The first tome or volume of the Paraphrase of Erasmus vpon the Newe Testamente

¶ The .xv. Chapter:

[ The texte,] I am the true vine, and my father is the husbande man. Euery braunche that bea∣reth no fruite in me, he will take awaye. And euery braunche that beareth fruite, he wyll pourge that it maie bring foorth more fruite.

TO thintent, saieth he, that ye maie vtterly vnderstand how cleane voyde of all perill ye be, yf ye wyll continue stil to be of my felowship, and what great daunger it is for you, yf ye fallyng from the couenaunte that I haue made with you, bee disseuered from me: remembre this that I am the true vyne, ye bee the braunches, and my father is the hous∣bandman. I am the roote or stocke of the vyne, ye are my membres as braunches sprong out of the stocke. My fa∣ther hath planted me, that is to saye, he hath begotten me. The stocke came foorth from hym, and ye out of the stocke. The thanke of the whole benefite redoundeth to my father, as the fountaine therof, whiche doth geue vnto you by me, and his spirite, whatsoeuer he geueth you. And the sappe of the stocke whiche geueth vnto the braunches both lyfe and strength to bring forth fruite, is the spirite that is common bothe to my father and to me. Lyke as the spirite knitteth me to my father, so doth it also ioyne you to me. There∣fore what braunche soeuer cleaueth to me, and liuyng by my spirite, bringeth forth fruite woorthy for the stocke, thesame shall my father purge, cuttyng a∣waye the superfluous desyres thereof, that it maye bring forth more plenteous and kindly fruite. But whoso cleaueth to me by y^e profession of faith, and bring∣geth foorth no fruite of euangelicall charitie, my father shall cutte him of from the vyne, as a cumberous and vnprofitable membre. For that braunche which hath no fruite, but onely leaues, serueth to no purpose in the vyne.

[ The texte.] Nowe are ye cleane through the woordes whiche I haue spoken vnto you: byde in me, and I in you. As the braunche cannot beare fruite of it selfe excepte it bide in the vine: no more can ye excepte ye bide in me. I am the vine, ye are the braunches: he that abydeth in me and I in him, the same bringeth forth muche fruite. For without me can ye do nothing: if a man bide not in me, he is cast foorthe as a braunche, and is withered: and men gather them and caste them into the fier, and they burne. If ye byde in me, and my wordes abide in you, aske what ye will, and it shalbe doen for you. Herin is my father glorified, that ye beare muche fruite and becum my disciples.

Now already ye be braunches somewhat purged and made cleane through beleuyng my woorde: but yet ye muste hereafter bee more purged, that ye maye bring forth more plentye of fruit. At this tyme it is inough for you to bee graf∣ted in the stocke, from whence through fayth ye maye receyue life: laboure dily∣gently to abyde in me, & I will in lyke manner dwelle in you, so long as you de∣pende vpon me. For as the braunche if it be pulled of frō his vine, cannot it selfe bring foorth the fruite, because it taketh all his sap of the stocke: no more can ye bryng forth the fruite of any good worke, excepte ye cleaue to me by faythe and charitie: from whence muste come to you whatsoeuer furthereth to trewe and

eternall saluacion. Wherefore neyther Moses nor any of the Prophetes is the vyne, but I am the onelye vyne, to the whiche all they muste cleaue that wyll bryng foorth the fruite of saluacion. Ye be the braunches of this vyne, wherein ye are frely graffed, freely pourged, but ye maye fall from thence through your owne faute. Wherefore ye muste earnestely take hede that ye maye bee alwaies ioyned to me. For whosoeuer continueth stil ioyned to me, hauyng me likewyse ioyned to hym, and liuyng by my spirite, that persone throughe my fathers in∣spiracion, bringeth forth fruite plenteously, gayning for himselfe eternall salua∣cion, and causing God, for whose sake al thinges bee dooen, to bee glorified a∣monges men. And his glorie is my glorie: by whome it hathe pleased him libe∣rally to geue al that he geueth menne, to the atteinyng of eternall saluacion. Therfore remembre this well, that without me ye can doe nothyng that good is. But if anye braunche dooe through his owne faulte pull hymselfe backe a∣gaine from me, he not onely bringeth foorth no fruite at all, but like as an vn∣profitable braunche, when it is cut of with a shreadyng hooke, withereth, and afterwarde beeyng gathered vp with other twigges that bee shred of, is caste into the fyer to burne: so thesame braunche destitute of my moysture & spirite, dyeth spirituallye althoughe he liue bodilye. And beeyng after this life seperate withoute recouerie from the vyne, is caste into euerlastyng fyer, there to burne for euer to his great tormente:* 1.1 for somuche as he woulde not abyde styll in the vyne, & so bryng forth fruite of eternall felicitie. And ye shall abyde in me, yf my woorde abyde in you, if ye kepe in mynde the thinges whiche ye beleue, and exe∣cute in dede that whiche ye remembre. If ye wyll do this, ye neede not feare any worldelye stormes, for thoughe I bee not still presente with you in bodye, yet both my father and I will heare you. And yf ye do rightly aske all such thinges as ye would haue, ye shal obtayne your asking. But like as of your selfes ye are not able to bryng foorth fruite: euen so ye ought not presumptuously to at∣tribute to your selfes the prayse of your good dedes, for as I haue not sought mine owne glorye but my fathers, of whome I haue all my being and power: so shall ye referre all the thanke and commendacion of your good deedes to my father and me. When menne shall perceiue you to bryng foorth muche euange∣lical fruite, then is my father glorified among theim: for what prayse soeuer I shall gette by you, thesame shall redounde to my fathers glorye: whome ye shall cause to be praysed among menne, by shewyng your selfes the ryght disci∣ples of his sonne, not that we neede worldely praise, but because so it is expedi∣ent for the saluacion of mankynde, which thyng we do thriste for and couete. It cummeth of charitie and not of ambicion that my father thus desireth to bee glorified amonges men.

