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

¶The .xi. Chapter.

[ The texte.] And the apostles and brethren that were in Iewry, hearde that the heathen had also receiued the word of God. And whan Peter was come vp to Ierusalem, they that were of the circumcisiō▪ coutended against him, saying: thou wentest vnto men vncircumcised, and diddest care with them.

THe rumour of this fact, came ouer to the other apostles eares whiche remayned at Hierusalem, and to the eares of the bre∣thren also, whiche were abrode in Iewry, that the gentyles had also receyued the woorde of God. For it was an harde thyng to kepe this matter close, partely because this captaine was by reason of his office, of so great estimation, and partly agayn for that many were Christened together, either els because the Iewes were present at the dede dooing (for the chaumberlaine that we spake of be∣fore, whan he was Christened as he rode by the waye, was alone withoute wytnes, as one that had stollen the benefitte of the ghospell from the Iewes) and partely also because it was doen in one of the noble cyties of Palestine. But Peter knowing certainly that it would be noysed abrode, and that there woulde some Iewes reproue this hys doyng, toke diligent hede euery waye, that he myght not deserue any rebuke, forasmuche also as God had put thys in his mynd, which had shewed him this vision three times, because he shoulde nothyng stycke to dooe it. On the other parte, by reuelacyon of the holye ghoste, he perceyued that messangiers were come frome Cornelyus: whome he foorthwith dyd not receyue into the house, leste he beyng a Iewe myghte haue semed to haue been desyrous to compaynye wyth the heathen, but spake to theym at the doore, and before wytnesses asked theim why theyr cummyng was. Thys question he asked rather for the Iewes sakes that were pre∣sente, then for hys owne. Besydes thys after he perceyued that the vysions dyd agree, bothe on the one parte and the other, he went thyther, but yet not withoute the compainy of some Iewes, whiche were knowen to bee menne of good credence, who shoulde beare witnes what were doen, and without whose consent he woulde do nothyng to thentent that by these meanes afterwarde, yf anye man woulde grudge at his doynges, they, as wytnesses, myght become proctours of hys cause. Agayne whan he was come to Cornelius house, he dyd not foorthwith enter in, as a man desyrous to talke with hym, but sente in woorde to him that he was come, that Cornelius myghte meete hym and bryng hym in: and yet was he neuerthelesse well assured, that he shoulde bee welcum. This captayne fell prostrate at Peters feete and wurshypped hym, whiche was to all the Iewes that were present, a greate token to meruayle at, of his ready minde. Agayne in hearing of thē all, he asked what his wyll was with hym, that he had sent for hym, to thentent that the Iewes, whiche came with hym, hearyng the tale of Cornelius owne mouthe, myghte the better be∣leue it. And fynally the holy ghoste came downe by hys owne accorde, before that they had eyther made theyr prayers, eyther had theyr handes layde on them, either they had receiued baptisme. Neither yet did he vpon this, christen them, before he had commoned with the cyrcumcised that were present, and had expressed vnto them, that it were not mete to deny them baptisme, whome God had endowed wyth hys holy ghoste. This was that great wysedome of Peter beyng a pastor and agreable with the ghospell. He well knewe the nature of the Iewes, howe muche they stode in theyr owne conceyte, because they were circumcised, and howe deadly they abhorred those that were not circumcised. This was the occasyon that he imagined all shyftes to auoyde offence of a∣ny manne. He was desyrous to make the Gentyles partakers of the ghospell, but yet in suche sorte,* 1.1 that by the occasion thereof, he should not lese the Iewes,

yf it myght be. Nowe after that Peter had by chaunce returned to Hierusa∣lem, where, by reason of the rumours, it was knowen howe Cornelius had been christened, they whiche were circumcised and had receyued the gospell, disputed against him, saying: wherefore dyddest thou enter into the houses of the vncircumcised contrary to the tradicion of our forefathers, and not con∣tent with that, diddest also sitte at the same table, and eate those meates whiche, are forbydden in Moyses lawe?

[ The texte.] ¶But Peter rehearsed the matter from the begynnyng, saying: I was in the citie of Ioppa, praying: and in a traunce I sawe a vision, a certen vessel descende, as it had been a great shere, let downe from heauen by the fower corners, & it came to me. Into y^t which whan I had fastened myne tyes, I considered, and sawe fower foted beastes of y^e yearth, and vermine, and wormes, and foules of the ayre.

