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,…

¹They seem to themselves to speak much to the purpose, and trimly to defend their doing, when as they bring that which is written in the Acts of the Apostles the xxi. Chapter where it is declared that Paul, by the Counsel of the Elders of the Church of Jerusalem took upon him a vow and four other men with him, and purified themselves after the manner of the Jews. If the Apostle of God, say they, would use the ceremonies of the law already abolished, we may also be suffered sometimes to admit and to be present at rites and ceremonies so long time received.² But that this may the playnlyer be understand, we must know, that this was the sum of the Preaching of Paul. We think that a man is justified by faith without works. As many as are under the law, the same are under the curse. The just man shall live by his faith.³ Wherefore the Apostle in that first time of the Preaching of the Gospel did not condemn the ceremonies and observations of the law toward the Hebrews, unless they were retained with that faith and mind as though justification should come by them. And this his sentence hath he most manifestly set forth in his Epistle to the Galatians, where he saith: ye which are circumcised, have fallen both from Christ and from grace. For Christ is made of none effect unto you, if ye should be justified by the law. As though he would say. These things of Moses do not alienate you from Christ, except ye exercise them with this mind and purpose, that thereby ye might be justified, Take away this opinion and the Apostle commended good works, and as for civil and accustomed institutions, so that they were just and not Idolatrous, he suffered still in their own place, neither did he let but that the legal ceremonies might be still used. Wherefore he writeth. In the Lord there is neither Jew nor Greek, nor servant, nor free man. And that circumcision also and cutting of the foreskin, are nothing, but only the observing of the commandments of God and a new creature. Again he that is circumcised let him not desire to have his foreskin which is cut of: if thou be called when thy foreskin is cut of, be not then circumcised. Let every man abide in that wherein he is called.

¹They seeme to themselues to speake much to the purpose, and trimlye to defende theyr doing, when as they bryng that whiche is written in the Actes of the Apostles the xxi. Chapter where it is declared that Paul, by the Counsell of the Elders of the Churche of Ierusalem tooke vppon hym a vowe and foure other men with hym, and purifyed themselues after the manner of the Iewes. If the Apostle of God, saye they, woulde vse the ceremonyes of the lawe alreadye abolyshed, we maye also be suffred sometymes to admitte and to be present at rites and ceremonyes so long tyme receaued.