Willem Hessels van Est or Estius, famous commentator on the Pauline epistles, was born at Gorcum, Holland at a time of great excitement. Though the mildest of men, his whole life was spent amidst scenes of controversy and civil war. Luther was still in full vigour, Calvin was active at Geneva, and Europe was flooded with books and pamphlets violently attacking the Catholic Church. Very few writers did more to refute the reformer's Biblical arguments than van Est. He studied classics in Utrecht and thence proceeded to Louvain, where he spent about twenty years in the study of philosophy, theology and Holy Scripture. During the last ten years therehe was professor of philosophy in one of the colleges. In 1580 he received the degree of Doctor of Theology. Est wrote what is considered the best history of the Martyrs of Gorcum, who were canonized by Pius IX in 1867. From this history we learn many details about him and his relatives. It is evident from the commentaries of Est that he was much influenced on questions of grace and free will by the teaching of his old professor, Baius; In 1582 he was made professor of theology at Douai, a position which he retained for thirty-one years. He was also for many years rector of the diocesan seminary and during the last eighteen years of his life chancellor of the University of Douai. He was afterwards styled doctor fundatissimus by Pope Benedict XIV. Most of Est's works, which were written in Latin, were not published until after his death. His greatest work is his "In omnes Divi Pauli et Catholicas Epistolas Commentarii" published originally in Douai, 1614-15. This work went through many editions of which the ones improved by Merlo Horstius from 1679 on, like our copy, are considered the best (Hurter; NNBW). In his commentaries he everywhere endeavours to arrive at the literal meaning of the author, with great judgement, acumen, and erudition. He refutes objections, as occasion arises, with calmness and freedom from passion. Only very slight wear to covers, edges and labels; volume III was issued without a separate title-page (cf. FRBNF31535331 and OCLC: 30578121); stain in lower margin of some quires in volume 2, else overall very clean internally. NNBW, VI, pp. 418-423; Hurter, I, fasc. I p. 344vv; 6 copies in NCC, 8 copies in OCLC (4 in the US);