In this matter it becommed not Peter to holde his peace, but he tolde all the matter euen frome the begynnyng, howe as it had chaūced in this wise. Certes I du••st not breake the lawe whiche we haue deliuered vs of our fore∣fathers, but in this poincte folowed I him, whiche is aboue the lawe. I was in the citie Ioppa, fastyng, and in my prayers, that no manne can suspecte it to be a vayne dreame. And whan I had commaunded, (as very hungre en∣forced me) some meate to be dressed, I was in the meane time rauyshed, and in a traunce sawe this vision. A great vessell muche after the fourme of a greate linen sheete, knitte fast at fower corners, was let downe from heauē, and came to me. Werupon whan I had sette myne iye, being very hungry, I loked what maner of meate there was.

And there I sawe dyuerse kyndes of fowerfoted beastes, besydes those that were noxious beastes, with other sondrye kyndes also of beastes▪ that crepe on the yearthe, and fowles of the ayre, whome the lawe by expressed com∣maundement, woulde vs to abstayne fro.

[ The texte.] And I hearde a voyce saying vnto me: Aryse Peter, sley, and eate. But I sayed: not so Lord, for nothing commen or vncleane, hath at any tyme entred into my mouthe. But the voyce answered me againe, saying from heauen: count not thou those thinges cōme, which God hath clensed. And this was done thre times. And all wer taken vp againe in∣to heauen. And beholde, immediatly there were thre men all ready cum vnto the house where I was, sent frō Cesarca vnto me. And the spirite sayed vnto me, that I should go with them w^tout doubtyng. Moreouer, these .vi. brethren accoumpanyed me, and we en∣tred into y^e mans house. And he shewed vs, how he had seen an angell in his house, which stoode and sayed to hym, sende menne to Ioppa, and call for Symon: whose sirname is Peter: he shall tell thee woordes, wherby both thou and all thyne house shalbe saued.

Whiles I was lookyng on this, I hearde also a voyce whiche exhorted me that I shoulde not sticke to eate thereof, and sayed vnto me: aryse Peter, kyll and eate. To whome I made than answere: God forbyd. For to this daye hath no vnclene meate entred into my mouthe. Than aunswered the voyce eftsones in this maner: call not thou, whiche art but man, those meates vncleane, whiche god hath purified. This vysion dyd three tymes appere. And afterwardes all those meates, whiche I thought worthy to be abhorred, were taken vp into heauen.

And after I was cum to my selfe, whyles I reuolued in my mynde what this vision, whiche so often apered, shoulde meane, the spirite of god forth∣with gaue me knowlege that there were three men at y^e doore where I hosted, sent from Cesarea, that would speake with me. And the same spirite com∣maunded me that I shoulde not sticke to goe with them. I obeyed the visy∣on,

and by the holy ghostes sendyng, I tooke my iorney to Cesarea, not alone, but I tooke syxe brethren with me, to beare wytnesse of all those thynges, whiche I dyd by the commaundement of God. And brefely er entred in∣to the mannes house that had sente for vs. There he in presence of vs all, shewed howe that fewe dayes before, whyles he was fastyng and hys pray∣ers, at home in hys house, he had seene an Aungell standyng before hym in a glistenyng garment, when it was brode daye, and saying vnto hym. Cornelius, sende some of thy seruauntes to Ioppa, and let theym desyre Sy∣mon, otherwyse named Peter, in thy behalfe to take the paynes to come speake with the. He shall tell the those thynges, whereby thou and all thy housholde, maye be saued. I perceyuyng these visions to had agreed on both partes, and perceyuyng farder howe earnest theyr desyre was with out all dis∣simulacion, beganne to teache them those thynges that our Lorde Iesus had willed vs to preache.

[ The texte.] And as I began to preache the holy gost fell on them, as he did on vs, at the begynnyng. Than came it to my remembraunce, howe that the lorde sayed: Iohn baptised with wa∣ter, but ye shall be baptised with the holy ghost. For as muche than as god gaue thē like gyftes, as he dyd vnto vs, when we beleued on the Lord Iesus Christ: what was I, that I should haue withstand god? Whan they heard this, they helde theyr peace & glorified God, saying: than hath God also to the Gentyles, graunted repentaunce vnto lyfe.

