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,…

Farthermore, Augustine toucheth a reason whereby he defendeth the act of Jephthah. It may be said, saith he, that he was moved by the sprite of god to make a vow, and led by the same spirit to perform it. Wherefore he is the more worthy of praise, so far is it of, ye he should be reproved. But ye cannot be gathered by the words of the history. But that which some say, as we have before touched, he wept, tare his garments, and was exceedingly sorry: therefore he was not moved by the sprite of God:¹ this I say doth not much move me. For god so requireth of us the duties of piety, that yet he withdraweth not from our minds humane affections. Christ himself when he should willingly go to dye for our sakes, said for all that: my soul is heavy even to the death. He prayed also, father, if it be possible, let his cup go from me. But Augustine intendeth to declare how Jephthah might be defended: which I also would gladly do, if I had any part of the history to help me. But that which followeth in Augustine, is spoken to imitate Ambrose. ²For he writeth: The error of Jephthah hath some praise of faith, which thing (as I have before showed) can not be received. For if it were an error, then can it not be ascribed unto the motion of the holy ghost. Farther, if it were sin, what praise of faith can there be in it? Because he feared not to render that which he had promised. What if the vow were not lawful? Can faith be there praised? Moreover he saith: He declined not from the judgement of God, and he hoped that he would have prohibited him, from killing of his daughter. He would rather utterly perform the will of god, then contemn it. These things were well spoken, if he had been assured of the will of God. But he was not assured of it: yea rather god had otherwise prohibited it in his law. Wherefore if it were an error, it ought not to be praised. But if the spirit moved him, then was there in it no error. That which he afterward addeth is most true, and maketh on my side. First he showeth, that it was prohibited that a man should kill his children, both by the example of Abraham and by the law. Farther, why the maidens wept, he bringeth the same reason that I brought, namely, both that the fathers should beware, not to bind themselves with such a vow, and that so great an obedience of this maiden should not be put in oblivion.

Farthermore, Augustine toucheth a reason whereby he defendeth the acte of Iiphtah. It may be said, saith he, that he was moued by the sprite of god to make a vow, and led by the same spirite to performe it. Wherfore he is the more worthy of prayse, so far is it of, ye he shoulde be reproued. But ye cannot be gathered by the wordes of the history. But that whych some saye, as we haue before touched, he wepte, tare his garments, and was excedingly sorye: therefore he was not moued by the sprite of God: