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.

Of the Intercession of Christ.

14 Christ is said to make intercession for vs, * 1.1 that we might be the more incouraged. For they which be in great fauor with anie man, their re∣quests are not lightlie denied of him. * 1.2 Wherfore Paule, in the eight to the Romans, maketh mention in what great dignitie Christ is with the father. In which place Ambrose writeth on this wise; He maketh vs certeine and sure, both of the father, and of the sonne. For before, he said that God iustifieth vs: now he saith of the son, that he maketh intercession for vs. * 1.3 And a little before he wrote of the holie Ghost, that he with vnspeakable gronings dooth praie for vs. The Greeke Scholies adde; that Christ, when he was vpon the earth, did oftentimes praie for the sal∣uation of mankind: for he said vnto Peter; * 1.4 I haue praied for thee, that thy faith should not faile. And as Iohn saith; * 1.5 He praied vnto the fa∣ther, not onelie for them that beleeued, but also for all those, which should beleeue, that hee might sanctifie them. And being nailed on the crosse, he commended to his father, * 1.6 euen those which had reuiled him, and put him to death. And we also heare, that he in no wise hath cast awaie that care, which he tooke vpon him in times past, for the preseruation of vs. For now, * 1.7 although he reigne in heauen; yet he maketh intercession vnto the father for vs. He thought it not enough to die for vs, but that he would also by his mini∣sterie helpe our saluation.

The Arrians wrested that place, in such sort, as they would thereby shew, that the sonne is lesse than the father; bicause he maketh inter∣cession vnto him. For, to praie and to make sup∣plication, perteineth vnto inferiours; and not

to equals. Ambrose maketh answer, and saith; that The apostle maketh him equall with the fa∣ther: for he saith, that he sitteth at the right hand of the father. Wherefore it can not be gathered by these words, that he is lesse than the father. But héere we happen vpon two things to be no∣ted. * 1.8 First, that the persons in the blessed Trini∣tie, are distinct or seuerall: for if the sonne praie vnto the father, it must néeds be, that the person of the father is one, and the person of the sonne an other; for no man praieth vnto himselfe. Further, this is to be noted; that the father is the fountaine and first beginning of all things, and of the diuine persons also: therefore the sonne deriueth from him vnto vs, whatsoeuer heauenlie gifts and graces we haue. From this iudgment, Chrysostome disagréeth not: for he saith, that Paule had before made the sonne of God equall with the father, when he said, that he sitteth at his right hand.

But in that he is said to praie, that is not to be taken properlie, * 1.9 as though he maketh supplica∣tion vnto the Father: but the scripture (saith he) speaketh in that sort, to shew the good-will of the sonne towards vs. Otherwise trulie he hath all things in his owne hand; and as the father gi∣ueth life, euen so dooth the sonne giue life: and as the father raiseth vp the dead, so dooth also the sonne raise vp the dead; wherefore he néedeth to vse no praiers vnto him. And séeing he was a∣ble by himselfe to quicken the dead, to redéeme the damned, and to iustifie the wicked; which works are most excellent, and most great: whie can he not also by himselfe, and without praier, bring all other things to passe. Moreouer, he ci∣teth out of the latter epistle to the Corinthians, the fift chapter; * 1.10 We are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you through vs, we praie you in Christ his steed, * 1.11 to be reconciled vnto God. Behold (saith he) God is héere said to beséech men; whereas we ought not so much as to thinke, that he is inferior vnto them. But sauing the authoritie of these fathers, * 1.12 I would iudge, that the Arrians may be answered an o∣ther waie. For I would saie that the sonne praieth vnto God, not as being God, but in that he is man, and a creature.