I had not fully fynished my communication, but beholde the holy ghost cummyng from heauen, entred into theym, in lyke maner as he at the fyrste tyme, had into vs: and they began to speake dyuerse languages, euen as we than spake. Thys was an euident token, that their faythe was approued before God. And euen than the very thyng it selfe shewed, what this hard vi∣sion to vnderstande, that I had seene, dyd meane. For these were those same fowerfooted creping beastes, and fowles, whiche we that are circumcised, do abhorre, but goddes wyll is to haue theym purifyed thorowe faythe, yea he wyll not, that we take anye thyng as vncleane, whiche thorowe faythe of the ghospell, is made holy. And farther I remembred the wordes that the Lorde spake vnto vs whan he was ready to ascende to heauen: Iohn baptised in wa∣ter, but you shalbe baptised in the holy ghoste. And we diepe the body in wa∣ter, but it is not water that gyueth saluacion, vnlesse by faythe we obtaine the fierye baptisme. And whan as the matter of it selfe in effect was euident e∣noughe, that they had receyued the baptisme whiche Iesus the lorde had pro∣mysed, and that the same fauoure thorowe faythe, was employed on those whiche wer not circumcised, whiche we before had receyued: not because we had so deserued by kepyng of the lawe, but thorowe our fayth, wherby we be∣leued our lorde Iesus Christ,* 1.2 how coulde I be agaynste the wil of god? Was it for me to staye, that they shoulde not be baptised in water, whiche were than already baptised in the spirite of God, seyng that water is nothyng elles but a token of the grace that shalbe geuen vs from heauen? But than was grace gyuen them before, without oure ministerie. So that to deny them to be baptysed in water, had bene nothynge elles, but to improue that whyche God had done. Whan they had hearde these hys wordes, they helde theyr peace, and praysed God, saying: than the verye thyng in effect is euidently declared, that God hath gyuen repentaunce, not to the Israelytes onely, but to the Gentyles also that they therby maye obteyne lyfe euerlastynge. And

these were the firste frutes of the Gospell that the churche had of heathen, by Peters procurement. For before hym, none other durste so doo, but Phi∣lip onely, and that also not without monicion of an aungell

[ The texte.] They also which were scattered abrode through the affliccion that arose about Steuē, walked throughout vnto Phenice, and Cypres, and Antioche, preachyng the word to no manne, but vnto the Iewes onely. Sum of theim were menne of Cypres and Cyrene: whiche whan they wer cum to Antioche, spake vnto the Grekes, and preached the Lorde Iesus. And the hande of the lorde was with them, and a great number beleued, & turned vnto the lorde

For they that by reason of sore persecucion after Steuens death were dis∣persed, wente from vyllage to village, and from citye to citie, vntyll they came to Phenice, and sum to the Yle Cypres, whiche lyeth ryghte ouer a∣gaynste Phenice,* 1.3 sum also scattered to Antioche, whiche deuideth Phenyce from Cilicia preachyng to euery man the doctrine of the ghospell, which they had receyued of the Apostles, and yet durst not they communicate it to anye man, but those that were Iewes, not because they hated all menne besydes, but of a certayne godly feare whiche they had, forasmuche as they thoughte, that it was not lawfull to gyue to dogges the holye, whiche to do the Lorde had forbydden theym. Aboute thesame tyme, arose vp certayne menne that were cōuerted to the fayth, borne parte in Cypres, and parte in Cyrene, which entryng into the citie of Antioche, durste boldly speake of Christe to the Gre∣cians, and preached oure Lorde Iesus vnto theym, and they prospered, the matter succedyng very well, as the wyll of God was that it shoulde do, who gaue strength and courage to the setters furthe of his name. For among them also a great numbre that gaue credence to the ghospell, were conuerted to the Lorde.

[ The texte.] Tydynges of these thynges came vnto the ear••s of the congregacion, whiche was in Hierusalem. And they sent furth Barnabas, that he shoulde go vnto Antioche: which when he was cum, and had seene the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them al, that with purpose of herte, they would continually cleaue vnto the lorde. For he was a good man, and full of the holye ghost and fayth: and muche people was added vnto the Lord. Than departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seke Saule. And when he had founde hym, he brought hym vnto Antioche.

