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Philip Melanchthon (1497-1560) was one of the most influential interpreters of the Bible in the sixteenth century, and his works garnered praise from contemporaries like Martin Luther, John Calvin, and Erasmus. Melanchthon's 1555 commentary on Proverbs, originally written in Latin and translated here for the first time in any modern language, showcases his mastery of ancient languages and rhetoric, Greek and Roman literature, Old Testament history, Christian doctrine and ethics, and the history of biblical interpretation. This commentary also illustrates Melanchthon's distinctive use of loci communes, or "commonplaces," an interpretive method that organizes biblical and theological material into related categories that allow an interpreter of Scripture to understand the meaning of the text. This unique approach inspired Melanchthon to connect sayings initially written in a Hebrew context to universal truths found in classical writings outside of the Judeo-Christian tradition. Readers of Melanchthon's commentary on Proverbs will gain not only a deeper understanding of one of the most beloved books of the Bible, but also a richer appreciation of one of the most important biblical interpreters and theologians of the Protestant Reformation.

May beggars be excluded from public spaces? May vagabonds be denied access to foreign cities? Should assistance to the poor rely on private charity rather than public welfare institutions? These and similar questions are at the heart of Deliberation on the Cause of the Poor, a remarkable treatise on poor relief by Domingo de Soto (1495-1560), one of Spain's most famous jurist-theologians. Confronted with the reform of poor laws in cities across Europe, Soto warns against the potentially dire consequences of restricting access to poor relief for the sake of managerial efficiency. Denouncing the abuse of power by corrupt public officials and the instrumentalization of the sacrament of confession, he argues against well-intended public measures that actually jeopardize the poor's direct access to life-saving help and assistance. Soto draws on manifold arguments from the Bible, the church fathers, natural law, Roman law, and canon law to defend the legitimate poor's right to beg for assistance, while recalling the vital importance of the virtue of mercy.Edited by Wim Decock. Translated by Joost Possemiers and Jeremiah Lasquety-Reyes. Introduction by Daniel Schwartz.

The early French reformer Pierre de la Place (ca. 1520-1572) is usually remembered more for his martyrdom than for his life or work. La Place was, however, a significant figure in the French reform movement who made contributions through both civil service and writing. Appearing here in English for the first time, his Du droict usage de la philosophie morale avec la doctrine chrestienne is an early Reformed introduction to moral philosophy. The work begins with praise for the science of ethics, turns to a discussion of the highest good, and then expounds topics such as the will, habit, and virtue. Throughout the book La Place argues for a distinction between the disciplines of ethics and theology, and he illustrates how the confusion of these disciplines leads to error. Yet his overall purpose is to show how moral philosophy may be rightly related to theology for the benefit of civil society. Written by an often overlooked leader of the Huguenots, this work will be of interest to scholars and students of ethics, theology, and the history of the Reformation.

On the Law of Nature is at once a traditional and eclectic treatise of moral philosophy by one of the sixteenth century's most widely read Protestant authors. Niels Hemmingsen (1513-1600), the "Teacher of Denmark," was a Danish humanist and theologian who studied with the "Teacher of Germany," Philip Melanchthon, at the University of Wittenberg. Hemmingsen went on to serve as a professor at the University of Copenhagen-first of Greek, then of dialectic, and finally of theology. He wrote voluminously on method, theology, exegesis, homiletics, and ethics.In this treatise Hemmingsen argues that all particular rules of ethical conduct can be derived from immutable axioms or first principles. Though moral philosophy works according to its own rules, Hemmingsen shows that its conclusions, far from being at odds with the divine revelation of the moral law, are identical with the ethical commandments of Scripture. Thus Hemmingsen includes a section on the Decalogue, along with a lengthy account of the traditional cardinal virtues, supported by a myriad of quotations from classical Greek and Roman sources. This important treatise looks both backward to classical and medieval philosophy and forward to developments in the seventeenth century and beyond.