But the place alledged out of the epistle to the Corinthians is not of anie great force: for Paule expresselie putteth this note of similitude 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that is, [as though:] neither ment he anie thing else, but that the apostles with great affec∣tion procured, and as it were beséeched men to returne vnto God. * 1.13 Of which words can not be gathered, that God maketh supplication vnto men. The apostls, in the new testament, dealt towards men with a great deale more lenitie, than did the lawe and the prophets in the old te∣stament; where all things are in a maner frai∣ted with threatenings and punishments. And that these words of Paule must be referred vn∣to the humanitie of Christ, those things which were spoken before doo sufficientlie declare. But Paule had written before, that Christ died, rose a∣gaine, and was carried vp into heauen to the right hand of God: all which things agrée not with the diuine nature of Christ. Wherefore it is méet, that that particle also, which followeth, should be referred vnto the humane nature of Christ: as concerning the which, Christ himselfe confesseth himselfe to be inferior to the father: for he saith; The father is greater than I. * 1.14 And so long as he was vpon the earth, bicause he was a man, he obeied the magistrates, * 1.15 and his parents: for (as Luke declareth) he was sub∣iect vnto them. And in Esaie he confesseth, that he was annointed by the holie Ghost: * 1.16 to giue vs to vnderstand, that his humane nature was not onelie lesse than the father, but also lesse than the holie Ghost.

15 Moreouer, it can not be denied, * 1.17 but that he is our bishop & priest: but the office of a bishop is, both to offer sacrifice, and also to praie for the people. Christ hath offered himselfe vpon the crosse, and when he had performed that mini∣sterie; there remained an other ministerie, which he should perpetuallie exercise; namelie, to make intercession for vs: vnlesse we will peraduenture affirme, that he is no more the bishop of the church. But God himselfe hath pro∣mised the contrarie, saieng; * 1.18 Thou art for euer a priest, after the order of Melchisedech. And yet still, by the priesthood of Christ our sinnes are forgiuen vs, and we are reconciled vnto God; We haue a high priest (as it is written vnto the Hebrues) which hath entred into the most holie place, not made with hands, * 1.19 but hath passed through into heauen it selfe, and which can suf∣fer togither with our infirmities, being tempted in all things like vnto vs. Wherefore we ought with boldnes to come vnto the throne of grace, for there is offered for vs a most acceptable sa∣crifice.

By the resurrection of Christ, death is van∣quished, & also hell. In the kingdome of Christ which he most mightilie exerciseth at the right hand of his father, all things are gouerned. And the praiers, which he continuallie powreth out for vs, are most thankfull and verie acceptable vnto the father. We read also, * 1.20 that The holie Ghost dooth make intercession for vs: the verie which thing is héere affirmed of the sonne. If these two intercessions be compared togither, we shall find that the intercession of the sonne, is the cause of the intercession of the holie Ghost. For he promised to go vnto the father, and to send the holie Ghost vnto vs. He stirreth vp our minds to praie feruentlie, with sighings and

gronings. Christ maketh intercession vnto the father, bicause he is alwaies at hand with him. Therefore the father is perpetuallie put in mind of the sacrifice by him once offered; and he smel∣leth the same as a swéet sauour, and thereby is made mercifull vnto vs. * 1.21 And for this cause Christ is called our mediator and aduocate: and his praiers are not onelie acceptable vnto God, but they haue also satisfaction ioined with them. Wherefore, séeing they are both iust and accep∣table vnto God, they cannot take anie repulse.

16 Indéed we, so long as we liue here, doo continuallie praie one for another; and that by the prescript of the word of God. * 1.22 Howbeit, be∣twéene our praiers, and the praiers of Christ, there is a great difference: for his praiers (as we haue said) haue satisfaction ioined with them; but so haue not ours. For there is none of vs, that can make satisfaction vnto God, ei∣ther for himselfe, or for another man. But that the saints departed from hence, doo make inter∣cession for vs; we cannot prooue it by anie part of the canonicall scripture: wherefore we ought to haue Christ onelie for our mediator and ad∣uocate. Neither must we admit things vncer∣teine for certeine. Although I will easilie grant, that the saints in the heauenlie habitation, doo with most feruent desires wish the saluation of the elect; yet dare I not saie, that they praie for them; especiallie séeing the scriptures no where teach anie such thing. * 1.23 And although I would grant this, yet should it not thereof followe, that we ought to call vpon the saints departed: for we are not certeine out of the word of God, that they can heare our praiers. And thus they gréeuouslie offend, both against religion, and a∣gainst Christ himselfe; which doo appoint to them∣selues saints for new mediators & aduocates; sée∣ing there is but one mediator betwéene GOD and men; namelie, the man Christ Iesus, who now (as Paule saith) maketh intercession for vs. * 1.24

