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. ...

ON THE GALATIANS CH. I.

sical [false teachers] had been subverted, and were already alienated from the grace of Christ: that congregations are rightly called churches by Synecdoche. Hence Paul in 1 Corinthians 1 congratulates the Corinthians that they had been enriched in all things through him in all speech and knowledge, when nevertheless many had been so seduced that they did not believe the resurrection of the dead.

persist in sound doctrine: and it is reasonable to hope that all will soon return to a straighter path.

we must think honorably of all Christian congregations, and call all holy churches in which Baptism, the Lord's Supper, sacred scripture, ministries, and the name of Christ are in use; even if heretics perhaps or wolves and tyrants occupy the seat: just as Christ does not entirely blame the Chair of Moses, Matthew 23,

although it was certain that deceitful Scribes and swollen hypocrites sat in it.

All congregations therefore are to be held in honor, provided they do not reject the word and sacraments, in the manner of the Jews or Turks, and their leaders, even, according to the word of Peter, if they are perverse or froward, shall be honored, although their works are by no means to be imitated.

Wherefore no one can excuse himself by saying he cannot act well because he lives in this or that place where he sees some deviating from the straight path. Certainly wherever anyone lives, let him know that he lives in the church (provided he is counted under a Christian name) and that he can find an opportunity to act well everywhere, if he wishes.

He answers that such congregations are rightly called churches by Synecdoche. For some always still persist in sound doctrine: and it is reasonable to hope that all will soon return to a straighter path. Wherefore even today we ought to think honorably of all Christian congregations, and call all holy churches in which Baptism, the Lord's Supper, sacred scripture, ministries, and the name of Christ are in use; even if heretics perhaps or wolves and tyrants occupy the seat: just as Christ does not entirely blame the Chair of Moses, Matthew 23, although it was certain that deceitful Scribes and swollen hypocrites sat in it. All congregations therefore are to be held in honor, provided they do not reject the word and sacraments, in the manner of the Jews or Turks, and their leaders, even, according to the word of Peter, if they are perverse or froward, shall be honored, although their works are by no means to be imitated. Wherefore no one can excuse himself by saying he cannot act well because he lives in this or that place where he sees some deviating from the straight path. Certainly wherever anyone lives, let him know that he lives in the church (provided he is counted under a Christian name) and that he can find an opportunity to act well everywhere, if he wishes.

Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. He prays that two most excellent gifts be given to them. Grace is opposed to the wrath of God. For he wishes that God may not exercise wrath or vengeance upon them, which they had deserved by their sins, but rather that He may mercifully forgive them their sins. Peace is opposed to the perturbation of the mind, by which it happens that a man never rests, or conceives certainty about his salvation, but is driven into desperation. Wherefore peace is not present where the mind is not first certain of the grace of God. Nor would grace have shone, if peace in the conscience did not follow. To have peace with the world is very trivial, since it is unstable, suspect, and often the cause of evils: indeed it is a certain argument that he who has this pleases God but little: But that peace is to be sought which calms the troubled conscience, which is properly from God alone, and which alone, when we have pressure in the world, abundantly consoles us. If we observe well, it was very fitting for the Apostle to sound forth grace immediately in the epigraph to the Galatians. For those who wished to be justified by the works of the law seemed to spurn the grace and gratuitous mercy of God. Therefore, when in doing that they seemed to have fallen from the grace of God, the Apostle opportunely prays grace for them, tacitly reminding them at the same time of what he wishes to teach primarily, namely, that salvation is obtained by faith through grace, not by works through the law. He prays that those gifts be given to them by God the Father, and by our Lord Jesus Christ. All things are indeed given by the Father, but on account of Christ. And therefore we ought, if we wish to know anything more deeply than the Jews or Gentiles, not only to name the Father or God (for even the Gentiles and Jews do that) but always to add the mention of Christ. For He has done all things for our sake, and by his grace all things are given to us. Wherefore we shall refer all things to him, and all our Theology will sound of him most especially. In other places, indeed, Christ is called our peace: and in Colossians 1, reconciling all things: and in John 14, he gives another peace than the world gives: through the same, in John 1, grace and truth are said to have been brought: And in Romans 5, grace and peace are said to come through the same: Wherefore he rightly taught here that those gifts are to be expected from Christ. The Apostle teaches moreover by these words that Christ is true and God by nature, inasmuch as he makes him in all things equal to the Father in conferring the benefits of grace and peace: which he does against the Arians, Eunomians, Macedonians, etc.

Who gave himself for our sins. The formal cause of our salvation, by which the false doctrine of the false apostles concerning justification by the works of the law is openly refuted. For he asserts that we can be justified by Christ alone, not by any works. For these words mean this: Christ gave himself for our sins, as if it were said: Where we had deserved eternal death by our sins, and we can by no means satisfy God, or redeem ourselves from eternal death: that Christ, having mercy on us, willed