The knowleage of this matter by noysyng of it abrode, from one to a∣nother, came to the eares of the churche whyche was at Hierusalem. And for this purpose y^e leuite Barnabas, a man whiche was borne in Cypres, one of suche perfeccion, as was semely for an apostle, was sent thyther by the a∣postles to see what was dooen there, and that he, yf he perceiued it to be agre∣able to the will of god, shoulde allowe it by the authoritie of thapostles. So great heede they tooke in receyuyng the heathen to be partetakers of the ghospell, although thapostles muche desyred that it shoulde so be, partelye leste that it shoulde be afterwardes called backe or broken of the Iewes, as a thyng vnaduisedly or rashely doone, and partely left the gentyles shoulde verye muche mistruste theymselues, in that that they had dooen, as thoughe the lawe of Moyses must haue been their helpe and theyr staye.* 1.4 But after that Barnabas was cum to Antioche, and perceiued that the Grecians had ob∣tayned them lyke fauoure of god thorowe fayth, wythout obseruacion of the lawe, as the Iewes had, he muche reioyced that the numbre of the fayth∣full was encreased, and exhorted them all, that they shoulde stande stedfaste

in theyr, purpose, and stycke to God. For he was a good man, and replenished with the holye ghoste.* 1.5 And therefore came it to passe by meanes of hys prea∣ching, that manye moe dyd ioyne wyth the other numbre, that professed the Lorde. And because that Antioche is adioyning to Cilicia, the very nerenesse of the place, moued hym to seke for Paule, whiche was more meete for thys office, than anye other, forasmuche as he was chosen of Chryste to glorifie hys name among the Gentiles, and prynces of the yerth. For the disciples had brought hym to Cesarea, a citie of Phenice, what tyme he fledde frome Ieru∣salem, and thence he went to Tarsus.

Whom, after he had founde there, he brought to Antioche, because he ho∣ped to wynne moe by hys meanes whyche was an apostle, specially chosen to this office, in so great a cytie as that was, and so muche frequented bothe of Grecians, and also Iewes.

[ The texte.] ¶And it chaunced that a whole yeare they had theyr conuersacion wit•• the congrega∣cion there, and taught muche people: insomuche as the disciples at Antioche, were y^e first that were called Christen.

And so they continued together at Antioche a whole yere, wyth the con∣gregacion of the faythfull, that were there gathered together in a greate numbre, aswell of Grecians, as of Iewes, whiche was afterwardes muche increased by accesse of no smalle multitude of people, gathered together by the preachyng of Paule and Barnabas, insomuche that they, whiche before were called disciples, (because the name of Christe was odious) at Antioche firste were called of the principall authour of their religion, al Christians that professed Christes doctrine.

[ The texte.] ¶In those dayes came prophetes from the citie of Ierusalem vnto Antioche. And there stode vp one of them named Agabus, and signified by the spirite, that there should be great dearth throughout all the worlde, which came to passe i•• the Emperoure Clau∣dius dayes. Than the disciples euery man accordyng to his habilitie, purposed to sende succour vnto the brethren, whiche dwelt in Iewry, which thyng they also dyd, and sente it to the elders by the handes of Barnabas and Saule.

Aboute this season certayne Prophetes came frome Hierusalem to Anti∣oche, among whome, one, whose name was Agabus, standyng vp in the con∣gregacion, inspired with the spirite of God, certified theym that there shoulde come greate famyne ouer all the whole woorlde. The whiche came to passe in Claudius Cesars tyme that succeded Caligula. And because that the Iewes, whiche were conuerted to the fayth, and dwelled in Hierusalem, were for the moste parte poore men and partly had giuen all that they had in commen, and manye of theym by reason that they professed Iesus Christes name had been spoiled of their goodes by the priestes, they prouided that those whyche had abundantlye ynoughe, specially amongest the Gentyles, and had receiued the ghospell, shoulde euerye man gyue a porcion, and the money so gathered, shoulde be sente to y^e christen menne that dwelled in Iewrye, for their sustenta∣cion so that no maunne was compelled to gyue any thyng, but that euery man should geue that, that he coulde fynde in his herte with a good wyll to depart withall, accordyng to the valew of his goodes. And euen as they had ordey∣ned, so was it doen, And y^e same money was sent to Hierusalem by Paule and Barnabe to the elders that they should distribute it as they thought beste, to those that had nede therof.

Notes

• * 1.1

  And whan Peter was cum vp to Hierusalem they that were of the circumcisiō contended againste hym.
• * 1.2

  What was I, that I would haue wythstande god
• * 1.3

  And y^• haue of the lorde was wyth them. &c.
• * 1.4

  And exhor∣ted them al, that wyth purpose of herte. &c.
• * 1.5

  they would continually cleue vnto the lord. &c.