The same dooth Iohn testifie, saieng; I write vnto you, * 1.25 that ye sinne not: and if we sinne, we haue an aduocate with the father, euen Iesus Christ the iust. Augustine against the epistle of Parmenianus, in the eight chapter, noteth out of these words, that the apostle excluded not him∣selfe from the rest: for he said not; Ye haue an aduocate: but; we haue an aduocate. For that none is so holie, but that he hath néed of Christ to be a mediatour and aduocate. Further, he saith not; * 1.26 Ye haue not me an intercessor: but; we haue an aduocate Iesus Christ. Augustine in the same place reprooueth Parmenianus, who had else where written; that bishops are mediatours betwéene God and the people: which thing he saith must not be suffered of the faithfull. The same Augustine, in his tenth booke of confessi∣ons, the 42. chapter, thus writeth; Whom could I find that might reconcile me vnto thée? Should I haue gon vnto angels? But with what prai∣ers? With what sacraments? And he addeth, * 1.27 that there were manie, who would haue béene re∣conciled by angels, & were miserablie deceiued: for that an euill angell oftentimes transfor∣meth himself into an angell of light. And if it be not lawfull for vs to praie vnto angels, much lesse is it lawfull for vs to do it vnto dead saints: for in this there is no lesse danger of deceiuing, than in the other. These things writeth Augu∣stine in that place, both godlilie and sincerelie; who neuerthelesse in other places was not so cir∣cumspect, in shunning the error of his time.

17 Some affirme, that the saints in the hea∣uenlie countrie doo praie for vs, * 1.28 if they reteine their old charitie towards vs, which they had while they liued here. And here they indeuour to prooue, that the calling vpon them is lawfull. But these men offended two maner of waies. First, bicause, though the saints doo reteine their woon∣ted charitie towards vs; yet it may be doubted, whether they praie for vs. For it may suffice vnto that charitie, that both they wish well and will well vnto vs. For perhaps they be there so certeine of the will of GOD towards vs, as neither they will nor can praie. But if thou wilt saie, that Christ praieth for vs; and therefore the same may be common vnto them, which knowe no more of the will of God, than the one∣lie sonne, * 1.29 which is most néere of all vnto the fa∣ther: then ought ye to consider, that Christes making intercession for vs vnto the father, is nothing else, but that he is alwaies present with the father, and that by his presence (bicause he was deliuered vnto the death for vs) the mercie of God is most readilie stirred vp towards the elect. But admit that they praie for vs, as our ad∣uersaries will néeds haue it; yet can it not be said, that they ought to be called vpon by vs, sée∣ing we be ignorant, whether they haue sure knowledge of our dooings. Yea and we sée that manie of the fathers doubted verie much of the same. Furthermore, a iust inuocation cannot procéed but of faith: & faith hath no place, where we cannot cleaue to the word of God. But no place can be brought in the scripturs to cōfirme this inuocation. Wherefore our aduersaries can gaine nothing by these words of the apostle.

18 Furthermore, * 1.30 this hath béene also a per∣petuall custome of godlie men, that they haue rendered thanks & praise vnto God for his be∣nefits receiued. So did Moses sing a song vnto the Lord for the ouerthrowe of Pharao. * 1.31 Euen so afterward did Deborah, for obteining victorie against the enimies. Thirdlie, * 1.32 we haue a song of Hanna. Afterward were set foorth the Psalms of Dauid, * 1.33 among the which we read manie that be of this argument. And in the new testament

the blessed virgin celebrated the name and prai∣ses of God, well-néere after this maner; yea, & she séemeth to haue borrowed some words and sentences out of the song of Hanna: * 1.34 for she saith; My soule dooth magnifie the Lord, my spirit hath reioised in God, &c. And Hanna saith; My hart hath reioised in the Lord. Marie said; He that is mightie hath doone great things for me: and Hanna; There is none mightie like our God. Marie said; And holie is his name: Han∣na; There is none holie as the Lord is. Marie; He hath put downe the mightie from their seat, and hath exalted the humble, he hath filled the hungrie with good things: Hanna; The weake are girded with strength, and the hungrie are filled with bread. * 1.35 To conclude, there be manie things alike in either hymne: and it is no mar∣uell, bicause they intreat of like argument. On the one part, a virgin brought foorth; and on the other part, a barren woman was made fruit∣full. This kind of verses are vttered by the spirit of God, and therefore consecrated to the Lord, that they may returne to the originall from whence they sprang.

