UPON the second Chapter of the second Epistle to the Thessalonians, see Grotius’s Dissertation on the Places which treat, or are supposed to treat of Antichrist; and Simplicius Verinus, of whom we have been speaking.
Of those who have written upon Antichrist, Peter Karl, who is one, has a Paris Doctor of the College of Navarre, who lived in the sixteenth Century, printed at Paris, 1561, in fol. have written on the two Epistles to Timothy. This Edition of Claude d’Espence’s Comment, includes only what he wrote upon the first Epistle: What he composed upon the second, was printed in 1564, in fol. But the whole is united in the Edition of 1619, in fol. together with his other Treatises.
His Method is very different from that of other Commentators; for he begins with explaining the literal Sense of the Text, afterwards he proposes Questions, and makes Digressions upon Ecclesiastical Discipline, but taken out of these two Epistles: which is what M. Du Pin very much approves of. Richard Simon, in his Critical History of the New Testament, chap. 40. p. 592. does not judge of it in the same manner.
He was born in 1511. at Chalons, in Champagne; studied at Paris; went to Rome in 1555, with the Cardinal of Lorrain; return’d to Paris, and died there in 1571. of his age 60. according to Thuanus, in the History of his Times. He distinguished himself as much by the innocency of his Manners, as by his uncommon Learning. Genebrard speaks as much to his advantage.
John Hessels has commented the first, and Cyprian de la Huerga the second, to Timothy. Hessels was of Louvain, professed Divinity there; and died in 1566. His Comment upon the first Epistle to Timothy, was printed at Louvain, in 1568, in 8vo. He is believed by some to be the Author of those Comments which were published by Adam Sasbout, who had been his Disciple, and printed what his Master had dictated to him. There are some who confound him with John Hessels, who lived almost at the same time, and was of the same City; but this last died in 1551. and was Sasbout’s true Master. Hessels died too soon, being only 44 years of age, to have composed a great number of Works. He had a very good share of those Talents which adorn the Mind, having a happy Memory, and a very easy Conception. He went to the Council of Trent with Jansenius, Bishop of Ghent, and saw the end of it.
If it is true, that Cyprian de la Huerga wrote upon the second Epistle, as is said above, and by some asserted, we are of opinion that his Comment was never printed. Nicholas Antonio says that it is upon all St. Paul’s Epistles; but he does not set down the Year when it was printed.
Magalian, a Jesuit, and Soto Mayor, a Dominican, have likewise written upon these two Epistles. The Comment by Cosmas Magalianus, is much after the manner of that written by d’Espence; for he treats of the Hierarchy in three Books. It was printed at Lyons, 1609, in 4to. We have already spoken of him upon Joshua, and Judges. There is a great deal of positive and School-Divinity in his Comments. As for Lewis Soto Mayor, his Comment was printed at Paris, 1610, in fol. We have said something of him upon the Canticles.
We may add Isaac Habert, of Paris, and Bishop of Vabres, who died in 1667. he wrote upon these two Epistles, and upon the two last. His Book was printed at Paris, 1656, in 8vo. It is a continued Exposition.
This likewise is what was composed by Charles Rapine, a Recollet, who died in 1698. His Exposition, which is in French, was printed at Paris, in 1632, in 8vo. with his Exposition of the Epistles to Philemon and the Hebrews, in 1634, 1636, in two Volumes.