Ptōchomuseion [sic]. = The poore mans librarie Rapsodiæ G.A. Bishop of Exceter vpon the first epistle of saint Peter, red publiquely in the cathedrall church of saint Paule, within the citye of London. 1560. Here are adioyned at the end of euery special treatie, certaine fruitful annotacions which may properly be called miscellanea, bicause they do entreate of diuerse and sundry matters, marked with the nombre and figures of Augrime. 2.

Responsio.

The Lord sayth by the prophete Oseas: Fornicata est mater vestra, quia dixit, vadam post eos, qui me amant, et dant mihi panem et aquas. &c.* 1.1 That is: Your mother hath committed fornication, bicause she said, I wil go after them that loue me, and geue me bread, water, wool and flaxe, oyle and drinke, & she knew not that I my selfe gaue her corne, wine, & oyle, and that I augmented her siluer and gold, which she made for Baal. Therfore I wil be turned, and wil take my corne in his time, and my wine in his time, and I wil violently take my wool and flaxe, and wil cause all her ioye to cease, I wil also destroy her vineyards and figtrees, of whom she said: These ar my marchādizes, which my louers haue geuē to me. &c

By these words we vnderstand, how greatly it displeaseth God to sai, that we receyue external felicity and goods of the Gods. For as god onely geueth all thinges aboundantly, so he alone wilbe knowen and taken for the geuer. He calleth that fornication, which these men call deuotiō. God hath coupled our soules vnto him selfe by the bonde of wedlocke, that we may depend of hym alone, euen as the spouse dependeth of the husband.

Than we commit fornication, when we say, that we haue receiued the gifts geuen vnto vs of God, being our husband, of other louers, that is, of other Gods.

It is God that geueth all things necessary for our life, meate, drinke,

clothing, and moderate recreations, not that we should bestow them vp∣on Gods, and vpon their idols, but that we should occupye them, and be thankful to the Lord being the geuer. But these idolaters said: these are our wares, which our louers gaue vnto vs. But our aduersaries say: we haue receiued these gifts by the bountifulnes of God, but yet by the me∣rites of the saints. Some men forgetting God, do thinke, that they haue receiued al things by the benefite of the saints. But the Lord saith to both these sortes: Propterea conuertar, & accipiam frumentum meū. &c Therfore I wyll be turned, and wyll take my corne. &c. For he threa∣teneth barrennesse, so that our aduersaries proue nothing by their ob∣iection.

VVe must rather beleue the Prophet, entreating of true felicitye, and saying thus: Beatus vir qui timet dominum, & in mandatis eius complacet sibi valde.* 1.2 Potens in terra erit semen eius, generatio recto∣rum benedicetur. &c. That is: Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, he hath great delight in his commaundements. His seede shalbe mighty in earth, the generation of the righteous shalbe blessed.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Cap. 2.
• * 1.2

  Psal. 112.