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,…

It is no rare or unaccustomed thing, that excellent men, when they have accomplished things after their mind,¹ do slack good studies and honest enterprises, as though they had done with labours, & are now in that place that they can not fall. God suffereth them sometimes so to fall, that they should acknowledge them selves, & be called back to repentance. But that is not done by the merit of the sinners, but by the goodness and mercy of god. So God suffered David to fall, so Solomon contaminated himself with a most grievous wicked crime: so Judas the son of Jacob, being in good estimation among his brethren, yet committed incest with Tamar. Neither do these things happen only unto singular men, but also unto the church, as well the new as the old. In the time of Balaam when the Israelites could not be won by any other means, they were conquered by harlots. And the church of the Corinthians, was at the first so contaminated with whoredoms, that Paul was compelled to show by arguments and testimonies of the word of god, that fornication was sin. Yet did not god straightway depart from those which I have mentioned,² nor from Samson as touching his free gracious gifts, as are strength, gift of tongues, prophesies, and such like: because they are given, not for their sakes which possess them, but for other. Bileam though he was an evil man, yet had he still the gift of prophesy, yea and he prophesied most excellently of Christ. The Lord also saith: many shall say unto me in that day: Have not we cast out devils in thy name? And in thy name have we prophesied: & it shall be said unto them, verily I say unto you, I know you not.

It is no rare or vnaccustomed thinge, that excellent men, when they haue accomplished thinges after theyr minde,¹ doe slacke good studies and honest entenprises, as though they had done with labors, & are nowe in that place yt they can not fall. God suffreth them sometimes so to fal, that they shoulde acknowledge thē selues, & be called back to repentance. But that is not done by the merite of the sinners, but by the goodnes and mercy of god. So God suffred Dauid to fal, so Salomon contaminated hymselfe with a most greuous wicked crime: so Iudas the sonne of Iacob, being in good estimation among his bretherne, yet committed incest with Thamar. Neyther do these things happē only vnto singuler mē, but also vnto the church, as well the new as the old. In the time of Byleam whē ye Israelites could not be won by any other meanes, they wer cōquered by harlots. And the church of the Corrinthians, was at the firste so contaminated with whoredomes, that Paule was compelled to shewe by arguments and testimonies of the word of god, that foricatiō was sin. Yet did not god straightway depart from those which I haue mencioned,