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,…

Neither ought we to be offended, if by this distribution oftentimes fertile and fat lands happen unto the ungodly. For Augustine in hys .4.¹ book De civitate dei, the .xxxiii. chapter, saith: That gifts which dure but for a time, happen both to the just and unjust. For God maketh his sun to shine, both upon the good and the evil, and raineth upon the just and unjust. But by this common benefit the godly have this commodity only, that they understand that these things are not the chiefest gifts which we ought to look for, because these are common both to the good and to the evil. But the godly wait for other more excellent, which are not common to the good and evil. Yea and Daniel saith: The name of the Lord be blessed for ever: for it is he which transferreth kingdoms, and driveth out the first inhabitants, and bringeth in other. Neither doth he only bring men into Provinces, but also setteth Angels to rule over them, as we there read of the Prince of the Persians and Grecians. And he hath not only divided men by lands, but also by tongues and manners. Farther, we must remember that these mutations were not done only at the beginning, but also in the latter times. For the French men possessed Gallia, and the English Saxons Britain. but the Britons heing cast out by them, found new places in Gallia by power and violence, and that part which they obtained, they called Britain of them selves. The men of Gallia also of late, going out of their own borders, possessed a great part of Italy. The Huns subdued unto themselves the Pannonites, and called the Country Hungaria. So God distributeth kingdoms, casteth out some, and bringeth in other some, as it seemeth good unto his just judgement, which is secrete. For the earth is the Lords, and the fullness thereof. This distribution chanced even from the beginning to the sons of Noah, and afterward to those which builded the Tower of Babel: for God dispersed them throughout the whole world.

Neyther ought we to be offended, if by this distribution oftentimes fertil and fat landes happen vnto the vngodly. For Augustine in hys .4.¹ booke De ciuitate dei, the .xxxiii. chapter, sayth: That giftes whiche dure but for a tyme, happen both to the iust and vniust. For God maketh his sunne to shyne, both vpon the good and the euyll, and rayneth vpon the iust and vniust. But by this common benefite the godly haue this commoditye onely, that they vnderstande that these thinges are not the chiefest gyftes which wee oughte to looke for, bycause these are common both to the good and to the euyll. But the godlye wayte for other more excellent, which are not common to the good and euyll. Yea and Danyel saith: The name of the Lord be blessed for euer: for it is he whiche transferreth kingdomes, and driueth out the first inhabiters, and bringeth in other. Neither doth he onely bring men into Prouinces, but also setteth Aungels to rule ouer them, as we there reade of the Prince of the Persians and Grecians. And he hath not onely deuided men by landes, but also by tounges and manners. Farther, we must remember that these mutacions were not done onelye at the begynning, but also in the latter times. For the Frenche men possessed Gallia, and the Englishe Saxones Britane. but the Britanes heing cast out by them, found new places in Gallia by power and violence, and that part whiche they obtayned, they called Britane of them selues. The men of Gallia also of late, going out of their own borders, possessed a great part of Italy. The Hunnes subdued vnto themselues the Pannonites, and called the Countrey Hungaria. So God distributeth kyngdomes, casteth out some, and bringeth in other some, as it seemeth good vnto his iust iudgement, which is secrete. For the earth is the Lordes, and the fulnes thereof. This distribution chaunced euen from the beginning to the sonnes of Noe, and afterwarde to those whych builded the Tower of Babel: for God dispersed them throughout the whole world.