[ The texte] ¶As the father hath loued me, euen so haue I also loued you. Continue ye in my loue: If ye kepe my commaundementes, ye shall byde in my loue euen as I haue kept my fathers commaundementes, and haue byden in his loue. These thinges haue I spoken vnto you, that my ioye might remaine vnto you, and that your ioye might bee full.

I haue loued you whiche are my braunches, euen as my father hath loued me, that am the stocke. Be carefull to kepe this so great a benefite freelye geuen you, leste ye lease it through your negligence, and ye shall not lease it: Lyke as I alwaies procuring my fathers glorye, haue continewed euen to the death in my loue towardes hym: so will ye perseuer in your loue towardes me.

Wherin ye shall perseuer not by the obseruing of the Phariseis or phyloso∣phers preceptes, but by keping of my commaundementes: so that neither any flattery or feare of the world may separate you from thē, no more then it doeth me, which do constantly to the death, kepe my fathers commaūdementes, be∣ing neuer disseuered frō the loue of hym, but by very deedes declaring my selfe to requite his loue with lyke loue. Wherfore as it shall be my fathers glory, to haue so naturall a sonne, and so worthy for hym, no lesse shall it be for both our honours that I may haue you my disciples obseruers of my woordes, and folowers of my doinges. Albeit these thinges be sumwhat painful & tedious, yet do I therfore vse so long cōmunicacion therin, to thintent that as I haue not labored for the ioye of this worlde, but herein do reioyce that for obeying my fathers cōmaundemēt I am beloued of him, no more should you seke com∣fort of the worlde, but reioyce in this my kynde of ioye, whensoeuer ye folo∣wing my steppes shall be afflicted: and let that ioy remayne in you euer increa∣syng into greater, and better, vntill it cum perfitly to the perpetuall felicitie of immortall life. One of you charitably to loue an other, shalbe a great cumforte to you, euen in the myddest of all your troubles, when ye be at the wurste.

[ The texte,] ¶This is my commaundemēt, that ye loue together as I haue loued you. Greater loue hath no man than this, that a man bestowe his life for his frendes: Ye are my frendes yf ye do whatsoeuer I commaund you. Hence furth call I you not seruauntes, for the seruaunt knoweth not what hys Lorde doth, but you haue I called frendes, for all thynges that I haue heard of my father, haue I opened to you.

