which he had procured, was extinguished by the mercie of God. Further he deserueth to be slain, as touching the life of the bodie; but God did not slaie him. Moreouer, the aduersities which happened, were not punishments of God, in his anger; but fatherlie chastisements to pre∣serue discipline, that he might the more déepelie acknowledge sinne, take héed vnto himselfe from thence foorth, and that others also might be made to beware. Neither ought Papists therefore to make a purgatorie; bicause God for∣giueth sinne in this life, and punisheth in an o∣ther. For the holie scriptures haue nothing at all concerning purgatorie; but they shew, that the godlie shall straitwaie after death be blessed. Howbeit, if we should grant them (which yet we must not grant them) that God would punish the godlie in an other world; yet might not the church with hir keies mitigate these punish∣ments, as the punishments of Dauid, and of others: this thing standeth in the pleasure of God.

Notes

• * 1.1

  In 2. Sam. 13, 32.
• * 1.2

  Examples of the Eth∣niks which with great courage suffered ad∣uersities.
• * 1.3

  The diffe∣rence be∣tweene the holie men and the Ethniks.
• * 1.4

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.5

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.6

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.7

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.8

  That affec∣tions must not vtterlie be taken awaie. Gen. 1.
• * 1.9

  verse. 13.
• * 1.10

  Psal. 16, 10.
• * 1.11

  The Ste•…•… indeuored to make men vnrea∣sonable and senselesse.
• * 1.12

  Thy mar∣tyrs were sometime infull in torments.
• * 1.13

  2. Cor. 4, 8.
• * 1.14

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.15

  Iohn. 16, 20.
• * 1.16

  Matth. 5, 4.
• * 1.17

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Rom. 1, 28.
• * 1.18

  Psal. 69, 21.
• * 1.19

  Rom. 12, 15
• * 1.20

  Rom. 1, 11.
• * 1.21

  1 Cor 11, 2.
• * 1.22

  Rom. 9, 3.
• * 1.23

  2. Cor. 2, 4.
• * 1.24

  Luk. 22, 62.
• * 1.25

  Matt. 15, 32.
• * 1.26

  Matt. 9, 36.
• * 1.27

  Luke. 7, 12.
• * 1.28

  Iohn. 11, 35.
• * 1.29

  Luk. 19, 41.
• * 1.30

  Luk. 22, 15.
• * 1.31

  Luke. 22, 44
• * 1.32

  Esaie. 53, 4.
• * 1.33

  How those affections were in Christ.
• * 1.34

  Augustine.
• * 1.35

  How a sai∣eng of Hi∣larie must be taken heed of.
• * 1.36

  A simili∣tude.
• * 1.37

  A proofe that Christ suffered greefe.
• * 1.38

  When sad∣nes appea∣reth.
• * 1.39

  Augustine.
• * 1.40

  Matt. 5, 28.
• * 1.41

  Passions, and prepa∣ratiues vn∣to passions.
• * 1.42

  The diffe∣rence be∣tweene a crime and a sinne. 1. Tim. 3, 10
• * 1.43

  Matt. 26, 3••
• * 1.44

  Why Christ called his affections his will.
• * 1.45

  True affec∣tions are greater in the godlie, than in the wicked.
• * 1.46

  That the Ethniks with their goodlie shew of ver∣tues dis∣please God. Heb. 11, 6.
• * 1.47

  Whie these greefes are more fre∣quent in the old te∣stament than in the new.
• * 1.48

  Matth. 6, 33
• * 1.49

  2. Sa. 12, 13.
• * 1.50

  Whie Da∣uid sorrow∣ed though his sinne were taken awaie.