In Epistolam D. Pauli Apostoli ad Galatas notae

A decorative woodcut headpiece features a central lyre flanked by two putti amidst scrolling foliage.

THEODORE BEZA
to Caspar Olevianus, my esteemed brother and fellow minister, grace and peace from the Lord.

Although this illustrious Epistle among the others of Paul has been so diligently and accurately explained by the just commentaries of other most learned men, that hardly any passage remains in it whose difficulty would justly hinder the reader, I nevertheless deemed your notes on it, which have been brought forth, worthy of being published to the public. For I see that you have followed a brevity in them in which clarity cannot be desired. Furthermore, besides the fact that you hit the mark in the explanation of the very meaning, you have used such selection and judgment in observing the loci communes commonplaces/standard theological topics that our people speak of, that you have not added anything that leads anyone far from the target, nor have you easily annotated anything not in its proper place. I therefore not only do not reproach your brevity but consider it worthy of commendation. It will also, I hope, be a great aid to those who, being in the more voluminous writings of others as if in a deep sea, will have this as a kind of Cynosura guiding star/pole star by which they may direct the course of their reading. If this had been observed by some in reading the writings of both ancient and more recent theologians, they would not have so often cast themselves and too many others headlong into such dangerous reefs of errors and even blasphemies. Perhaps also there will not be wanting—