There be diuerse preceptes of the Phariseis, and Moses hath also ma∣nye, but this one precept is my very owne whiche includeth all thinges that I do teache, and shall make pleasaunt all aduersities whiche shall happen, that is to say, that ye beare such loue one to an other, as I haue borne towardes you. I doe testifie my loue not with woordes onely,* 1.2 but also with deedes: and that loue not to be after the commune sorte, but excellent: and the greatest that any man lyuing can haue, for there can bee no greater token of loue amonge men, than a man to bestowe his lyfe for his frendes sake, for euery man setteth by his lyfe aboue all thinges. Many perchaunce myght bee found that coulde bee content to bestowe money or labour for an other mans sake, but the person is rare to bee found out, whiche will bestowe his lyfe for his frendes sake. I doe more then all this, whiche bestowe my lyfe for mine enemies, so they will be∣cum my frendes. And in the meane while I call them my frendes in the waye of honour, whom I haue good right to call my seruauntes. Neuertheles I will not take you for my seruauntes, but for my frendes: yf ye wyll as chere∣fully and gladly perfourme these thinges that I commaunde you, as I dooe willingly obey my fathers commaundement. They that are vnder Moses lawe, be rightfully called seruauntes: because they depend vpon diuerse rules prescribed vnto them, and rather for feare then for loue doe the thing that is apointed them. But as for you (whom I haue called from the bondage of the law, vnto the libertie of the gospell) from hence foorth I will no more call ser∣uauntes but frendes, as them whome mutuall loue and not necessitie doeth ioyne vnto me. For the seruaunte perceiueth not his Lordes intent, but onely dooeth that he is bydden, lokyng for no greate rewarde yf he dooe it, and well assured to bee punished yf he dooe it not, besydes that for euerye sundrie doyng must be had a sundry commaundement, as goe, cum agayne, doe this▪

eschewe that. For the maister telleth not his owne counsell to his seruauntes, whiche are therfore euil to be trusted, because they rather feare then loue hym. The cause wherfore I haue called you my frendes, is for that I once haue o∣pened vnto you all the purpose of my minde, to thintent there should be no nede hereafter of mennes preceptes contrary to myne. Whatsoeuer my father hath willed me to shewe you, therof I haue made you partakers, as my trust ye frendes. Those thinges whiche I haue taught you, be out of all doubte: for I haue taught you none other, saue what I haue hearde of my father. My pre∣ceptes be his preceptes, by kepyng wherof he shall count you his frendes in stede of seruauntes.

[ The texte] ¶Ye haue not chosen me, but I haue chosen you, and ordeined you to goe, and bryngt foorth fruite, and your fruite shall remayne, that whatsoeuer ye aske of the father in my name, he may•• geue it you.

And because ye maye the better vnderstand how great the honor of this my gentlenes towardes you is, consider how that ye haue neyther prouoked me with your seruice doing, to my frendship, that of duetie I ought to loue you a∣gain: nor yet haue you willyngly cum to my frendshippe, that for gētlenes sake, I should requite you with lyke loue: but when ye wer in bondage of the lawe, and farre of from the fauour of God, then did I of myne owne voluntarye wil chose you from among al the reste, without your desert. And for this purpose haue I chosen you, that ye should more and more increase in goodnes, beeyng grafted in me thorow mutuall loue, whiche ye coulde not haue towardes me, except I had first loued you. As the braunche is alwaye norished by the moy∣sture of the vine, and spredeth it self in many braunches, so must you lykewise plentifully bring forth fruite of the ghospell throughout the whole world, and so do good to other that your self loose no fruite therby For the common vyne bringeth foorth fruite, but for other, and that suche as soone decayeth: wher∣fore the braunches thereof be fruitefull but for a tyme, because they growe in a vine that soone fadeth. Contrarywise you, because ye cleaue to an immor∣tal stocke, shall bryng forth fruite that neuer shall perishe, but continue s••unde to your eternall saluacion. And ye haue no cause in the meane while to say it is a great payne to trauayle about the worlde to teache the Gentiles, to suffer the dispites of wicked people. What wages, what ayde, what rewarde is apoint••d for vs? passe not vpon these worldely defenses. Let this stand you in stede of all rewardes and helpes, that whatsoeuer ye shall rightly aske my fa∣ther in my name, he shall geue it you. What thinge is more easy then to aske? And what is it that he is not able to geue? Furthermore what is the thyng that he will not geue for my sake?

[ The texte.] This commaunde I you that ye loue together. Yf the world hate you, ye knowe that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the worlde, the worlde woulde loue his own. Hou beit because ye are not of the world, but I haue chosen you out of the worlde, ther∣fore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I sayed vnto you, the seruaunt is not greater then the lord. If they haue persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they haue kept my saying, they will kepe yours also.

