Commentarii D. Andreae Hyperii, doctissimi ac clarissimi theologi, in omnes D. Pauli Apostoli epistolas, atque etiam in epistolam D. Iudae: Commentarii D. Andreae Hyperii, doctissimi ac clarissimi theologi, in epistolas D. Pauli ad Galatas & Ephesios. ...

PREFACE.

of God, which is the church: in whose mouth He placed His word to be divulged to the Gentiles, to kings, and to the people of Israel, and confirmed this very thing as manifested to the whole world by stupendous miracles. Therefore, those things which the Son of God revealed through Paul, His chosen vessel, should not be held in the last place. For just as his calling was not through man, nor from men, but through God the Father, by whom he was designated a herald and Apostle and teacher of the Gentiles with faith and truth: so the doctrine of the Gospel preached by him was not according to man, nor delivered by man, but through the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom he saw as one untimely born, and was made worthy, having been lifted up even to the third heaven, to hear secret words which it is not permitted for man to speak. And this doctrine, with which he was once imbued through the Holy Spirit, he held so fixed in the deep roots of his mind that he did not allow himself to be pulled away from its profession by life or death, nor by angels, nor by principalities, nor by things present, nor by things to come, nor by hunger, nor by sword, nor by any kind of evils or adversities; but he persisted firmly in it until that day when he was sacrificed and obtained the crown of glory. This doctrine not only agrees with the oracles of the prophets, but also brings the greatest light to them. For those things which they once foretold under shadows and types as about to come, this Apostle of the Gentiles here demonstrates in fact and truth as present and consummated. Although I do not deny that these are his, for with a blind mirror? And what light is sufficient for illuminating him, since he prefers to return to the lamp from the sun and to types from the truth, and to squint like one with bleary eyes rather than to be occupied in the light of recognized truth and the light apprehended? Therefore, we dismiss the darkeners and the sophist Antichrists, whether they have gone out from us or are situated outside the church, who infest sound doctrine and in any way assail the authority of the Apostle; but we embrace those who, led by the spirit of truth, accept the faith of the Gospel and the preaching of the crucified Christ, and retain it until the final time of their life. In them, truly, the word of God is power unto salvation: in them, it is valid for doctrine, for correction, for instruction, which is in justice, so that the men of God may be whole, prepared for every good work: but in others, it raises the odor of death unto death, and causes them, deprived of all just excuse, to be condemned to eternal darkness, for the reason that they have not feared to contradict the Holy Spirit so impudently and to speak against the very sun. They have that by which they strangle and confound themselves. For if they say that they profess the oracles of the prophets, if the dogmas of Christ, if finally the faith of the Apostles (and they certainly do say it, unless they are blinder than Tiresias and Leberis), then with what mouth, I ask, and with what face will they reject this doctrine of our Apostle? But if they do reject it (as they declare in truth with iron and fire, not only by external repudiation), they must necessarily repudiate the whole business of the prophetic and apostolic profession, in which the foundation and basis of all religion, faith, and salvation is seen. By doing so, they will leave no hope or salvation intact for themselves; since he who has spurned the word of God and Christ the Son in the Apostles, the most noble legates, and has refused to apply faith to the word, much less has been perfected by acting wickedly, has long since been judged; and unless he returns quickly to his senses, but willingly and knowingly has resisted the Spirit of God, he will by no means obtain the space for conversion and forgiveness in the future age; for it cannot happen that by crucifying Christ again he should find an offering for sin.