* 1.36 Besides this we must vnderstand, that be∣twéene Poems diuine and humane, this is the difference; that humane Poems doo set foorth the renoume of kings, princes, féelds, cities, re∣gions, castels, women, marriages, and some∣time of brute beasts. But diuine Poems doo on∣lie sing of God, and celebrate him onelie, and doo set foorth songs and praises of him alone. And that not without cause: for him alone it behoo∣ueth the godlie to worship with all their mind, with all their hart, and with all their strength. Wherefore godlie yoong men must in anie wise be exhorted chéeflie to celebrate GOD in their verses: for it is not to be feared, that in such an argument they shall want matter. * 1.37 But where∣as Hanna the mother of Samuel gaue thanks vnto God; * 1.38 yet is it said that she praied: bicause these two are most surelie knit togither. And he that giueth thanks for benefits receiued, pro∣uoketh GOD to bestowe benefits vpon him againe: so that the giuing of thanks may iustlie be termed by the name of praiers. * 1.39 But the saints giue thanks vnto God through Iesus Christ, bi∣cause euen by him all good things are deriued to vs. And it is méete, that by this verie means they should returne vnto the author: for we, through the infirmitie and weaknes wherewith we are infected, doo pollute the gifts and graces of God, when they are powred vpon vs. Where∣fore if they be rendered vnto God, as they be in vs, they become vncleane; but they are puri∣fied againe by Christ, and being offe∣red vnto God by him in thanks-gi∣uing; they are become a swéete smelling sauour.

Notes

• * 1.1

  In Rom. 8, verse. 34.
• * 1.2

  verse. 34.
• * 1.3

  Al the per∣sons of the Trinitie are present at our prai∣ers.
• * 1.4

  Luk. 22, 32.
• * 1.5

  Iohn. 17, 20
• * 1.6

  Luk. 23, 34.
• * 1.7

  Christ is still the mi∣nister of our saluation in praieng for vs.
• * 1.8

  Hereby ap∣peereth the distinction of persons.
• * 1.9

  To praie is not heere taken pro∣perlie.
• * 1.10

  1. Cor. 5, 20.
• * 1.11

  God is said to beseech vs.
• * 1.12

  The sonne praieth vn∣to God, not is he is God, but as he is man.
• * 1.13

  The apo∣stles in praieng dealt more 〈◊〉〈◊〉 than did the pro∣phets.
• * 1.14

  Iohn. 14, 28.
• * 1.15

  Luke 2, 51. Esai. 61, 1.
• * 1.16

  Heb. 4, 14.
• * 1.17

  Two sorts of ministe∣ries of Christ, as he is priest.
• * 1.18

  Psal. 110, 4.
• * 1.19

  Heb. 9, 11.
• * 1.20

  Rom. 8, 21.
• * 1.21

  Wherefore Christ is called our mediatour and aduo∣cate.
• * 1.22

  The diffe∣rence be∣tweene Christs praiers and ours.
• * 1.23

  Although the saints did pray for vs, yet must not we call vpon them.
• * 1.24

  1. Tim. 2, 5.
• * 1.25

  1. Iohn. 2, 1.
• * 1.26

  None is so holie but hath neede of the inter∣cession of Christ.
• * 1.27

  We must not go with our praiers no not to angels. 3. Co. 11. 14.
• * 1.28

  In. 1. Cor. 13, 13. Whether the saints in heauen doo pray for vs.
• * 1.29

  That Christ maketh in∣tercession for vs how it is to be vnderstood.
• * 1.30

  In 1. Sam. 2. verse. 1. A verie an∣cient song. Exod. 15, 1.
• * 1.31

  Iude. 5, 1.
• * 1.32

  1. Sam. 2, 1.
• * 1.33

  Luk. 1, 45.
• * 1.34

  1. Sam. 2, 1. The song of Hanna.
• * 1.35

  Both their songs be of like argu∣ment.
• * 1.36

  The diffe∣rence be∣tween Po∣ems diuine and human.
• * 1.37

  Ibidem.
• * 1.38

  Praier and thanks-gi∣uing are •…•…ned to∣gither.
• * 1.39

  In Rom. 8, 1