Besides this, my commaundementes be not tedious, for what is more plea∣saunt then one to loue an other? Who bee so weake but mutuall loue maye make them strong? what thyng is so greuous but mutuall charitie can make it delectable? Neither let this trouble you, that whiles you and I bee frendes

and one of you charitablie doe agree with an other, ye shall be at discorde and strife with the worlde, but rather the selfe same thyng ought to coūfort your myndes, for so muche as by thys token ye shall well perceiue your selfes to bee my very disciples and frendes, that is to saye, contrary to the worlde, whiche is all sette vpon malice: whereas you are apointed for heauen, disdayne not to suffer that in the world which I haue suffered before you. The worlde hateth me also not for my deserte, but because I reproue and disclose the euill dedes therof, teachyng thynges whiche do not agree with theyr worldly affeccions. The worlde knoweth menne of his secte, and them doeth it loue and exalte, as lyke louethe lyke: and as an euyll itche coueteth an handsume scratcher. Ther∣fore be they vnhappy whom this worlde flattereth and fauoreth, for that de∣clareth them to bee farre from the fauour of God, whiche is that onely thyng that make the man happie in dede. Whan the worlde hateth you, remember myne exaumple and reioyce in your owne behalfe that ye haue no feloweshyp with the worlde, but do cleaue faste vnto me. For this shall ye perceiue by the hatred the worlde beareth you, howe that ye be myne. In case ye were of the world, if ye loued wordly thinges, and taught according to worldly desyres, then the worlde woulde knowe you and loue you as hys owne, but because ye folowe not the wayes of the fleshe, but of the spirite, and couete not worldly goodes but heauenly, therefore the worlde hateth you: not that ye deserue it, but for that ye be vnlyke to thesame whiche is euill & wicked. In tymes paste when ye thoughte perfitte righteousnes to consiste in the grosse ceremonyes of Moses lawe, and setting your mindes on transytorie thinges, had no loue to heauenly thinges, the worlde did then well lyke you: but after that I had once called you from this secte to the euangelicall and heauenly doctrine, and graffed you in me as braunches in the stocke, the worlde beganne to hate you, and that onely because ye bee myne. Yet of trueth for no cause elles shall ye bee blessed, then for that ye be mine. Meruayle nothing at all though your inno∣cence shall not defende you from the hatred of the worlde. Remember howe I haue tolde you, the seruauntes state is no better then his lordes. For neither coulde my innocencie, which is greater then yours, defende me from the malice of the worlde, neyther were they afearde to despise my doctrine, nor yet for all my benefites would they waxe gentle, and call themselfes backe from theyr cruell purposes. That thing whiche they durst enterprise against me, who am your Lorde and Maister, muche more boldely will they do it to you. Se••∣ing they haue de••••sed so many snares to bring me euen to the most reprocheful death, and haue so often spitefully railed vpon me, they wil also persecute you my disciples, nay but rather me in you. If they will obey my woordes they wil also obey vnto yours: but lyke as they haue not well borne my doctrine, no more wil they yours, because ye shal teache the selfe same thinges, that I teache.

[ The texte.] But all these thinges will they doe vnto you for my names sake, because they haue not knowen him that sent me. If I had not cum and spokē vnto them, they should haue had no synne, but nowe haue they nothing to clocke theyr sinne withall. He that hateth me, ha∣teth my father. If I had not doen among them the workes which none other man did, they should haue had no sinne. But now haue they bothe seen, and heard, not onely me, but also my father. But this happeneth that the saying might be fulfilled that is written in theyr lawe. They hated me without a cause.

And whatsoeuer despite they shall doe against you, I will thinke it doen to

me: for all thynges that they shall do agaynste you, they shall doe it for the ha∣tred they beare to me: when they curse you, they shal curse me: when thei reiecte you, they shal reiecte me: when they beate you, they shall beate me. For whatso∣euer displeasure is doen to the membres, thesame redoundeth to the head. And they would doe the lyke to me, if they had me present with them. Now because they cannot shewe their crueltie to me, they wil shewe it to you. But as all the iniurie that is dooen to you toucheth me: In lyke maner whatsoeuer is com∣mitted against my name, tourneth to my fathers dishonour also: whom if they did rightlye knowe, as they thynke they doe, they woulde neuer so shamfully haue handled his sonne. They arrogantlye pretende loue towardes God, and yet they bee wickedly minded againste his sonne. They aske saluacion of God, and goe aboute to destroye his sonne. They boaste themselues to be kepers of Gods commaundementes, and doe reiecte the preceptes whiche his sonne geueth by the auctoritie of his father. They glorie in their knowledge of the lawe, and doe not receiue the knowledge of hym, whom the lawe setteth forth. They wurship the sender, and persecute hym whome he hath sente. Therefore they knowe not God, whome they boaste themselfes to knowe. And yet thys ignoraunce shall not excuse them in the daye of punishemente. They be igno∣raunte in dede, but why? because they woulde not learne. And therfore woulde they not learne, because they loued more theyr owne glorye, then the glorye of god. They did set more by their owne aduauntage, then to winne saluacion by the gospell. Wherefore that thynge whiche my father hath ordeyned for theyr saluacion, haue they through their owne stubber••esse, heaped vp to theyr eter∣nall damnacion. For verily I am come and was sente for this purpose, if it mighte be, to saue all men. If I the sonne of God, and greatest persone that could be sent, had not come my selfe, and declared vnto them all suche thinges as might haue brought them to a better minde: If I had not also doen these thinges whiche had been inough to haue forced euen stouye hertes to faythe and belefe, surely theyr destruccion shoulde haue been the more easie, as gilt∣lesse of this infidelitie, the addicion wherof, shall make the burden of theyr eternall damnacion the heauyer. But nowe sith I haue leafte nothing vndoen wherby they might be saued, and they againe with obstinate malice haue re∣sisted him whiche frely offereth saluacion, they can alledge no excuse for theyr incredulitie. If one hate a straunger, it maie bee thought sumwhat woorthie of pardon because he hateth him whom he neuer sawe, but me they haue bothe seene and hearde. They haue seene me doe good to all folkes, and haue hearde me speake thinges woorthy for God, Neuerthelesse they hate me for those thinges, for whiche they ought to loue me. But whoso hateth me, must nedes hate my father, by whose auctoritie I speake that I speake, by whose power I do all that I do. And I haue not onelye spoken by wordes, but also by my dedes: yet were they so blinded, that they did neither beleue my woordes not dedes. And this selfe thing shall make their damnacion more greuouse, in that they haue so stubbernely abused the goodnesse of God, being alwaye so ready for them.* 1.3 If I had not doen suche miracles among them as neuer any of the Prophetes afore me did, whether a man consider the noumber or greatnesse of them, and that not to make them afeard or astonished therewith, but to helpe them that were afflicted, If I had not doen al this, I say, they should not haue been giltie of this moste greuouse sinne: but nowe they haue both heard and

seene, and so muche the more haue hated not only me that haue both spoken and doen, but also my father whiche hath spoken by me, and set furth his po∣wer by me. They neuer sawe Moses and yet hym they doe exteme hylye, they beleue the Prophetes whom they neuer hearde, but they turne cleane awaye from me whom they haue presentely seene before theyr iyes, whom they haue hearde speake, of whose benefites they haue so manye wayes had the profe. And not herewith satisfyed, they take my lyfe from me. In the meane while they pretende a reuerente loue to God the father, whereas whoso truely lo∣ueth the father cannot hate his sonne. Howbeit these thinges happen not by chaunce, for the very same thing that these men doe, the Psalmes whiche they haue and reade, did long agon prophecie should cum to passe, that is to saye, that in stede of thankes, they shoulde recompence good turnes with euill will. For thus spake I there, by the mouthe of the Prophete: let them not reioyce and triumphe ouer me, whiche vniustely are myne enemies & hate me without cause. If a man being prouoked, hate an other, it maye bee suffered: if one hate a straunger, it maye sumwhat be pardoned: but who can forgiue him that hateth one whom he bothe knoweth and hath found beneficiall?

[ The texte.] But when the comforter is cum, whom I will sende vnto you from the father (euen the spirite of trueth, whiche procedeth of the father) he shall testifie of me. And ye shall beare witnesse also, because ye haue been with me from the begynning.

Neuerthelesse the incredulitie of these persones shall not make their fruite vn∣effectuall whiche will cleane to me. For when I shall haue accomplished al that my father hath geuen me in commaundement, and after that the comforter is come, whom proceding from my father, I wil sende you according to my pro∣misse, whiche is the holy goste (beyng the inspirer and teacher of all trueth) he shall declare all that euer I haue sayd and doen, wherby bothe my goodnesse and their obstinate blindnesse shall euidētly appeare. He shall shewe how there hath been nothing doen against me, but the same hath been prophecied before in their owne bookes whiche they reade and yet vnderstande not. Ye also whiche are now but weake, then being made strong through the inspiracion of my spirite, shall testifie of me before all menne, for so muche as ye haue seene in ordre what I haue doen, and hearde what I haue sayed: Lyke as I haue tolde you thinges certaine, euen the very whiche I haue seene and heard of my father, neyther shall the holye goste put any thing but trueth in youre mindes, for so muche as he procedeth from my father: so shall ye beare witnesse of thin∣ges not doubtefull, but suche as be throughly tryed by all your senses. And there will be sum whiche will not beleue you, but yet muste not the saluacion of other be loste, bycause of them whiche wilfully perishe through theyr owne faulte.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Yf ye byde in me &c, aske what ye ••yl and it shall bee geuen you.
• * 1.2

  Cōtinue 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in my loue. &c.
• * 1.3

  But nowe haue they nothing to cloke theyr sinne with∣all.